laity - Orthodox Christian Laity

As It Was in the Beginning: In Cyprus, the laity have a vote

By Webmaster on December 3, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Commonweal By John Chryssavgis As the bishop’s role has grown in stature through the centuries, with bishops becoming the ultimate arbiter of things doctrinal and canonical, the way we elect bishops has changed and evolved. The participation of the laity in the electoral process has waned. In his late fourth-century treatise On the Priesthood, St. John Chrysostom was already lamenting how bishops were promoted: Tell me, then, where do you think these great disturbances in the church come from? Personally, I think that they transpire from the ill-considered and random manner in which bishops are chosen. (Book III, 10) The…

SVOTS Online Classes for Laity – Tell us what you think

By Webmaster on October 31, 2022 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, with generous support from the Lilly Endowment, is planning its first two online summer courses, to be offered in June – July, 2023. These non-credit, introductory courses will be taught by our faculty. By answering our short survey, you will be helping us launch this first-ever online summer program for laity. Thank you for your input and support! Click the button below to take the survey.

Outside the Bishops’ Omniscience, There Is No Freedom!

By Webmaster on July 26, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: The Wheel Winter/Spring 2022 The Romanian Orthodox Church in the Age of Autocracy Ionut Biliuta In 2007, when Metropolitan Daniel Ciobotea of Moldova and Bukovina became the sixth Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the theological and priestly worlds were brimming with expectation. A respected scholar of systematic theology with degrees obtained in the West, an ecumenical theologian, and a diplomat of the Church, he was the obvious choice for succeeding the old and beleaguered Patriarch Teoctist Arăpașu. Being the spiritual leader of one of the most significant Orthodox churches was no easy task in post-communist Romania. The Patriarchate…

Survey for the Laity: How the Pandemic Has Reshaped the Life of Your Parish

By Webmaster on March 23, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: OrthodoxReality National Study about the Pandemic’s Impact on Orthodox Church Life in America Dear OCL friends, If you are a lay church member in the United States of America, we ask you to do something that could make a significant difference for the future of both your parish and the Orthodox Church in general. We ask you to take part in a national study about the pandemic’s impact on Orthodox church life in America. The study has heard already from about 400 American Orthodox priests and the results were published here: https://orthodoxreality.org/coronavirus-and-american-orthodox-parishes Now it is time to hear the thoughts, concerns and experiences…

Trust the laity

By Webmaster on June 13, 2019 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Houston Chronicle Non-priests should be given role when Catholic bishops are accused of scandals. This week’s meeting of American bishops in Baltimore offers an important test of whether the Roman Catholic Church is prepared to do what’s necessary to restore the hemorrhaging credibility of its priests and prelates. The assembled bishops will vote Thursday on rules for implementing new directives by Pope Francis. Among other changes, the pope’s decree requires all instances of child sex abuse be reported to the Vatican and to local police. Allegations that bishops have covered up accusations or mishandled investigations of priests will also…

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…

What About That Number 60?

By Webmaster on October 21, 2016 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source: Orthodox Christian Monastery of All Saints of North America Reference: So Why Do 60% of Our College Youth Leave Orthodoxy? Editor’s Note: Thoughts on Co-Ministry (Syndiaconia) in Liturgy apply in Church Governance Apart from the too-often presence of a medieval mentality among some of our clergy, hyper-clericalism itself can be a force in de-churching people, especially youth. It sometimes appears that there is an actual effort to exclude the Royal Priesthood from actual and full participation in the Divine Liturgy and other services. Moreover, the clear dialogues and exchanges of blessings are often not observed. When I bless the people…

Who Was at the Cross and Tomb? – Laity!

By Webmaster on April 2, 2015 Governance & Unity Essays

Source: Seeds of Hope – Orthodox Christian Healing & Counseling Pascha – a Reminder for All! from our Board of Directors and Advisors: It was Laity – Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and John among others. As we approach Holy week and Pascha, Scriptures remind us, it was Laity at the cross and at the empty tomb – the first disciples to follow Jesus, proclaiming the Good News now for over 2,000 years. Seeds of Hope, Orthodox Counseling & Healing continues to follow Jesus and His Holy commandment. Orthodox Laity are needed…

Sofia Bishopric Claims Patriarch’s Election Is Sabotaged

By Webmaster on January 12, 2013 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Sofia News Agency The Sofia Bishopric has labeled the Friday refusal of the Diocesan Council of prelates and vicars to sign the list of representatives from the Sofia Diocese to elect a new patriarch a “sabotage.” The list was prepared by interim Patriarch and Sofia Metropolitan Kiril. The Bishopric admits that there have been disagreements in the process of preparing the list, but their escalation, they say, was a clear sign that the story aims at sabotaging the election. The statement, issued Saturday, further stresses that such act is unacceptable in the light of clerical discipline and canonical spirit.…

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