Byzantine, Texas

The complete post is here , but I thought the directives the most intriguing part. Which jurisdictions will follow the Antiochian Archdiocesan lead and put out similarly clear instructions? Specific Directives to Clergy and Laity In the saving light of this holy doctrine, then, I set forth the following directives, in concert with my brother diocesan bishops, which must be adhered to by all of the sacred clergy and the faithful laity in every capacity within our Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America 1. At this time, and until further directives are given, no priest may refuse to sign a marriage license for a couple who are otherwise qualified and blessed by that priest to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony . It is not yet clear that the act of signing a marriage license exposes the clergyman to litigation forcing him to act contrary to our stated purposes as a Church. Some Orthodox priests following the same-sex ruling have refused to sign state docume...

You can read it, but don't expect a lot out of it. It's just a recapitulation of the history of the consultation and a hopeful blurb about the future. ( AOB ) - The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation issued a statement today on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary. The Consultation was the first official dialogue between theologians of the Orthodox and Catholic churches to be established in modern times. It held its first meeting in September 1965 under the leadership of Archbishop Iakovos (+2005) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America and Bishop Bernard Flanagan (+1998) of Worcester. For fifty years, the Consultation has brought Orthodox and Catholic theologians together to engage in theological dialogue and discuss issues of common concern. The full statement is below. The Love of Christ Compels Us (2 Cor. 5:14): Fifty Years of Theological Dialogue The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation Octobe...

( UCatholic ) - The old English custom of “soul-caking,” or “souling,” originated in pre-Reformation days, when singers went about on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, November 1 and 2, to beg for cakes in remembrance of the dead. The “soulers,” as the singers were called, droned out their ditties repeatedly, tonelessly, without pause or variation. Doubtless Shakespeare was familiar with the whining songs because Speed, in Two Gentlemen of Verona, observes tartly that one of the “special marks” of a man in love is “to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas.” All hallows e’en, or eve, a night of pranks and fun in North Country homes, was celebrated with many wholesome games. Young people, for example, read future events from the way roasting chestnuts sputtered and jumped next to the red-hot coals. They bobbed for apples and flung snakelike apple parings behind themselves, to learn the initials of future mates. Our British ancestors brought these old folk practices to the Ne...

This document is clear, concise, and offers a view of unity that doesn't speak in nebulous times like "the future," but in concrete benchmarks and years. This is what the will to unify looks like. ( OCA ) - The Holy Synod of Bishops has released the text of a Position Paper delivered in response to the plan presented by the Committee for Canonical Regional Planning during the sixth annual meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA in Chicago on September 15, 2015. The text was reviewed during the Holy Synod’s fall session held in Detroit October 19-23. The text reads as follows. POSITION PAPER OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA IN RESPONSE TO THE PLAN PRESENTED BY THE COMMITTEE FOR CANONICAL REGIONAL PLANNING Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States Chicago, Illinois September 15, 2015 Your Eminences and your Graces, The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America is grateful for this opportunity to r...

( mospat.ru ) - On October 27, 2015, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held its regular session in Kiev. It was chaired by His Beatitude, Onufry, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine. In connection with the developments in the Ukrainian society, the Synod adopted a message to the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The message states that ‘the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, together with all the Ukrainian people, is seeking a way to national reconciliation’. The Synod welcomed the ongoing truce and expressed hope that it ‘will grow into a real lasting peace’. The message points to positive changes made to the Ukrainian legislation concerning some problems of state-church relations. At the same time, it points out facts of violations of the rights of the faithful in some regions of the country, such as seizure of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, violation against the faithful and attempts at their lives. The Holy Synod stated once again that ‘some local a...

( OCA-CA ) - The Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, Toronto, offering the only ATS-accredited Orthodox MTS and MDiv degrees in Canada, recently hosted a successful conference entitled "Healing Chalcedon: The quest for restored communion between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Churches 25 years after the agreed statements." Dedicated to the memory of the late beloved Anglican bishop, Henry Hill, who spent so much of his life travelling to the Christian East, offering support to churches there and helping western Christians learn about them, the conference brought together invited guests and faculty of Trinity College to speak about various aspects of the ongoing dialogue between the two families of Orthodox Churches separated since the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451. The keynote address was delivered by Rev Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan, president of the Canadian Council of Churches, who spoke about "Anglicans and the Table ...

( ROC-Sourozh ) - On Friday October 23rd, Archbishop Elisey attended a regular meeting of the Episcopal Assembly for Britain and Ireland which took place at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs in Chiswick. The bishops agreed pastoral guidelines for clergy in relation to mixed marriages as well considering the work done to date on the question of the recognition of the pre-Schism saints of Britain and Ireland. After the discussions, the bishops prayed in the Cathedral and viewers the frescos that are being painted on the roof and walls of the church. The meeting concluded with a lunch offered by the host, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain that had been prepared by the Cathedral Sisterhood.

( STOTS ) - From October 23rd - 25th, 2015, 30 students from five Orthodox seminaries joined the seminarians at St. Tikhon's for the bi-annual gathering of the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement (OISM)! Participating schools included: St. Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY, Holy Cross/Hellenic College, Brookline MA, Holy Trinity Seminary - Jordanville, NY, Christ the Savior Seminary - Johnstown, PA, and St. Herman's Seminary - Kodiak, AK. Founded in the 1960's and revived in 2003, OISM seeks to foster fellowship and cooperation among Orthodox seminary and theology students. The event this weekend seemed to do exactly that, as students were encouraged by learning about and from each other through praying together, sharing meals, discussing pertinent issues, and experiencing the life at St. Tikhon's Seminary and Monastery. This fall's gathering focused on the theme of Expanding the Mission of the Orthodox Church. The weekend began Friday evening with an o...

