L-R: Dr. Charles Haynes, His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, Dr. Debra Mason
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA
Detroit, October 5 – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States began the 2nd day of its annual meeting with a special forum dedicated to the important subject of religious freedom. Three highly accomplished scholars presented:
Dr. Charles Haynes, Director of the Religious Freedom Center and Vice President of the Newseum Institute, delivered an overview of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and its central role in protecting the free exercise of one’s faith in America’s public square. He encouraged the hierarchs to study how Orthodox Christianity is presented in the public square, especially in the textbooks of our nation’s public schools, and shared his hope that seminarians be educated in the area of religious freedom.
Dr. Debra Mason, Professor of Journalism Studies at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Curriculum Specialist at the Religious Freedom Center, presented on the subject of religion in the media. She highlighted the unique challenges facing the church in utilizing digital media platforms to reach the faithful, especially millennials.
Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, Visiting Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts University, delivered a presentation on the international status of religious freedom. Professor Prodromou offered a primer on the deep historical footprint concerning religious freedom, noting the central role of religious freedom in the life of all people. She called upon the hierarchs to engage the American public as social critics; to mine the theological resources of Orthodoxy to better understand and defend religious freedom; to engage in catechesis with the faithful on this subject; to support religious freedom for all people; to develop partnerships with other religious groups in the propagation of religious freedom; and to stand against totalitarian ideologies wherever they may be found.
With the end of the two three-year terms of service of Bishop Basil and Metropolitan Antony as Secretary and Treasurer, the Assembly elected His Grace Bishop Gregory as Assembly Secretary and His Eminence Archbishop Michael as Assembly Treasurer.
The Assembly spent considerable time reviewing the work of its committees and recommended ways to advance their work.
His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, Chair of the Committee on Canonical Affairs, updated the assembly on the effort to establish a common clergy database, which would provide hierarchs immediate access to the ecclesiastical status of every Orthodox clergy across the nation.
His Eminence Metropolitan Savas, Chair of the Committee on Church and Society, expressed hope that the committee might be more active in the future. His Grace Bishop Demetrios, Chair of the Committee on Ecumenical Affairs, reviewed the ongoing theological consultations and commissions.
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, Chair of the Committee for Military Chaplaincy, reviewed the possibility of designating the Assembly of Bishops as the religious organization to the US Defense Department and as the common Orthodox Christian Endorsing Agency.
His Grace Bishop Thomas, Chair of the Committee for Youth, updated the Assembly on the continued work of the committee and expressed gratitude for the Assembly’s ongoing support of the various youth activities and for once again endorsing the annual Youth Worker and Camping Conference, slated for January 2017.
His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae, Chair of the Committee for Canonical Regional Planning, presented a detailed report on the regional study of jurisdictional collaboration in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. The study revealed that grassroots parish collaboration may lead to greater pan-Orthodox unity through the establishment of local parish networks. These networks may enhance our ability to address common interests, needs and concerns, and may provide opportunities to share ministries and resources.
3 Comments
Are these committees of the Assembly of Bishops even trying to work and serve the faithful of America? The First Assembly meeting was in February of 2010 and now we are on the cusp of 2017 while these committees have not produced anything meaningful outside of the same platitude repeated year after year. Some committees have only met 1 or 2 times over the last seven years. In the current age of technology it has never been cheaper and easier to work together. Why are these committees so ineffective……or is that exactly what the Assembly wants?
Since the OCA WAS NOT recognized by Istanbul and WAS NOT invited to Crete, why should the OCA participate in the Greek oriented Assembly? The Diptychs have NEVER been a form of church organization nor should it be. If the OCA will not be recognized as THE continuation of the the ORIGINAL Orthodox Church in America and if it’s autocephaly is NOT recognized by the Greeks (granted cannonically by Moscow), then the Istanbul DESIGNED Assembly in America should be shunned! Hubris, hubris and MORE hubris! The Greeks are a thorn to REAL UNITY as they always have been!
we(greeks) do not have a monopoly on orthodoxy.we lost the melkites because of this type of attitude,when are the greeks going to wake up?