In particular, it specifies: "At the same time, the Council of Bishops calls upon all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church to widely preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to establish catechetical schools, to explain to people the perniciousness of false teachings, to help those who have temporarily stumbled by succumbing to the propaganda of sectarian preachers. However, opposition to false views should not be accompanied by an intolerant attitude towards the bearers of teachings incompatible with Christianity.

"But if any man will not listen to our words in this epistle... do not associate with him, but do not consider him an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (2 Thess. 3:14-15). We call upon all members of the Church to pray for the enlightenment of those who are possessed by false teachings and to hold fast to what has been handed down to us, "abhorring worthless empty talk and the reproach of falsely called knowledge" (1 Tim. 6:20). Likewise, Ap.

Paul once said: "And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I walked, preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all, for I have not missed (the opportunity) to declare to you all the counsel of God" (Acts 2:10). 20, 25-27). Truly, the blood of many, many perishing heretics lies with those who do nothing to return them to the bosom of the Holy Church, but, on the contrary, hinder those who take upon themselves this difficult task.

And moreover, such a position of theirs has nothing in common with the Orthodox missionary. The only religious movement that condemns the conversion of adherents of other sects and religions to its bosom is only Tolmudic Judaism, and only of the post-medieval model. The Origin of Such a Religious Studies "Local" Twist (Apostasy)

, among individual "Orthodox" would-be missionaries and religious scholars, it remains to be clarified. This dispute with Jehovah's Witnesses can also be useful for sectarians of other trends. The emphasis on "Jehovah's Witnesses" is made due to the fact that this trend of heretical thought is most steadily and intensively spreading on the territory of our country.

In 2002, there were 1,206 congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, 131,130 active preachers, or 1 per 1,098 Russians. The growth of activity of this organization from 2001 to 2002 amounted to 6%. In 2002, 9718 people were baptized. In 2002, the "Easter meeting" in this organization was attended by 275259 members of the sect and their sympathizers (Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 2003).

In cases where Jehovah's Witnesses use a translation of the New World Bible, it will be marked NM; translation by Archimandrite Macarius – PAM; The "synodal" translation will not be marked with a note. In the case of the part of the dispute where the "Jehovist" speaks, the pronouns and words referring to the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity are not used. Trinity (by agreement), remain taking into account the opinion of the speaker who pronounces them.

But words associated with the personality of the enemy of the human race will not be given (as is customary with "Jehovah's Witnesses") with a capital letter. Some words are underlined by me – for the sole purpose of indicating semantic accents on them. For the exact transcription of some Hebrew words, the English letter "h" should be read as the Ukrainian "h". Sometimes I have to use expressions and words in a conversation with a sectarian that I would not use in a conversation with the Orthodox, such as "Christian congregation," "historical church," and so on.

– this is an absolutely necessary strategy for seeing a conversation with a non-Orthodox. The almost complete absence of references to the Holy Fathers in the dispute is due to the negative attitude towards them on the part of sectarians. Unfortunately, Patristics is of no value to the proponents of the Protestant view of the Church. References to the Holy Fathers are present only as historical evidence aimed at establishing or refuting a particular practice.

A missionary must become everything to everyone. It is said: "To the Jews I was as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; He was as one under the law, that he might gain those under the law; to those who are strangers to the law, as a stranger to the law, not being a stranger to the law before God, but subject to the law of Christ, in order to gain those who are strangers to the law; He was as a weak man to the weak, that he might gain the weak.

I have become all things to all, in order to save at least some. But this I do for the sake of the Gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:20-23). The dispute on the part of Jehovah's Witnesses was conducted by an "elder" who did not consent to the disclosure of his data. The purpose of this disputation is to help erring heretics return to the path of salvation, and for the Orthodox, to learn to use the biblical texts more attentively and actively in the matter of converting our erring brethren, for whom we pray every day during the reading of the Morning Canon: "Those who have departed from the Orthodox faith and have been blinded by pernicious heresies, enlighten with the light of Thy knowledge, and partake of Thy Holy Apostles, the Catholic Church." Moscow. 2003 A.D  . First meeting. 1.

Orthodox Tradition and Scripture: I am glad that you have agreed to this meeting. The Scriptures say: "Those who were here were more gracious than those of Thessalonica: they received the word with all diligence, examining the Scriptures daily, whether it was so" (Acts 17:11). Indeed, it is very important when we study the biblical texts to clarify this or that issue. I propose that the first topic be to consider the question of what is the criterion for us?

The main criterion: Scripture or Tradition? Jehovah's Witness: The Bible is a precious gift from God. It teaches the truth about Jehovah, who he is, and what his standards and purposes are. The Bible is the only way to learn how to please God, Jehovah. It is said: "Thus says the Lord your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is profitable, who leads you in the way in which you must go. Oh, that thou wouldst hearken unto my commandments!

then your peace would be like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:17-18). The author of the "Hebrew" and "Greek" Scriptures of the Bible is not a man, but God who lives in heaven. I will read: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16); and again: "Knowing first of all that no prophecy in the Scriptures can be resolved by itself.