Strong ecumenical winds have been blowing in Christendom for the past few years. There is an eagerness for solidarity among the professions of Christianity. Allied with this desire for union is an increase in ritualism; and this is not an unusual development, for when faith in Christ is at a low ebb, ritualism, or any outward form and ceremony which lacks inward reality, steps into the vacuum. Something to be seen or touched becomes quite real in the absence of vital connection with Christ.
The brazen serpent was ordained of God in the day when the Israelites sinned and were dying from serpents' bites. It was a type of Christ lifted up on the cross for sin; but when that piece of brass had served its day, then the Israelites worshiped it until Hezekiah broke it in pieces (2 Kings 18:4).
Another thing is growing apace today, and that is atheism. It is on the increase in this land where the coinage of the realm says, "In God we trust." The rights of atheists are zealously guarded lest they inadvertently become captive audiences and hear a portion from the Word of God or a prayer to God.
When Pope John XXIII was installed in the Roman Church, he was hailed as a broadminded man who was much interested in seeing Christendom united. Instead of speaking of Protestants as heretics, as had been common for many centuries, he began to refer to them as "our separated brethren." There was, however, a long-entrenched body of ecclesiastics surrounding the Pope, known as the Curia. They were generally old men, mostly Italians by birth, who guarded the canon law and all church functions as though they were the Curia's private preserve. These men opposed any opening or lifting of the airtight embargo on any accommodation to Protestants, or to the Orthodox churches of the East, which would make any rapprochement easier for non-Catholics. But John XXIII soon let it be known that he was Pope, and accordingly called for the Vatican Council in 1962. Before the second session of this Council could convene, Pope John died; and Pope Paul VI succeeded him.
Paul's succession was also hailed by the great leaders of Protestant ecumenicalism, for he promised to continue the work of John, and called for the second session of the Council to meet in 1963. Despite the kind words of Paul VI and the stronger assurances from Protestant leaders that John began the work which Paul would complete, the results of the second session of Vatican II were a disappointment to ecumenicalists both inside and outside of Rome. Paul was not John, and his leadership flagged; the end of the second session had very little to show for its efforts. It seems evident that the Curia won the day, and some Roman leaders have even expressed doubt that a third session will ever be held.
Of the 17 agenda topics at the second session of the Council, only two were acted on. One of them was for parts of the mass to be said in the vernacular of the people instead of in Latin. This change was authorized. Another on Roman censorship was largely side-stepped, although it was acted on after a fashion.
John was a gregarious man who liked people, and he was undoubtedly the most popular Pope within memory—some have gone so far as to say "ever." But Paul's background was entirely different; he spent years in the machinery of the Church and is an organization man. He will try to accomplish his wishes through suasion in the ordinary channels. What will be the outcome of this cannot be foreseen. But to us, one thing seems apparent: the Protestant and Orthodox road back to Rome will not be as easy as was anticipated two years ago. That these other groups are bent on going to Rome in the end, is more clearly evident. In the end, however, it will be they who do the going, not Rome; and they will go on Rome's terms. All the bright prospects of an easy trek back may as well be forgotten. The early prospects of an easy ingress have, however, whetted the appetite of many leaders on both sides of the ecclesiastical fence, but especially so for the Protestant leaders of the Councils of Churches. A remark from The Wall Street Journal, October 6, 1962 stresses the feeling of urgency in union thus: "Confronted with a reign of Atheism from East Berlin all the way to Shanghai, what believer in God would fail to see the powerful response that Christian unity would make?" Many religious leaders in this often-called "post Christian era" feel that survival depends on unity, although such reasonings leave God out of consideration. This comment also overlooks the ever-increasing hold that infidelity, agnosticism, and atheism are having in places heretofore noted for their adherence to Christianity.
The second session of the Vatican Council was scarcely over when Pope Paul announced his pilgrimage to the Middle-east. This would take the minds of those who were disappointed at the Council's lack of accomplishments off of such disappointment. It also focused attention on the Pope who would be at the center of the pilgrimage. This pilgrimage gave Pope Paul an opportunity to visit shrines in Palestine and Jordan, and to emphasize the fact that Christianity and Mohammedanism have their roots in Judaism, and so to plead for peace in all places.
Doubtless, Pope Paul was preoccupied with the Greek Orthodox Church in his pilgrimage. This large body is closely akin to the Roman Church in history, doctrine, canonical law, and in varied aspects of Christianity. In the early days of Christianity, bishops were merely overseers. They were numerous in the local assemblies. They helped to guide local assemblies arid individuals. They were not gifts like teachers and evangelists, but may have had an aptitude to teach the Scriptures. But the idea of a bishop over a see, or diocese, is unscriptural. The authority and high rank of bishops came in at a later date. Then there was a long struggle as to whether or not the bishop at Rome was superior to the others who wangled such titles in other places. At one time the bishops at Alexandria and Constantinople ranked equally with the one at Rome. It was the pretension that the bishop of Rome was Christ's vice-gerent on earth that caused much trouble.
