Bringing Orthodox closer to Protestantism
We in the ROCOR (not ROCOR-MP) and GOC are able to discern that ecumenism is truly a "path to perdition." We recognize ecumenism as an ultimate trick of the Antichrist reserved for the last days. World Orthodoxy has lost this discernment, for the most part. Many world Orthodox don't particularly like it that their bishops are members of the WCC, they see something is wrong with it; but they do not have an accurate sense of how serious, how deadly is ecumenism. It is not much more than an annoyance to them. I always believed this was because world Orthodoxy suppresses end times teaching. World Orthodox are not allowed to ask about Antichrist, who is maybe thousands of years in the future. Any interest in end times can be criticized. "Worry about your own end," as one now-ROCOR-MP priest told me in 2007. This priest was like a bird let out of a cage when he was finally allowed to go into communion with the OCA. This is the exact opposite of the old ROCOR, old Jordanville. Archbishop Averky used to interrupt his own sermons to teach us about Antichrist. He stressed that we needed to study the Antichrist who is at the door, and to study his spirit; otherwise we would not recognize it. And we might not recognize Antichrist when he comes in person.
Certainly suppression of end times teachings, (which ROCOR actually started doing with the Laurus synod in 2000), is an important part of Antichrist's agenda. But, I believe there is a trick even more basic that comes before the ecumenism trick. Antichrist first needs to prevent people from having discernment. When people don't know right from wrong, then it is easy to get them to accept the wrong. There is an effective trick that most of us are not aware of: "imaginary forgiveness."
Imaginary forgiveness is tied up with a perversion of the true teaching on judging. In this perversion, discerning is forbidden because discerning is the same as sinful"judging." People in world Orthodoxy willfully blind themselves to the sins of others and believe they are being virtuous to do that. The blindness causes loss of discernment and/or prevent gaining of discernment. Without discernment the door is opened for all kinds of falsities to enter. Because of lack of discernment, world Orthodoxy is even going so far as to bless homosexual marriages, because they are afraid of sinning by "judging" the homo.
Since the beginning of this Lent I have made 3 posts about what I call "false forgiveness." What I have been calling "false forgiveness" Archbishop Averky calls "imaginary forgiveness." He says it much better than I.
In the free world Orthodox local churches have fallen under the authority of liberal, modernist ideas that fundamentally abolish true Orthodoxy and bring them closer to Protestantism. Of course, all of this is covered by the most plausible slogans, in the hope of somehow deceiving the vigilance of the zealots of Orthodoxy.
~ Archbishop Averky 1976†
~ Archbishop Averky 1976†
True Orthodoxy and the Modern World
Ch 4: "True Orthodoxy and Counterfeit Orthodoxy"
(see Joanna's Shared Library, Archbishop Averky folder)
Ch 4: "True Orthodoxy and Counterfeit Orthodoxy"
(see Joanna's Shared Library, Archbishop Averky folder)
We in the ROCOR (not ROCOR-MP) and GOC are able to discern that ecumenism is truly a "path to perdition." We recognize ecumenism as an ultimate trick of the Antichrist reserved for the last days. World Orthodoxy has lost this discernment, for the most part. Many world Orthodox don't particularly like it that their bishops are members of the WCC, they see something is wrong with it; but they do not have an accurate sense of how serious, how deadly is ecumenism. It is not much more than an annoyance to them. I always believed this was because world Orthodoxy suppresses end times teaching. World Orthodox are not allowed to ask about Antichrist, who is maybe thousands of years in the future. Any interest in end times can be criticized. "Worry about your own end," as one now-ROCOR-MP priest told me in 2007. This priest was like a bird let out of a cage when he was finally allowed to go into communion with the OCA. This is the exact opposite of the old ROCOR, old Jordanville. Archbishop Averky used to interrupt his own sermons to teach us about Antichrist. He stressed that we needed to study the Antichrist who is at the door, and to study his spirit; otherwise we would not recognize it. And we might not recognize Antichrist when he comes in person.
Certainly suppression of end times teachings, (which ROCOR actually started doing with the Laurus synod in 2000), is an important part of Antichrist's agenda. But, I believe there is a trick even more basic that comes before the ecumenism trick. Antichrist first needs to prevent people from having discernment. When people don't know right from wrong, then it is easy to get them to accept the wrong. There is an effective trick that most of us are not aware of: "imaginary forgiveness."
Imaginary forgiveness is tied up with a perversion of the true teaching on judging. In this perversion, discerning is forbidden because discerning is the same as sinful"judging." People in world Orthodoxy willfully blind themselves to the sins of others and believe they are being virtuous to do that. The blindness causes loss of discernment and/or prevent gaining of discernment. Without discernment the door is opened for all kinds of falsities to enter. Because of lack of discernment, world Orthodoxy is even going so far as to bless homosexual marriages, because they are afraid of sinning by "judging" the homo.
Since the beginning of this Lent I have made 3 posts about what I call "false forgiveness." What I have been calling "false forgiveness" Archbishop Averky calls "imaginary forgiveness." He says it much better than I.
See his writing here:
https://archbishopaverky.blogspot.com/2024/06/on-judging.html
My 3 posts on false forgiveness here:
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/02/what-is-forgiveness.html
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/03/what-is-forgiveness-2.html
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/03/what-is-forgiveness-3.html
https://archbishopaverky.blogspot.com/2024/06/on-judging.html
My 3 posts on false forgiveness here:
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/02/what-is-forgiveness.html
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/03/what-is-forgiveness-2.html
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2026/03/what-is-forgiveness-3.html
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