[EN] Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi writes a letter to Pope Francis/ [RO] Marele Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi i-a scris Papei.

"Papa e un dar al lui Dumnezeu adus unei umanităţii suferinde şi dezorientate. Poate că, graţie lui, din conlucrarea liderilor religioşi ai lumii va veni soluţia pe care liderii politici nu sunt capabili să o identifice." - Marele Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi
http://wild-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/istoria-crimelor-papalitatii.html
http://wild-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/islamul-pruncul-nestiut-al-vaticanului_19.html
http://wild-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/biserica-catolica-mama-islamului.html
http://wild-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/antihristul-caracteristicile.html

[RO] În numele lui Allah, Eminenţei Sale Papa Francisc

Epistola, pornită din Qum (capitala religioasă a Iranului şiit) spre Vatican, nu prin ştafete călări, ci prin intermediul celor mai moderne reţele digitale, circumscrie un moment istoric: solidarizarea liderilor religioşi ai lumii împotriva terorii. 

Marele Ayatollah Shirazi, admirând faptul că Papa Francisc n-a pus niciodată semnul egal între Islam şi terorism, a simţit nevoia să-i scrie, declarând ritos că nu mai pot fi tolerate crimele în numele religiei.

Barbaria autotintitulatului Stat Islamic nu are nici o legătură cu credinţa musulmană, cum nu are legătură nici una dintre violenţele grupărilor teroriste. Ele au împins lumea în mijocul “celei mai grave crize a erei moderne” şi împotriva lor clericii sunt datori să lupte.

Naser Makarem Shirazi (ultimul e un cognomen care indică locul de origine – oraşul Shiraz)  e între ayatollahii conservatori din Qum, un mujtahid redutabil (expert în dreptul canonic), deloc dedat gesturilor spectaculoase. A simţit nevoia să-i scrie Papei Bergoglio, pentru că el însuşi a patronat câteva întâlniri ale teologilor Islamului şiit, în care au fost condamnate “vehement orice formă de violenţă, terorism şi crime împotriva unor oameni nevinovaţi, în numele religiei”, decretându-le drept ”non – islamice”. 

Marele Ayatollah i se adresează Suveranului Pontif cu formula cu care începe orice lucrare binecuvântată în Islam: Bismillah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim (În numele lui Allah, Milostivul, Îndurătorul). Shirazi vede în faptele şi vorbele lui Francisc omenitate, puntea, mâna întinsă.  

Papa e un dar al lui Dumnezeu adus unei umanităţii suferinde şi dezorientate. Poate că, graţie lui, din conlucrarea liderilor religioşi ai lumii va veni soluţia pe care liderii politici nu sunt capabili să o identifice.

[EN] Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi wrote a letter to Pope Francis to appreciate his recent remarks in which he said “Islam is not terrorism.”

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 

To His Eminence Pope Francis, the Leader of the Catholic world,

I’m really delighted to have heard your comments during your last trip to Poland in which you stated “Islam is not terrorism” and further dismissed all divine religions of any form of violations or radicalism. Your wise stand regarding the religion of Islam and dismissing it of inhumane actions carried out by Takfiri groups such as ISIL is really admired.

It goes without saying that clear and strong positions taken by world’s religious leaders against the inhumane violations, especially those carried out under the name of religion in any part of the world, is a vital obligation.

I strongly condemned Takfiris’ vicious terrorist attack on the church in France which led to the cruel murder of a priest. As I’ve already said in my previous letter, I clearly declare, according to all Muslim scholars as well as the vast majority of Muslim community, Takfiri sects are non-Islamic and are considered as the world’s worst crisis in the present era. We’ve been warning the world of this great danger for years.

During last two years, two International conferences have been held in the holy city of Qom on the issue of Religious deviation and threats of Takfiri movements in which numerous prominent Islamic figures along and scholars from 80 different countries took part. During the events, all Islamic scholars unanimously condemned any form of violence, terrorism and murder of innocent people under the name of religion and announced such actions absolutely non-Islamic. They also warned those merciless, ignorant and murderer minorities that their path ends in hell!

Undoubtedly, the Takfiri terrorist groups would have been destroyed by now if it wasn’t for the arrogant powers’ support and helps to them.

As you have remarked, such violations have nothing to do with religions or denominations, rather they are originated form hegemonic government’s inferior materialistic objectives in order to collect illegitimate wealth. Fortunately, public awareness has been raised regarding radical and extremist behaviors and we can be hopeful that such actions finally come to an and.

In conclusion, I pray to God almighty for your success in spreading kindness, peace and spirituality in the world.

Yours faithfully,
 Naser Makarem-Shirazi,
Qom, Iran
August 20, 2016

Iesiti din Babilon !

Has the Catholic Church endorsed ISLAM? DECLARATION ON THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS

What the Catholic Church actually said about Islam
at the Second Vatican Council in 1964 and 1965

The Church has also a high regard for the Muslims.They worship God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty,the Creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to men. Over the centuries many quarrels and dissensions have arisen between Christians and Muslims. Christians and Muslims.The sacred Council now pleads with all to forget the past, and urges that a sincere effort be made to achieve mutual understanding;for the benefit of all men, let them together preserve and promote peace,liberty, social justice and moral values.liberty, social justice and moral values. The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Moslems:these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with usthey adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.

