NORTH AMERICA

An Understanding of the Ancient Canons
of the first 1,000 years of the Undivided Church

Presented by: The Most Rev. +Joseph Thaddeus, O.S.B., Ph.D.
Metropolitan Archbishop - Primate

In Collaboration with the

Western Orthodox Theological Institute (WOTI)
(June 12, 2002)

The continual, effective operation of Grace and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the Church is clearly shown in the holy councils of the Church. In these Councils, the Holy Spirit, as the "Conscience of the Church" guided and directed the holy fathers gathered in the truth and faith of Jesus Christ, as the Lord Himself had promised. The consent of the people themselves, both clergy and laity alike formed another link as to what is the "Conscience of the Church" because of the interaction of the Holy Spirit. The "Conscience of the Church" is a transcendent insight of divine force; it evaluates the decisions of the Synods (General Councils) and either places the seal to the formulation of disputed Truths or rejects all of its proceedings. The Church of Christ holds the vision of the entire Church - visible and invisible - which could foresee the errors of the assembly of bishops. Usually the official rejection of a synod is pronounced by another Synod that follows it, although this rejection is already consummated in the hearts and minds of believers universally.

Up to today, there have been eight Ecumenical Synods. The last one, at the time of Patriarch Photius, has not as yet been officially ratified and formally recognized) because no other Ecumenical Synod has since been held, because of the separation of the Roman Catholic Church, by its actions, from the Undivided Church. However, this eighth Synod is already recognized as such by the "Conscience of the Church" - the consent of the people.

The absurdity of many Protestants (So-Called Fundamentalists, Born Again Christians, etc.) (refer to: The Fundamentalist Cult) today becomes clear when they arrogantly assert that the Holy Spirit failed to guide the "ancient Church," but that it now guides them in their contradictory and disharmonious beliefs (the Protestants). (Also See: What It Means to be a True Christian, and then explore the Creed of Faith)

All too often we find people (especially Protestants) making statements to the affect that the “Canons” of the Church (the Orthodox Catholic Church) are outdated, unwieldy in these modern times, as well as being unmanageable in that they are “difficult” for any clergyman or layman to maintain or life up to in these modern times. As a result of such ignorance, the following is presented because the canons are exactly what is needed in these present times when considering not only the growth, but also the manner and direction with which the church has been moving toward, which is not of the Holy Spirit of God, but is of the unholy spirit of the Evil One whose dominion on the earth has spread into the hearts of the faithful through misrepresentation, misinterpretation and misguidance.

The fundamental principle of "authority with freedom" for clergy and laity of the East and West; the infallibility of the Church and of the General Assembly of Bishops, have been replaced today by the Roman Catholic Church of the West who make claim as being the only "Catholic" Church when, in fact, they are only a branch of that which is the CATHOLIC Church that gave it birth from the times of the first Apostles of Jesus Christ. However, because of the actions of the Roman Catholic Church, there has been and continues to be a rise of un-orthodox and un-catholic activity to create many newer so-called "churches" that have factually departed from the praxis and faith as handed down by Jesus Christ only because they believe themselves wiser in the self-deluded conceptions and unknowing deceit (they believe with sincerity of belief) in believing they are doing what Christ would have them do, unknowing they have fallen into the pit of the Evil One.  They have taken "authority with freedom" to such an extreme without understanding the true principals under which it (through Holy Spirit) operates and guides, having opted under the false and deceitful Evil One in pretentious activities in violation of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

These things are more especially true when one views the present day actions of the Roman Catholic Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople, the Russian Orthodox Church and other jurisdictions East and West, the World Council of Churches, the World Bishops Council, Protestant groups and person who belong to them including such as the Independent Catholic Church(es), The American Catholic Union, Sursum Corda and so many others.  This falling away is known to true Orthodox Catholics who struggle out of pain of heart as being the actions toward fulfillment prophecy delivered centuries ago in the form both Oral and Holy Writings.

    In these present times, people have become enamored with an entertainment mentality, which has silently crept into their very heart, to the extent that such invades worship in the church. Such a mentality is not necessarily centered on Christian conduct and truth, but on a stunted and twisted form of them. Lest one forgets, the Evil One appears very moral and upright. People today have ascertained their beliefs through subtly disguised twisted or convoluted fantasies as presented by television, movies, books, gang-banger wrap type of music and so many false ministers under their Pentecostal, Pentecostal Catholic, Catholic Charismatic formats.

