Source: Orthodox Christian Laity
A ministry advocating Orthodox Unity in the United States with transparency and accountability in Church governance
Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. One way to mark the beginning of OCL is by noting the date that a group of men and women who became its “founders” met in the living room of James and Mary Koulogeorge in Northbrook, Illinois. If anyone recorded the date, I’m not aware of it.
Or, we can look at the date that the not-for-profit corporation was granted its Charter by the Secretary of State of Illinois. The “duration” of the corporation in those Articles is listed as “perpetual”. This designation is a legal formality. It is unlikely that anyone who signed those articles believed they were establishing a “perpetual” institution.
Whether coincidentally, or by some form of “intelligent design”, The Fellowship of St. James, which publishes Touchstone Magazine, is also celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year.
Here is what James Kushiner, the Executive Editor of Touchstone, wrote in the January-February 2017 issue about Touchstone’s 30th Anniversary:
“Touchstone’s goal was, and remains, to be of service in the present moment for today’s crises. Celebrating 30 years of its existence is akin to marking the 30th anniversary of the volunteer fire department of a town plagued by arson. The department would gladly close down if fires could be abolished, but so long as they occur, it stands ready to fight them.”
In many ways, OCL’s goal of advocating for a single, united, autocephalous Orthodox Church in the US that is transparent and accountable in Church governance is a lot like that “volunteer fire department”. OCL would gladly “close down”; but as long as the Orthodox Church in the US is separated into fourteen overlapping, uncanonical, “ethnic jurisdictions”… and remains neither transparent nor accountable in governance, OCL remains ready to continue its advocacy and educational ministry.
George D. Karcazes, President
Editor’s Note
This article continues to be relevant to OCL’s mission of spiritual renewal, accountability, and Orthodox Christian unity in America. It is republished here with links to related resources for readers seeking deeper context.