                     CHAPTER II THE PEOPLE OF GOD

   9. At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what
   is right has been acceptable to him (cf. Acts 10:35). He has, however,
   willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any
   bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who
   might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness. He therefore chose
   the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant
   with it. He gradually instructed this people -- in its history
   manifesting both himself and the decree of his will -and made it holy
   unto himself. All these things, however, happened as a preparation and
   figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in
   Christ, and of the fuller revelation which was to be given through the
   Word of God made flesh. "Behold the days are coming, says the Lord,
   when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house
   of Judah. . . I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon
   their hearts, and they shall be my people . . . For they shall all
   know me from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord" (Jer.
   31:31-34). Christ instituted this new covenant, namely the new
   covenant in his blood (cf. 1 Cor. 11: 25 ); he called a race made up
   of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh,
   but in the Spirit, and this race would be the new People of God. For
   those who believe in Christ, who are reborn, not from a corruptible
   seed, but from an incorruptible one through the word of the living God
   (cf. 1 Pet. 1:23), not from flesh, but from water and the Holy Spirit
   (cf. Jn. 3:56), are finally established as "a chosen race, a royal
   priesthood, a holy nation . . . who in times past were not a people,
   but now are the People of God" (1 Pet. 2:910).

   [....]

   [The document goes on to discuss all those outside the Catholic
   Church, their degree of closeness to the Church, and the amount
   of truth they possess.]

   All men are called to this catholic unity which prefigures and promotes
   universal peace. And in different ways to it belong, or are related:
   the Catholic faithful, others who believe in Christ, and finally all
   mankind, called by God's grace to salvation.

   14. This holy Council first of all turns its attention to the Catholic
   faithful. Basing itself on scripture and tradition, it teaches that
   the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the
   one Christ is mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us
   in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the
   necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk. 16:16; Jn. 3:5), and thereby
   affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter
   through baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who,
   knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God
   through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it.

   Fully incorporated into the Church are those who, possessing the
   Spirit of Christ, accept all the means of salvation given to the
   Church together with her entire organization, and who -- by the bonds
   constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical
   government, and communion -- are joined in the visible structure of
   the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and
   the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does
   not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in
   the bosom of the Church, but "in body" not "in heart.''[12] All
   children of the Church should nevertheless remember that their exalted
   condition results, not from their own merits, but from the grace of
   Christ. If they fail to respond in thought, word and deed to that
   grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they shall be the more
   severely judged.[13]

   Catechumens who, moved by the Holy Spirit, desire with an explicit
   intention to be incorporated into the Church, are by that very
   intention joined to her. With love and solicitude mother Church
   already embraces them as her own.

   15. The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized
   who are honored by the name of Christian, but who do not however
   profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity
   or communion under the successor of Peter.[14] For there are many who
   hold sacred scripture in honor as a rule of faith and of life, who
   have a sincere religious zeal, who lovingly believe in God the Father
   Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and the Saviour,[15] who are
   sealed by baptism which unites them to Christ, and who indeed
   recognize and receive other sacraments in their own Churches or
   ecclesiastical communities. Many of them possess the episcopate,
   celebrate the holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion of the Virgin
   Mother of God.[16] There is furthermore a sharing in prayer and
   spiritual benefits; these Christians are indeed in some real way
   joined to us in the Holy Spirit for, by his gifts and graces, his
   sanctifying power is also active in them and he has strengthened some
   of them even to the shedding of their blood. And so the Spirit stirs
   up desires and actions in all of Christ's disciples in order that all
   may be peaceably united, as Christ ordained, in one flock under one
   shepherd.[17] Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that
   this may be achieved, and she exhorts her children to purification and
   renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the
   face of the Church.

   16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to
   the People of God in various ways.[18] There is, first, that people to
   which the covenants and promises were made, and from which Christ was
   born according to the flesh (cf. Rom. 9 :4-5): in view of the divine
   choice, they are a people most dear for the sake of the fathers, for
*  the gifts of God are without repentance (cf. Rom. 11:29-29). But the
*  plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in
*  the first place amongst whom are the Moslems: these profess to hold
*  the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one,
*  merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day. Nor is God remote from
   those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, since he gives
   to all men life and breath and all things (cf. Acts 17:2528), and
   since the Savior wills all men to be saved (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4). Those
   who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ
   or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart,
   and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know
   it through the dictates of their conscience -- those too many achieve
   eternal salvation.[19] Nor shall divine providence deny the assistance
   necessary for salvation to those who, without any fault of theirs,
   have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God, and who, not
   without grace, strive to lead a good life. Whatever good or truth is
   found amongst them is considered by the Church to be a preparation for
   the Gospel[20] and given by him who enlightens all men that they may
   at length have life. But very often, deceived by the Evil One, men
   have become vain in their reasonings, have exchanged the truth of God
   for a lie and served the world rather than the Creator (cf. Rom. 1:21
   and 25). Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are
   exposed to ultimate despair. Hence to procure the glory of God and the
   salvation of all these, the Church, mindful of the Lord's command,
   "preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:16) takes zealous care
   to foster the missions.

   17. As he had been sent by the Father, the Son himself sent the
   apostles (cf. Jn. 20:21) saying, "go, therefore, and make disciples of
   all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
   and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
   commanded you; and behold I am with you all days even unto the
   consummation of the world" (Mt. 28:18-20). ...

The Muslims are there, sandwiched between the Jews and other religions. But all this document recognizes, even with its flowery language, is the following:
1. Muslims acknowledge the Creator.
2. Muslims profess to hold the faith of Abraham (i.e., they claim that they have the same faith Abraham had).
3. Like Catholics, Muslims adore (i.e., worship) God, and regard Him as one, merciful, and judging.
No mention of Muhammad, the Qur'an, or what "Islam" teaches, only what "Muslims" at present believe. And, from my knowledge of the language of Church documents like this, I would not argue that "Muslims" is meant to include every single person who calls himself a Muslim, but only the mass of Muslims in general.