    For it was said from Scripture that even the devil can appear as an angel of Light, for he was, in the beginning, the Light Bearer... “Lucifer” who fell from grace and became known as Lucifer, Satan, the Evil One.

    It is necessary for everyone who reads these pages to recognize that the East is mystical and experiential while the West is scholastic, academic and judicial.  This is not meant to pit one part of the Catholic Church against the other; for it is just a reality that you must keep in mind not only in your thinking, but also in what you do in coming to an understanding of what you read further.

    The Gospel of Christ was destined to be spread from generation to generation, through selected personalities inspired by the Grace of God and sent forth “to teach all nations”. To attain its mission of spreading the Word of God the Church was established, organized and armed with dedicated personalities who felt the divine calling to serve the Church (Faith of the People). These devoted persons serve the Church in this extraordinary missionary endeavor as ambassadors and heralders of the Message of Christ while also administering the sacred Mysteria for the sanctification of the faithful. As such, the personalities of the Church were organized according to their gifts and their positions, in a brotherly spirit, to accomplish the Will of God more efficiently, and also to protect the faithful from the evil, anti-Christian actions of unbelievers, false or fraudulent believers and those who, under the unknowing guidance of the Evil One, modify, change or alter the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ.

    The Church which Christ raised up from the very beginning was confronted with so very many problems, both of doctrinal character and also of moral conduct, probably no different then as it is today except the difference being in the technology being used which affects the moral and environmental settings of each one's life. For the former the Ecumenical Synods pronounced statements of Faith, such as the Nicene Creed and the two natures of Jesus Christ; the Ecumenical Synods issued and ratified canons pertaining to the moral life, discipline and order, in the spirit of the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition.

    The Church issued canons from time to time in order to establish an order for discipline and administration, as well as for the regulation of some of the external functions of worship and devotion.  These canons guide clergymen and laymen to reach the Church’s objectives.  John Zonaras, a great commentator of canons of the 12th Century, said that canons, “like so many straight and right rules, rid men in holy orders, clergymen and laymen, of every disorder and obliquity of manners, and cause them to have every normality and equality of ecclesiastical and Christian condition and virtue” (comments on 39th Letter of Athanasius).

    A few of the canons include some aspects of faith and dogmas, but the majority of them define and direct the moral life of the faithful according to the principles of the Holy Bible and Sacred Tradition.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church the Truths of Faith are equal to the Truths for one's moral life, as stated by the canons; they have a vital part in the life and daily living for those who struggle out of pain of heart to become true faithful, not only in external sacred activities, but also in formulating the norms of a Christian life.

    Most of the canons are stated in a negative sense, in order to curb misconduct in administration but also in one's moral and devotional life.  The contents of the canons are based on the background of the unadulterated Holy Bible; the canons were mostly formulated whenever a disorder took place; they were meant to correct the disorder by imposing a sort of punishment; and also to guide and teach the faithful the truth in each incident.  The faithful, who live in the true spirit or essence of the Holy Bible, with its interpretation by the Fathers of the Church under the guidance of the Grace of God, are but slightly affected by the canons.

    Since canons were issued by the Synods to correct misconduct, they cannot be fully understood today without knowledge of the circumstances in which the disorders took place.  Nevertheless, a knowledge of the canons, abridged, as they appear in the following, with many references to canons of similar nature, will remind the faithful to be aware of the many human elements that face the Christian life.

    Most of the canons deal with the conscience of the faithful, not merely incidents of misconduct. The canons deal with the inner and secret life of the faithful, guiding them in a true Christian moral life.  The true Christian moral life is above the legitimate life of civil law; thus a legitimate life under civil law is not necessarily a true Christian moral life. For example, divorces, without canonical cause, are granted by civil law and ruled legitimate; but according to canon law and Church teachings divorce is morally wrong, and penances are imposed.

    The canons the faithful the opportunity to search their inner thoughts and feelings, seeking out the weak points the faithful may not be aware of, especially in failing to perform the many Christian duties in relation to fellow man and with God.

    The importance of the canons as a guide to avoid misconduct and disorder should not be exaggerated to the point that they overshadow the Scriptures and Confessions of Faith; on the contrary, the canons should be accepted on the background of the teaching of the Divine Scripture which contains the Revealed Truths of salvation in the Person and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    It should not be surprising that so many canons deal with details of life in the Eastern Orthodox Church, because that church functions on a democratic principle of government, as does the F.O.C.; therefore, the canons are considered the court of appeal to which both the laymen and the clergymen should refer to for direction and correction.  It is true that the more democratic a system of government is, the more canons and laws are needed.  For this reason, the individual in the Orthodox-Catholic Church  should guard the canons as principles to be obeyed by all, thus protecting the freedom of all to exercise their Christian duties.

