Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • The Power of a Backpack: A Short Film by FOCUS
    • Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter
    • Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America
    • Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia
    • Assembly of Bishops Newsletter – Q1 2025
    • Opinion: The Theological School’s Experiments
    • New Icon of All Saints of North America to Debut at 21st All-American Council
    • IOTA Future Leaders Program
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
    • Home
    • OCL
      • About OCL
      • Leadership
      • OCL News
      • OCL Publications
      • Focused Study and Research Topics
      • OCL Archives at DePaul University
    • Orthodox News & Links
      • Orthodox News Stories
      • Headlines & News Archives
      • Governance & Unity
        • Governance Top Stories
        • Governance & Unity Essays
        • Grassroots Unity in Action
      • OCL Forums
      • Orthodox Christian Laity News
      • Web Links
    • Audio & Video
      • Audio Index
      • Video Index
    • Contact
    • Make a Donation
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    You are at:Home»Governance & Unity News»Governance & Unity Essays»Orthodox Scholars Urge the Council to be Held in June 2016

    Orthodox Scholars Urge the Council to be Held in June 2016

    0
    By Webmaster on June 12, 2016 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Telegram WhatsApp Copy Link

    Pentecost iconSource: Change.org / A Plea for Pan-Orthodox Unity

    June 12, 2016

    Feast of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

    An Open Letter of the Orthodox Scholars around the World

     

    To the most venerable Primates of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches

    Your All-Holiness and Your Beatitudes,

    We, the undersigned international group of Orthodox scholars, address this letter to the leadership of the Orthodox Church, to all Orthodox Christians around the world, and to all people of good will. We write out of profound concern for our Church, whose unity makes the new life in Christ visible to all humanity. We pray that the impending Council, so much anticipated and so long prepared, will bear forth the fruits of the Spirit, the first among them being the Pan-Orthodox unity. Hence, we support the agreement of the Orthodox leaders, publicly announced at the Pan-Orthodox Synaxis in January 2016, to gather together for the Holy and Great Council in Crete in mid-June 2016.

    We believe that there are no insurmountable difficulties to beginning the Council in June, despite the significant questions that have been raised regarding the drafts of the conciliar documents and conciliar proceedings. We acknowledge the legitimacy of some questions, such as the request to reopen the discussion of the drafts of the conciliar documents. We also concur that there are many other issues dealing with the Church in the twenty-first century that would require future Pan-Orthodox attention. Nevertheless, we are convinced that the best venue for settling significant disputes today, as in the times of old, is the Council itself. To postpone the Council once again, is to fail to live up to the principle of conciliarity on a global level.

    Nobody can expect the Council to settle all important questions and to heal all jurisdictional disputes in ten days. But we hope that this Council will be a beginning of the healing process and that it will usher in a new era of global conciliarity and unity. The representatives of the local Churches that wish to jeopardize the work of the Council by further delays should not intimidate the rest of the Orthodox leaders that wish to carry out the commitment to have the Council on this year’s Feast of Pentecost. In the last century, the Orthodox Church has witnessed to the world through a rich theological legacy and the blood of new martyrs. The Holy and Great Council occasions an opportunity to commence a new phase of Orthodox witness. As the eyes of the whole world are upon the Orthodox Church, we beseech all of our leaders to hear the Spirit’s call to conciliar unity.

    Respectfully submitted and signed:

