Two questions.

[lighthousekid]

1.- What does the Orthodox Church teach about confronting heretics?

2.- Has the Orthodox Church ever officially decreed the killing or civil punishment of heretics?

Thanks

[buzuxi02]

Usually the Church says to avoid them.

No, the Orthodox church has never called for the heads of heretics, thats why there has never been inquisitions or crusades in Orthodoxy.

During the roman empire it was the secular officials who would handle heretics (this would include the Orthodox as well, the emperor was an equal oppurtunity persecutor, especially since sometimes you couldnt tell the orthodox from the heretics apart). It all depended on the emperor's descision, he may have opted to do nothing and let it be, or align himself with one side, and suppress the other, banishment was popular in those days, somtimes imprisonment. I never heard of killing anyone. Usually banishment or imprisonment of the leaders would be the harshest.

[-Kyriaki-]

equal opportunity persecutor

That's fantastic. I will have to remember that one for next time I'm discussing Church history.

[nikostheater]

:thumbsup:buzuxi,excellent post!

[nikolayalexandroff]

Has the Orthodox Church ever officially decreed the killing or civil punishment of heretics?



Orthodox Church never, AFAIK; but in Orthodox states, like Byzantine Empire, or Russian Empire, it took place, that heretics were prosecuted, imprisoned and even put to death by authorities.

[Akathist]

Please remember that a heretic is someone who knew Orthodoxy and was in it and left with opposing beliefs.

Someone who knows nothing about Orthodoxy is not a heretic even if their beliefs are different.

There are however "heresies" which are common heretical beliefs. We might verbally argue against these heretical beliefs but unless the person having the belief was once Orthodox, they are not a heretic.

[lighthousekid]

The reason why I ask is because...
...well I have to share a little about my life.

I am a former (Catholic) seminarian. There I took contanct with Eastern Spirituality (Icons but specially the Stranik (sp?) here under the name of "El peregrino ruso") and some other works. My last solitary retire was a 3 days meditation on that book. One of the reasons by which I was not invited to go on was that my spirituality was closer to the East (Akathistos, Icons) than to that of a Salesian priest (Rosary, BV Mary Helper of Christians).

I know that it is not enough, but enough to makes me wonder.

[resoto]

Saludos:
El Peregrino Ruso is known in English as the Way of the Pilgrim (is edited in Spanish by many Catholic presses).
Also is the Filocalia (Philokalia), that is printed in Spanish by editorial Lumen and sold in many Catholic bookstores. There is the chance they allow you to move to the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches? The inmigrants need priests too. Or to a Romanian Orthodox church.
Suerte y vaya con Dios.

[Silouan]

Welcome Lighthousekid! I have seen your posts in here and other places, but never introduced myself!

I have heard about the Salesians, but I am not familiar with them..so? Who are they, if I can ask. Just a brief answer, i dont want to hijack the thread.

[lighthousekid]

Welcome Lighthousekid! I have seen your posts in here and other places, but never introduced myself!

I have heard about the Salesians, but I am not familiar with them..so? Who are they, if I can ask. Just a brief answer, i dont want to hijack the thread.
Short Answer. OK.

XIX Century. Northern Italy. Thousands migrate from the country to the cities in search for work. War. Revolution. More War. More Revolution. Liberals say religion not OK. Result = Many street children. One young priest with a mission: turn them into saints. With small donations he builds a small oratory. The oratory has a yard for the kids to play, a home, workshops, a school and, of course a chapel. Many of his kids became priests, one a cardinal, several canonized, including St Dominic Savio, who died a young teen. So his work would not end with him, the priest took some of his kids (not so young then) and formed the Salesian Congregation, with two chief protectors: St Francis de Sales and BV Mary Helper of Christians. Now the congregation is all over the world with more than 16000 priests and a good number of religious women plus many more orders, congregations and movements- The priest was called St John Bosco.

http://www.sdb.org/SDB2006/Index.asp?Lingua=2&Mysez=&MySotSez=&MyDetSotSez=&P_Nazione=&P_Regione=&FileCentro=_2