skip to main |
skip to sidebar
 |
NEW YORK (EA) – The Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America met today, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Elpidophoros, to discuss the state of Orthodox Christian unity in the USA. Recognizing the challenges in global Orthodoxy, the jurisdictional representatives reiterated their commitment to the local faithful of America and rededicated themselves to fulfilling the call for canonical normalcy and pastoral unity on contemporary issues.
The meeting began with jurisdictional updates followed by the Secretary’s report on the activities of the body since the last Assembly meeting in October 2018. The Executive Committee went on to discuss the Assembly’s structure including committees, agencies, endorsed organizations, and dialogues, and decided to analyze all components prior to the next Assembly meeting in order to determine the best path to achieve the ultimate goal of unity. The heads of the jurisdictions committed to regular concelebration and look forward to the annual Sunday of Orthodoxy celebration in March 2020 in New York. In addition, all other hierarchs, clergy, and laity are encouraged to organize regionally.
Responding to an appeal of Orthodox Christian mental health professionals, the Executive Committee decided to mandate its Endorsed Organization, Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR), to develop a task force to address the issue of mental health. OCAMPR will work in partnership with the Assembly, through the Office of the Secretariat. Additionally, the bishops received an appeal from Orthodox Christian organizations working on the crisis of homelessness. In response to their recommendations, a working group to develop an Orthodox Volunteer Corps, under the guidance of the Assembly Secretariat, was sanctioned.
Finally, the date and location was established for the 10th Anniversary Meeting of the Assembly of Bishops: May 2-5, 2020 in Washington, DC.
 |
Posts
I am guessing that none of the other bishops had the courage to ask the Greek Archbishop why he believes that the Patriarch of Constantinople is first without equals...or why he (and the EP) continue to support the creation of their group of schismatics in Ukraine who seize Churches and beat the clergy, elderly and women.
ReplyDeleteNo...I didn't think so.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThat's well above the pay grade for this body. I assume they are preoccupied with updating Orthodox ecclesiology to figure out their canonical co-existence in a secular democracy.
Delete"I assume they are preoccupied with updating Orthodox ecclesiology to figure out their canonical co-existence in a secular democracy."
DeleteHa! Perhaps they are simply humble folk. Like Dirty Harry says, "a mans got to know his limitations...". They appear to be waiting on God before they even acknowledge the anachronism that is our ecclesiology...or are they testing Him?
Fancy words but the OCU are still untrained schematics.
DeleteI would disagree, if this were purely a geopolitical game I don't think there would be so many dogmatic arguments against the the actions of the EP in Ukraine coming from outside the MP. For example from Antioch, Albania, Greece, USA, Jerusalem, Alexandria, etc. To paint this purely as a geopolitical game is at best extremely reductive, and at worst blatantly disingenuous towards the many faithful hierarch not in the MP who oppose the actions of the EP.
DeleteAlso, severing communion when it comes to heretics/schismatics is an extremely complex process that often takes 100+ years to fully set in. Just think of the conflict between St. Photios & Rome in the 9th century. May God grant that that not be so, but the situation has many similarities to our current situation with the "primus sine paribus" claims of the EP.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHere is a good video explaining the nuances of ecclesiastical law when it comes to schismatics/heretics and the severing of canonical communion. Also has some very important things to say about internet "commentators" like us.
Deletehttps://youtu.be/CH5ZHXg4q-s
I guess they have learned proper anglican manners.
ReplyDelete"I guess they have learned proper anglican manners."
DeleteMuch truth here Fr. Gregory, well beyond how you meant it. For example, we actually *want* them to organically "learn" the culture around them, which is in fact mostly English/northern European in character. Still your right in that we don't want them to get too comfortable with their de facto Protestant/"mystical Body" ontology...
I don’t suppose Metr. Tikhon has the temerity to confront Abp. Elpidophoros on the latter’s semi- public statements to the effect that the OCA was giving up its autocephaly to the EP.
ReplyDeleteWhen did Elpidophoros say this? Any links?
Deletehttps://www.patriarchate.org/-/primus-sine-paribus-hapantesis-eis-to-peri-proteiou-keimenon-tou-patriarcheiou-moschas-tou-sebasmiotatou-metropolitou-prouses-k-elpidophorou
DeleteOn EPB’s website.
Pertinent bit being at the very end, to save time here’s the excerpt.
“If we are going to talk about the source of a primacy, then the source of such primacy is the very person of the Archbishop of Constantinople, who precisely as bishop is one "among equals," but as Archbishop of Constantinople, and thus as Ecumenical Patriarch is the first without equals (primus sine paribus).”
Elpi stated to the GOARCH clergy gathered in Long Beach, CA on 8/30 that Metr. Tikhon has told him the OCA was coming under his omophor. You can ask any of the more than 30 priests who were present and they will be happy to share the ‘good news’ the same way it was related to me, in all innocence and without guilt by a trustworthy and honest member of that assembly.
