George Bush.

An important statement from none other than one of our "separated brethren," published on the web site of Inside the Vatican magazine, April 24, 2005, sheds some light on the controversy between Edward McBride and Casey Ahern regarding George Bush's religious background (letters, May, 2005, p.4, "American election," March 2005, p. 10).

The statement was made by Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev in an interview with Inside the Vatican magazine editor Robert Moynihan regarding the bishop's hopes for the new pontificate of Benedict XVI. The bishop hoped, in general, that there would be a "breakthrough in relations between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches." And then, more specifically, he referred to Cardinal Ratzinger's pre-conclave homily which warned against a "dictatorship of relativism."

The bishop then outlined his idea for a European Catholic-Orthodox Alliance which would "enable European Catholics and Orthodox to fight together against secularism, liberalism, and relativism prevailing in modern Europe" and to "speak with one voice" on social and moral issues affecting secular society. The bishop envisions this Alliance as being separate from the doctrinal discussions taking place in the Joint Catholic-Orthodox Commission; otherwise, he said, "we are likely to lose precious time that could be used for a common witness to the secularized world. Europe, in particular, has so rapidly dechristianized that urgent action is needed in order to save it from losing its centuries-old Christian identity."

Robert Moynihan then asked the bishop, "Why should Protestants be excluded from your proposed alliance?" The bishop replied, "In the struggle against relativism, the Roman Catholic Church takes an uncompromising stand, but by doing so it further distances itself from the Protestants, whose positions in most cases are much more in keeping with modern developments. Protestants are, therefore, rather unlikely allies in this struggle."

It is important that all Catholics recognize the truth of the bishop's statement during these times when we may have become accustomed to depending too heavily on the assistance of evangelicals in our battle with the culture of death. It is true that evangelicals support piecemeal political endeavours such as those organized by Focus on the Family regarding the definition of marriage. However, they are "rather unlikely allies" in the overall struggle with relativism, because they have no consistent moral theology. Most importantly, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium have no place at all in their definition of Divine Revelation. Consequently, the popular culture affects their youth to quite an alarming degree; and above all, they see nothing wrong with contraception.

It is important, as Fr. Bob Pelton notes in his May letter to C.L. to seriously reflect on how to help Catholics understand evangelicals. But it is also important to remember that the United States is the only country in the western world to have been founded by people who had decisively cut themselves off from the roots of Catholic culture during the Protestant Reformation. The fact that Canada has recently betrayed the Catholic heritage upon which it was founded should not blind us to the fact that the "separated brethren" to the south, whose heritage is Puritan and Deist, cannot provide any lasting solution to social ills, despite the appearances of some political gains for the Christian position.

Let us heed Pope Benedict's request for prayer support as he confronts the culture of death, and pray also for allies such as Bishop Aleyev who understand the real nature of relativism.

Lorene Collins

Sarnia, ON