    DECLARATION ON THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS

                               Nostra Aetate

                              October 28 1965

   1. In this age of ours, when men are drawing more closely together and
   the bonds of friendship between different peoples are being
   strengthened the Church examines with greater care the relation which
   she has to non-Christian religions. Ever aware of her duty to foster
   unity and charity among individuals, and even among nations, she
   reflects at the outset on what men have in common and what tends to
   promote fellowship among them.

   All men form but one community. This is so because all stem from the
   one stock which God created to people the entire earth (cf. Acts
   17:26), and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His
   providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all men
   (cf. Wis. 8:1: Acts 14:17: Rom. 2:6 7: I Tim. 2:4) against the day
   when the elect are gathered together in the holy city which is
   illumined by the glory of God, and in whose splendor all peoples will
   walk(cf. Apoc 21:23 ff.).

   Men look to their different religions for an answer to the unsolved
   riddles of human existence. The problems that weigh heavily on the
   hearts of men are the same today as in the ages past. What is man?
   What is the meaning and purpose of life? What is upright behavior, and
   what is sinful? Where does suffering originate, and what end does it
   serve? How can genuine happiness be found? What happens at death? What
   is judgment? What reward follows death? And finally, what is the
   ultimate mystery, beyond human explanation, which embraces our entire
   existence, from which we take our origin and towards which we tend?

   2. Throughout history even to the present day, there is found among
   different peoples a certain awareness of a hidden power, which lies
   behind the course of nature and the events of human life. At times
   there is present even a recognition of a supreme being or still more
   of a Father. This awareness and recognition results in a way of life
   that is imbued with a deep religious sense. The religions which are
   found in more advanced civilizations endeavor by way of well-defined
   concepts and exact language to answer these questions. Thus in
   Hinduism men explore the divine mystery and express it both in the
   limitless riches of myth and the accurately defined insights of
   philosophy. They seek release from the trials of the present life by
   ascetical practices, profound meditation and recourse to God in
   confidence and love. Buddhism in its various forms testifies to the
   essential inadequacy of this changing world. It proposes a way of life
   by which men can with confidence and trust, attain a state of perfect
   liberation and reach supreme illumination either through their own
   efforts or by the aid of divine help. So. too, other religions which
   are found throughout the world attempt in their own ways to calm the
   hearts of men by outlining a program of life covering doctrine, moral
   precepts and sacred rites.

   The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these
   religions. She has a high regard for the manner of life and conduct,
   the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways from
   her own teaching, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that truth which
   enlightens all men. Yet she proclaims and is in duty bound to proclaim
   without fail, Christ who is the way, the truth and the life (Jn. 1:6).
   In him, in whom God reconciled all things to himself (2 Cor. 5:18-19),
   men find the fullness of their religious life.

   The Church therefore, urges her sons to enter with prudence and
   charity into discussion and collaboration with members of other
   religions. Let Christians, while witnessing to their own faith and way
   of life, acknowledge, preserve and encourage the spiritual and moral
   truths found among non-Christians, also their social life and culture.

*  3. The Church has also a high regard for the Muslims. They worship
*  God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, the
*  Creator of heaven and earth,[1] who has also spoken to men. They
*  strive to submit themselves without reserve to the bidden decrees of
*  God, just as Abraham submitted himself to God's plan, to whose faith
*  Muslims eagerly link their own. Although not acknowledging him as God,
*  they worship Jesus as a prophet, his virgin Mother they also honor,
*  and even at times devoutly invoke. Further, they await the day of
*  judgment and the reward of God following the resurrection of the dead.
*  For this reason they highly esteem an upright life and worship God,
*  especially by way of prayer, alms-deeds and fasting.
*
*  Over the centuries many quarrels and dissensions have arisen between
*  Christians and Muslims. The sacred Council now pleads with all to
*  forget the past, and urges that a sincere effort be made to achieve
*  mutual understanding; for the benefit of all men, let them together
*  preserve and promote peace, liberty, social justice and moral values.

   4. Sounding the depths of the mystery which is the Church, this sacred
   Council remembers the spiritual ties which link the people of the New
   Covenant to the stock of Abraham.

   The Church of Christ acknowledges that in God's plan of salvation the
   beginning of her faith and election is to be found in the patriarchs.
   Moses and the prophets. She professes that all Christ's faithful, who
   as men of faith are sons of Abraham (cf. Gal. 3:7), are included in
   the same patriarch's call and that the salvation of the Church is
   mystically prefigured in the exodus of God's chosen people from the
   ....

   [1. Cf. St. Gregory VII, Letter 21 to Anzir (Nacir), King of
   Mauretania (PL, 148, col. 450 ff.).]

So here the Muslims appear, after the Buddhists and before the Jews. Because this document is concerned specifically with non-Christian religions, it talks more about Muslims than Lumen Gentium does. Nevertheless, all it claims about Muslims is the following:
1. The Catholic Church has a high regard for Muslims. (This "regard" is genuine, but it should not be exaggerated, since Church documents are always written in a polite diplomatic language wherein even a power-hungry king who has just plundered papal lands can be referred to as an "august and pacific ruler".)
2. Muslims worship God. (More so than in Lumen Gentium, the Church seems to declare as a fact here that Muslims regard God as one, living, subsistent, merciful, almighty, and as having "spoken to men". Note that the last phrase means only that "They worship God, ... who has spoken to men." There is no recognition of Muhammad or the Qur'an necessarily implied here.)
3. Muslims try to submit to God's will, which is hidden, just as Abraham submitted.
4. Muslims eagerly link their faith to that of Abraham. (I.e., they claim their faith is the same as Abraham's.)
5. Muslim do not acknowledge Jesus as God, but do worship him as a prophet. (Here "worship" would seem to be a flowery term denoting a reverence or adoration less than what one would give to a deity.)
6. Muslims also honor and sometimes devoutly invoke Mary. (The sentence also implies that Muslims accept Mary's virginity.)
7. Muslims believe in a day of judgment and the reward of God following the resurrection of the dead.
8. Muslims highly esteem an upright life.
9. Muslims worship God, especially by way of prayer, alms-deeds and fasting.
10. Muslims and Christians have quarreled many times.

