Page 285 - Orthodoxy Zizioulas

I N T E R C O M M U N I O N A N D T H E N AT U R E O F T H E C H U R C H
line of thought, the Orthodox face difficulties in treating the
Eucharist as merely a “means” to an end. According to them,
both the concept of the Church and that of the Eucharist im-
ply that in every Eucharistic celebration, the Church “remem-
bers” the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church in its
fullness and eschatological condition. The existence of divi-
sions within the Church can neither be ignored nor tolerated
in the celebration of the Eucharist. Intercommunion, in the
Orthodox view, seems to encourage tolerance of division,
which effectively implies a diminished understanding of both
the Church and the Eucharist. The Orthodox maintain that
their stance on this matter should not be interpreted as a sign
of arrogance; rather, it is a source of deep sorrow—a sorrow
that cannot and should not be evaded through superficial
solutions to the problem.
Intercommunion will continue to be a central issue within
the Council, as it is difficult to see how the Orthodox might
be persuaded to change their stance on this matter. The only
possible path forward lies in achieving real progress in ecu-
menical dialogue—progress that naturally requires both Or-
thodox and non-Orthodox members of the Council to make
efforts toward reaching agreements on key issues. The Ortho-
dox will need to clarify what they consider fundamental re-
garding Eucharistic communion. The issue of the “unity of
faith” as a condition for communion has often been raised by
the Orthodox, with an emphasis on specific doctrines, par-
ticularly those of the seven Ecumenical Councils, as well as
the Orthodox understanding of the Eucharist and the priest-
hood. However, it is clear that many of these doctrines are
largely conditioned by the historical context in which they
were formulated and therefore require “re-reception” in light
of today’s situation.
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