July, 2017 - Orthodox Christian Laity

Monthly Archives: July, 2017

EPARCHIAL SYNOD OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA - GOA/Dimitrios Panagos

WHY THE SELECTION OF THE NEXT METROPOLITAN OF CHICAGO MATTERS

By Webmaster on July 26, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) supports the decision of Archbishop Demetrios and the Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to elevate Bishop Sevastianos to lead the Metropolis of Chicago as its new Metropolitan. As Elaine Jaharis pointed out in her recent Open Letter published in The National Herald, the stakes for the Metropolis of Chicago, the Archdiocese and the Ecumenical Patriarchate could not be higher. The Orthodox Christian Laity has supported the efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarchate where it believes that those efforts have merit: (a) The convening of pre-conciliar meetings over the years; (b) the…

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Archbishop Demetrios and Hierarchs of America in Defiance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

By Webmaster on July 21, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance Top Stories

Source: The National Herald Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America defied the Synodical decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to revise the List of Candidates for the elevation to Episcopacy. Instead in a unprecedented move they decided that the Archbishop with a representation of hierarchs travel to Constantinople to try to convince Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to reverse the initial Synodical decision that canceled the election of Bishop Sevastianos of Zela as Metropolitan of Chicago. The decision was taken on Thursday July 20 in a special session of the Eparchial Synod convened…

INFORMATION FOR CHURCH MEMBERS AND DONORS

By Webmaster on July 20, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

You may be interested in this ruling from the Tucson Court…. a case where a US Court upholds the well settled doctrine: “So long as a court does not cross into ecclesiastical matters, it is appropriate to apply neutral legal principles, including those based in contract, in resolving a dispute involving a religious organization.” If the New York courts had followed this doctrine in the Declaratory Judgment action filed challenging the imposition of the 2003 Charter by the EP without the approval of the Clergy-Laity Congress in accordance with the revision provisions of the previous Charter the GOA would not…

George Matsoukas

Musings of the Executive Director: Disrespect of Synodical Decision Creates Crisis

By Webmaster on July 17, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity by George Matsoukas It is difficult to discern the Holy Spirit-Spirit of Truth in the process of selecting the hierarchs in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America [GOA] is headed for another wrenching crisis! What happened to the post conciliar spirit of Orthodoxy one year after Holy and Great Council? Are we experiencing the consequences of the imposed 2003 Charter? We have a clash of cultures in our understanding rules and regulations. The voices of the hierarchy, clergy and laity living in America are being ignored in the…

Stephen Cherpelis

On Elaine Jaharis’ Open Letter

By Webmaster on July 15, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald To the Editor, I read again and again the open letter that Elaine Jaharis wrote to “All” and published in the National Herald on July 1. And I read it many times because this is not just a “letter.” This is a homily, this is a sermon, this is a wake-up κήρυγμα that should be read from the pulpit, from the amvona to all the parishioners every Sunday from every priest and every hierarch. The Ephraimite teachings are not the Orthodox Monasticism as we know it, it is not even Christian. It is a devious medieval…

The Ecumenical Patriarchate Must Respect the Decision of Archbishop Demetrios and the Eparchial Synod

By Webmaster on July 15, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Orthodox Christian Laity calls upon the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople [EP] to ratify the selection of His Grace Bishop. Sevastianos of Zela as the Metropolitan of Chicago. The process by which the Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America [GOA] under Archbishop Demetrios selected him to lead the recently widowed see of Chicago was agreed upon by all parties before the repose of Metropolitan Iakovos, of blessed memory. The Eparchial Synod followed all the procedures approved by the EP including receiving input from the clergy and laity of the Church in America. It…

Another Act of Betrayal

By Webmaster on July 14, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

by Yianni Pappas I have stood by and supported the Patriarch and the Ecumenical Holy Synod time and again, but if the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Ecumenical Holy Synod can flippantly “change their mind” and go back on their word, then Orthodox Christianity worldwide has another major crisis of integrity. I have stood by and supported the Patriarch and the Ecumenical Holy Synod time and again against the fundamentalist Ephraimites who are more concerned with the outward form rather than content of substance. They have accused the Ecumenical Patriarch of betraying the faith because he said “all people under God are…

Coptic Churches suspend conferences, monastery trips over security concerns

By Webmaster on July 13, 2017 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Egypt Independent by Taha Sakr Egypt’s main Coptic Church decided on Thursday to suspend holding any conferences and organizing the church-sponsored trips to monasteries, Coptic Orthodox Church Head Bolus Hailm said. Halim told Egypt Independent that the decision came following consultations with the Interior Ministry, which recommended the suspension of the aforementioned activities until the end of the month of July. “Due to security concerns raised among churches’ officials against any gatherings of Copts in Egypt, the churches affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church consulted the main church to coordinate with the Interior Ministry to undertake any action,” he explained. He further asserted…

Election of Metropolitan of Chicago Canceled

By Webmaster on July 13, 2017 Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories, Uncategorized

Source: The National Herald Theodoros Kalmoukos NEW YORK – The election of Bishop Sevastianos of Zela as the new Metropolitan of Chicago was canceled by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The election was scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 13 at the Phanar. The National Herald has learned that the unexpected turn of events is due to the List of Candidates which was considered problematic and incomplete. The List, however, had been approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate last March. Bishop Sevastianos of Zela had gathered 7 votes out of 8 who voted for the triprosopon during the…

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, President Donald Trump, and Vice President Mike Penceat the White House event honoring Greek Independence Day. TNH Archives

A White House Reception Does Not a Policy Make…

By Webmaster on July 12, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

Source: The National Herald June 24-30, 2017 Edition – Page 12 By Peter Marudas Once again, The National Herald has demonstrated its unique role in stimulating dialogue and the open exchange of ideas concerning important matters facing our community. Its most recent contribution was reflected in two informative items appearing in the May 6 edition regarding the status of the Greek-American political presence in Washington. First, a Herald editorial titled “Emerging Greek-American Leaders” is a serious and thoughtful review of our past and present-emerging leadership in Washington. The other, an article by Washington insiders, Andy and Mike Manatos, suggests that…

Text by ‘Father of Medicine’ Found in Remote Egyptian Monastery

By Webmaster on July 11, 2017 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: National Geographic The manuscript was unearthed by the monastery’s monks who were conducting restorations in the centuries-old library. By Sarah Gibbens PUBLISHED JULY 11, 2017 There’s perhaps no doctor in history more famous than Hippocrates. Many medical students today still swear the ancient doctor’s oath to adhere to ethical medical principles. While the details of his life are murky (it’s even debated whether he wrote the oath or some of the other manuscripts that bear his name), Hippocrates is widely regarded as the “father of Western medicine.” Archaeologists now believe they may have found one of the ancient doctor’s medical recipes…

Analysis: The List of Candidates and the Lack of Seriousness

By Webmaster on July 11, 2017 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald Theodoros Kalmoukos The recent process for the selection of the triprospon (three-person ballot) by the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America regarding the election of the new Metropolitan of Chicago showed that the list of candidates for promotion to the rank of Episcopacy is problematic and pathogenic. The problems should be dealt now without any further delay tactics. I remind that the list of the supposedly eligible candidates is comprised by 32 celibate priests plus the auxiliary Bishops. That list that TNH published in its recent editions has been ratified by the…

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Monthly Archives: July, 2017