New-York tribune., 1906-06-02
ANGLICAN AND EASTERN CHURCHES.
Suggestions Looking Toward Reunion

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Would you kindly allow the undersigned to
address, through your valuable paper. those OF
your readers who interested IN the vital ques-
ton OF the reunion OF Chrstencorn. offer for
their consideration brief remarks reference
TO one special side Of this problem. viz: The NUT
ual relations between two branches OF the Church
Catholic-the Anglican protestant EpiscopaD and
the Eastern (Gr@co-Russian)
Students OF the inner evolution within the Anglf-
can Church are cognizant OF the two tendencies
pursued by some parts of this communion-the
one. the trend. since the tractarian movement IN
the sos Of the last century. toward traditional
Catholicism. in its threefold subdivisions: (a)
Rome (Dr. Newman). (b) pre-Henrfcian England
(Dr. PUsey). and (c) Eastern Orthodoxy (Dr.
Palmer and DR.. Overlook in England. and DR..
Irvine. IN the United States) and the other, the
trend toward tndividualisn in doctrine and inter
pretation. quite recently demonstrated BY Dr.
Crapsey's and the rather sympathetic attitude
Of portion of both the secular and the religious
press IN his favor.
The continuance OF this parallel inner process
suggests the following supposttion: Might IL not
evoke IN some OF the Anglicans the feeling that
there is now opportunity for some more active
movement toward the establishment OF a better
understanding between themselves and their East
brethren?
With such an aim In view Il would saern reces-
sary to begin by clearing out OF the way the two
most important obstacles: % The doctrinaI differ
ences between the teaching OF the Anglican and
olic and ~ the question OF full councniar recogni-
tion by the Eastern Catholic Church OF Anglican
orders
Representative Anglican theoIogians should
therefore. prepare short statements OF both
subjects. showing (a) what the dogmattc alter
atoms and augInentattons OF the teaching Of the
Eastern Catholic Church, IL before the de-
plorabie great schism between Rome and the four
patrtarchates Jerusalem. Antioch. Alexandria and
ConstantinOple). in the eleventh century-altera-
tons and augmentatons which have been accepted
BY the Church OF England during its union with
Rome and inherited by its daughter the Protestant
episcopal Church, In the United States, and CD
validity Of Anglican orders
such statements would have 20 be presented for
Their formal consideration to the four patriarchs.
and 10 the heads OF the eight autOcephalOUs orthO-
9ox churches Of Russia. Greece. Cyprus. servia.
HGmanla- Montenegro, Austria and Hungarta-
Ihls action would help 70 establish doctrnal
Identity and tnterecclestastcal federation. with
serVatlon OF Individual autonomy OF both sides,
Anglican and Eastern. and thus would bring them
one step nearer toward the prayed for reunion. ae
cord1ng 10 our Blessed Lords words That
they all may be one (St John xvii. 2I.
Inc Undersigned begS TO conclude BY expressing
MIS- rope that this proposition will be by
members or the Anglican communion not an un-
welcome intrusion from the side OF foreigner, but
as friendly suggestion from a loving Christian
brother. Very respectfully,
NICHOLAS n. DE LODYGENSKY.
Senior warden Of ST NichOlas's Orthodoxy Catha-
dral at New York
New York. May 50, 1905