That one statement "...a prayer service in the Anglican tradition..." should give one pause given the participants and the location. Thoughts?
(OCA) - Archbishop Duncan and the representatives of the Anglican Church of North America, together with Father Chad Hatfield and Father John Parker, finished their visit to the Chancery yesterday morning with a prayer service in the Anglican tradition followed by a paper and discussion on moral issues.
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I presume that this means that Abp Duncan and his party were allowed to serve Matins according to their own rite, with Fr John and Fr Chad presumably observing, rather than participating as clergy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I see a problem with that.
Appalling. I'm sure the hosts were just trying to be nice, but the Metropolitan's chapel has special significance. This is particularly so in light of two canons. Apostolic canon 45: "Let any Bishop, or Presbyter, or deacon that merely joins in prayer with heretics be suspended, but if he had permitted them to perform any service as Clergymen, let him be deposed." Laodicia 33: "One must not join in prayer with heretics or schismatics."
ReplyDeleteHad this been done in an Anglican chapel, such a joint prayer could probably be excused or finessed with the common defense that the Orthodox were present but not concelebrating. But for the services of a body with whom we're not in communion to be served, not just in a random parish church, but in the Metropolitan's own chapel, staggers belief. The article doesn't say who led the service, but neither option is any good. Either the Anglicans served it in the Metropolitan's chapel, or Orthodox clergymen led a service from a heterodox body. (Note that Orthodox clergy promise to use only approved service books.)
This sets a bad precedent.
I'll add that, upon re-reading the article, it doesn't say the service was held in the St Sergius Chapel. Maybe it was, perhaps it wasn't. I'm not sure to what degree it changes what I said above.
ReplyDeleteI guess I don't know exactly what that means...you can read almost anything into that...
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Antiochian Western Rite Prayer Book was used, which means that it was an Orthodox service using some Orthodox and approved Anglican elements. Let us not jump to conclusions with so little information before us.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, this is a canonical travesty. Even if one uses Orthodox texts, why should one pray WITH non-Orthodox? One is allowed to be present at non-Orthodox services, as long as one does not participate, but this is crossing the line. There are also rumors that a significant pro-homosexual faction exists in the OCA, and that Metropolitan Jonah was kicked out because he would not bow down to the homosexual faction.
ReplyDeleteIlya,
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with any homosexual faction. The Anglicans involved were not liberal Episcopalians but leaders of the Anglican Church North America, a conservative body of Anglicans who have created a new ecclesial structure to supersede the outrageously liberal Episcopalians. They have received recognition, at least tacitly, from several Anglican provinces around the world, although Canterbury has been trying as always to mediate and hasn't chosen sides between the Episcopalians and the ACNA. So, whatever the impropriety of the prayer service, these are precisely the kind of Protestants that we ought be working together with to take a stand against the moral decay in our society. Metropolitan Jonah said this himself, and he led the way in reaching out to the ACNA in the inspired speech he gave at their inaugural event in 2009: http://blip.tv/anglicantv/metropolitan-jonah-2305880
The homosexual faction that I mentioned was just another example of the OCA playing fast and loose with, or disregarding the canons. John Jillions, the chancellor of the OCA, is apparently a part of this faction, and he allowed the services to take place. So in this case, at the very least, the homosexual faction and this overlap. Maybe the OCA is controlled by a bunch of modernists who don't care about proper Orthodoxy, but there isn't much hope if this continues. In an old country church, the priest who did this would be instantly deposed once the bishop heard of this. A priest in Russia was defrocked for marrying two men for a bribe, and the chapel involved was destroyed because it had been desecrated. I think that the chapel would have to be reconsecrated and the offenders removed.
ReplyDeleteI, along with others, have made inquiry with relevant people, and, thus far, there are no replies.
ReplyDeleteIlya, obsessed much? The ACNA has the same feelings you do - it's why they left the Episcopal Church. Eish...
ReplyDeletePerhaps they used the St Andrew Service Book of the WRV of the AOANA. That is certainly Orthodox Prayer in the Anglican Tradition according to the Patriarchate of Antioch.
ReplyDelete