The term “Economia” (=Economy, dispensation)
“Economia” (dispensation) is
the temporary deviation from the accurate practice of the Church in order to
achieve a greater benefit. (St Cyril of Alexandria, Epistle 46 to Gennadius,
in Migne, P.G., 77, 319) St. Cyril of Alexandria uses the examples of
sailors who, when they are out at sea and face the winter storms, they empty
the ship of its cargo, in order to save the whole ship and the crew; likewise,
the Church, when required, uses “Economia”, in order not to suffer
damage but to accomplish greater benefit. (Ibid., Epistle 46 to
Gennadius, in Migne, P.G., 77, 320. Ibid., Epistle 87, in
Migne, P.G., 77, 376) “Economia” is used not to deviate from the
essential correctness of the Church, but in order to achieve greater benefits
or to avoid greater damage.
If ‘Economia’ is used for
extraordinary reasons and deviates from the Church’s correctness, it is obvious
that this does not create a permanent condition but is an exception to the rule
and for a specific case only (“jus singulare”). It lasts briefly, in
order that those who are outside of the Orthodox Church enter her bosom, as when
a door is opened and immediately closed, in order that the Church’s accuracy is
not disturbed. (Trempelas, Dogmatique, v. III, p. 49)
‘Economia’ cannot at first and
in advance be offered to all the members of the Orthodox Church; neither can it
be said that the Orthodox Church is obliged to recognize as valid the
Sacraments of those outside the Orthodoxy Body.
Through ‘Economia’ the Orthodox
Church completes, gives life and grants the Gift and the Charismata of the Holy
Spirit to those who were not previously canonically included within the body of
the Church because when “a heretic returns to Orthodoxy he corrects the
previous error and heresy is removed; the Baptism by the anointing with holy
Myrrh the ordination by the laying on of the hands.” (St Justin the Philosopher
and Martyr, Answer 14 to the Orthodox, in Migne, P.G., 6,
1282)
“Economia” can only be applied
to the Canons of the Orthodox Church which have been established by the Fathers
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and can be regarded as flexible. But
under no circumstances can “Economia” be applied to the Dogma of the
Church which is in the Revelation of God to His Church. (Panteleimon P. Lampadarios, The Holy Sacraments
of the Eastern Orthodox Church [London: Akakia, 2022], 41-42)
