The modern ecumenical question

Established chronology

1. 1902 onwardPatriarchal encyclicals and, later, participation in the ecumenical movement and the World Council of Churches.
2. 2016The Holy and Great Council (Crete) meets; several local Churches decline to attend.
3. 2016 to the presentSome clergy and monastics cease commemoration of hierarchs they regard as ecumenist; the official Churches regard Crete as legitimate.

Synodal decisions

• No pan-Orthodox synod has condemned ecumenism as a heresy. The canonical Churches regard the Council of Crete as a legitimate council; a number of traditionalist bodies reject its documents.

Actions of the saints

• This is a living dispute among contemporaries, not a settled hagiographical case; the library does not assign sanctity or condemnation to present day figures.

Competing interpretations

• Anti-ecumenist view: ecumenism renews previously condemned errors and so is an “already condemned heresy” that makes Canon 15 applicable now, separation is required.
• Mainstream/official view: ecumenism has not been synodically condemned as heresy, Crete is a legitimate council, and Canon 15's conditions are not met; separation would be schism.