Calendar Question

[ManM]

Ok, I know this has been beaten to death, so let me be very clear about my intent. I am not looking for a debate about the calendars. I want to better understand the hearts behind the matter.

With that in mind, I'd like to ask the following questions:

For the new calendar folks:
If all of the new calendar Churches got together and decided to revert back to the old calendar, would you oppose the decision?

If yes, why?
If no, why?

For the old calendar folks:
If all of the old calendar Churches got together and decided to change to the new calendar, would you oppose the decision?

If yes, why?
If no, why?

Again, I'd like to emphasize that I'm not looking for a debate, and I have no plans for follow up questions. Mods, if you feel these questions are too divisive, please lock the thread quickly.

Tip-toeing on ice,
Matthew

 

[vanshan]

Hopefully we can discuss this nicely.

An old calendar (ROCOR) priest, whom I highly esteem, said that the new calendar could be ratified by the Church according to a normal canonical process --and that could be okay. He doesn't see it as inherently bad, but thinks some in Orthodoxy have decided to push these changes through rapidly and without concilliar agreement, which is why it hasn't been a smooth transition. If you consider how the new calendar was adopted by some jurisdications, it does seem as though it was a little bit of a strong arm tactic to force change. What were their motives, do you think?

In reply to the OP, I currently follow the new calendar and would follow either if the Church decided unanimously, preferrable in council. I think the Church could change the calendar, but it should have been done in council or not at all IMHO. Forgive me.

Basil

 

[Rilian]

In reply to the OP, I currently follow the new calendar and would follow either if the Church decided unanimously, preferrable in council. I think the Church could change the calendar, but it should have been done in council or not at all IMHO.

Ditto for me.

I would prefer the Julian calendar. What I would like mostly is unanimity.

 

[Emmanuel-A]

Same for me. Unanimity is what really matters to me.

In Paris, we have the absurd case of the Russian cathedral, rue Daru.

There are 2 parishes there : in the upper church, they celebrate in slavonic and follow the old calendar. In the crypt, they celebrate in french and follow the new calendar. In a lot of families that attend the cathedral, parents of russian origins attend the upper church while their children, born in France, prefer to attend the services in French. Imagine how family life is simple then, especially when Christmas approaches.

 

[Oblio]

What Rilian said.

 

[Vasya Davidovich]

I attend a NC parish, but I consider myself an OC guy.

If the NC churches decided to go OC, I would oppose it. The mess started in the first place with unOrthodox haste and unOrthodox bullying. To do the same in the direction of the OC would be to compound the error. I vote for the conciliar process.

If the OC churches decided to go NC, I would oppose it. I am assuming this decision would be made by and through the conciliar process... but I would oppose it on grounds that the council was in error and needed to be corrected by a later council.

 

[Julio]

For the old calendar folks:
If all of the old calendar Churches got together and decided to change to the new calendar, would you oppose the decision?

If yes, why?
If no, why?

Yes, for reasons I posted elsewhere in one of the many threads on calendars.

 

[Jason of Wyoming]

Okay, maybe Im asking the stupid question, but don't we use the same dates as the old calendar? We're certainly not celebrating Pascha on the same day as Easter. So we really haven't decided to "ecumenize" by celebrating the same holy days as Rome and her offshoots, right?

 

[sin_vladimirov]

I just want us to do the same.... whatever it is. As long as it is made in love and not by force.

 

[countrymouse33ad]

Okay, maybe Im asking the stupid question, but don't we use the same dates as the old calendar? We're certainly not celebrating Pascha on the same day as Easter. So we really haven't decided to "ecumenize" by celebrating the same holy days as Rome and her offshoots, right?

Right.

Using the Gregorian calendar does not mean that we celebrate every feast or saint's day at the same time as Rome. For instance, St. Valentine's day is in June for us, either way.

 

[countrymouse33ad]

Incidentally, if we were polling, my preference would be 50/50. Either way.

My greatest preference would be that we would either agree to respect each other's jurisdictional or parish choices, or that a pan-Orthodox Council convene to decide the matter for all posterity, and the bickering stop.

 

[ManM]

Thank you all for your answers.