Governance & Unity Essays - Orthodox Christian Laity

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Child of Governance

George Matsoukas

REFLECTIONS: TWO ORTHODOX CONFERENCES

By Webmaster on July 19, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity “He who only England knows, knows not England.” – Rudyard Kipling The month of July 1992 brought me into contact with two events in the life of Eastern Orthodoxy in the United States that provided me with the opportunity to reflect and pray. As Executive Vice President of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), I was privileged to be an observer and provide OCL workshops at the 31st Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Church in New Orleans (July 3-9, 1992), and then to be an observer and exhibition participant at the 10th All American Council of the…

Prof Paul G Manolis

Response to 4th of July, American Independence Day Address of Patriarchal representative to Archons in Boston during 44th GOA Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress

By Webmaster on July 16, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Uncategorized

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity “In order to successfully confront the…challenges, we have to …become fully aware of where we are and what we are.” – Archbishop Demetrios, Keynote Address to 44th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress July 2018. The speech to the Archons of Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkon (today’s resort villages of Durusu/Terkos, Turkey) reflects a distorted and overreaching reality of desperation to survive in a hostile land. It is incumbent on all of us living in the Orthodox Christian reality of the United States to be guided by the truth and to come to grips with correcting the irregular and uncanonical…

Michel Psaros announces his resignation from his position as Treasurer of the Archdiocesan Council. Shown are Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitan Maximos of Sylibria. (Photo by TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos)

Analysis: Clergy Laity Congress of Tragicomedy?

By Webmaster on July 9, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos Another Clergy Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the 44th in a row, has gone into history, taking with it all that was said and done, especially at the July 5, plenary session, which I think, using the term “tragicomedy” to describe it, is an understatement. In many instances, the impression that was given was that it wasn’t a Clergy Laity Congress, meaning a synaxis of church-oriented people with “the mind of Christ,” but rather an angry mob dressed in religiosity. I saw a clergy full of pain and anger with the…

Fr Frank Marangos

THE WAYS OF WISDOM (Part 2): TRANSFIGURING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION:

By Webmaster on July 9, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: OINOS Educational Consulting By Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP “Let the seven holy youths, equal in number to the pillars of the wisdom of God, be praised, for with their words they crushed the ungodly teaching of the tyrants as with stones.” – Feast of Seven Youths of Ephesus The wisdom of God is sleeping in many of our nation’s seminaries and theological schools. While economic volatility, global aggression, terrorism, utilitarianism, and relational dysfunction grips contemporary society, the priceless insights of Christian spirituality are often missing from the marketplace of ideas. All that is required to invigorate the spiritual malaise are…

Bishop Gregory (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA) with His Eminence, Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa, the Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of the Holy Trinity on the Island of Halki. (Photo by D. Panagos

Elpidophoros sees his future in GOA. Or not?

By Webmaster on July 6, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Greek Herald Archbishop Demetrius’ possible retirement has been discussed more and more often, and not only in the media but also in Orthodox forums and blogs, which highlights the importance of this event and the difficulties the GOA will soon face. However, the accents drastically differ from those in official statements and open letters. The GOA issues are much more complicated as Demetrius is not the root cause of the crisis. The point is that even after at the moment of its birth the Archdiocese wasn’t independent enough, and now it’s even less so. Each of its Dioceses is…

George Matsoukas

Musings of the OCL Executive Director: June 2018

By Webmaster on June 29, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Laity must find its voice to renew Orthodox Christianity in USA. The appointed donor elites, the clerical handlers, the old world governments, synods and patriarchates, the Assembly of Bishops, who refuse to assume responsibility to establish canonical order, and the apathetic laity, all bear responsibility for the malaise, bankruptcy and mortgaging of the Institutions established by our grandparents. The status quo is unacceptable. Renewal involves open and free discussion by those who have been blocked out of governance, including hierarchs, clergy and laity across jurisdictions. Millions of dollars will be expended in the next few…

Archbishop Demetrios with Patriarch Bartholomew

How to revitalize the Greek Orthodox Church in the 21st century

By Webmaster on June 27, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Ekathimerini VAN COUFOUDAKIS Even though I am no longer active in parish affairs, I am still a member of our Church and its Saint Barbara parish in Sarasota, Florida. I continue to follow with concern the financial, leadership and administrative problems facing our Church. I have had a 20-year involvement in parish and diocesan affairs while living and working in Indiana. Moreover, back in 2000, I was selected for the presidency of Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HC/HC) in Brookline, Massachusetts. For various reasons, I declined that position. The latest debate on the future of the…

Fr Frank Marangos

TOWN OR GOWN? (Part 1) TRANSFIGURING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

By Webmaster on June 25, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Uncategorized

Source: OINOS Educational Consulting By Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP “The height of the mountain top is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God.” ~ Oswald Chambers America’s theological schools and seminaries are in need of transfiguration. Facing a myriad of significant challenges ranging from financial instability, decreasing enrollment, student debt, and accusations of postmodern irrelevancy, institutions of Christian higher learning are compelled to replace older models of delivery with structures that engage society and support the student of the 21st century. Apart from developing realistic…

Peter S. Makrias

On the Issue of an Autocephalous Orthodox Church

By Webmaster on June 22, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Estiator Magazine The speech given by businessman Efstathios Valiotis at the commencement ceremony of Hellenic College / Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate, caused a great deal of commotion and elicited interesting comments within the ecclesiastical circles and the Greek-American Community. He is the first well-known Greek-American with close ties to our community and the Church, and with seven years of theological studies, who is strongly in favor of an Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America. This view has long been supported by this magazine and by the 1998 resolution of the…

Hellenic College-Holy Cross: Great Expectations Gone Awry

By Webmaster on June 21, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald By Dan Georgakas Financial and academic problems are again plaguing Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology (HCHC). The crisis has even called into question the desirability of their continued existence. Reviewing the history of the institution provides some guidance on what changes may be desirable. The first attempt to create a Greek Orthodox school of theology in America came in 1921 following a visit by the Ecumenical Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis. Understanding the need for English-speaking and American-born priests, he founded the Seminary of St. Athanasios in Astoria, New York. The school lasted only two years,…

One Substantial Change on GOA Clergy Laity Congress Schedule

By Webmaster on June 19, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald By Theodoros Kalmoukos BOSTON, MA – There is only one essential change in the program of the upcoming 44th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, to be held at Copley Marriott in Boston, MA, July 1-5. On July 2, after Archbishop Demetrios’ keynote address, the theme being “All Things Are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23), the delegates will not form the usual small groups to discuss and analyze the archbishop’s speech, as is usually the case. Instead, there will be a three-hour open forum (2-5PM) to discuss…

Implement These Solutions Regarding Church in America

By Webmaster on June 18, 2018 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald To the Editor: Thank you for a good editorial “The Demetrios Doctrine: ‘Let it Burn,’” (Jun. 9). Most important is the solution: Retire bishops at 75 years old like the Roman Catholic Church does. The Greek Orthodox cannot tolerate stagnation. Where are the metropolitans’ performance reports? Fr. Ephraim of Mount Athos and St. Anthony’s Monastery Florence, Arizona built seven Churches on 300 acres, rendering it the second-largest tourist attraction in Arizona, along with 20-plus monasteries in America. The late Metropolitan Anthony built 25 Churches in 25 years and developed the St. Nicholas Ranch Retreat Center with…

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Browsing: Governance & Unity Essays