The Orthodork Cafe, while posting is infrequent, is an enjoyable read. The most recent example is the author's recounting of how she hired local African help for her home, is trying to bring the faith to him at his request, and at the same time working to develop a catechism that is aligned to the regional mindset.
It should be remembered that regional differences are more than just "local flare." Before the Roman Church developed the Catechism of the Catholic Church (the catechism states specifically that the Eastern Churches could and should develop their own. Moreover the UGCC in Australia is developing one now.) it was thought by many that no one document could encapsulate the faith while at the same time be accessible to the worldwide faithful. Cardinal Schönborn made that point just last night in an interview on EWTN's 'The World Over'. Regional differences matter and the blogger Stacy's flying all the way to live in Uganda should be both applauded and serve as a reminder that even as we talk about a "smaller" world we continue to be peopled by cultures with vastly different points of view.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
An Orthodox catechism for East Africans
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This history of Orthodoxy in Africa is fascinating. Brought to sub-saharan Africa by an uncanonical group rooted in Anglicanism and recieving its apostolic succession from Joseph Renee Villate - a vagante who had been consecrated in Sri Lanka by Jacobites in a breakaway Roman Catholic parish - it makes for intriguing reading. It was a remnant of this group that reached out to the GO Patriarch of Alexandria when they came to realize they were not recognized as canonical after meeting ethnic Greeks in Africa on business...
ReplyDeleteFrankly I think that the development of an indigineous experience of Orthodoxy outside the traditional bounds of Byzantium is valuable in providing a level of insight and catholicity. Given how ridiculously little it costs to construct some small churches in some places like Uganda and Ghanna, it would be my hope that the Orthodox really step up and start supporting church construction, catechetical efforts, & seminary programs. Each of the 400+ Greek Orthodox parishes in the US alone contributing $50 a week (find 10 members committed to a $5 weekly donation!) would go a LONG way in development.
Out of the profits made by the Patriarch of Moscow in the arrangement reached with the state for the ROC to benifit from duty-free alcohol and tobacco sales, a pittance would do much.
I hope this is something they value enough to consider.
A worthy comment! I wish I could get our parishioners to give 5 dollars to OUR CHURCH. :) My sister is in Kenya actually. I should email her to learn about the Orthodox Church there and post on that.
ReplyDelete1,000 households pledging $10 via direct deposit per pay to an earmarked fund in the BCC could have or would have (especially 15-20 years ago) built a lot of missions here and "in the old country". Presuming every 2 weeks $10K would be collected, and every year $260K... That would have gone a long way in supporting some missions getting off the ground.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I am of the thinking that if now is the time the BCC needs to look outward and become a church of service. We have looked inward and fundraised for our bingo halls and our pet interests long enough. We don't have much but we need to be more generous with what we have.
And certainly take cues from people that know how to do it. The Latin and Antiochian efforts both have something to offer us in the way of direction. Putting up a website on the topic actually. Should be up soon: www.byzantinecatholic.info.
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