Posted by Al The whole Rome versus The Orthodox question in the West has received far too little analysis. This is probably due to the fact that for several centuries, what went on the the Roman See was of little or no interest nor consequence to the Eastern Sees. Only when Rome diddled in the lands of the Eastern Sees (the Unia, or Jerusalem, for example) was there any "territorial issues". But, what Rome did in France, Italy or North America was clearly accepted by the East, as it had no clear and direct impact on us.
on 9/22/2009, 2:30 am, in reply to "Re: "Lands of the Barbarians"?"
Message modified by user Al 9/22/2009, 2:47 am
Ah, but can the OCA be autocephalus if not granted such by Rome, which had established dioceses a couple of hundred years before any Orthodox See? If the Eastern Sees have never declared the Roman See invalid, is not NA Rome's province?
That's the question that I think is worthy of pondering. Does our de facto acceptance of Rome as a Patriarchal See cause a stumbling block for Orthodoxy in the Western Hemisphere? There has been a lot of dialog between Moscow and Rome, for example about establishing a clear "non-proslytizing" policy for Rome in Russia, with an MP reciprocal in several lands of the Roman See. If we challenge the existence of a "Latin Patriarch" in Jerusalem, could not Rome challenge the OCA in North America?
The fact is that for centuries, the geopolitical line between the East and West was pretty firm, and basically "respected". The view of the Eastern Patriarchs was that one bishop and his flock were on the wrong sheet of music, but they still saw that bishop and his see as the only game in town in that territory, however erroneous their actions had become.
Just offering some food for thought. Ardy & I tend to listen closely when +Basil speaks, as our experience as students of his at Cambridge was that he always researched his material thoroughly. Far too little examination has been made of the aspects of Rome-East other than the simple existance of the schism and it's causes. I think that +Basil's well supported suggestion that for all intents and purposes, the Orthodox world has never withdraw recognition of the Roman See is worthy of examination. It may very well provide insight into the underlying "inferiority complex" exhibited by the Orthodox in the West.
Al
Paros Island, Greece
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