Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in a special video message presented during today’s opening session, addressed the members of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.
“All of the Primates of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches look to your Assembly with hope and optimism, recognizing with spiritual joy and pride that you comprise the largest in number and broadest in representation of our Churches,” His All-Holiness remarked. “As you gather in Dallas over the next days, remember that . . . you are visibly and tangibly expressing both the unity and the diversity of our Church.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch added: “Our brief greeting is not simply formal or conventional . . .We are addressing you because the time has surely come for us to move beyond words to actions . . . We are called to put our theory and theology into policy and practice. We are called to move beyond what is ‘mine’ and what is ‘yours’ to what is ‘ours.’”
The video message can be found here or below:
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A MOST TIMELY AND FORTHRIGHT MESSAGE FROM HIS ALL HOLINESS.
HOPEFULLY THOSE BISHOPS WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON MAY HAVE ALLOWED THEIR SHORT SIGHTED BLINDNESS TO HESITATE TO ABANDON OUR UNCANCONICAL STATUS QUO AND TO MOVE BOLDLY FORWARD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH OF AMERICA WILL NOW GET THE MESSAGE THAT THE PATRIARCHATE AND THE OTHER MOTHER CHURCHES WERE SERIOUS WITH THEIR CHARGE TO THEM TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE MESSAGE OF HIS ALL HOLINESS IS DIRECT, CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS : “….THE TIME HAS COME FOR US TO MOVE BEYOND WORDS TO ACTIONS”. “…WE ARE CALLED TO PUT OUR THEORY AND THEOLOGY INTO POLICY AND PRACTICE….”
A GRAHIC,, PLAIN , UNFETTERED AND UNQUALIFIED CHARGE TO THE ASSEMBLY TO GET DOWN TO SERIOUS BUSINESS AND TO FULFILL ITS HISTORIC FUNCTION.
NO BYZANTINE DOUBLE TALK SUBJECT TO MYRIAD INTERPRETATIONS IN THE MESSAGE FROM HIS ALL HOLINESS.
LET’S HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE BISHOPS HEAR THE CLARION CALL OF HIS ALL HOLINESS.
Where is the mention of the women in the Church?