GREETING OF HIS BEATITUDE THE POPE AND PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALL AFRICA THEODOROS II TO THE NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES HELD IN BRAZIL 14-23 FEBRUARY 2006.

Beloved participants

The World Council of Churches goes forward in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Council makes ecclesiastical history. Every General Assembly, a gathering of Christians "with common mind defines its Trinitarian sojourn 'in this world' for the Church of God, His people." This extract, from the address of our blessed predecessor and President of the WCC, Patriarch Parthenios, which, as the then Bishop of Cyrene, we delivered during the deliberations of the Seventh General Assembly in 1991, we now repeat today as Primate of the Alexandrian Church.

We congratulate all who labored tirelessly and with self-sacrifice for the preparation of the General Assembly. We pray for the success of the aims of the Assembly and your contribution to the visible unity of Christians.

The position of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa regarding the Ecumenical Movement, and the WCC specifically, are in agreement with the common witness of Orthodoxy in the modern World. They are as follows:

The Patriarchate of Alexandria, unceasingly praying for the "union of all", participated in the Ecumenical Movement since its inception and contributed to its molding and further development. The Church of Alexandria, due to the Ecumenical Character that distinguishes it, continuously labored throughout history for the restoration of Christian Unity. The participation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in the Ecumenical movement is not foreign or contrary to the nature and history of the Orthodox Church, but constitutes the conscientious expression of the Apostolic faith within new historical conditions and in response to new existential demands.

The WCC is amongst the most important organs of the Ecumenical Movement. Even though it does not include, within its membership, all the Christian Churches and confessions and even though other Ecumenical bodies also fulfil a significant mission in the furthering of the wider Ecumenical Movement, the WCC today represents a constituted ecumenical body. Specific Orthodox Churches were among its founder members. The Orthodox Churches, by pan-orthodox agreement, constitute full and equal members of the WCC and contribute, to the best of their abilities and means, to the furthering and success of the work of the WCC.

The Orthodox Churches, as members of the WCC, accept the basic articles of the Constitution regarding the aims and objectives of the Council. They also have the firm belief that the Ecclesiological preconditions of the Toronto Statement (1950), "The Church, the Churches and the WCC" is of paramount importance for the Orthodox participation in the WCC. It is thus self-explanatory that the WCC is not and can never be seen as a "Super-Church".

"The aim of the WCC is not to negotiate unions between Churches, something that can only be realized by the Churches themselves working on their own initiative, but to bring Churches into living contact with one-another and to further the study and conversation of issues regarding Christian Unity".

The WCC as an organ of its member Churches is not concerned solely with the context of the "Faith and Order" dialogue. Its multi-faced activities in the spheres of Evangelism, Ministry, health, theological education, inter-religious dialogue, the struggle against racism, the furthering of the ideals of Peace and Justice, all cover specific needs of the Churches of the World today and offer an opportunity of common witness and action. The Patriarchate of Alexandria appreciates this multi-faceted activity of the WCC and co-operates within these fields to the best of its ability and as its means allow.

New possibilities for a more significant Orthodox participation in the Council were opened after the 6th General Assembly in Vancouver. The equal importance even to the theological and social work of the Council, by the Vancouver Assembly, opened new horizons for the encounter and penetration of Orthodox theological thought into the life and activities of the WCC.

It is, however, a fact that a substantial Orthodox witness and the Orthodox theological contribution will be weakened, if, within the WCC, the necessary preconditions are not found that will offer the Orthodox Churches the ability to act, on an equal basis to the other members of the WCC, and according to their ecclesiological identity. This is something that has not always happened due to the structure and the working principles that are followed.

The Orthodox Church is aware that the Ecumenical Movement takes on new forms in order to respond to new conditions and to deal with the new challenges of the world today. The creative contribution and witness of the Orthodox Church, on the basis of its apostolic tradition and faith, is of vital importance and necessity for the way ahead. We pray that all the Christian Churches work together, so that the day is near when the Lord will fulfil the hope of the Churches, that they be "one flock with one Shepherd"

With Paternal and Brotherly love

THEODOROS II

POPE AND PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALL AFRICA

source: http://www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org/News/2006/february.htm