http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=3311
11 July 2007, 10:00
Vatican's honest position furthers dialogue - Metropolitan Kirill
Moscow, July 11, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church has called
"honest" the position of the Vatican published in a document of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stating that the Catholic
Church is the only Church approved by Christ.
"It is an honest statement. It is much better than the so-called 'church
diplomacy'." It shows how close or, on the contrary, how divided we
are," Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, who heads the
Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, told
journalists in Moscow.
"For an honest theological dialogue to happen, one should have a clear
view of the position of the other side," because "it helps understand
how different we are," he said. Basically, the Vatican's current
document has nothing new and is in "full conformity with the doctrine of
the Catholic Church," Metropolitan Kirill said.
"The Orthodox Church is, according to Apostolic Succession, successor
and heir to the old, undivided Church. Which is why everything contained
in the Catholic document rightfully applies to the Orthodox Church," the
Metropolitan added.
