In lieu of a simple reply to the above question, we could propose the following:

“Because it is forbidden by the 45^th and the 65^th Apostolic Canons, which respectively say that:  

«Any Bishop or Presbyter or Deacon who only prays together with heretics, should be excommunicated; and if they should permit them (the heretics) to perform anything as clergymen, they should be defrocked.»

and

«Should any clergyman or layman enter into a congregation of Jews or heretics to pray, he should be excommunicated and defrocked.»

However, we believe that this does not suffice as a reply, for someone who wants to know the REASON these canons were issued by the holy Apostles.

So it was that, in his desire to explain the reason for this prohibition, Saint Nicodemus provided us with certain comments on the subject, in the Pedalion.*

(Pedalion = Rudder: a collection of canons of the Orthodox Church, compiled by Saint Nicodemus of Mount Athos)

“Orthodox Christians must avoid heretics, and the rituals of heretics. Instead, they (the heretics) should be checked and counseled by the Bishops and the Presbyters, in the hope that they will come to understand, and thereafter turn away from their fallacy.  It is for this, that the present canon ordains that any Bishop or Presbyter who would accept as proper and true the baptism of heretics, or the sacrifice offered by them, such a person we command to be defrocked.  For, what agreement does Christ have with the devil?  Or, what share does a faithful person have, as compared to a faithless one?  Because, those who accept whatever is the heretics’, or have beliefs similar to them, or,  lesser still, do not have any willingness to free themselves of their cacodoxy, then, BY CONDESCENDING TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR RITES, HOW WILL THEY (the clergy) BE ABLE TO CHECK THEM, SO THAT THEY MIGHT RESIGN FROM THEIR CACODOXY AND MISGUIDED HERESY? “ (Pedalion (Greek), pages 50-54)

Two, therefore, are the reasons according to Saint Nicodemus, that forbid Christians to pray together with heretics:

1. So that there shall be no communion of the faithful with the faithless, and Christ with the devil, and

2. So that in this way, clergymen will be able to check heretics, and "have the upper hand” when telling them that they are in a soul-condemning heresy, without the other person being able to retort: “Then why do you pray with us?”

Let’s examine these two reasons in more depth, beginning with the first one.

 

1. Why is common prayer considered a communing of the faithful with the faithless?  

Even though (as we have shown in a separate article) it is more than obvious to most people that other religions worship a god other than our own, this is not so obvious when it comes to heresies.  Could this also apply (that they believe in another God) to the Christian heresies?  

To begin with, the overwhelming majority of heresies contain THEOLOGICAL ERRORS. This means that the God they believe in is NOT the Christian God, but another, phony, counterfeit god; a nonexistent one.  And naturally, wherever the true God is absent, the void becomes occupied by the Devil!

Let’s take a look at some examples:

We shall begin with the anti-Triadic heretics, in which are included a large portion of Adventists, Russellites (Bible Studiers, Watchtower Witnesses, Evangelists, etc.), all of whom are Arianists, and a large portion of Pentecostals worldwide, who are Savellianists – in other words, those who believe that God is one person with three manifestations and not three individual Personae.  Most assuredly, there is a vast difference between a Pagan god (who is subject to the limitations of space and time), as is the “limited” god of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or, a god who is solely a person, (and subsequently a servant of his own essence), as compared to our true, Triadic God.

But there are heresies such as the Monophysites who, while accepting the Triadic God, deny the two natures of Christ! Heretics such as these, however, believe in “another Christ” – a nonexistent one!  And those who do not have the Son, do not have the Father either! (John I, 2:23).

The same applies to the Papist believers, who, on account of the Filioque on one hand, and on the other hand on account of their Augustinian perception of God, whom they perceive as “essence” and not as Hypostasis, are essentially worshipping a false god, who is subservient to his essence and not vice-versa, which is the case with the true God.  And of course even the Papists are equally heretics, and sacrifice to demons, not to God.

Perhaps someone might insist, however, saying: “But there are also people who do worship the true God, the same God that the Orthodox Christians worship, whom they also perceive in exactly the same way. Why don’t you pray together with them?”

