Source: Christianity Today Perplexed by America on Syria, Russian evangelicals and Middle East Christians debate if Moscow really cares. JAYSON CASPER War was swirling in Syria. Rebels were pressing. And Maan Bitar was the only hope for American help. “Because I am evangelical, everyone thinks I have channels of communication,” said the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Mhardeh. “Syrians believe the United States has the power to stop the conflict—if it wants to.” In the early years of the civil war, Bitar’s Orthodox neighbors were desperate to convince the US and its allies to end support of rebel forces.…
Browsing: United States
Source: The National Herald By Aris Papadopoulos ATHENS – Hellenism outside the borders of Greece has shown remarkable interest in metropolitan issues and its contributions are indisputable. The late Archbishop Iakovos is an emblematic figure of the Diaspora, who left his mark on an entire era for the Greek community in America. Dr. Athanasios Grammenos spoke with the National Herald about his new book, Orthodoxos Amerikanos (Orthodox American) about the late Archbishop Iakovos and the relations between Greece and the United States in the years 1959-1996. Grammenos began writing a book, he told TNH, about the politics and influences of…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity We are entering the month of May, and we are about 9 to 12 weeks away from the National Assemblies of three different Orthodox Christian Groups in the USA. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA) will hold its 44th Clergy-Laity Congress in Boston on July 1-5. The 19th All- American Council of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) will take place in St. Louis on July 23-27. The 93rd Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) will take place in conjunction with the All-American Council. If in fact, as Jesus Christ said, “all things are possible to…
Source: The National Herald By Antonis H. Diamataris The Panagia’s Garden, Mount Athos, is one of the unique places in the world. It is not surprising that Geoffrey Pyatt, the American Ambassador to Greece, visited, and like so many others before him – as certainly many others after him will be – was excited. Also not surprisingly, the ambassador tweeted: “Mt. Athos is a truly spiritual place, and I profoundly thank Abbot Ephraim for introducing me to the rich history of Vatopedi on my first stop here. I was also impressed by the Monastery’s innovative research and ideas on its organic…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity For thirty-one years, Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) has been the voice crying in the wilderness. The cry has been for renewal of our ancient, apostolic faith within our pluralistic, American, cultural context. The hallmarks of this renewal are characterized by the de-tribalization of the separate Orthodox Christian jurisdictions that evolved here, so that they could work in canonical unity; administer the Church in ways that are accountable and transparent; and respect and include the input of the laity in matters of administration, governance and our journey together as a community of faithful. OCL has not wavered…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity State of Orthodoxy in the U.S.A. Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) completed its 30 years of service calling for transparency, accountability, unity and advocating to maintain the voice of the laity as an equal in the administrative life of the Orthodox Church, thereby contributing to Church renewal. As we have seen and experienced in 2017, disrespect and disregard for this principle has contributed to the disorder, financial mismanagement and disunity that has furthered the decline of Orthodoxy in the USA. The census statistics, surveys, research on the status of growth, retention and development confirm this decline. Since…
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA This report represents a large amount of work under the coordination and authorship of the Assembly of Bishops’ Research Coordinator, Alexei Krindatch. It is in response to the Assembly VII decision to endorse a US nationwide study on the present state of inter-Orthodox parish-to-parish cooperation on the local level. The analysis of replies to a nationwide clergy survey identified 54 cities and geographic areas with a high level of inter-Orthodox communication and cooperation. Of these, the study identified 21 cities and geographic areas in the US where well organized and active…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Orthodox Christian Laity calls upon the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople [EP] to ratify the selection of His Grace Bishop. Sevastianos of Zela as the Metropolitan of Chicago. The process by which the Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America [GOA] under Archbishop Demetrios selected him to lead the recently widowed see of Chicago was agreed upon by all parties before the repose of Metropolitan Iakovos, of blessed memory. The Eparchial Synod followed all the procedures approved by the EP including receiving input from the clergy and laity of the Church in America. It…
Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America New York, NY – The remarks this week by Turkish President Erdogan on the so-called lack of “freedom of religion” in the United States over a single Iftar-dinner at the US State Department have demonstrated once again the absurdity of the Turkish position on human rights and religious liberty. To this very minute, Turkey’s oldest religious institution, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, goes unrecognized, harassed, and its purely Theological School on the island of Halki remains closed for nearly fifty years. Throughout the history of the modern Turkish state, the person of the Ecumenical Patriarch…
Source: Ancient Faith Radio January 16, 2017 Length: 21:06 We interview Alexei Krindatch, the Research Coordinator of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, about a new map posted to the Assembly website titled “Orthodox Bishops and Parishes in the United States.” CLICK HERE to listen to the interview.
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Assembly of Bishops will meet during the first week of October in Detroit. How will this meeting be different from all other such meetings? Where is the leadership? The work of the Holy and Great Council has been completed, and little action was taken to address the uncanonical situation of the parallel jurisdictions that make up the Orthodox Christian Church in the USA. This situation is unacceptable, because it keeps our message, outreach and mission fragmented and wastes the resources of the lay stewards of the Church. This fragmentation continues to cause a decline in…
Source: Ahram Online Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, called Tuesday on Egyptian Coptic expats in the US not to demonstrate in front of the White House hours before a planned protest over attacks against Christians in Egypt. “I oppose any demonstrations that might harm Egypt and cause conflict with higher authorities…Please, for Christ’s sake, avoid this behaviour that is not acceptable in any of our churches in the USA,” said the pope in statement published on Coptic World, the official website of the Coptic Orthodox Church. On July 22, Coptic Solidarity, a non-profit organisation, called the…