Source: Frankly Speaking by Frank Marangos D.Min., Ed.D. “Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do. The visible signs of artful leadership are expressed, ultimately, in its practice.” – Max Depree Award-winning actor and director, Clint Eastwood, set Twitter afire after conversing with an empty chair at the Republican National Convention. The 82-year old thespian used a wooden stool as a stage prop to conduct a controversial political interview with President Obama. While reaction to Eastwood’s “invisible leader” monologue provided pundits with plenty of political repartee, the Internet now…
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Source: News24 Reyhanli – Syria’s extraordinary archaeological heritage has fallen prey to the fighting ravaging the country for more than 18 months, with destruction, theft and systematic looting on the rise. In a country where corruption and trafficking of archaeological artefacts and treasures was already a chronic problem, widespread clashes and a power vacuum in some areas have led to an explosion of looting and illicit excavations. “It is obvious that in such situations there is always an increase in looting, illegal excavations and smuggling,” Veronique Dauge of the Unesco World Heritage Centre said by telephone. “Remember what happened in…
Source: Reuters By Gabriela Baczynska MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian lawmakers are calling for jail sentences for people guilty of offending religious feelings, in a move that could tighten the bonds between President Vladimir Putin and the resurgent Orthodox Church. The State Duma, the lower house of parliament, adopted a declaration on Tuesday saying the killing of spiritual leaders, vandalism against church property and “blasphemous acts of hooliganism” posed a threat to Russia and must be countered. The vote came weeks after members of punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years’ jail for performing a protest song in a…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] The fall session of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America opened with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel at the OCA Chancery here on Tuesday, September 25, 2012. His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, Administrator of the OCA, will chair the meeting. Members of the Holy Synod of Bishops will also be in attendance. On Monday, September 24, Finance Committee and Post Council Committee members met. Archpriest Theodore Boback (Dean of Military Chaplains) and Archpriest Joseph Gallick (assistant Dean…
Source: The Hindu The 200th anniversary of the first translation of the Bible into Malayalam will be celebrated by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Church historians say Philipose Ramban, a scholar from Kayamkulam, translated the Bible from Syriac into Malayalam in 1811 to help the faithful get a better understanding of the scripture. Claudius Buchannan, a missionary who toured South India in the early 19th century, persuaded the Ramban to translate the holy book. The Orthodox Church authorities in Travancore gave Buchannan, during his visit to Kerala, a copy of the Bible in Syriac, known in…
Source: Mansfield News Journal By Anthony Conchel COLUMBUS — A Greek Orthodox Church priest who served in Mansfield as late as 2009 has been arrested by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on sex charges. Patrick Hughes, also known as the Rev. Nicholas Hughes, was arrested Wednesday night. Police said he was arrested by the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children task force on suspicion of attempted rape and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Hughes, a native of Alabama, served at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Mansfield for about 18 years. He had lived at St.…
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America His Grace Bishop Basil, Secretary of the Assembly, has been interviewed by Fr. Christopher Metropulos of Orthodox Christian Network. Listen to the interview here.
Source: Christianity Today by Weston Gentry [originally posted 8/27/2012] Metropolitan Jonah, by most accounts the highest-ranking, evangelical-friendly archpriest in North America’s Eastern Orthodox Church, resigned under duress in July. His removal has observers less concerned about his leadership shortcomings, which allegedly led to his removal, than about the widening gap between conservatives and the Orthodox Church. “His efforts were the most explicit attempt by any Orthodox hierarch to join with evangelicals and other conservatives in a common social agenda,” North Park University professor Brad Nassif said of Jonah’s nearly four-year tenure as primate. Jonah, a former Episcopalian, was especially popular…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] The Department of Youth, Young, Adult, and Campus Ministries of the Orthodox Church in America announces its 2012 YouTube Challenge for high school and college students. “A new program of the department, the YouTube Challenge invites high school and college students to respond to scriptural questions with a short video,” said Andrew Boyd, department chair. “A team of judges, lead by Priest Sergius Halvorsen, Homelitics Professor at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, will offer feedback. Videos may be submitted either by individuals or by groups, such as an OCF chapter or parish youth group.”…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] It has come to the attention of the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America that individuals, including some OCA clergy, have been receiving e-mails and telephone calls from an unknown individual or individuals presenting themselves as members of the Holy Synod of Bishops requesting emergency funds for various causes and asking that funds be directed to specified venues. These appeals are scams and should not be honored. None of the members of the Holy Synod are soliciting funds by e-mail or phone. Those receiving such calls or e-mails, or desiring additional…
Source: Orthodox Church in America ANCHORAGE, AK [OCA Diocese of Alaska] Delegates to the Assembly of the Diocese of Alaska, which met here on September 15, 2012, voted to present the name of Archpriest David Mahaffey in nomination to fill the vacant Episcopal See of Sitka and Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America. Father David’s name will be presented by His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Alaska, at a future meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops for consideration and canonical election. Born in Altoona, PA in 1952, Father David was received into the Orthodox…