why is praying with non-orthodo

7/27/2019 Why is Praying With Non-Orthodo

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Why is praying with non-Orthodox prohibited?The Church does not issue canons without there being a certain reason. So, what is thereason that makes common prayer with non-Orthodox a forbidden item? And how can wemake this clear to the non-Orthodox?

In lieu of a simple reply to the above question, we could propose the following:

Because it is forbidden by the 45th and the 65th Apostolic Canons, which respectively saythat:

Any Bishop or Presbyter or Deacon who only prays together with heretics, should beexcommunicated; and if they should permit them (the heretics) to perform anything asclergymen, they should be defrocked.

and

Should any clergyman or layman enter into a congregation of Jews or heretics to pray, heshould be excommunicated and defrocked.

However, we believe that this does not suffice as a reply, for someone who wants to know theREASON these canons were issued by the holy Apostles.

So it was that, in his desire to explain the reason for this prohibition, Saint Nicodemusprovided us with certain comments on the subject, in the Pedalion.*

(Pedalion = Rudder: a collection of canons of the Orthodox Church, compiled by SaintNicodemus of Mount Athos)

Orthodox Christians must avoid heretics, and the rituals of heretics. Instead, they (the

heretics) should be checked and counseled by the Bishops and the Presbyters, in the hopethat they will come to understand, and thereafter turn away from their fallacy. It is for this,that the present canon ordains that any Bishop or Presbyter who would accept as proper andtrue the baptism of heretics, or the sacrifice offered by them, such a person we command tobe defrocked. For, what agreement does Christ have with the devil? Or, what share does afaithful person have, as compared to a faithless one? Because, those who accept whatever isthe heretics, or have beliefs similar to them, or, lesser still, do not have any willingness tofree themselves of their cacodoxy, then, BY CONDESCENDING TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIRRITES, HOW WILL THEY (the clergy) BE ABLE TO CHECK THEM, SO THAT THEY MIGHT RESIGNFROM THEIR CACODOXY AND MISGUIDED HERESY? (Pedalion (Greek), pages 50-54)

Two, therefore, are the reasons according to Saint Nicodemus, that forbid Christians to praytogether with heretics:

1. So that there shall be no communion of the faithful with the faithless, and Christ with thedevil, and

2. So that in this way, clergymen will be able to check heretics, and "have the upper handwhen telling them that they are in a soul-condemning heresy, without the other person beingable to retort: Then why do you pray with us?

Lets examine these two reasons in more depth, beginning with the first one.

1. Why is common prayer considered a communing of the faithful with the faithless?


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Even though (as we have shown in a separate article) it is more than obvious to most peoplethat other religions worship a god other than our own, this is not so obvious when it comesto heresies. Could this also apply (that they believe in another God) to the Christian heresies?

To begin with, the overwhelming majority of heresies contain THEOLOGICAL ERRORS. Thismeans that the God they believe in is NOT the Christian God, but another, phony, counterfeitgod; a nonexistent one. And naturally, wherever the true God is absent, the void becomes

occupied by the Devil!

Lets take a look at some examples:

We shall begin with the anti-Triadic heretics, in which are included a large portion ofAdventists, Russellites (Bible Studiers, Watchtower Witnesses, Evangelists, etc.), all of whomare Arianists, and a large portion of Pentecostals worldwide, who are Savellianists in otherwords, those who believe that God is one person with three manifestations and not threeindividual Personae. Most assuredly, there is a vast difference between a Pagan god (who issubject to the limitations of space and time), as is the limited god of the JehovahsWitnesses, or, a god who is solely a person, (and subsequently a servant of his own essence),

as compared to our true, Triadic God.

But there are heresies such as the Monophysites who, while accepting the Triadic God, denythe two natures of Christ! Heretics such as these, however, believe in another Christ anonexistent one! And those who do not have the Son, do not have the Father either! (John I,2:23).

The same applies to the Papist believers, who, on account of the Filioque on one hand, andon the other hand on account of their Augustinian perception of God, whom they perceive asessence and not as Hypostasis, are essentially worshipping a false god, who is subservientto his essence and not vice-versa, which is the case with the true God. And of course even

the Papists are equally heretics, and sacrifice to demons, not to God.

Perhaps someone might insist, however, saying: But there are also people who do worshipthe true God, the same God that the Orthodox Christians worship, whom they also perceive inexactly the same way. Why dont you pray together with them?