    The canons of the Seven Ecumenical Synods, along with those of the Apostles, the Regional Synods and of the Fathers, which have been accepted and ratified by an Ecumenical Synod, have the same validity.  The observer of the canons, however, will note that some of these canons are obsolete and others are repetitious.  The reason for this is that the canons were issued in various regions and at different times, because of various incidents which offended the principles of the Christian Faith and life at that time and place.

    These repetitions and seeming obsolete canons make it necessary that a codification of the canons of the Eastern Orthodox Church be made.  This need was recognized and decided upon in the first conference of theologians of the entire Eastern Orthodox Church in Athens, Greece, in 1939, and at the 1961 Pan-Orthodox Conference in Rhodes.  Codification of canons was supposedly on the agenda of a prepatory synod of the Orthodox Church shortly thereafter.  Whatever may have come of it obviously was not sufficient to accomplish what is necessary.

    It has been noted that “lack of a codification of (of the canons) of the Eastern Orthodox Church creates much confusion in the application of the canons” (H. Alivizatos, The Sacred Canons, p. 19) has arisen and continues now in these times.  This is more especially true when viewing what the Roman Church, the Patriarch of Constantinople and others have been doing in their attempts to gain materialistic (monetary, materialist and political) support as a "drawing card" for people to become one with them in practice and faith.  This is not the way of observing the Canons based on Holy Scripture, the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles.  Present day actions such as these is the way of the Evil One which has misused, abused and perverted them such as many Protestants do.  Thus one finds organizations such as we have said; the World Council of Churches, Word Council of Bishops, and so very many more.

    This writing is, albeit, a poor attempt in and of itself, but is (to say the least) most needful if any one is to grasp and come to an understanding of the importance of why the Canons are exactly what is most needed in these more difficult times.

    What is therefore presented should hopefully help you toward obtaining an understanding of the Synods and Councils more commonly known and called the “Seven Ecumenical Synods”.

    We give great thanks to the Rev. George Mastrantonis who is actually the author of these presentations that we had received back in the middle to late 1980’s.  Because of time and storage environments, we were not able to ascertain a publishing date, yet we feel that it is necessary that these writings be presented for the edification of readers who seek the Glory of God’s Love as given by Jesus Christ.

    At least the following will help true Orthodox faithful to delve into the spirit of the decrees and canons of the Church Catholic, to become defenders and heralders of this precious and venerable heritage.

    In the first centuries, those who followed Our Lord Jesus Christ lived like brethren, comprising one Body: the Church, having one Head: Jesus Christ. Thus, when quarrels or misunderstandings arose, they resolved them by common agreement in a council of bishops and presbyters, upon the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28-29). These meetings are called "Councils" (Acts 15:6-8).

    During the time when the Holy Church was heavily persecuted in the Roman Empire, the councils were only local or regional. From the time of Constantine (Emperor), when the Church was freed from persecutions, however, general councils of the whole Church began to be convened, at which the bishops of the whole Christian world participated. Those general councils which were ratified as being truly Orthodox are known as "Ecumenical Councils". The word "Ecumenical" today has been appropriated by Protestants in such ways that the public in general normally think of "Ecumenical" as of Protestant origin when, in fact, it is not at all, but a misguided promotional angle to suit their own needs for what is actually a false church growth scheme. They are neither Canonical, nor even truly Christian; although there are many within them that are, in their hearts, Christian, following misguided contrived falsehoods.

    Following the recognition of Christianity by Emperor Constantine, differences of opinion developed regarding the exact and correct doctrines which Christ had given to the church. Discord over these differences developed. Ecumenical Councils preached nothing new. They preached that which our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and His Apostles taught. They did not compose dogmas, but only gave explanation to those expressed in the Holy Scripture of Jesus Christ's Gospel message. Thus, for example, the Symbol of Faith is drawn entirely from Scripture.

    The main reason for convening Ecumenical Councils was to define and correct heresies or disagreements in the faith.

    A firm believer in systematic standardization, Emperor Constantine called a meeting of the Bishops and Clergy for the purpose of settling the differences in beliefs and doctrines. Known as the First Ecumenical Council, this meeting was held in Nicea in 325 A.D. sometimes referred to as 1^st Nicea. It was attended by three hundred and eighteen men of the clergy including every Eastern Bishop of importance and four Western Bishops. Subsequently, six other Ecumenical councils were convened.

