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Friday, July 22, 2016
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Of the 5 lines of text, 4 will make somebody blow a gasket. The line that says "Bartholomew" is probably safe.
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh out loud! Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.
DeleteAmin! Amin!
DeleteCome on, you've got to link to the fun stuff:
ReplyDelete"Surrounded on all sides by Islam, the beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew continues to impact the world for Christ from his seat in Constantinople, a city central to Christian history.
The Orthodox Church, that great beacon of the East, now boasts 300 million members worldwide. In one of the most remarkable tenures of the patriarchate it has been more than twenty-five years since Bartholomew first accepted this ministerial position, which is considered “first among equals” of all Orthodox leaders around the world. He is viewed by many to be a strong, humble leader who is well-loved across a wide variety of political and religious boundaries.
With unfettered access to church files, Bartholomew’s personal notes, and the patriarch himself, author John Chryssavgis has woven together a picture of a man who has longed to serve God, the Church, and the world his entire life. Through personal and institutional challenges, Bartholomew continues to strive toward unity within the Orthodox community and build bridge to others. It is a task that can be as daunting as it is important. This book removes the veil that some may have placed upon this joyful man of God who is anything but mysterious, as evidenced by the heartfelt contributions to the book from world dignitaries, influencers, and religious leaders:
Pope Francis
Pope Benedict XVI
Rowan Williams
Rabbi David Rosen
George Stephanopoulos
Jane Goodall
Joe Biden, Jr.
Al Gore, Jr.
Discover for yourself the man who embodies the meaning of the word ecumenical—while not altering one thing in what he believes—and experience his passion for God, the Church, and the world."
There's a group of people Orthodox should use as role models.
DeleteNo offering by Madonna, nothing from Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Trump, Mrs. Obama?? Not one word from Elton John, Jon Stewart or Taylor Swift? Well, there may be volume two.
DeleteAlso, it should be remembered that Thomas Nelson was also the publisher of "Metropolitan Philip: His Life and Dreams".
ReplyDeleteWhat, no picture of him hugging Francis or celebrating the liturgy together? Supreme Leader is lowering his provocative standards, tsk.
ReplyDeleteWhat a JOKE. And what an abject TRAVESTY !
ReplyDeleteIf there ever were (Subjunctive Mode) any doubt, the whole Orthodox world now has this bird's number.
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, with all dues respect, before any more snide remarks are made, I have a request: let's show some respect. Please offer constructive, intelligent and thoughtful posts; and please don't hide behind an anonymous identity: sign your name to what you have to say, especially if it is about another person. Thank you to Матвей Касерлий for doing so.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, ByzTex? I'm very disappointed.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you could be disappointed in ByzTex for posting this since the post itself is completely neutral.
DeleteByzTex know that Pat. Bartholomew is a polarizing personality/figure so the odds are that the title of the book would, in fact, elicit copious praise or criticism.
ByzTex didn't leave the door open for blame one way or the other.
In answer to AJC let me say that I am not trying to denigrate His All-Holiness. I am just remarking on how the layout and content of the cover is almost tailor made to upset a large swath of Orthodoxy. I am quite thankful for many of the things he has said and done over the years and EP Bartholomew is an inarguably important voice in our Church.
DeleteAt the same time let's go over what's on the cover.
"25 Years of Guiding the Christian East" - To which people will say that he is just one Patriarch among many and his guidance in some areas is out of step with other Churches.
"Apostle" - A title not even Mary of Magdala (celebrated today) nor anyone since the time of Jesus has held.
"Visionary" - Some have argued that his vision is incongruous with that of his peers. Also, often a title given after things have come into fruition.
"Foreword by Pope Francis" - A foreword from an heterodox man who very, very many people think he is already too close to.
Really, if you were trying to get a rise out of the EP-skeptics, this is the book cover to do it.
"The Patriarch of Constantinople stands as the chief inspirer and promoter of the Synodical text and as such for us Athonite Fathers, but also for all Orthodox Christians, priests and laymen, he has been shown to be, in word and deed, a Heresiarch, as once was Arius, Nestorius, Bekko, etc., as distinguished clergy and theologians have clearly demonstrated. This is the case not only on account of [his promotion] of the pan-heresy of Ecumenism but also on account of [his promotion] of the Pan-thriskeia [religious sycretism], shown in and word and deed and through common prayer [with non-Christian religious leaders]. He teaches strange dogmas, unorthodox and anti-patristic, and thus, for this reason, according to the words of our Lord, "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they known not the voice of strangers." (Jn. 10:1-5)
Delete(Excerpt from An "Open Letter" from Athonite Fathers to the Holy Community of the Holy Mountain of Athos)
Thanks for the clarification. I didn't find the post neutral but I do agree that the book's presentation is a little bit silly. My chagrin was largely due to the fact that there was a call to "fill up the comment box" and it was indeed filled up...with comments better left unsaid.
DeleteI don't want to denigrate Patriarch Bartholomew, after all, he is an aointed Patriarch, and I am sure he is under intense pressure.
ReplyDeleteI continue to pray for him, as I don't, as some already doc believe he's a lost cause.
I do genuinely question his decisions and the things he's said, and it worries me that he doesn't seem to heed the warnings of the monks of the Holy Mountain. Likewise he seems to reach out more to the heterodox than he does to the huge number of traditional Orthodox, and that's sad.
God bless him and give him the grace to become a unifying figure in the Church rather than a divisive one. And Lord have mercy on me for the times I've passed into judgement of our hierarchs.
Even if his all-holiness were everything the title of this book claims him to be, I would still be disturbed that such a work were published in his lifetime. Samn! noted earlier that a similar hagiography had been published about Metropolitan Philip four years before his repose. This "John Paul II was a rock star Pope so let's imitate the Catholics" thing needs to stop.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think it may be US special services who praise His All-Holiness and inspire such hagiographic campaigns.
DeleteSeem like Bartholomew have met their desires with the Council in Crete, and now they want to assure him that he is doing alright, in order to make HAH following their covert instructions in the future.
They've simply chosen the easiest way to give him this message - by appealing to his Ego and utilizing his vanity.
I find that Title/cover tragic. It points not to the hubris and error of the EPcate of the modern era (that is just the symptoms of the disease) so much as the failure of all the other Churches to face up to and admit the ecclesiological situation of Orthodoxy. The Empire has fallen, and yet we have an ecclesiological structure based upon this anachronism and so it is we who have allowed the EPcate to become what it is today...shame on us. Perhaps in the next 100-200 years or so the Churches will rectify this...
ReplyDeleteShall we remember what a blockbuster the Met PHILIP puff piece was? I remember seeing it on bookstore remainder tables in three states. The Tome of Bartholomew will certainly be on the table in many more. Without question it will be (instantly) on the shelf of every GOA priest who has any sense, right next to the copy of "Faith for a Lifetime". And read with equal zeal.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful cover has this ISBN. Greetings Your All Holiness the ecumenical patriarch of all the christians of orthodoxy from here.
ReplyDelete