Russian Church alarmed by Anglicans' decision to ordain women

08 July 2008, 15:46

Moscow, July 8, Interfax - The Moscow Patriarchate has expressed concern about the Anglican Synod's decision to ordain women.

"This decision is of course painful in the inter-Christian dialogue, as it is further alienating the Anglican community from the Apostolic tradition," Priest Igor Vyzhanov, secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, said in an interview with Interfax-Religion on Tuesday.

Father Igor also said that the Anglican Synod's decision to ordain women "is a very painful blow on the unity of the Anglican community, as it is worsening a split among the Anglicans."

"The decision was predictable because the tendency of total liberalization unfortunately dominates in many Christian Churches, including the Anglican community," he said.

In the late 19th - early 20th century the Orthodox saw the Anglican Church as "the nearest amongst the western Christian Churches," he said. "A very serious dialogue was underway with it in a hope that good relations between the Orthodox and Anglicans would have good prospects," Father Igor said.

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