In this case, the second reason given by Saint Nicodemus applies:

 

2. So that we can check those persons on the impropriety that they have indulged in, by cutting themselves off from the Church of God!

Let us now see WHY we should check such people, who, although worshipping the true God of the Orthodox Church, they persist in keeping themselves separated from the Church of the Lord.

So, we wonder, what could be the reason such people remain alienated from the Church of Christ?  Let us examine a few possible reasons, which could apply to them:

1. Because they believe that, although worshipping the same God as the Orthodox, they consider themselves more correct (therefore wiser!) than the Church when it comes to the remaining Orthodox dogmas.

2. Because they believe that the Church has deviated from the proper way of worshipping God.

3. Because they believe that even though the Church does worship God properly, it nevertheless has in its bosom quite a number of impure people; hence they strive to stay as far away as possible from them.

4. Because they believe that a relationship with God is strictly a personal one, and not an Ecclesiastical one.

5. Because they believe that regardless where they might be, if they worship the true God, it is of no significance.

 

By observing the above five reasons, it is easy to see that in reality, they can be summarized in two only:

1. They disagree on something that pertains to the general faith of the Church, and

2. They are arrogant enough so as to consider themselves (or the ‘conventicle’ that they belong to), superior tο the Church.

So, what do the above two reasons signify, for people such as these?  First of all, that they lose contact with the Church on account of their ego, and secondly, that they refuse to acknowledge the Church of the Lord as the ONLY organism through which Jesus Christ preaches the Gospel perennially, and by which He saves all those who approach His Body (the Church). Therefore, essentially, they are denying the spiritual “hospital” that the Lord Himself established for our therapy!

In other words, we are talking about people who have taken the wrong course - either on account of their pride, or because they have been deceived by a heresy that is leading them in the wrong direction – and who subsequently might lead others astray also!

These two reasons are sufficient enough to lead us to the conclusion that we have an OBLIGATION to show these people their error, and to help them return to the path of the Truth and of Salvation; of their own salvation, as well as of the people that they influence.  We are obliged to help them discard their pride and familiarize themselves with the Path to salvation that the Lord showed us.

But how can this be accomplished, if our stance towards them shows that we are ACKNOWLEDGING their own particular relationships with God as being EQUALLY VALID to the Christians’ relationships?   Isn’t this like agreeing with them, that it is of no significance if they belong to the Church?  Isn’t it like we are agreeing with the influence that they perhaps exert when they oppose the Church?  Or, even worse, isn’t it like admitting to them that it is better to be OUTSIDE of the Church rather than inside it?

So, how is it possible to display our opposition, after all these things?  Naturally, by REFUSING to pray with them!  We cannot place the Christian prayer (which is referred to “as incense” according to the Holy Bible) in the same bag with the prayer of a heretic, or of a self-important person who considers himself above the Church.

Thus, whenever any Protestants “surprise” us (as is their custom) with their invitation:  “Let us pray together to the Lord”, we are obliged to refuse politely and to explain to them that the prayer of the Church cannot be equated to the prayer of anyone who is outside of the Church.  Let them pray on their own, and let us also pray to the true God, our Father, who –unfortunately- IS NOT the father of heretics.  Because He has adopted through baptism only the members of the Church, and it is neither possible nor proper that the Holy Baptism be underrated, and equated to the non-Orthodox “sprinkling” or “dousing” which is performed without the authority of apostolic succession.

Our refusal to pray together with non-Orthodox is an indication of our faith towards the Church of the Lord and the Lord Himself; of our respect towards the EXCLUSIVE PATH to Salvation which He revealed through Jesus Christ, and furthermore, it reveals OUR LOVE towards those unfortunate people who have wandered away form the true God and the true Church.

For, who of us won’t be judged, if, on seeing a blind person heading towards a precipice, we do not move to warn him but instead, praise him for the catastrophic course that he is following?

Let us therefore clarify this point to our beloved friends and acquaintances or relatives who may belong to a heretic group, so that they will come to understand the love that lies beneath this refusal and not misinterpret us. Instead, they might (hopefully) ask themselves:  “is it possible, that there just might be some truth behind this Orthodox stance?”  If so, we will be there, to help them discover it!

 

G.K.

Translation by: A. N.

Greek Text