---

Papa accepta teoria evolutionista si Big Bang-ul | Pope Francisc believes in The Big Bang. The Catholic Church no longer teaches creationism

THE BIG BANG, WHICH SCIENTISTS BELIEVE LED TO THE FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE SOME 13.8 BILLION YEARS AGO, WAS ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN, POPE FRANCIS HAS DECLARED.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16,17

The Pope said the scientific account of the beginning of the universe and the development of life through evolution are compatible with the Catholic Church’s vision of creation. He told a meeting of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Sciences: ‘The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.’

But he said Christians should reject the idea that world came into being by chance. Likewise, evolution was all part of God’s plan, he explained. The development of each creature’s characteristics over millennia ‘does not contrast with the notion of creation because evolution presupposes the creation of beings that evolve,’ he said.

“Reading Genesis we imagine that God is ‘a wizard with a magic wand’ capable of doing all things, he said. ‘But it is not so. He created life and let each creature develop according to the natural laws which he had given each one.’

Francis praised his predecessor, Benedict, who initiated attempts to shed the Catholic Church’s image of being anti-science, a label that stuck when it condemned the astronomer Galileo to death for teaching that the earth revolves around the sun.

The Catholic Church no longer teaches creationism – the belief that God created the world in six days – and says that the account in the book of Genesis is an allegory for the way God created the world.

( jewsnews.co.il )

Sfarsitul tot mai aproape: Biserica Catolica la un pas de unire cu Biserica Ortodoxa dupa anuntul istoric facut de Papa

"Vino să-ţi arăt judecata curvei celei mari, care şade pe ape mari." "Şi am văzut o femeie şezând pe o fiară de culoare roşu aprins, plină cu nume de hulă, având şapte capete şi zece coarne. Şi femeia era îmbrăcată în roşu aprins şi vişiniu şi împodobită cu aur, pietre preţioase şi cu perle, având în mână o cupă de aur, plină de spurcăciuni şi de necurăţiile curviei ei. Pe frunte purta scris un nume, o TAINĂ, BABILONUL CEL MARE, MAMA CURVELOR ŞI SPURCĂCIUNILOR PĂMÂNTULUI.'' Apocalipsa 17:1, 3-5



Papa Francisc a lansat duminică la Istanbul un apel ferm pentru unitatea Bisericilor Catolică și Ortodoxă, despărțite de un mileniu, arătând că victimele războaielor și tinerii cer ca acest pas istoric să fie făcut.

„Singurul lucru pe care îl dorește Biserica Catolică și pe care îl urmăresc ca Episcop al Romei (...) este comuniunea cu Bisericile Ortodoxe”, a asigurat Suveranul Pontif într-un mesaj citit în fața Patriarhului Ecumenic al Constatinopolului, Bartolomeu I, după ce au participat împreună la o liturghie.

De o importanță excepțională în mesaj este faptul că Papa a ținut să sublinieze că nu există nici o pretenție din partea catolicilor:

„Biserică Catolică nu dorește să impună nici o condiție, în afara celei a profesiunii de credință comune. Suntem gata că săutăm împreună modalitățile prin care să garantăm unitatea necesară a Bisericii în condițiile actuale.”

Francisc și-a continuat mesajul istoric:

„În lumea de astăzi se ridică cu putere voci pe care nu pytem să nu le auzim și care cer Bisericilor noastre să-și asume până la capăt condiția de discipoli ai Domnului nostru Iisus Hristos”.

Bisericile Catolică și Ortodoxă s-au separat în 1054, când Papa leon al IX-lea și Patriarhul Mihail I Celularie al Constantinopolului și-au aruncat reciproc anatema.

Printre diferențele care divizează cele două blocuri creștine se află celebrul Filioque (Catolicii susțin că Duhul Sfânt din Sfânta Treime purcede din Tatăl și din Fiul, în vreme ce Ortodocșii cred că acesta purcede doar din Tatăl), sau Primatul Papei (întâietatea, infailibilitatea și superioritatea față de ceilalți episcopi).

Spre deosebire de Papa, Patriarhul Constantinopolului nu are putere reală asupra lumii ortodoxe, el având doar un rang onorific. Bisericile ortodoxe sunt autocefale, ele nu se subordonează unui Primat din afara țării.

Francisc I si Bartolomeu I aranjeaza viitorul: 2025, intoarcerea la Niceea

Papa Francisc este un pionier printre papi, fără îndoială. Circulă cu o mașină obișnuită, face selfie-uri cu adolescenți și nu își ascultă gărzile de corp. Nu pare să spună nimănui ce are de gând să facă. Cu el, surprizele se țin lanț. Una dintre ele este programată deja pentru anul 2025.

În 1964, papa Paul al VI-lea a efectuat o vizită istorică în Israel, unde s-a întâlnit pentru prima dată cu patriarhul ecumenic grec-ortodox Athenagoras și cu patriarhul grec-ortodox de Ierusalim, Benedictos, după câteva secole de separare între biserici. A fost o întâlnire care a transformat semnificativ relațiile dintre Biserica Romano-Catolică și cea Ortodoxă. După 50 de ani, papa Francisc I a reeditat vizita lui Paul al VI-lea, întâlnindu-se în Ierusalim cu patriarhul ecumenic Bartolomeu I.

