Source: St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess Our September 1 Zoom event ran overtime which meant we were not able to answer all of the excellent questions posed by participants. We are pleased to be able to answer those questions here. Reasons Against Deaconesses Q: What are the reasons against having women Deacons in the Church? To me it’s a Win-Win situation! A: We agree that women deacons are win-win! We addressed common concerns or objections in a recent article: “Toward a Reasoned and Respectful Conversation about Deaconesses,” Public Orthodoxy, April 2018. Possibilities for the St. Phoebe Network Q: When I joined…
Browsing: Orthodox Church
Source: Pro Oriente Successful conclusion of the conference “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Orthodox Church” – PRO ORIENTE President Kloss and Director Destivelle promote a positive summary. An international conference ended in Rome this weekend, that focused on Orthodox theologies, practices, and experiences of synodality, aiming at making these experiences accessible for the synodal process of the Catholic Church. The organizers of the conference “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Orthodox Church” were the Vienna-based PRO ORIENTE Foundation and the Institute for Ecumenical Studies (IES) of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in…
Source: Public Orthodoxy We Orthodox need to ask ourselves some hard questions about the episcopal ethos that has come down to us from Byzantium and was then magnified in the Russian tradition. This was an aspect of Orthodoxy that for his entire life troubled Fr. Sergius Bulgakov (1871-1944), one of the most prolific Orthodox thinkers of the 20th century. He came from a long line of priests in Russia but gave up on Christianity at age 14 because he despised the servility of the clerical world. My revolt against my surroundings was morally right in so far as it was inspired…
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America His Grace Bishop John, chairman of the Temporary Operating Committee for the Oversight of the Archdiocesan Office, along with the committee members, writes: Brother Bishops, Reverend Clergy, and esteemed Members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees, We greet you in the name of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X of Antioch informed us that he and the Holy Synod of Antioch have accepted and ratified the retirement request of His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, who is now retired with the title “Former Metropolitan.” At the same meeting of the…
2022 Clergy Synaxis @ the Antiochian Village (Oct. 17-20) that will include a pilgrimage to the graveside of St Raphael of Brooklyn at the Antiochian Village. This synaxis is for all Orthodox clergy of all jurisdictions. The speaker for the retreat is Fr. Stephen DeYoung, renowned biblical scholar, author and broadcaster. The title of the synaxis is “God is a Man of War.” The coordinator is Fr. David Hyatt (frdavidhyatt@gmail.com). Click here for Registration Click here for the Schedule
Source: St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess The recording of our September 1 event, Why Are Deaconesses Needed in the Church Today is now available for viewing. The event was held to recognize St. Phoebe who is commemorated in the Church on September 3. Presentations were thoughtful and engaging. Our panelists gave us much to think about, helped us understand what influences the decisions of bishops, and offered new considerations for carrying out our mission. You may want to gather a group to watch it in someone’s home or at your parish. If you do, please share your thoughts and feedback with us at: stphoebecenter@gmail.com.
Source: Orthodox Reality The report, The “New Traditional” in a Most Traditional Church: How the Pandemic Has Reshaped American Orthodox Christian Churches. What Do Lay People Think about It?, is available now. More than 2,000 ordinary parishioners from all parts of the USA participated in this study, and shared their thoughts about Orthodox Church life in America during and post-pandemic An executive summary (4 pages) can be downloaded here: https://orthodoxreality.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NewTraditionalLaityReportExecSummary.pdf A summary of major findings and conclusions (10 pages) can be downloaded here: https://orthodoxreality.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NewTraditionalLaityReportConcludingPart.pdf The full report can be downloaded here: https://orthodoxreality.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NewTraditionalLaityReportFinalSecured.pdf The core question addressed in this report is: how…
Source: Orthodox Christianity Bethlehem, Pennsylvania A new Orthodox classical school recently opened in the town of Bethlehem in northeastern Pennsylvania. The school is a pan-Orthodox project of the Lehigh Valley Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood. Below is a press release about the opening of the Chrysostom Academy from Fr. Alexandros Petrides, Chairman of the school’s board: On September 1, 2022 during the inaugural Divine Liturgy at Chrysostom Academy, a truly rare event occurred. The petition, “Among the first remember, Lord, our Archbishop (name)…” was repeated five times, each by a different clergyman for their particular hierarch. “This institution belongs to the Orthodox at…
Source: Religion News Service The renowned and popular Orthodox Christian theologian of recent decades died Wednesday (Aug. 24) at 87. By John Chryssavgis (RNS) — Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, without a doubt the most renowned and popular Orthodox Christian theologian of recent decades, died on Wednesday (Aug. 24) at 87. A convert to Orthodox faith, he became bishop of the see of Diokleia and was considered the most prolific and proficient communicator of patristic theology and Orthodox spirituality in our generation. For more than 30 years until retiring in 2001, he taught at Oxford University in England (where I studied with him…
Source: The National Herald By Theo Karantsalis Christ the Saviour Cathedral, in Miami Lakes, Florida, founded by Russians and Ukrainians, now has a congregation that is more than 50 percent Hispanic. “Since the beginning of 2022, we received into our parish 21 new members,” said Rev. Joseph Lucas, who since 2018 has overseen operations at the Miami Lakes neighborhood church. “This is unprecedented at our parish.” More than 50 percent of its 200 members are now Hispanic, Lucas said, and others include Jamaicans, Guyanese, and more. Christ the Saviour, at 16601 Northwest 77th Court, consists of a nave, fellowship hall, bookstore,…
Source: Y2AM – Be the Bee Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministry (OYM) of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA funded a series of three videos (2 of 3 appear below) to help create a bridge/hand-off between Y2AM and OYM.
Source: Religion News Service Why those removed from the world should refrain from declarations on marriage and family. By John Chryssavgis (RNS) — In the Orthodox Christian world, few places are better known or more lovingly venerated than Mount Athos, the 10th-century Greek monastery legendarily dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Composed of 20 citadels scattered over a peninsula of exceptional beauty in northern Greece, boasting magnificent manuscripts and icons, Athos is home to some 2,000 monks. Among them, as in every society, there are saints and sinners, sane and strange. I have visited countless times and have been blessed to engage…