AFRAID THEY CANNOT COMPETE ON AN INTELLECTUAL LEVEL
WORLD MISSION CONFERENCE: EASTERN ORTHODOX COMPLAIN OF “SHEEP STEALING”
World Council of Churches Tries to Integrate Growing Pentecostal Movement
By Wolfgang Polzer
Special to ASSIST News Service
ATHENS (ANS) - May 13, 2005- Tensions between Eastern
Orthodox and Non-Orthodox churches have surfaced during the first ecumenical
World Mission Conference in Athens, Greece, May 9 – 16. Conservative members
of the Greek Orthodox Church protested at the
entrance to the conference center against what they perceive as proselytism
(sheep stealing) - [the exercise of Free Speech] - by Protestant
missionaries.
They described Protestants and Anglicans
as “heretics” and demanded that conference participants leave the country.
They also displayed posters saying “Orthodoxy
or death”. The conference with 500 participants is organized by the
World Council of Churches (WCC), which represents 347 Protestant, Orthodox and
Anglican churches. The WCC denounces proselytism.
It is the first time that an ecumenical world mission conference is being held
in an Orthodox country. Almost ten million of the 10.5 million inhabitants of
Greece are affiliated with the Orthodox Church. Approximately 65,000 are Roman
Catholics and 50,000 Protestants.
In his address to the mission conference the head of the Greek Orthodox Church,
Archbishop Christodoulos, said his church had gladly extended the invitation “despite
bitter experiences in the past with aggressive missionary activities and hostile
actions against our people.”
[ It is worth noting that while America has been open to the Competition of Eastern Orthodoxy despite its founding by Protestants, the Eastern Orthodox Church has responded all over the world by making life as difficult as possible for Protestants to be able even to explain to those interested - what the Bible is about, and why it can be read by each individual instead of ONLY through the Hierarchy of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs, most of whom continue to enjoy an extremely lavish lifestyle ]
Christodoulos denounced modern materialism. Economic prosperity and monetary
profits could never offer hope for a spiritual renaissance. Globalization, he
said, is a means of “torturing” human beings socially and politically.
The conference also aims at integrating the growing Charismatic and Pentecostal
movement into the ecumenical movement. So far, many evangelicals have been
skeptical of liberal theological and ethical tendencies within the WCC. The
WCC’s general secretary Samuel Kobia urged traditional
churches not to ignore the Pentecostal and Charismatic contributions to world
mission any longer.
As the African theologian pointed out, Christianity’s “center of gravity”
has moved from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere. It is now to be found,
according to religion statisticians, somewhere near Timbuktu in the Sahara
desert.
The total membership of Pentecostal churches
is estimated at 554 million, while WCC member churches have 400 million. The
Pentecostal theologian Wonsuk Ma, Baguio (Philippines), explained why especially
the poor are attracted by these churches.
Healing experiences, spectacular conversions and other supernatural
manifestations are seen as proof of God’s appreciation for the
underprivileged. The Pentecostal movement is, according to Ma, not a “religion
for the poor”, but a “religion of the poor”.
He praised the South Korean theologian Yonggi Cho, who pastors the world’s
biggest church with 800,000 members, and the movement Teen Challenge founded by
David Wilkerson in the USA.
East German Bishop Axel Noack explained the difficulties of spreading the Gospel
message in a deeply secularized environment. More than five decades of atheist
rule – first the Nazis, then the Communists – have taken heavy toll in Luther’s
home country. Many East Germans have been “immunized” against the Christian
faith.
Approximately 40 per cent of East German men have never set foot in a church,
the Bishop said. Therefore mission and evangelism could only be carried out in
an ecumenical spirit. Noack: “I am glad when new Christians are added to other
churches through our efforts.”
Note: The Eastern Orthodox Leadership continues to loose members through its own misconduct. When the Countries of the old USSR opened up politically, the Eastern Orthodox Leadership claimed that it "needed time" in order to bring its own local congregation members up to Global standards.
As time has moved forward, the goals of the Eastern Orthodox leadership have been made clear: most of them have tried to keep their own congregants in the dark - and it is THIS goal - of Preventing light, Preventing Free Speech, Preventing Open Questions and Preventing the Seeking of Doctrinal Truth, and Historical Accuracy, that EOC (Eastern Orthodox Church) Leadership has tried to achieve.
It is therefore no surprise that as more information moves into the countries that the Eastern Orthodox Church has Co-Ruled with Totalitarian Systems, that it has become Upset that its monopoly in religious affairs has been somewhat disturbed.
What seemed to bother The Eastern Patriarch far less, was that the members of their own congregation could be lost for eternity, even while standing in an Eastern Orthodox church attempting to find the True God of the Bible.
The search for truth has usually been met with both silence and a cavalier attitude of superiority, disdainful of those who were genuinely seeking historical answers. The EOC has made a practice of NOT being open to genuine theological discourse or debate...and finally understands that people want ANSWERS and those which can be backed up with True History and not invented myths.
The problems for the Eastern Patriarchs will continue...until they reform their churches, and begin supporting the Freedom and Human Rights...that they always claim to be "in favor of" ...unless those rights are sought in Eastern Orthodox ruled Countries.
THERE IS NOT ONE CHRISTIAN NATION ON EARTH WHERE MUSLIMS ARE PERSECUTED.
Yet in most nations where the majority of the population are Muslims, there is systematic government persecution of Christians.
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
--Article 18 of the Universal
Declaration of
Human
Rights--
Christian Conversions - According to the Bible - Can NEVER be forced.
Any Conversion to Christianity which would be "Forced" would NOT be recognized by God. It is in
His True and KIND nature, that those who come to Him and choose to believe in Him, must come to Him OF
THEIR OWN FREE WILL.
Don't Let anyone tell you that Christians support Forced Conversions.
That is False. True Christianity is NEVER forced.
Core Universal Rights
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
Please
Note: We do try to be accurate. If you see anything which you believe
Is not
correct on our website, please do bring it to our attention.
Thank you
(XOFC Staff)
