Sometimes, in various
texts pertaining to the
"institution of the
Church", certain
sociological and
political references are
implemented, but without
the necessary
adjustments and
clarifications - a fact
that denotes a somewhat
"external" approach by the
Church; an approach that
is foreign to Her
content.
The Church is not a
political institution;
She is not a political
party, nor is She any
cultural or
philanthropical union.
She has been constituted
sacramentally, not
legalistically.
She is an organism, not
an organization.
Being a God-human
Organism, the Church
exists and is
"politically involved"
in human History, but
Her "polity" is "in
heaven, from whence we
accept the Lord Jesus as
Saviour" (Philip.3:20).
Thus, the Church is
within the world but is
simultaneously outside
it. To Her applies the
teaching of Saint John
the Chrysostom for Her
pastors: he exhorts them
to be inside the
problems of the world
and at the same time
beyond them; to bear
those problems together
with the people, but to
be free of the
corruptive malevolence
of the world.
Therefore, for the
living body of the
Church there is no
speculation over
"introversions" and
"extroversions" that
might preoccupy
political parties and
unions. The
problem lies in the
members of the Church
and Her pastors; that
is, to what degree they
are active or potential
members thereof. The
Church - in the persons
of Her saints - has no
problems when it comes to
Her dialectic relations
with the people; She
co-exists and converses
with the world, but does
not "commune" with it,
in the fruitless works
"of darkness"; instead,
She checks them
(Ephesians 5:11)
Her presence inside the
world is salvific and
critical. She saves,
and She offers critique.
She does not censure.
She separates the truth
from falsehoods, the
true life from a fake
one. She does not
pronounce Her critique
with caustic words and
aggressive sermons
(although they sometimes
act beneficially in
activating a sleeping
conscience), but rather
with Her presence, Her
"work of faith" (2
Thess.1:11) and the
faith "activated by
love" (Galat.5:6).
She radiates a
"benevolent light",
which, however, is also
"a discerner of the
remembrances and the
meanings of the heart"
(Hebr.4:12), which is
why those who are
trapped in works of
mischief distance
themselves from it.
"Respect" does not mean
"acceptance"