    1. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Denysenko, Loyola Marymount University (Orthodox Church in America)
    2. Dr. Paul L. Gavrilyuk, University of St. Thomas (Orthodox Church in America)
    3. Dr. Brandon Gallaher, University of Exeter (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    4. Dr. Gayle Woloschak, Northwestern University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    5. Dr. Thomas Arentzen, University of Oslo (Paris Exarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    6. Dr. Antoine Arjakovsky, Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe (Ecumenical Patriarcate)
    7. Sergei Chapnin, Arthos Fellowship (Russian Orthodox Church)
    8. Anastasia Pamela Barksdale, Resurrection Theological Academy (Church of Albania)
    9. V. Rev. Dr. John Behr, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (Orthodox Church in America)
    10. Prof. David Bradshaw, University of Kentucky (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    11. Rev. Dr. Bogdan G. Bucur, Duquesne University (Antiochian Archdiocese)
    12. Dr. Peter Bouteneff, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (Orthodox Church in America)
    13. Julian Chryssavgis, St. Andrews University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    14. Dr. Will Cohen, University of Scranton (Orthodox Church in America)
    15. Dr. George Demacopoulos, Fordham University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    16. V. Rev. Andriy Dudchenko, Independent Scholar (Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate)
    17. Dr. Davor Džalto, The American University of Rome (Serbian Orthodox Church)
    18. V. Rev. Dr. John H. Erickson, St. Vladimir’s Seminary (Orthodox Church in America)
    19. Rev. Dr. Michel Evdokimov, Collège des Bernardins (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    20. Dr. Carrie Frederick Frost, Saint Sophia Orthodox Seminary (Antiochian Archdiocese)
    21. Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze, Ambassador to the Holy See (Patriarchate of Georgia)
    22. Rev. Dr. Perry Hamalis, North Central College (Korea, Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    23. Dr. Susan Harvey, Brown University (Antiochian Archdiocese of America)
    24. Rev. Dr. Cyril Hovorun, Columbia University (Moscow Patriarchate)
    25. Dr. Edith Mary Humphrey, Pittsburg Theological Seminary (Antiochian Archdiocese)
    26. Dr. Philip Kariatlis, St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Australia (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    27. Dr. Scott Kenworthy, Miami University (Orthodox Church in America)
    28. Dr. Paul Ladouceur, University of Toronto (Archdiocese of Canada, Orthodox Church in America)
    29. Dr. Alexander Lingas, City University London (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    30. Dr. Daniel Lossky, Institut Orthodoxe de Bruxelles (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    31. Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth, Durham University (Moscow Patriarchate)
    32. V. Rev. Dr. John Panteleimon Manoussakis, College of the Holy Cross (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    33. Dr. Smilen Markov, University of Tyrnovo (Bulgarian Orthodox Church)
    34. Prof. Georgios Martzelos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Church of Greece)
    35. Rev. Dr. John A. McGuckin, Columbia University (Romanian Episcopate, Orthodox Church in America)
    36. Dr. Sotiris Mitralexis, University of Winchester/City University of Istanbul Church of Greece)
    37. Prof. Nikolaos Nikolakopoulos, Munich University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    38. Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou, Fordham University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    39. Dr. Peter Petkoff, Oxford University (Patriarchate of Bulgaria)
    40. Dr. Walter Ray, Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Orthodox Church in America)
    41. Dr. Svet Ribolov, Sofia University (Bulgarian Orthodox Church)
    42. Rev. Dr. Gabriel Rochelle, New Mexico State University (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA)
    43. Dr. Vera Shevzov, Smith College (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia)
    44. Dr. Stephen J. Shoemaker, University of Oregon (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    45. Dr. James Skedros, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    46. Prof. Helen Theodoropoulos, Loyola University (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    47. Rev. Dr. Vasileios Thermos, Independent Scholar (Church of Greece)
    48. Dr. Petros Vassiliadis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Church of Greece)
    49. Dr. Anton C. Vrame (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
    50. Dr. John Yiannias, University of Virginia (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

    And approximately 950 others who signed their names to the Petition

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp Copy Link
    Previous ArticleThe Messaging Committee of the Orthodox Church continues working on the Message for the Holy and Great Council
    Next Article Hope – Apprehension as Great Council Approaches

    Related Posts

    July 8, 20251 Min Read

    Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter

    July 5, 20251 Min Read

    Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America

    July 5, 20259 Mins Read

    Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Register for OCL's Annual Conference - October 11, 2025

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Enter the Slogan Contest

    Share this page
    DISCLAIMER

    All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    Stay Informed!

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT!

    Your donation impacts and helps advance the unity of the Orthodox Church of America.

    DONATE NOW

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

    Upcoming Events
    Jul 16
    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT

    John Zizioulas’s “Remembering the Future” (Virtual)

    View Calendar
    Recent Comments
    • Jimmy Kallis on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Lou Gaviras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • pERRY tORMAS on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Perry Tormas on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Myron Kaleras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • Levantios on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jerry Maras on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • John on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jupiter's Son on Leading Liturgists Reaffirm the Ordination of Women to the Diaconate
    • Timothy Mulligan on Ethno-Phyletism: A Problem for the American Church
    OCL Archives Online
    Project for Orthodox Renewal
    renewal-resize
    OCL Digital Newsletter

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    MAKE A DONATION

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Facebook
    Twitter
    YouTube

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2023 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2025 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.