Întorcându-se de la această întrevedere, Bartolomeu I, primus inter pares din cadrul Bisericii Ortodoxe, le-a dezvăluit jurnaliștilor un secret: „Împreună cu Francisc I am hotărât să lăsăm moștenire o întâlnire la Niceea, în 2025, pentru a celebra împreună, după 17 secole, primul sinod cu adevărat ecumenic (…)”.

Care sunt implicațiile unei asemenea întâlniri? Pentru a avea o idee, va trebui să înțelegem ce se întâmplă la un sinod ecumenic, și, mai ales, ce s-a întâmplat acum aproximativ 1.700 de ani.

Decriptarea sinodului ecumenic

Un conciliu (sinod) bisericesc este o adunare a tuturor acelor membri ai bisericii care sunt responsabili de păzirea credinței apostolice. Conciliile sunt convocate pentru a clarifica disputele de interpretare, pentru a emite judecăți de valoare cu privire la chestiunile care nu apar în Scriptură, iar deciziile sunt primite de biserică ca fiind în acord cu Scriptura și cu interpretarea tradițională.

Hotărârile unui conciliu ecumenic se presupun a fi acceptate de întreaga biserică. Cu toate acestea, bisericile răsăritene (ortodoxe) le recunosc ca autoritate numai pe primele șapte, în timp ce catolicii recunosc douăzeci și unu. În rândul protestanților (în special luteranismul și anglicanismul) sunt acceptate învățăturile primelor șapte concilii, dar acestora nu li se acordă aceeași autoritate.

Există deosebiri cu privire la cine are dreptul de a convoca un conciliu. În Biserica Romano-Catolică, dreptul îi aparține papei. În alte biserici dreptul este conferit anumitor sinoade sau reprezentanți aleși. Dreptul de a participa și a vota într-un conciliu este restricționat doar la episcopi (în bisericile răsăritene), pe când Roma permite o mai largă participare, dar limitează dreptul de a vota doar la episcopi. Protestanții, pe de altă parte, consideră că reprezentanții întregii biserici ar trebui să ia parte și să voteze.

Autoritatea conciliilor este, de asemenea disputată. În Răsărit, conciliile sunt privite ca infailibile, deoarece sunt insuflate de Duhul Sfânt, care vorbește prin vocea unanimă a episcopilor. În istorie însă, unanimitatea a fost adesea obținută prin excluderea episcopilor disidenți, iar alteori deciziile au fost respinse mai târziu de către biserică. În Apus, papa este arbitrul ultim și executorul deciziilor conciliare, care devin valide doar dacă el își dă aprobarea, însă conciliile timpurii s-au desfășurat fără aprobarea Romei și, în multe cazuri, au fost acceptate drept autoritate.

Cum s-a ajuns la Niceea 325

Primul conciliu universal este considerat a fi cel descris în Biblie, în cartea Faptele apostolilor, capitolul 15. Acesta s-a desfășurat în jurul anului 49, d.Chr., legitimând misiunea apostolului Pavel pentru creștinii care nu erau evrei. Orice nonevreu putea deveni creștin, fără a adera la regulile ceremoniale mozaice (în special circumcizia).

Creștinismul s-a răspândit în aproape întreg Imperiul Roman, în ciuda faptului că timp de aproape 300 de ani creștinii au fost persecutați, încă din perioada apostolilor. În anul 313, împărații Constantin și Licinius au legalizat creștinismul prin Edictul de la Milano. Păgânismul însă era, de asemenea, legal și prezent în viața oamenilor. Spre exemplu, în 321, cu 4 ani înaintea Conciliului de la Niceea, împăratul Constantin a declarat ziua de duminică ca zi de odihnă, în onoarea soarelui.

În dorința de a păstra unitatea imperiului, Constantin a căutat să se folosească de religia creștină. A descoperit însă o dispută în sânul acesteia, care reprezenta o amenințare mai mare decât orice altă amenințare politică: controversa ariană. Arius (c. 256-336), un teolog din Alexandria (Egipt), credea că Iisus Hristos, deși deplin uman și cea mai onorată ființă creată, nu era deplin divină, deoarece nu împărtășea aceeași ființă (gr. homoiousios – „esență asemănătoare”) ca Dumnezeu. Mai erau și dispute privind calcularea datei Paștelui și alte chestiuni de organizare a bisericii și tratare a unor schisme.

Pentru clarificarea teologică, Constantin a convocat un conciliu la care a invitat reprezentanții creștinismului din întregul imperiu, în număr de 1.800. Au răspuns invitației 318 episcopi, fiecare însoțit de doi preoți și trei diaconi. Majoritatea era constituită din episcopii răsăriteni. O absență notabilă a fost cea a episcopului de Roma, care a fost reprezentat de doi preoți.

                                                                                                                                                

Ce s-a întâmplat la Niceea 325

Conciliul a început pe 20 mai și s-a încheiat pe 25 august 325. Crezul (sau simbolul) niceean, intenționat a rezuma credința creștină, afirma despre Iisus Christos că este „de o ființă cu Tatăl” (gr. homoousios — „esență identică”). Alături de această expresie a fost adăugată o alta: „care din Tatăl S-a născut” / „născut nu făcut”.

Ideea nașterii ontologice din Tatăl reflectă mai ales preocuparea părinților bisericești de a se asigura că sunt în acord cu filosofia grecească, cel puțin în terminologia folosită. Drept rezultat, revelația Scripturii, care prezintă expresiile asociate lui Christos „întâi-născut” și „singurul născut” cu referire la supremație, nu naștere, a fost lăsată la o parte. Astfel, generarea veșnică a Fiului din Tatăl, o doctrină la fel de nebiblică ca și cea a lui Arius, a fost acceptată.

Alături de acest crez, au fost promulgate mai multe canoane, din care s-au păstrat doar douăzeci. Între acestea, unul acordă o autoritate deosebită patriarhilor (episcopilor) de Roma, Alexandria și Antiohia, iar un altul acordă o onoare deosebită episcopului de Ierusalim.

