Browsing: Governance & Unity News

Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will convene under his chairmanship, Jan. 21-28, 2016, a Synaxis of the Primates of the local Orthodox Churches at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva. The Synaxis will deal with matters related to preparation for the Holy and Great Council, which has been decided to convene this year. His Eminence Geron Archbishop Demetrios of America will be a member of the Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The official announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, issued yesterday January 18, 2016, follows: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE COMMUNIQUE…

Source: Orthodox Church in America ISTANBUL, TURKEY [OCA] Representatives of the Orthodox Church in America were among a group of 30 Orthodox Christian scholars who participated in a gathering at the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople here January 4-5, 2016 for the purpose of establishing connections with theologians and academics working in various disciplines and ministries throughout the world and to become better acquainted with their interests and aspirations for the Church, especially in light of the forthcoming Holy and Great Council. “We had the opportunity to listen to His All-Holiness address all those gathered, and then, as representing different communities…

Source: Interfax-Religion Moscow, December 28, Interfax – The chairman of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk has been cautious about prospects for convening a Pan-Orthodox Council. “There are doubts about the very possibility of a Pan-Orthodox Council being held at a time when some of the Orthodox Churches are in a state of unsettled conflict, and the leader of the Orthodox Church of the Czech lands and Slovakia has still not had his status recognized by a number of Orthodox Churches, to say nothing of the extremely unstable general political situation worldwide,” the metropolitan said…

Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA Wednesday, December 23, 2015 Dearly beloved and faithful Clergy and all Brothers and Sisters in our Lord, Much has been accomplished by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the few short years of its existence. Yet much more remains to be accomplished. Until now, the Assembly has been primarily funded by dioceses, jurisdictions, individual bishops, foundations and a few significant donors. Achieving Orthodox unity is a goal that touches upon the life of every Orthodox Christian in America. With this in mind, the Assembly wishes to accord to every Orthodox…

Source: Orthodox England The Inter-Orthodox Council, with a token number of bishops from each of the fourteen Local Churches and supposed to take place in May 2016 to discuss administrative issues, is looking increasingly troubled. First, there is the schism between the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Antioch. Then there were rumours after contacts with top US officials that the US State Department was trying to set the agenda, specifically regarding homosexuality. Then there was news from the Russian Orthodox Church that delegates from several Local Churches, notably the Russian, the Romanian (the second biggest) and the Georgian, had failed to…

Source: The National Herald BY THEODORE KALMOUKOS BOSTON, MA – Former Archbishop Spyridon of America discussed with TNH a number of serious ecclesiastical issues including the split of the Archdiocese into Metropolises, and the recent scandal of his former chancellor George Passias. The former prelate began by discussing prominent Dartmouth Professor John Rassias, who died recently in Vermont. Rassias led the committee appointed by Archbishop Spyridon for the reorganization of Greek Education within the Archdiocese. He said that “I was pleased to have met professor Rassias in the beginning of my archpastorship in America. I was trying to find a…

Source: Romfea.gr Without unanimity ended the Special Inter-Orthodox Committee session on the preparation of the Great Pan-Orthodox Synod of the Church, held these days in central Athens hotel. Information Romfea.gr said the Thursday session December 17 there were tensions and obstacles, made the occasion not solve several issues concerning the preparation of the draft Rules of organization and operation of the Holy and Great Council. According to participants, Dealers Orthodox Churches have expressed disagreements that threatened to blow up, the necessary unanimity considered sine qua non condition for the smooth functioning of the Great Council. Among the dissenters was and…

Source: Russian Orthodox Church Department for External Church Relations On 16 December 2015, the Special Inter-Orthodox Committee for the Preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council met in Athens. The Committee is to draw up draft procedure rules of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church is represented at the meeting by a delegation led by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations. The delegation also includes archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, and Rev. Anatoly Churyakov,…

Source: The National Herald By Dennis Menos The need for a Pan Orthodox Council to resolve the issues that confront the Church in the modern era and also to further promote Christian unity, has been debated in the Orthodox East for many years. It came, therefore, as no surprise when the Primates of the Church announced in March 2014 that such a Council would convene in Constantinople early in 2016. The Council will bring together the Primates and Bishops of all fourteen Autocephalous Churches in the Orthodox East. Chairing the proceedings will be Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and all decisions will be by consensus.…

Source: The Economist by Bruce Clark Imagine over 300 mostly grey-bearded men of religion, bearing sonorous  titles and varying degrees of real authority, gathering in an ancient building in Istanbul which long formed part of the Topkapi Palace, a residence of the Ottoman sultan-caliph. No, the participants in the most important gathering during the summer of 2016 won’t be sheikhs or muftis, although their chosen venue is now a landmark in a mainly Muslim city. These visitors will take their cue from earlier days in the city’s history and from the venue, the church of Hagia Eirene (which can be…

Source: Greek Orthodox Christian Clergy and Laity Last week, a movie opened in theatres that critics say will receive a “Best Picture” nomination at this year’s Academy Awards: “Spotlight” tells the true story of a 2002 Boston Globe investigative team that blew the cover off of the massive child sex abuse scandal kept secret by the Catholic church. The trailer can be seen here, and features the following text: “To break the story, they broke the silence.” In the trailer, a reporter states he has two stories he must decide between…one about degenerate priests, or the other about the church…

Source: The Greek Star BY GEORGE D. KARCAZES What does it mean when we say that the Church is “hierarchical”? Does it mean that Christ alone is acknowledged to be the “head” of the Church and that everyone else are His servants, regardless of “rank”? Does it mean that the titles of those ordained to the priesthood are in a “hierarchical” order — in the nature of the service all members of the Church are called upon to offer: where Patriarchs, Archbishops, Metropolitans,   Archimandrites, Proto-Presbyters, Presbyters, Deacons and the Laity (the “Royal Priesthood”) all offer their service to the Church in synergy with…