The emboldened bit below should perk up a few ears. This is the sort of activity that many expected the US Episcopal Assembly to jump into, but beyond a trip to Constantinople to seek clarification on some points (the possibility of a separate assembly for Canada, the moving of Mexico to an assembly with Spanish speakers, etc.) little if anything has been made public if it is occurring. Even the Episcopal Assembly website seems to be stalled. I look forward to seeing what the British Isles hierarchs formulate because the work done by that body might be mimicked by North American hierarchs when they draw up their own declarations on things like regularizing marriages, handling converts, accepting priests, etc. We'll have to see if issues like the OCA's autocephaly, the complex episcopal situation in the Antiochian Archdiocese, or the current investigations of the activities of one of the Greek Archdiocesan monasteries will retard the process.
(ROCOR-Sourozh) - On 16th November, the first working meeting of the Pastoral Committee of Pan-Orthodox Hierarchical Assembly in Great Britain and Ireland took place at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in London under the chairmanship of Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh. Representatives of each Christian Orthodox Church with parishes on the territory of the British Isles took part in the meeting.
The Committee was established at the meeting of the Pan-Orthodox Hierarchal Assembly on 21st June and is a working body of all Christian Orthodox Churches on the British Isles.
At the meeting, the Committee determined its specific principles of operation, which include ordinary working meetings and joint prayers, as well as permanent contact and consultations on the local Pan-Orthodox forum using modern electronic methods of communication. The Committee marked its modus operandi, which includes working out a Pan-Orthodox approach to such aspects of the Church life as Christian Orthodox Mission, reception of converts, practices about Holy Communion and Confession, mixed marriages; social service, youth activity, Church’s canonical discipline. The Committee is also in charge of the organization of special services with the participation of Hierarchs and clergy of all Christian Orthodox jurisdictions and other Pan-Orthodox events.
Posts
I would adjust your comment above to "little if anything has been announced." There is a lot being done behind the scenes, but there just aren't press releases being put out.
ReplyDeleteWhich is a worthy adjustment. I get not infrequent emails/comments that for jurisdictional public statements (especially GOARCH) we get an announcement that a meeting happened then we get an announcement it ended. We have no idea really what was spoken about, but we know what city our bishop is in, what saint is being remembered that day, and are reminded of one or two quotes from Scripture.
ReplyDeleteThere haven't been any officially announced committee meetings (they're still being formed; a lot of the bishops have been less than prompt about signing up), but there have been a lot of planning meetings, phone calls, etc., going on. I've heard of this from some of the people involved.
ReplyDelete