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Some Thoughts and (Unsought) Advice on Holding Church Councils

By Webmaster on March 18, 2014 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The Catholic World Report How the Eastern Orthodox can benefit from the lessons of Vatican II and other Councils By Dr. Adam A. J. DeVille The recent news out of Constantinople that the Orthodox Church has finally set a date (2016) for the holding of its much-promised but much-delayed “great and holy synod” is good news indeed. If it comes to pass, if it deals successfully with matters of substance, and if it doesn’t get bogged down in the usual jurisdictional squabbles—especially between the patriarchs of Constantinople and Moscow, and more recently Jerusalem and Antioch—then it promises to be…

Do Old World Patriarchs Really Want Orthodox Unity?

By Webmaster on February 7, 2014 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald By George D. Karcazes Special to The National Herald The letter that Archbishop Kyril, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the “Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia” recently sent to Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, as Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America is disappointing. But, it probably should have been expected. In his letter, Kyril echoes the sentiments of Bishop Danili of the “Bulgarian Diocese in the USA and Canada” which were also in a letter apparently presented to Archbishop Demetrios and his “Committee for…

Orthodox Leaders Should Learn from the New Pope

By Webmaster on November 5, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The National Herald To the Editor: A report of an interview given by Pope Francis to an Italian journalist was recently published in the International Herald Tribune. Although the pope was speaking of the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church, his comments accurately described the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA). In the interview, the Pope called the church “overly clerical and insular, interested in temporal power”. He pointed out that the “heads of the church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers.” As for the Roman Curia he said: “The court is the leprosy of…

Transparency and the Finances of Metropolises

By Webmaster on October 16, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Estiator – The Restaurateur Peter S. Makrias, Publisher-Editor October 2013 In addition to all that we have already written about the hegemonic authority exercised by the Metropolitans of our Church in America, we must also note the fact that they do not offer an account for their actions and decisions. Among other things, they do not offer any public accounting of their income and expenses, as the Archdiocese does at its Clergy-Laity Congresses. It is there that the Archdiocese’s finances are discussed, along with its income from parishes and expenditures for various institutions. The incidents involving Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey…

Constantine and current church politics

By Webmaster on October 14, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Ekklesia 2013 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, when emperor Constantine ended the persecution of Christianity, to which he had converted. In early October, World Council of Churches General Secretary Dr Olav Fykse Tveit praised Constantine’s legacy in glowing terms. Yet in reality it has been a mixture of harm and good. Tveit sent his regrets to Serbian church leaders for being unable to attend anniversary ceremonies to which they had invited him, stating that the legacy of Constantine – the first ruler to do battle and kill in Christ’s name – “is still helping to…

A Resolution for Autocephaly

By Webmaster on September 10, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

We reprint the OCL Resolution calling for Autocephaly of the American Orthodox Church passed in 1998, fifteen years ago, and pray that the meeting of Assembly of Canonical Bishops on September 17-19 in Chicago will make progress in developing the blueprint for a unified, self-governing, canonical Church in our geographic areas. The “fullness of time” for the unification and autocephaly of the Church in the United States and in all other geographic areas has arrived. – Editor Orthodox Christian Laity A Resolution for Autocephaly Adopted October 10, 1998 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), assembled…

Problems of Orthodoxy in America

By Webmaster on September 10, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Uncategorized

by Fr. Alexander Schmemann Editor’s Note: As the Assembly of Bishops meets in Chicago on September 15-17, 2013, please review some of the following canonical issues related to unity. The Canonical Problem [St. Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, 1964, Vol. 8, # 2, pp. 67-85.] 1. An Uncanonical Situation No term is used—and misused—among the Orthodox people in America more often than the term canonical. One hears endless discussions about the “canonicity” or the “uncanonicity” of this or that bishop, jurisdiction, priest, parish. Is it not in itself an indication that something is wrong or, at least, questionable from the canonical point of…

DESIGNED FOR EXTINCTION?

By Webmaster on August 31, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Greek Orthodox Christians for Truth and Reform Two recently published articles, one in the Orthodox Observer and the other in The National Herald caught the attention of our Editors. Both concern the administration and the future of our Church and Faith. They come from two different perspectives yet both accurately indicate the present condition. Both authors draw upon their own views and reach, in our minds, the identical conclusion that foreshadows the future of our Church. These authors have not yet fully appreciated the foresight, power or the precision of their observations. Remarkably, it is as if both of…

Accountable Church Leadership – Where?

By Webmaster on July 30, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

“After this I will pour out my spirit on all humanity….Your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.” Joel 2:28 Since the imposition of a Charter on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America without the input and approval of the Clergy and Laity within that particular Orthodox grouping in the United States, the consequences have been chaotic. There is no accountability within the Archdiocese. The Metropolitans each report directly to the Patriarch in Istanbul. They see the Archbishop as a figurehead. Each Metropolis sees itself as an independent entity. The Metropolitans in these geographic areas…

What is Renewal?

By Webmaster on July 30, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Orthodox Evangelist Newsletter By Joseph Abbate Vice President of the Brotherhood of St Symeon the New Theologian For those of you who may have just discovered St. Symeon’s Ministry, you might have found the word Renewal in many of the Ministry’s publications. For those of us who have been involved in this Ministry through the years, it is important to refresh our memories on the meaning of this word. First of all, Renewal does not bring any additions to doctrines or theology. It does not involve new teachings or motives other than what our Church Fathers have taught.…

Moving Ahead in Unity

By Webmaster on June 21, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Uncategorized

Pentecost 2013 As we take leave of the Paschal Liturgical Cycle of Lent through Pentecost, I want to take this opportunity to reflect upon a book I re-read during this period: Christ in Our Midst by Father Theodore Stylianopoulos. The book was written in 1980, and I was familiar with it when I was putting together the Chapter on “Spiritual Renewal” in the OCL publication “Project for Orthodox Renewal”. You can read this work online on our website. The discussion and insights presented in Christ In Our Midst, which was written by Father Ted as he worked on the Commission…

Church Leadership Should Modify its Policies

By Webmaster on June 20, 2013 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Uncategorized

Source: The National Herald by Theodore Kalmoukos, Special to The National Herald The preservation of small Greek Orthodox parishes, and their ability to continue to exist in the United States, is very serious matter which should concern all of us as members of both the Church and the Greek American Community. Some of our small parishes have already gone down on a withering path. Among them are parishes which flourished in the past, especially during the early decades after their establishment by Greek immigrant pioneers. With the passing of time and changing of demographic circumstances, and the loss of jobs…

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Browsing: Governance & Unity Essays