Edictul de la Tesalonic 28 februarie 380

Împăraţii Graţian, Valentinian şi Teodosie 

 Dorim ca toate popoarele, pe care 
clemenţa noastră le conduce cu dreaptă 
măsură, să trăiască în acea credinţă pe 
care dumnezeiescul apostol Petru a predat-o romanilor, transmisă de la el până acum şi pe care o urmează în chip limpede papa Damasus şi Petru episcopul Alexandriei, barbat de sfintenie apostolica. Aceasta înseamnă să credem, conform rânduielii apostolice şi învăţăturii 
evanghelice, într-o singură dumnezeire a 
Tatălui şi a Fiului şi a Sfântului Duh, de 
aceeaşi slavă în Sfânta Treime. Poruncim ca cei ce respectă această 
lege să îmbrăţişeze numele de creştini catholici iar ceilalţi rămaşi, nechibzuiti şi nebuni, să fie socotiţi drept eretici 
pentru că susţin infamia învăţăturii eretice şi 
nici adunările lor să nu primească numele de 
biserici. Aceştia vor fi pedepsiţi întâi de toate 
prin răzbunarea dumnezeiască, iar apoi prin 
acţiunea noastră de represiune pe care am început-o din cereasca voinţă.  

Ce presupune o întoarcere la Niceea?

Niceea anului 325 reprezintă prima întâlnire universală a reprezentanților creștini care au ajuns la un acord în privința afirmațiilor doctrinare. Niceea anului 2025, prima întâlnire universală a reprezentanților catolici și ortodocși pentru a celebra împreună 1.700 de ani de la primul sinod, ar putea reprezenta un pas important pentru o potențială comuniune deplină.

Ideea nu este nouă. Într-o declarație comună, din 28 octombrie 1967, papa și patriarhul au dorit să accentueze convingerea lor că „un element esențial în restaurarea deplinei comuniuni între Biserica Romano-Catolică și Biserica Ortodoxă poate fi regăsit în cadrul reînviorării bisericii și creștinilor în acord cu tradiția părinților bisericești și cu inspirația Duhului Sfânt care rămâne pururea cu biserica”.

Amintirea tradiției părinților bisericești este intenționată nu doar ca interpretarea proprie fiecărei biserici, ci în acordul lor cu ocazia diverselor sinoade. Amintirea acestui acord într-un cadru de sărbătoare poate să apropie cele două biserici. Însă apropierea nu asigură și unitatea.

Între asemănări și deosebiri

Deosebirile, care sunt atât de natură teologică (problema filioque, imaculata concepție, purgatoriul), cât și administrativă (primatul papal) încă ridică probleme majore. Dacă în privința teologiei, istoria arată că se poate ajunge la un consens, cel puțin la nivel declarativ, în privința primatului, lucrurile stau diferit.

Episcopul de Roma are autoritate absolută și infailibilă în Biserica Romano-Catolică. Primatul patriarhului de Constantinopol este unul de onoare, neavând o autoritate globală, ci doar o poziție de influență mai amplă, ceea ce nu asigură o uniformitate de opinie. Recent, Patriarhia Rusă a respins, într-un mod vehement, primatul papal. Deși asta arată cel mai probabil nesiguranța pierderii influenței în cazul unei potențiale uniri cu Roma, el indică și deosebirile din sânul ortodoxiei, ceea ce poate îngreuna procesul apropierii de catolicism.

Niceea 325 a indicat și că Scriptura a început să-și piardă influența în fața diverselor interpretări patristice, adesea contradictorii. Dacă Niceea 2025 va depăși nivelul unei celebrări și se va concretiza într-un sinod autentic, cel mai probabil discuțiile teologice vor fi purtate în jurul unor practici fundamentate în primul rând pe scrierile patristice și mai puțin pe Scriptură, evitându-se cât mai mult chestiunile care ar putea provoca disensiuni.

De asemenea, Niceea 325 a reprezentat acceptarea arbitrajului civil în chestiunile religioase, în persoana împăratului Constantin. Cine va arbitra în 2025? Greu de spus. Scriptura afirmă că, în asemenea neînțelegeri, Duhul Sfânt ar trebui să „călăuzească în tot adevărul” (Ioan 16:13). Biblia prezintă adevărul ca fiind nu o interpretare, ci o persoană: Iisus Christos. Relația cu El, confirmată prin ascultarea de cuvintele Sale (1 Ioan 1:5) este singura garanție a unității.

În prezent, dialogul despre unitate este bazat doar la suprafață pe cuvintele lui Iisus Christos din Evanghelia după Ioan, capitolul 17, versetul 21: „Mă rog ca toți să fie una.” Unitatea despre care vorbește Iisus este o unitate în adevăr, adică în Cuvântul lui Dumnezeu (versetul 17). Unitatea nu este reprezentată de acordul în punctele comune. Acesta poate ignora sau chiar înlătura adevărul, de dragul unității. Dacă drumul spre unitate se parcurge cu prețul sacrificării adevărului biblic, rezultatul poate fi cel al unei majorități care-și va impune punctul de vedere cu ajutorul autorității civile.

Is there a Trinity? | 60 Questions on the Godhead with Bible Answers

1.  Is the word trinity in the Bible? No.

2.  Does the Bible say that there are three persons in the Godhead? No.

3.  Does the Bible speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Yes.

4.  Do these titles as used in Matthew 28:19 mean that there are three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead? No, they refer to three offices, roles, or relationship to humanity.

5.  Does the Bible use the word three in reference to God? Only one verse in the entire Bible does so-I John 5:7. It speaks of the Father, the Word (instead of Son), and the Holy Ghost, and it concludes by saying, “These three are one.”

