On 16 September 2013 an ecumenical meeting of leaders of Christian Churches was held at General Bishop’s Office in Bratislava (ECAC).
This meeting was already announced at the previous meeting on 22 March 2013
and was initiated by General Bishop Miloš Klátik, chairman of the Ecumenical Council of Churches.
Metropolitan Stanislav Zvolenský, chairman of the Conference of Bishops in Slovakia and arcibishop of Bratislava, Ján Babjak, metropolitan of Greek-Catholic Church represented by Daniel Dzurovčin, Rastislav, arcibishop of Orthodox Church in Prešov represented by Michal Švajko, László Fazekas, bishop of Reformed Church in Slovakia and Ján Henžel, chairman of Council of Brethren Church in Slovakia represented by Štefan Markuš were present on the meeting.
The church leaders accepted a joint proposal of the statement about family. In this statement they expressed worry about an attack of strange trends from Western countries, especially about homosexuality and marriage. They stated that they are prepared to support our goverment to accept documents reflecting our place in European structures and our traditions.
The participants also shared their opinions about church financing and persecution of Christians in the world. They came to an agreement to continue in these meetings and mutual cooperation within social and church issues.
Here are crucial points of the statement: The Holy Scripture as a source of God’s revelation and Christian teaching gives a clear testimony about marriage and family: „So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female“ (Genesis 1, 27) and „that is why a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife and they will become one flesh“ (Genesis 2, 24). The relationship of man and woman as a base unit of society is confirmed by Lord Jesus in Matthew 19, 1-9. Marriage and family are God’s purpose for the world. We are convinced that marriage as a bond of male and female and family, which they create, have no alternative. No other bond will be equal to marriage of male and female.
Metropolitan Stanislav Zvolenský, chairman of the Conference of Bishops in Slovakia and arcibishop of Bratislava, Ján Babjak, metropolitan of Greek-Catholic Church represented by Daniel Dzurovčin, Rastislav, arcibishop of Orthodox Church in Prešov represented by Michal Švajko, László Fazekas, bishop of Reformed Church in Slovakia and Ján Henžel, chairman of Council of Brethren Church in Slovakia represented by Štefan Markuš were present on the meeting.
The church leaders accepted a joint proposal of the statement about family. In this statement they expressed worry about an attack of strange trends from Western countries, especially about homosexuality and marriage. They stated that they are prepared to support our goverment to accept documents reflecting our place in European structures and our traditions.
The participants also shared their opinions about church financing and persecution of Christians in the world. They came to an agreement to continue in these meetings and mutual cooperation within social and church issues.
Here are crucial points of the statement: The Holy Scripture as a source of God’s revelation and Christian teaching gives a clear testimony about marriage and family: „So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female“ (Genesis 1, 27) and „that is why a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife and they will become one flesh“ (Genesis 2, 24). The relationship of man and woman as a base unit of society is confirmed by Lord Jesus in Matthew 19, 1-9. Marriage and family are God’s purpose for the world. We are convinced that marriage as a bond of male and female and family, which they create, have no alternative. No other bond will be equal to marriage of male and female.