The Holy Synod decided on Thursday to welcome back to the church controversial theologian Andreas Pitsillides, who had been excommunicated in 2015 over differing views with the church, then led by late Archbishop Chrysostomos II.
The decision was taken during a lengthy session of the Holy Synod, which lasted for well over three hours.
Pitsillides had also been invited to the meeting, where he responded to a series of questions that were linked to his 2015 excommunication. He had been banished from the church after a spat that had broken out with Chrysostomos II.
At the time, a five-member council made up of now Archbishop Georgios, who was then Bishop of Paphos, Bishop of Tamasos Isiah, Bishop of Trimithounda Varnavas, Bishop of Karpasia Christoforos and Bishop of Kiti Nektarios voted to excommunicate the theologian.
After presenting his views and answering questions on various issues before the committee, Pitsillides’ arguments were found to deviate from Orthodox teachings.
The synod committee, after also studying Pitsillides’ views, had said it found misbeliefs, intentional misrepresentation, ambiguous interpretations and derisive references on many issues, such as abortion, confession, communion, homosexuality and others.
The committee had said Pitsillides’ removal from the church would remain in force until such time as he “recovers, renounces his falsehoods and misbeliefs, and begs for God’s mercy”.
With the enthronement of the new archbishop in late 2022, rumours began to circulate of lifting the excommunication of Pitsillides.
However, this was not Pitsillides first attempt to have his excommunication lifted, as back in 2019 he had sent a letter the Synod requesting to have the ban removed.
The petition was, however, unsuccessful as the Synod decided Pitsillides did not retract his positions, which had gotten him excommunicated.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Mail
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Mail
Source