6.  Does the Bible use the word one in reference to God? Yes, many times. For example, see Zechariah 14:9; Malachi 2:10; Matthew 23:9; Mark 12:29, 32; John 8:41; 10:30; Romans 3:30; I Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; I Timothy 2:5; James 2:19.

7.  Can the mystery of the Godhead be understood? Yes. Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16.

8.  Has the Christian only one Heavenly Father? Yes. Matthew 23:9.

9.  Then why did Jesus say to Philip, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)? Because Jesus is the express image of God’s person. Hebrews 1:3. The Greek word for personin this verse literally means “substance.”

10.  Does the Bible say that there are two persons in the Godhead? No.

11.  Does the Bible say that all the Godhead is revealed in one person? Yes, in Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:19; 2:9; Hebrews 1:3.

12.  Is the mystery of the Deity hidden from some people? Yes. Luke 10:21-22.

13.  Who is the Father? The Father is the one God, particularly as revealed in parental relationship to humanity. Deuteronomy 32:6; Malachi 2:10.

14.  Where was God the Father while Jesus was on earth? The Father was in Christ. John 14:10; II Corinthians 5:19. He was also in heaven, for God is omnipresent.

15.  Did the prophet Isaiah say that Jesus would be the Father? Yes. Isaiah 9:6; 63:16.

16.  When God said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26), was He speaking to another person in the Godhead? No. Isaiah 44:24; Malachi 2:10.

17.  How many of God’s qualities were in Christ? All. Colossians 2:9.

18.  How may we see the God who sent Jesus into the world? By seeing Jesus. John 12:44-45; 14:9.

19.  Does the Bible say that Jesus is the Almighty? Yes. Revelation 1:8

20.  Whom do some designate as the first person in the trinity? God the Father.

21.  Whom do some designate as the last person in the trinity? The Holy Ghost. But Jesus said that He was the first and last. Revelation 1:17-18

22.  How many persons did John see sitting on the throne in heaven? One. Revelation 4:2.

23.  If Jesus is the first and the last, why did God say in Isaiah 44:6 that He was the first and the last? Because Jesus is the God of the Old Testament incarnate.

24.  Did Jesus tell Satan that God alone should be worshipped? Yes. Matthew 4:10

25.  Does the devil believe in more than one God? No. James 2:19.

26.  Does the Bible say that God, who is the Word, was made flesh? Yes John 1:1, 14.

27.  For what purpose was God manifested in the flesh? To save sinners. Hebrews 2:9, 14.

28.  Was Jesus God manifested in the flesh? Yes. I Timothy 3:16.

29.  Could Jesus have been on earth and in heaven at the same time? Yes. John 3:13.

30.  Does the Bible say that there is but one Lord? Yes. Isaiah 45:18; Ephesians 4:5.

31.  Does the Bible say that Christ is the Lord? Yes. Luke 2:11.

32.  Does the Bible say that the Lord is God? Yes. I kings 18:39; Zechariah 14:5; Acts 2:39; Revelation 19:1.

33.  How could the church belong to Jesus (Matthew 16:18) and yet be the church of God (I Corinthians 10:32)? Because Jesus is God in the flesh.

34.  Will God give His glory to another? No. Isaiah 42:8.

35.  Was there a God formed before Jehovah, or will there be one formed after? No. Isaiah 43:10.

36.  What is one thing that God does not know? Another God. Isaiah 44:8.

37.  What is one thing that God Cannot do? Lie. Titus 1:2.

38.  How many Gods should we know? Only one. Hosea 13:4.

39.  How many names has the Lord? One. Zechariah 14:9.

40.  Is it good to think upon the name of the Lord? Yes. Malachi 3:16.

41.  Does the Bible say that God alone treads upon the waves of the sea? Yes. Job 9:8

42.  Why, then, was Jesus able to walk upon the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:25)? Because He is God the Creator. Colossians 1:16.

43.  Is God the only one who can forgive sin? Yes. Isiah 43:25; Mark 2:7.

44.  Why, then, could Jesus forgive sin in Mark 2:5-11? Because He is God the Savior.

45.  Is Jesus the true God? Yes. I John 5:20.

46.  If God and the Holy Ghost are two separate persons, which was the Father of Christ? Matthew 1:20 says that the Holy Ghost was the Father, while Romans 15:6, II Corinthians 11:31, and Ephesians 1:3 say that God was the Father. There is no contradiction when we realize that God the Father and the Holy Ghost are one and the same Spirit. Matthew 10:20; Ephesians 4:4; I Corinthians 3:16.

47.  When Paul asked the Lord who He was, what was the answer? ”I am Jesus.” Acts 9:5.

48.  When Stephen was dying, did he call God Jesus? Yes. Acts 7:59.

49.  Did Thomas ever call Jesus God? Yes. John 20:28.

50.  How could Jesus be the Savior, when God the Father said in Isaiah 43:11, “Beside me there is no Savior?” Because “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.” II Corinthians 5:19.

51.  Does the Bible say that Jesus was God with us? Yes. Matthew 1:23.

52.  Did Jesus ever say, “I and my Father are one?” Yes. John 10:30.

53.  Can it be proved scripturally that Jesus and the Father are one in the same sense that husband and wife are one? No. The Godhead was never compared to the relationship of a husband and wife. Jesus identified Himself with the Father in a way that husband and wife cannot be identified with each other. John 14:9-11.

54.  Does the Bible say that there is only one wise God? Yes. Jude 25.

55.  Does the Bible call the Holy Ghost a second or third person in the Godhead? No. The Holy Ghost is the one Spirit of God, the one God Himself at work in our lives. John 4:24; I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 12:13.

