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A Monk Speaking About Ecumenism (part 1) |
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Written by Lucian Dragos
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Saturday, 18 November 2006 |
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Father Arsenie is one of the voices better known in Romania for his opinions on spiritual life. In this interview, he speaks about ecumenism, relations between Christians and spiritual guidance in dialogue. Watch here the first part of this interview.
1. More info needed
Written by
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 , on 03-01-2007 17:12
Dear Lucian,
Thanks for sharing this interview with us! I enjoyed watching it because it gives a glimpse into the mindset of a modern day Romanian Orthodox monk and spiritual father.
Nice to see how the interviewer asks for "a word" just like we read about people did with the Desert Fathers.
I have some questions though:
There is mentioned a book written by Fr. Arsenie. Can you tell more about the content of this book? Why are monks told not to read it? Is it too friendly towards ecumenism?
Fr Arsenie also talks about praying when Christians are engaging "heretics". Hopefully this is not his view of ecumenism?
Hope you can shed some light on the matter.
Pax,
Christian |
2. Written by
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, on 06-01-2007 10:16
Dear Christian,
the are several books written by Fr. Arsenie, most of them subject issues very dear to them, like the unseen war, the mysterious ways of the Lord etc. The book in the film is written by Arsenie, but in the interviewer's eyes, it is too strong for the monks, who may be influenced by it and its ecumenical views. That's why they are told not to read it.
Fr. Arsenie speaks about heretics, but he does so in an environment (1990's) when in Romania we had a propaganda of all kinds of faiths. I think this is what he refers to. On the other hand, about ecumenism, Arsenie speaks with a "spiritual" indiference: if you pray, if you come to dialogue, if you plan your moves etc., you will succeed in promoting the word of Christ.
Sorry to disappoint you, but this type of seeing other Christians as heretics is still very much alive in the monasteries of Romania. Hope we'll visit them sometime.
Lucian |
3. hard and softliners?
Written by Christian Roar Pedersen , on 08-01-2007 19:25
Dear Lucian,
I am not surprised that these views exist in the monasteries, but I am suprised that Fr. Arsenie holds these views (if I understand you correctly?). The other monks must not read his books because they are too ecumenical. Yet at the same time Fr. Arsenie thinks that other Christians are heretics?
I must say: If Fr. Arsenie is one of your softliner, I do not want to meet your hardliners! :-)
When is the interview from? You mention the 1990s? |
4. Hardliners all the eay
Written by Lucian Dragos, on 22-01-2007 08:29
The books mentioned in the interview are writen by Arsenie, but they speak more about ecumenism as a threat. Arsenie makes the softliners list because he still preffers to see ecumenism as a trend, but the faithful can opose it with the help of his solutions: prayer, the gift of distinguishing etc.
The interview was made in the '90s, at the home of Fr. Arsenie in Techirghiol. I don't know the men interviewing him. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 December 2006 )
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