DeleteThis information corroborates what Abp. Benjamin already knew, that the source of George Michalopoulos’ rumor may have been a secret to that blogger but it is not very secret at all when the Greek Abp. himself is so free with it.
Thank you for the heads up, Mr. VOP. I shall be writing Met. Tikhon to explain my hope that I can remain in the OCA as a member of Vladika Dmitri’s Cathedral ~ contingent on the OCA remaining FREE of the omophor of Abp Elpidophorus and FREE of PB, whose beliefs and actions are foreign to the Orthodox Tradition in many grievous ways. Lord have mercy!
DeleteHas the very, very new Greek archbishop been made chairman? If the job rotates, fine. If not, the whole assembly is a joke. You don't blow into town an at once assume leadership of a body representing a country where he has never lived. Insulting to every last member of the church.
ReplyDeleteNone of these transients consider America a real country. It's just a place to get your kids educated and make money. The real country with the real culture wedded to a self-governing Church is back across the pond.
DeleteTo be fair, a lot of Americans have inculcated the notion that America is just an administrative entity and not a real country.
Orthodox Unity in the new world is simply a way to not ever change anything. We each get to remain in our own little ghettos and think everything is fine seeking "fellowship" with folks just like us so we are not really challenged.
ReplyDeleteLigonier would have changed all that. But wait, who was it that stepped in and shut it down? Why old Unity Man himself +Bartholemew.
DeleteEpiscopal Assys will go nowhere until the EP stops acting like a First Without Equals. The EP is directly responsible for the jurisdictional mess.
I agree with every mote of my being that Elpi’s chairmanship of the Assembly is an insult to the Church and that his only role as Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne is to lord it over the Assembly and bend it to his will, as is his right as he sees it. He unambiguously pursues domination of all the churches in North America in that role and conveying to SF Metropolis clergy that the OCA is coming under his control is a step in that direction. His plan is to render all jurisdictions in America Fener satrapies along the lines of the Ukrainian, Carpatho-Rusyn and Albanian ‘Archdioceses’, which hold nominal autonomy as ethnic religious institutions but are incapable of even keeping existing churches open much less growing together into a functional North American Church.
DeleteThe last quarter century since Black Bart squelched Ligonnier has seen decline of Orthodox unity and erosion of whatever relevance we all once enjoyed here. Elpi is the Anti-Iakovos, sent to ensure final and complete submission to the Ecumenical Throne.
You need to look at the history,,,,first there was a quasi unity under the Russian mission before the revolution,,,of course the Greeks were separate,,,,due to the revolution everything fell apart,,,then there was the federation led by Antony, athenagoras,and Benjamin,,they worked to make us part of the fabric of America,,,it fell apart,,,then there was scoba that again tried to put everyone on the same page,,it dissolved and now we have the council,,,,,in my view, brat black Bart's council is not aimed at unity in America and the creation of an American church but is a despirate grab for power. I was talking with a Greek Catholic theologian this past week,,he told me that the inside skinny is that Francis and brat black Bart's are working to establish the 5 historical patriarchates and all the others will be solely honorifics with no power. If this is true,,we all will be in a mess,,,,,,reminds me of Shakespeare three witches and their cauldron ,,,,may God bless us all
ReplyDeleteLord save thy people. But I think some harsh realities will probably intrude on those plans. Stay strong and pray.
DeleteThe old lion, +Philip of blessed memory, looks better all the time.
Deletehttp://ww1.antiochian.org/node/23042
Actually the visionary was Antony Bashir,,,he was making an American church that would become part of the religious fabric of America,,,,,Phillip turned his back on all of this after his heart attack and turned the church into an Arabic ethnic ghetto,,,,,I e more Arabic in the services,,Michael Hilko music out,,,Byzantine chant back,,,st vlads out,, Western rite marginalized, Holy Cross in etc,,,,,tragic,,very tragic
ReplyDeleteKlancko, you are on to something major here: the recent kakodox ecclesiology of Elpi, Hyrax et.al. seeds the soil for this derogation of even Moscow to a ‘provisional autocephaly’. Even Georgia whose church became an Autocephalous Catholicosate out of Antioch before the term ‘Ecumenical Patriarchate’ has been coined falls under Black Bart’s new category of Churches that are ‘lesser than’.
ReplyDeleteOne could suppose all this violence to our church history and tradition would be unnecessary if he felt more secure on his Ecumenical Throne... but somehow we have failed to comfit him sufficient to his exalted status.
What I see here is an abuser demanding we all take care of his personal needs. The culture of the Fener has reached the stage of terminal depravity. Too bad it suits the goals of the Papacy and US State Dept. It’s up to the rest of us to find enough health and reject the abuse and sequester the abuser before he harms us further.