56.  Can Trinitarians show that three divine persons were present when Jesus was baptized by John? Absolutely not. The one, omnipresent God used three simultaneous manifestations. Only one divine person was present–Jesus Christ the Lord.

57.  Then what were the other two of whom Trinitarians speak? One was a voice from heaven; the other was the Spirit of God in the form of a dove. Matthew 3:16-17.

58.  What did the voice say at Jesus’ baptism? ”Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11. As the Son of God, Jesus was the one God incarnate.

59.  Does the Bible say that God shed His blood and that God laid down His life for us? Yes. Acts 20:28; I John 3:16. God was able to do this because He had taken upon Himself a human body.

60.  The Bible says that God is coming back with all his saints (Zechariah 14:5) and also that Jesus is coming back with all his saints (I Thessalonians 3:13). Are two coming back? No. Only one is coming back–our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.

*Taken from the Word Aflame Tract “60 Questions on the Godhead with Bible answers” #6125″

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                      Matei 28:19 [ sinteza ] 

!!!! Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct

Christians issue rule book for spreading faith

 A coalition of major Christian churches including the Vatican launched a rule book on Tuesday for spreading their faith that aims to reduce hostility from Islam and other religions to efforts to convert their followers.

The five-page code of conduct, which has been under negotiation since 2005, was unveiled at a Geneva news conference by the World Council of Churches (WCC), a senior Roman Catholic prelate and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).

It urges Christians wanting "to share the good news of God's kingdom" -- missionary work or simply publicly testifying to their faith -- "to build relations of respect and trust with all religions" and adapt their approaches to local conditions.

It reaffirms their right to proselytize, or promote their beliefs and seek converts.

But it also urges them to abandon "inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception and coercive means," saying that such behavior "betray the gospel and may cause suffering to others."

The code, entitled "Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct," comes amid growing tension between small local Christian communities and majorities from other religions in many, especially Muslim, countries.

This is often sparked by the activity of missionaries, both overt and covert, who seek to convert non-Christians, and are often denounced by local religious leaders -- Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist -- as enemies of what they see as the true faith.

In some Islamic countries, a Muslim who converts to another faith can face the death penalty, and Christians who proclaim their religion are often accused of blasphemy, which can also be a capital offence.

In recent years, there have been increasing incidents of attacks on Christian churches seen as the focus for conversion activity -- in Pakistan, Egypt, India, Indonesia and others -- in which many Christian believers have died.

The new code -- initially promoted by the Geneva-based WCC, which unites a wide range of Protestant and Orthodox churches -- says conversion "is the work of the Holy Spirit."

But Christians should "conduct themselves with integrity, charity, compassion and humility, and overcome all arrogance, condescension and disparagement" with regard other religions.

However, it declared that religious freedom -- which many activists argue does not exist in Muslim countries -- and the "right to publicly profess, practice, propagate and change one's religion" are based in human dignity.

And it calls on governments "to ensure that freedom of religion is properly and comprehensively respected, recognizing that in many countries religious institutions and persons are inhibited from exercising their mission."

> Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World [ PDF ] <

(Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Alastair Macdonald)

reuters.com

!!!! Christian leaders reach agreement on guidelines for evangelizing

Leaders representing 90 percent of all Christians worldwide issued guidelines on acceptable missionary conduct based on the witness of Christ and the early Church, reports Catholic News Agency.

 “The example and teaching of Jesus Christ and of the early church must be the guides for Christian mission,” church leaders wrote.

 “Christian witness is always a sharing in his witness, which takes the form of proclamation of the kingdom, service to neighbor and the total gift of self even if that act of giving leads to the cross.”

 The document “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World” was issued jointly on June 28 by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance.

 The three bodies include Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal and independent churches. Their combined membership accounts for around two billion people or nearly 90 percent of the world’s Christians.

 Organizers said the guidelines are the result of a five year process involving the consultation of over 40 experts and are intended to “serve as a set of recommendations for conduct on Christian witness” around the world.

 The list includes suggestions on how to best evangelize in multifaith societies, defends the right to share the Gospel and the rights of others to change faiths, and urges missionaries to reject aggressive or coercive methods.

 Leaders clarified up front that the document does “not intend to be a theological statement on mission” but rather aims to address practical issues associated with Christian witness in a multi-religious world.

 They added that the guidelines came about due to their awareness “of the tensions between people and communities of different religious convictions and the varied interpretations of Christian witness.”

 The document calls on Christian missionaries to share the Gospel by giving “an accounting for the hope that is within them” and to do so “with gentleness and respect.”

 Christians should “reject all forms of violence ... including the violation or destruction of places of worship, sacred symbols or texts,” the document states.

 Instead, they should “acknowledge and appreciate what is true and good” in other religions, and make any criticisms “in a spirit of mutual respect.”

 The guidelines also encourage respect for the “full personal freedom” of individuals being ministered to by allowing them “sufficient time for adequate reflection and preparation” before converting.

 “If Christians engage in inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception and coercive means, they betray the gospel and may cause suffering to others,” the leaders wrote.

 “Such departures call for repentance and remind us of our need for God’s continuing grace.”

 The document also acknowledges the dangers of proselytizing in modern society and touched on “increasing interreligious tensions in the world today, including violence and the loss of human life.”

 “In some contexts, living and proclaiming the gospel is difficult, hindered or even prohibited.”

 However, “Christians are commissioned by Christ to continue faithfully in solidarity with one another in their witness to him,” they said.

 The guidelines noted that often politics, economics and other factors play a role in these tensions and that “Christians too are sometimes involved in these conflicts, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, either as those who are persecuted or as those participating in violence.”

 They said that the issue of growing hostility will be addressed separately by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance through what they called a “joint process towards producing shared recommendations for conduct on Christian witness.”

christiantelegraph.com