|
|
“Declaration on the Christian Roots of Europe” read By Pope John Paul II,
Bishop of Rome, and Christodoulos,
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece - Areopagus of Athens
May 4, 2001
" We repeat with one voice and one heart the words of the Apostle to the Nations:
"I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree and that there be no schisms among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment".(2)
We pray that the whole Christian world will heed this exhortation, so that peace may come unto
"all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ".(3)
We condemn all recourse to violence,
proselytism and fanaticism in the name of religion.
We especially maintain that relations between Christians,
in all their manifestations, should be characterized by honesty,
prudence and knowledge of the matters in question."
In this phrase that "all of you agree and that there be no schisms among you", we have to
note what our brothers in Bibleministry have found about how the Catholic Church defines as schism:
Definitions of Heresy, Schism and Apostasy by the Catholic Church
In this phrase that "We condemn all recourse to violence,
proselytism and fanaticism in the name of religion.", we have to understand what proselytism means and how the Catholic Church defines as fanaticism.
We are anguished to see that wars, massacres, torture and martyrdom constitute a terrible
daily reality for millions of our brothers.
We commit ourselves to struggle for the prevailing of peace throughout the whole world,
for the respect of life and human dignity, and for solidarity towards all who are in need.
We are pleased to add our voice to the many voices around the world which have expressed
the hope that, on the occasion of the Olympic Games to be held in Greece in 2004,
the ancient Greek tradition of the Olympic Truce will be revived,
according to which all wars had to stop, and terrorism and violence had to cease.
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,
and his feet were as the feet of a bear,
and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat, and great authority.
Revelation 13:2
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
We follow carefully and with unease what is referred to as globalization.
We hope that it will bear good fruit.
However, we wish to point out that its fruits will be harmful if what could be termed
the "globalization of brotherhood" in Christ is not achieved in all sincerity and efficacy.
In this sentence;We follow carefully and with unease what is referred to as globalization.
We see the clear acceptance of the New World Order by the pope and we have to remember that in the " Conspiracy related websites" they have described
the "globalization of brotherhood" as the New World Order elite plan.
We rejoice at the success and progress of the European Union.
The union of the European world in one civil entity, without her people losing their national self-awareness,
traditions and identity, has been the vision of its pioneers.
However, the emerging tendency to transform certain European countries into secular states
without any reference to religion constitutes a retraction and a denial of their spiritual legacy.
We are called to intensify our efforts so that the unification of Europe may be accomplished.
We shall do everything in our power, so that the Christian roots of Europe and its Christian
soul may be preserved inviolate.
With this Common Statement, we, Pope John Paul II, Bishop of Rome, and Christodoulos,
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, wish that "our God and Father and our Lord Jesus direct our way,
so that we may increase and abound in love towards one another and towards all men
and establish the hearts of all unblamable in holiness before our God and Father,
at the coming of the Lord Jesus with all his saints".(5) Amen.
The phrase that "our God and Father and our Lord Jesus direct our way," sounds more like
an opposite to the one who was perparing the way to Christ ; John the Baptist. He was preparing the way to Christ, not Christ to him.
We know Christ is preparing the way to them in order to fullfil the end time prophecies.
ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
TO HIS BEATITUDE CHRISTODOULOS,
ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS AND PRIMATE OF GREECE
May 4, 2001
I wish first of all to express to you the affection and regard of the Church of Rome.
Together we share the apostolic faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour;
we have in common the apostolic heritage and the sacramental bond of Baptism;
and therefore we are all members of God’s family,
called to serve the one Lord and to proclaim his Gospel to the world.
The Second Vatican Council called on Catholics to regard the members of the other Churches
"as brothers and sisters in the Lord" (Unitatis Redintegratio, 3),
and this supernatural bond of brotherhood between the Church of Rome and the Church of Greece
is strong and abiding.
"
Together we share the apostolic faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour;
we have in common the apostolic heritage and the sacramental bond of Baptism;
and therefore we are all members of God’s family,
called to serve the one Lord and to proclaim his Gospel to the world. "
We clearly see how the pope is saying that the only ones with the truth are those with the apostolic (Catholic) heritage.
For more details read :STOP CALLING PROTESTANT CHURCHES SISTER CHURCHES
Some memories are especially painful,
and some events of the distant past have left deep wounds in the minds and hearts of people to this day.
I am thinking of the disastrous sack of the imperial city of Constantinople,
which was for so long the bastion of Christianity in the East. It is tragic that the assailants,
who had set out to secure free access for Christians to the Holy Land,
turned against their own brothers in the faith.
The fact that they were Latin Christians fills Catholics with deep regret.
How can we fail to see here the mysterium iniquitatis at work in the human heart?
To God alone belongs judgement, and therefore we entrust the heavy burden of the past to his endless mercy,
imploring him to heal the wounds which still cause suffering to the spirit of the Greek people.
How can we fail to see here the mysterium iniquitatis at work in the human heart?
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-10
The pope knows exactly what is the " mysterium iniquitatis " and how it functions.
Together we must work for this healing if the Europe now emerging is to be true to its identity,
which is inseparable from the Christian humanism shared by East and West.
[And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed:]
and all the world wondered after the beast.
At this meeting, I also wish to assure Your Beatitude that the Church of Rome looks
with unaffected admiration to the Orthodox Church of Greece for the way
in which she has preserved her heritage of faith and Christian life.
We clearly see that there is no doubt about what the pope was saying before about the so called "heritage".
This is a clear statement that every protestant most note;
"Only Rome has a direct line to God"
"In the saints we see the ecumenism of holiness which, with God’s help,
will eventually draw us into full communion,
which is neither absorption nor fusion but a meeting in truth and love "(cf. Slavorum Apostoli, 27).
The quest for reconciliation and full communion means that we too must search the Scriptures,
in order to be taught by God (cf. 1 Th 4:9).
Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
1 thessalonians 4:9
Your Beatitude, with faith in Jesus Christ, "the firstborn from the dead" (Col 1:18),
and in a spirit of fraternal charity and lively hope,
I wish to assure you that the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed to the path
of unity with all the Churches.
Only in this way will the one People of God shine forth in the world as the sign
and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the entire human race (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1).
Simbolically speaking, The pope as the leader of all Christianity,
as "the Holy Father" recognized by all christianity
assumes a supreme position "in the world" .
This position is what all christianity has to accept in order to bring to "this world"
the long awaited peace and security.
Pope preaches Mideast peace
"We pray to you for the peoples of the Middle East. Help them to break down walls of hostility and division and to build together a world of justice and solidarity," he said, raising his head to speak into a microphone after a few moments of silent prayer.
“May all believers find the courage to forgive one another so that the wounds of the past may be healed and not be a pretext for further suffering in the present,” the pope added.
"We pray to you for the peoples of the Middle East. Help them to break down walls of hostility and division and to build together a world of justice and solidarity," he said, raising his head to speak into a microphone after a few moments of silent prayer.
Contact the Webmaster: [email protected]
Contribute with this website by sending opinions about certain bible studies you feel that need to be more exposed or make sugestions for unseen topics.