That always sounds so conciliatory and reasonable when an EO person says it.
It is just the truth...
It apparently is some sort of theological concept that is standard in EO circles.
Truth is
standard, you are right...
I]However, it isn't what the church actually says and does. [/I]That is unfortunate.
Both sides here, and elsewhere, try to drag the Orthodox onto their side against the other in this very
familial spat...
We do not affirm much of what each side affirms...
Were they to arise from Orthodox Clergy and proclaim their views of "valid", for instance, they would be either ignored or anathematized if their teaching spread...
But these are for the most part not organic to our Communion...
We do not strut about proclaiming our superior relationship with God in the Eucharist...
To do so would be to plunge this Communion into darkness...
Our Treasury is humility and obedience to Holy Tradition...
In the Lutheran Tradition, Lutherans have a relationship with Christ...
It is not our relationship with Christ as far as we can know if it might be...
But we simply cannot presume to pronounce our judgement upon another's relationship with Christ...
We cannot tell Protestants, for instance, that we reject Latin Doctrines too, so become Orthodox...
I used to think this was a good way to convert the Protestant faithful...
And I was wrong...
And pronouncing "valid" and "invalid" on other Communions' relationship with God in their Eucharist would for us simply be presumptuous...
You are not our Servants - Nor are we yours...
We have been a closed Communion for 2000 years...
All that we need and all that we proclaim is found within our Communion...
"For Lo I am with you unto the end of the Age..."
Arsenios