Russian Orthodox Commission Discusses the Reception of Converts

Today a session of the Commission on the Relationship with Non-Orthodox Christians and Other Religions of the Moscow Patriarchate was held under the leadership of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk. The Commission met to discuss the means by which the Russian Orthodox Church receives converts from the various Christian movements in the West. It was decided at today's session to form a working group to study past norms in receiving converts and the reasoning behind them as well as the various Western Christian organizations' practices and beliefs so that uniform policies regulating the reception of converts from the Adventist, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Old Catholic, Pentecostal, and Reformed Churches and other Western Christian movements can be drafted for consideration at the Commission's next session. More here.

'Eastern' and 'Oriental' Orthodoxy

An interesting survey by Fr. John Romanides of the issues surrounding the division between the Orthodox Churches accepting and rejecting the Council of Chalcedon centering on the views and roles of Sts. Leo of Rome and Dioscorus of Alexandria can be found here.

"The Mystery of Theophany"

Fr. Stephen Freeman's recent article on the significance of Theophany in our lives as Orthodox Christians can be found here.

Quote of the Day: St. Athanasius the Great

Disputes merely about words must not be suffered to divide those who think alike.