In this case, the second reason given by Saint Nicodemus applies:

2. So that we can check those persons on the impropriety that they have indulged in, bycutting themselves off from the Church of God!

Let us now see WHY we should check such people, who, although worshipping the true Godof the Orthodox Church, they persist in keeping themselves separated from the Church of theLord.

So, we wonder, what could be the reason such people remain alienated from the Church ofChrist? Let us examine a few possible reasons, which could apply to them:

1. Because they believe that, although worshipping the same God as the Orthodox, theyconsider themselves more correct (therefore wiser!) than the Church when it comes to theremaining Orthodox dogmas.

2. Because they believe that the Church has deviated from the proper way of worshippingGod.


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3. Because they believe that even though the Church does worship God properly, itnevertheless has in its bosom quite a number of impure people; hence they strive to stay asfar away as possible from them.

4. Because they believe that a relationship with God is strictly a personal one, and not anEcclesiastical one.

5. Because they believe that regardless where they might be, if they worship the true God, it isof no significance.

By observing the above five reasons, it is easy to see that in reality, they can be summarizedin two only:

1. They disagree on something that pertains to the general faith of the Church, and

2. They are arrogant enough so as to consider themselves (or the conventicle that they

belong to), superior t the Church.

So, what do the above two reasons signify, for people such as these? First of all, that theylose contact with the Church on account of their ego, and secondly, that they refuse toacknowledge the Church of the Lord as the ONLY organism through which Jesus Christpreaches the Gospel perennially, and by which He saves all those who approach His Body (theChurch). Therefore, essentially, they are denying the spiritual hospital that the Lord Himselfestablished for our therapy!

In other words, we are talking about people who have taken the wrong course - either onaccount of their pride, or because they have been deceived by a heresy that is leading them in

the wrong direction and who subsequently might lead others astray also!

These two reasons are sufficient enough to lead us to the conclusion that we have anOBLIGATION to show these people their error, and to help them return to the path of theTruth and of Salvation; of their own salvation, as well as of the people that they influence. Weare obliged to help them discard their pride and familiarize themselves with the Path tosalvation that the Lord showed us.

But how can this be accomplished, if our stance towards them shows that we areACKNOWLEDGING their own particular relationships with God as being EQUALLY VALID to theChristians relationships? Isnt this like agreeing with them, that it is of no significance ifthey belong to the Church? Isnt it like we are agreeing with the influence that they perhapsexert when they oppose the Church? Or, even worse, isnt it like admitting to them that it isbetter to be OUTSIDE of the Church rather than inside it?

So, how is it possible to display our opposition, after all these things? Naturally, by REFUSINGto pray with them! We cannot place the Christian prayer (which is referred to as incenseaccording to the Holy Bible) in the same bag with the prayer of a heretic, or of a self-important person who considers himself above the Church.

Thus, whenever any Protestants surprise us (as is their custom) with their invitation: Let uspray together to the Lord, we are obliged to refuse politely and to explain to them that theprayer of the Church cannot be equated to the prayer of anyone who is outside of the Church.

Let them pray on their own, and let us also pray to the true God, our Father, who unfortunately- IS NOT the father of heretics. Because He has adopted through baptism onlythe members of the Church, and it is neither possible nor proper that the Holy Baptism beunderrated, and equated to the non-Orthodox sprinkling or dousing which is performed


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without the authority of apostolic succession.

Our refusal to pray together with non-Orthodox is an indication of our faith towards theChurch of the Lord and the Lord Himself; of our respect towards the EXCLUSIVE PATH toSalvation which He revealed through Jesus Christ, and furthermore, it reveals OUR LOVEtowards those unfortunate people who have wandered away form the true God and the trueChurch.

For, who of us wont be judged, if, on seeing a blind person heading towards a precipice, wedo not move to warn him but instead, praise him for the catastrophic course that he isfollowing?

Let us therefore clarify this point to our beloved friends and acquaintances or relatives whomay belong to a heretic group, so that they will come to understand the love that lies beneaththis refusal and not misinterpret us. Instead, they might (hopefully) ask themselves: is itpossible, that there just might be some truth behind this Orthodox stance? If so, we will bethere, to help them discover it!

G.K.Translation by: A. N.

why is praying with non-orthodo

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