Even today the Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras is only in charge of his own see, while Orthodoxy has a number of other Patriarchs on equal standing with him. He cannot speak for the whole Eastern Orthodoxy as the Pope does for Romanism. He is spoken of as "the first among equals." How Romanism and Orthodoxy can ever join hands is not clear, for Romanism would insist on general recognition of the Pope as head of and superior to all others, and not merely as preeminent among equals. But Athenagoras is bent on taking Orthodoxy back to Rome. We will quote a few lines from a Newsweek issued in January: "Though he is 'first among equals.' Athenagoras is but one of five Orthodox Patriarchs. Nevertheless, the 900-year-old history of relations between Rome and Constantinople clearly has entered a new era. The next step? 'Rome,' said Athenagoras. 'We are going to Rome.' "
The Pope aided the feeling of ecumenical good will, for he took opportunity to call for unity, and spoke of the ancient churches of the East; but for all his slanted remarks toward the Orthodox churches, he let slip (perhaps with forethought) remarks about the Roman Christ and called Roman Catholicism "the one church of Christ." The Pontiff also must have had a carefully laid plan to emphasize some of the points on which Orthodox churches and Rome have divergent views. He took occasion to stop at the tiny Galilean church called "The Primacy of Peter," where according to Roman tradition the Lord Jesus stood when He said to Peter, "Feed My sheep"; they claim that He thus indicated that Peter was the head of the apostles. This was clever usage of a spot to remind all that Peter was foremost, and that here was Peter's successor. This is helping to prepare the Orthodox for bowing to the Pope as supreme. The Orthodox claim descent from the Apostle Andrew. (We are well aware of the shallowness of these claims and counterclaims, and both groups have little place for the Apostle Paul from whom the doctrine of true Christianity came as inspired utterances.)
Orthodoxy never acknowledged Rome's claims for Mary—the Immaculate Conception (so-called)—her bodily assumption into heaven (absolutely without a word of Scriptural support)—but the Pontiff made remarks at Nazareth about their devotion to Mary. He referred to her as "Mary most holy," and said, "We offer our homage to her who is full of grace, the immaculate, ever virginal Mother of Christ, the Mother therefore of God, and our Mother, whose body and soul were taken up into heaven, our most blessed queen, the model of the church, and the source of our hope... an example of human perfection in whom the world may securely place its trust." New York Times, Jan. 6, 1964, p. 12. This is serious heresy, bordering on blasphemy; and it is truly derogatory to the supreme glory of Christ. He only was perfect in manhood. He only went back to heaven—to the Father. He only is the One whom we or the world may trust. Mary is not a queen on earth or in heaven. This reminds us of the earthly people who worshiped "the queen of heaven" to their ruin. Mary was only mother of the humanity of Christ, and is in no sense "the Mother of God." She was a sinner, and not "immaculate." She said so herself when she said, "My spirit bath rejoiced in God my Savior." She needed a Savior, and the Lord Jesus was that for her. It is flagrant and arrant folly to offer devotion to her. How the heart of man likes to worship someone other than God. The Apostle John had to be rebuked by an angel for an attempt to worship him. John was told, "Worship God." Now it is true that "all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father," but to the Father and the Son only are worship to be given.
When Christianity came into conflict with pagan idolatry in the early years, little progress was made by ecclesiastical pretension until worldly minded, and self-seeking churchmen devised a way to introduce Mary as a female goddess into pagan worship. All pagans had female deities, and the stratagem worked very successfully.
The Council of Ephesus in the year 431 was the first to authorize the false expression, "Mother of God." The worship of Mary soon swept what was left of pagan Europe. Within a few years eight of Europe's finest idol temples which had been consecrated to various female deities, were changed to temples to Mary: the temple of Minerva at Syracuse; the temples of Venus and of Saturn at Messina; the temple of Erycin a on Mount Eryx; the temple of Phalaris at Agrigenturn; the temple of Vulcan near Mount Etna; the Pantheon at Cantania—also the temple of Ceres in the same town; and the Sepulcher of Stesichore. Thus Christ was overwhelmed by the Roman Church of that day, by the use of heathenism.
What has not been done in the name of Christianity? Even the epochs of the heathen feasts were often retained, only the names changed. It may be interesting to note that the statue of Peter at Rome was formerly a statue of Jupiter Olympius. A thunderbolt was withdrawn from it, and keys put in its place. And favored Protestantism is being made ready to go back into Rome's embrace.
It seems that Rome's present plan is to talk reunion part of the time, and at other times to speak of all coming "back to the Father's house of Rome." Paul VI spoke of only a few theological points separating Orthodoxy and Rome. But by proposing an easy way back, and then backing away and speaking of Rome's never-to-be-changed doctrines, the appetite is whetted for reunion, while at the same time Protestants and Orthodox are being prepared for what they must accept.
It seems evident that Paul VI is a trusted son of the church, who would like to unite Christendom under his banner, but he himself acts like a stalwart of Roman theology who will be firm in seeing that all will come to Rome. But it also seems that if the present effort toward getting the Orthodox bodies to return is successful, then it would only be a matter of time until the Church of England and other Protestant bodies would join in a race to see who could get into Babylon first. It just needs a starter.