A quote from a homily by St. Nikolai Velimirovich on Orthodoxy in America
“The time may not be far off when there will be a united Orthodox Church in America, which will include all the present Eastern national Churches in this country, a Church with one central administrative authority. I see a tendency toward such an end in each of our now individual Churches. … And when by God’s Providence the time is ripe for the accomplishment of such a unity, I dare not doubt that the venerable heads of all our Orthodox Churches in Europe, Asia, and Africa, always led by the Holy Spirit, will give their blessing for the organization of a new and autonomous sister Church in America.”
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5 Comments
Dr. Demacopoulos is absolutely right when it comes to the issue of English in our Liturgy and other services in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He is also right about the need to merge Holy Cross and St. Vladimir’s Seminaries.
Regrettably, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Foreign Office and The National Herald (newspaper) as well as the Archons themselves are invested in using the GOA to maintain modern Greek Language and culture in the U.S. The word they use for the Greek-American community is the “Omogenia”.. which I believe means “people of the same race”. The late Professor Charles Moskos referred to those efforts as “the last ditch efforts of the Diasporists.” The Archdiocese, Archons, Leadership 100 and the Faith Foundation unabashedly work to promote the “Ethno-Religious identity” of the GOA. They say nothing about growing Orthodoxy in America, Orthodox Unity or the use of English in the Liturgy. Knowing what they know, how do they explain this gross misfeasance of their duty to promote the Faith instead of modern Greek language and culture?
My cynical supposition for this is that they believe that this Omogenia, led by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese, will ably represent the interests of Greece and the Patriarchate in the halls of Congress and in the Executive Branch of the US Government. Other than photo-ops and political donations from wealthy Greek-Americans to some savvy politicians around election-time…. how well has that worked out?
The Archdiocese acknowledges that 90% of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Americans of Greek descent have already left the church.. and that 90% of the marriages that take place in the parishes of the GOA involve one spouse who is not of Greek descent and who has absolutely no understanding of the language used in most of the Liturgies in GOA parishes.
So why does the leadership of the GOA, Bishops, Clergy and laity turn a blind eye and a deaf ear? Write or email them and ask why? The next time you see one of them, ask them why?
The Assembly of Bishops is the vehicle established by the Patriarchates and other autocephalous Church leaders to lead the Church in the USA into canonical order. They have been meeting for 11 years. They are at an impasse. They need to learn how to communicate with each other. They need to establish rational rules to engage in meaningful discussion. They need to learn and understand conflict resolution skills. They need to trust the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them. They need to love their flock in the USA and put their spiritual needs first. They need to be the synod in the USA and elect their own head. Being one synod will help them better communicate with each other. It will help them face the issues unique to the needs of the faithful in the USA. Canonical order in the USA will strengthen all the patriarchates and autocephalous church leaders abroad. Canonical order will enable the Church in the USA to be a missionary church and bring the Good News to all of us and may, in fact, help the Church to grow.
Dr. Demacopoulos is speaking the Phanar line faithfully saying only the EP can lead the many jurisdictions of Orthodox in America into administrative unity. The only problem is that no one but a faithful servant of the Phanar will agree. The EP has marginalized itself even further in its Ukraine gambit and by engaging anti-Russian polemic has painted itself into a corner. Also, the same Ecumenical Throne has itself established parallel jurisdictions in countries that were until recently more unified: Estonia and Ukraine. They are threatening the same in Czechia and Macedonia. No other Autocephalies that govern churches in America are going to agree to hand over their parishes to such an unreliable actor.
If I understand correctly, was not the OCL founded in response to the Ligonier Statement that Abp. Iakovos signed, toward the creation of a universally-recognized Local Autocephalous Orthodox Church? And did not the very Patriarch Bartholomew order the withdrawal of that signature? What has changed in the Phanar that would indicate a more amenable Ecumenical Patriarch, able to compromise with other Orthodox Patriarchs? Rather he has become more autocratic, his unilateral actions now supported by tendentious theology written by Zizioulas and Lambrianides (now Abp. Elpidophoros).
I would say there is now less chance for anything like Orthodox unity in America and abroad, due chiefly to the actions and statements of the EP
None of you people get it! The venue for a UNITED ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA is already here. 2020 is the 50th anniversary of the Orthodox Church in America. In 1961, ALL the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America decided that an autocephalous Orthodox Church should be created and that ALL the bishops would join (After all, this is what Orthodox Canon Law calls for). In 1970, this became a reality, but + Iakovos and + Philip RENEGED. After Ligonier (Fall of 1994) where + Iakovos & + Philip tried to restart serious unity talks, + Bart responded with FORCEFULLY retiring + Iakovos and emasculating all the Greek bishops in America. + Iakovos’ replacement insisted that SCOBA be abolished and replaced with the Assembly of Bishops. WHY? Because the Phanar set up its FULL control over the Assembly. The Assembly has become a joke; nothing but a “bishop’s tea” where the Phanar’s agenda is the Assembly’s agenda. Yet, the OCA continues as the ONLY AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA where foreign bishops have no real influence or control; siphoning off American monies. So, why wouldn’t any real American Orthodox Christians want to become members of the OCA? + Iakovos & + Philip missed the boat and by their non-action, continued to give us the disunity we have today. AND, NO, unity will not come from ANY foreign bishop or bishops. The way to unity is here as SCOBA directed in 1961 and made a reality in 1970!
Please read this:
https://www.aoiusa.org/there-is-no-diaspora-metropolitan-phillip-says-questions-the-purpose-of-the-bishops-assembly/