The Primate of the UOC: the Use of the Church for selfish purposes – cynicism


His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufry

When Churches try to extract private benefits, it does not lead to anything good, said his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.

The head of the Church is Christ and no human can replace God. This was told by his Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufry in an interview with the educational Department of the UOC.

“The use of the Church for the satisfaction of their own selfish goals is a real cynicism – said Metropolitan Onufry. – Anything good it does not. Remember the life of the prophet Elijah, when the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two parts because of the policies of king Rehoboam, the heir of Solomon. Between Rehoboam was left only the tribe of Judah and part of the tribe of Benjamin. The other ten tribes created the Northern Kingdom of Israel, whose residents continued to visit the temple in Jerusalem. Then newly elected king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel Jeroboam I decided to introduce another religion, i.e. “his Church”, as they say today. He did: put in his Kingdom of idols, began to worship them and to get others to do it. Israel fell into paganism, and to him was sent the prophet Elijah. But people did not listen, and for that they got punished – the drought that lasted three and a half years. Then Elijah denounces all pagan priests and false teachers. Through his prayers the God who gives rain and the whole nation profess the true faith”.

According to His Beatitude, the script, throughout human history, the powers that be repeated many times, but every time the truth of God prevailed.

“The Church, “my” does not happen – continued Metropolitan Onufry. – It was created by God and is His Body. Christ is the Head of the Church, and we are just part of it. No man can replace God. So we all need to remember a simple truth: in the Church you can enter, it can be solved, but to create – it is impossible, otherwise it will be another Church, not of Christ. If someone wants to live well and to receive God’s blessing, you have not a Church to break, and to cleave to the Church through the ardent faith and pious life.”

Earlier his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry said that every person is called to a personal “Tomos of freedom” that is given, not to any Patriarchate, but by God.

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