    At this First Ecumenical Council, the preeminence of Bishops of the three main centers of the Roman Empire (Rome, Alexandria and Antioch) was approved. As a mark of honor, the Bishop of Jerusalem was added. This council also condemned the heresy of Arius who denied the Divinity of Christ.

    This first council proclaimed the true teaching concerning God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. The council formulated canons regulating the church and drew up the first seven articles of the Creed.

    At the Second Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople in 381 A.D. (sometimes referred to as 1^st Constantinople), the last five articles of the Creed were composed. The completed creed of twelve articles, which is the symbol of our faith and which is still being used, is called the Nicene Creed. The second council also rejected the teachings of Macedonius, condemning these teachings as a heresy against the Holy Spirit. Macedonius falsely taught that the Holy Spirit was created by God similarly to angels, being a spirit of a higher degree or order than the angels. At this council the words, "and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life," were included into the Symbol of Faith. The 150 Bishops who attended also granted preeminence to the Bishop of Constantinople. The reason for the preeminence granted to Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople in the first two councils was due to the fact that the cathedrals of the Bishops in those cities were established by the Apostles themselves. Rome was looked upon as the former capital of the world and Constantinople as the new seat of the empire.

    In 431 A.D. the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus. This council condemned the heresy of Nestorius who taught that our Lord was only a man with the divinity abiding in Him like in a temple. Nestorius called the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ and not the Mother of God. Nestorius refused to acknowledge Mary as "Theotokos" (bearer of God), but would call her only "Christotokos". Two hundred Holy Fathers attended this council.

    The Fourth Ecumenical Council was held 451 A.D. in Chalcedon with 630 Holy Fathers attending. This council's great work was its definition of Jesus Christ as the Second Person in the Trinity as True God and True Man with His divine and human natures distinct without confusion and inseparably united in One Person. This council condemned the Eutychius party who taught that Jesus was God only and that His divine nature absorbed the human one. This council also decreed that the Patriarch of Constantinople was the single head of the church in Eastern Europe

    In 553 A.D. the Fifth Ecumenical Council (sometimes referred to as 2^nd Constantinople) convened at Constantinople with 160 church leaders attending. At this meeting the followers of Nestorius were excommunicated and their writings condemned. Nestorius taught that the Virgin Mary's title as Mother of God was erroneous. At this time, not only Nestorius, but Eutychius, Arius, Origen and others were reaffirmed as condemned for their errant teachings.

    The Sixth Ecumenical Council, with 170 Holy Fathers attending, also met in Constantinople, in the year 680 A.D. (sometimes called the Council of Trullo). This council condemned the teachings of the Monotheists who acknowledged only the divine will of Christ while denying the human one. Also, this council dealt with moral questions, confirmed the canons of the various councils and the 85 Apostolic Canons, decreed that bishops shall not be married and that deacons and priests may not marry after their ordination. This council adjourned and reconvened in 691 A.D. at the Trula Palace. The council approved the canons of preceding councils.

    The Seventh and last Ecumenical Council was convened by Empress Irene and was held at the site of the first council, Nicaea. This council took a stand against iconoclasm and defined the doctrine concerning images and their veneration (not worship) and ordered the images restored in churches; affirming and defined the veneration of holy ikons (icons). The personnel at this council was composed almost entirely of Byzantine representatives but Papal legates were also present. This council met in 787 (788 by some reckoning) A.D. with 367 attending. In the seven council meetings, about 2000 representatives of the undivided Christian church participated.

    There was growing disagreement between Rome (Seat of the Roman Catholic Church) and the other Patriarchates but the separation of the Roman Catholic Church did not take place until 1054 A.D. with the final break due to a breach over Filioque dogma.

    There were other local councils convened since which are also canonical, such as the famous "Palamite Councils" of 1341 and 1351, the Council of Jerusalem of 1583 and the Councils of Constantinople of 1583 and 1593, are examples.

    Sectarians who claim to follow the Bible, while denying Christ's Church and its councils, are blasphemers of Sacred Tradition as originated in the Holy Bible (Scripture). These present day sectarians (most of them are Protestants [Note: Not all who are "Protestant" can be counted among blasphemers of Sacred Tradition such as certain or some Anglicans] but such who are called "Church of Christ," "Pentecostal," Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons who are called Church of Later Day Saints, non-denominational, and many others who are actually "cults") are like people who steal another person's passport, not considering that the validity of the passport rests upon the actual identity of the person to whom it was given, and that behind the passport, there is a birth certificate.

