A brief news item followed by a book review:
From Aid to the Church in Need (Feb. 21): The Foreign Office of the Moscow Patriarchate held an international seminar at the end of January, during which the Orthodox and Catholic churches jointly addressed the issue of abortion....
Both churches share a deep anxiety in the face of the million-fold killing of unborn children. When Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow met in Havana one year ago, the protection of life – besides the persecution of Christians in the Middle East – was one of the most important issues mentioned in their joint declaration. The Moscow seminar was thus a direct result of this historic meeting.
The protection of life is an issue on which the two churches completely agree, also in terms of theology. This makes it easy to take joint, concrete steps in the spirit of ecumenism. The seminar focused on analyzing the situation, but also and particularly on finding solutions. The seminar was a platform for personal encounters and for an intense and constructive exchange of experiences. The Catholic Church has vast international experience on this front and the Orthodox Church can learn from this.
Read more here: http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/170225
