Behind the Curtain of the Moscow Patriarchate Ideology

In the Italian Jesuit magazine La Civiltà Cattolica (March 16, 2005), Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, accused the Moscow Patriarchate of ecclesiological heresy by defining the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate based on the principle of cultural and ethnic identities. According to Cardinal Kasper, behind this controversial theory of canonical territory is another substantially hidden ideological reality. Since those very harsh accusations made by Cardinal Kasper and because of the importance of this theory in the ecclesiological and canonical life of the Orthodox Church, the theme of “the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church”, also known as “the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate”, becomes one of the most controversial and often discussed subjects in contemporary Orthodox theology.

There is a consensus among many theologians of the Christian Churches to consider the present situation of Christianity to be abnormal. The splintering of the Body of Christ into denominations is being characterized as a contradiction of the fundamental principles of Church nature. The situation will become even more peculiar in the future when pluralism of beliefs and cultures will challenge the beliefs of the Christian faith. The fragmentation of Churches will also have an effect on the Orthodox Church and her approach to religious pluralism in the global context and its effect on contemporary society. In order to respond to the cultural and religious pluralism of globalization from a Christian perspective, we have to be prepared to not only respond from particular Christian traditions, but also articulate our faith in the context of the common value of humanity represented by the united Christian Church. The universal quest for answers does not allow a particular Christian Church to stand alone where the unified voice of the Christian Church could profess the choice between being part of this process or being indifferent to the life of humanity.

One of the most dangerous developments in the modern world is the rise of an excessive nationalistic movement, so dangerous for the stability of peace among nations. The most recent developments in the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa, with their ethnic wars, only strengthens the assumption of misconception of the sleeping and universal giant of nationalism. The rise of very dangerous nationalism in modern Europe might also be a very early sign for the international community to intensify the study of all the spectrums of this movement. Eastern European nationalism, strengthened by religious awakening after years of persecution, is of special interest to the political analysts. Religion and nationality can form a combustible mixture, where in religious and ethnic prejudices can erupt into bloody conflicts.