    The right of the Apostles and their descendants, the Apostles (or bishops) to order the Church, define its teachings and set the Divine Services, is quite clearly shown in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 15.

    The authoritative body of the Orthodox Church from the East to the West remains the Ecumenical Synods of the One Undivided Church of the first thousand years, whose decisions have been preserved without change throughout its life, from the beginning of the Christian Church. The decisions of these Ecumenical Synods of the One Undivided Ecumenical Church have not been altered, changed or added to by the Orthodox Church.

    There is no official formulated system or any authorized catechism of the Church which encompasses all the Truths.

    Theologians and teachers have the freedom to study further and explore the various aspects of these Truths, thus achieving a greater perspective form which to express anew the Revealed Truths for the steadfastness of the faithful. The importance here is that these findings of the theologians and teachers are not new Truths, but one and the same Truths of Scripture and Sacred Tradition interpreted with greater simplicity and clarity. The gradual unfolding of a reveled is the result of devoted research and profound clarity in faith and practice which should not be isolated from the entire body of Revealed Truths.

    In the Orthodox Church the "golden rule" OF INQUIRY into the Truths of Scripture and Tradition consists of two principles for research and life in which the theologian and scholar move. Not only do they have the authority of the Fathers of the Church and especially from the Ecumenical Synods of the Church; they have the freedom to explore further the mysteries of the Revelation of God to makes these Truths more clear. This freedom is a continuing opportunity for the clergy and laity of the Orthodox Catholic Church. With these rules in mind, the "authority with freedom" of the Church makes it the true Church which bears the Ecumenical character. The Orthodox Church (be it Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, or even American Orthodoxy) is in fact the Apostolic and Ecumenical Church.

    Thus, while there have been heated debates, and often vilification, as regards the study and teaching of some of the so-called "Lost Gospels" (i.e. - according to "Thomas," etc.); it is an exploration and an attempt toward understanding of what exists through archeological findings in comparison with the primary Gospels of Jesus Christ according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Such study or research is embodied in the "authority with freedom" of the church and her members to do so without fear of vilification or disenfranchisement.

    Thus, we cannot reject those who follow the primary Ecumenical Councils in faith and practice as regards various decisions; and who come from a different Christian practice and teaching that is rather similar to, and incorporated in itself by divine action of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Thomas (St. Thomas - one of the first 12 Apostles of our Lord), the Orthodox understandings as first coming from Jesus Christ and the Apostles. They received the Truths as they were handed down to it by the Apostles without altering their roots and meaning. Those St. Thomas Christian churches who adhere to the Seven Ecumenical Councils are indeed a part of the Orthodox Church, and American Orthodoxy. However, beware, there are many who make the same claim by their lips but who, by their practice and actions, betray their beliefs which make them a liar who has bedded down with many Roman and Orthodox Catholic, Protestants and others, following the promptings of the Evil One.

    These Seven Ecumenical Synods were summoned during the period when the Church was One and Undivided. Consequently, their decisions on Faith, morals and administration have been accepted by the entire Undivided Ecumenical Church of both East and West. Yet, while it had been that the Eastern Orthodox Church had kept these decrees and canons undefiled, without change or innovation, and had preserved the Faith and canons of the Undivided Church, no longer can it be said to be true that the Eastern Orthodox Church is the only “Ecumenical” Church, except those who are today called "in resistance".

    The text of the canons are an EPITOME (AN ABRIDGEMENT OR A BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE CONTENTS) of most of the canons.  For most of them the distinctive “Ancient Epitome” is used; for others the epitome is of a recent commentator.  A few are printed in their entirety.

    From these canons, each Jurisdiction may have its own additional canons, rules or regulations for the local/geographical area.

    May your experience in delving further into the roots of our Orthodox Catholic Christian Faith as given us by Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles (New Testament), the Seven Ecumenical Councils and many of our patristic fathers, cause for an inner prompting to become more attentive as a true struggler, out of pain of heart for the faith once delivered, not as man delivers it today with adulterations of the written word, and man-made pronouncements.

    Bowing low to the Light of Christ, Jesus, in you according to your nature and degree of desire to attain to or to come closer to the true Christian Faith in your daily struggles out of pain of heart; I am truly a repentant sinner in the vineyard asking for your prayers in spirit and truth,

+Joseph Thaddeus, SSJt, Ph.D.

            Metropolitan Archbishop - Archabbot - Primate