There is a lot to chew on here. Antioch is being quite clear that they don't like where the Assembly is going or how it is being administered currently. As a result, they are stepping back and putting the breaks on any forward movement. While I may not agree with their response to the impediments, I can see how their perception is matched with the voices of other jurisdictions and how issues like Qatar might be cause for discontent. ( AFR ) - In this special edition of Ancient Faith Today, the Very Rev. Fr. Patrick O'Grady of St. Peter the Apostle Antiochian Orthodox Church in Pomona, California, represents the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America in explaining the reasons behind its recent statement at the 6th Assembly of Bishops and why it appeared to many that its long-held support of Orthodox administrative unity has changed.

( Wataninet ) - Pope Francis has agreed to the proposal offered last yearbythe Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros IIto unify the date of Easter so that Churches all over the world would celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on the same date. The proposal has already been accepted by Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Patriarch of Antioch and Bartholomew I Patriarch of Constantinople. The proposal comes within joint efforts by Pope Tawadros and Pope Francis to work towards unifying the Church. Pope Tawadros’s proposal suggested the second Sunday in April to celebrate Easter. The date of Easter has not been constant throughout the years. Since the Nicene Council in AD325 it has been moving according to an annual four-to-five-week cycle that has to do with the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

God willing, we will see a pan-Orthodox recognized service applied within all jurisdictions soon. This is just too important to not have available for our families. ( OCA ) - As reported earlier, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America approved the text of a “Service of Prayer after a Miscarriage or Stillbirth” for liturgical use during their fall session held at Saint Andrew House, Detroit, MI October 19-23, 2015. The service is available on the OCA web site and here (PDF) for easy downloading, printing, distribution and use. A general Service of Prayer celebrated at the time of loss or thereafter, but especially when the priest is called to attend to a miscarriage or stillbirth. P: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. R: Amen. O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us and cleanse us from ever...

( The Observer ) - As Notre Dame strives to expand its international profile and strengthen its Catholic identity, the University has recently found a way to do both simultaneously by hosting a different type of liturgy on campus Beginning this fall, Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy is offered the first Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. at the chapel of Mary, Seat of Wisdom in Malloy Hall. The first liturgy was a great success, with a packed chapel filled with a congregation of roughly 50 Notre Dame students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the larger South Bend community, Fr. Khaled Anatolios said. While “Roman Catholic” and “Catholic” are often treated as interchangeable terms, there are millions of Catholics worldwide who do not practice the Roman Rite, and are therefore technically not Roman Catholic. While traditionally found in the Middle-East, these “Eastern Catholic” churches have spread westwards, with the Byzantine Eastern Catholic Church now present on Notre Dam...

The entire very long post is available here . The below are selections I found interesting. I receive lots of emails about autocephaly and the Great and Holy Council of next year. The last I saw on it before the below was that it would not be included in the discussion as the topic was too contentious. This seems to confirm that continued omission of this very important topic and others besides. The members of the Holy Synod expressed their profound concern over the fact that no conciliar draft decision on the Orthodox Diaspora had been taken and that consensus had not been reached on the following draft documents of the Pan-Orthodox Council: “Calendar Issue” and “Impediments to Marriage.” These topics have been developed for decades already. The members of the Holy Synod noted a particular significance of the pan-Orthodox consensus regarding the draft document on Autocephaly in the Orthodox Church and the Method of Its Proclamation, and of the inclusion of this document in the age...

Almost seven years with no bishop for the dynamic and growing Diocese of the South. While there may be many good reasons for taking the slow route, six years is an extreme period of time to be in the locum tenens state (albeit with an administrator-episcopal-candidate waiting in the wings). One hopes that the synod puts out something on the topic in the next few days before people start guessing at the reason for the radio silence. ( OCA ) - The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America concluded its fall session at Saint Andrew House, Detroit, MI, on Friday, October 23, 2015. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, presided at the sessions. Among the decisions and actions taken by the hierarchs were the following. After concluding a Church Court held on October 19, the hierarchs canonically deposed the retired Archbishop Seraphim from the status and all sacred functions of the episcopacy, removed him from the ranks of the clergy, and returned him to the status of a la...

( mospat.ru ) - The Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate expresses its strong protest against the claims made by the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, in an interview with Austria’s Kathpress agency. Like many other speeches of the hierarch, this interview is imbued with aggression against the Russian Orthodox Church and contains attacks on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as well as politicized opinions on the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine today and insults to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. In a time when the Orthodox and the Catholics at various levels exert special efforts in order to get the dialogue back on track, the statements by the head of the UGCC bring deplorable dissonance into the process of this joint search, aimed at deepening mutual understanding and overcoming disagreements and bewilderments, accumulated over the past centuries. The unia, in the person of its first hierarch in...

BEIJING ( USA Today ) — In the latest sign of warming ties between Moscow and Beijing, the Russian Orthodox Church ordained its first Chinese priest in 60 years, with the blessing of China's atheist, Communist rulers. The rare move in the politically sensitive area of religion, which is tightly regulated in China, underscores how the two nations have moved closer at a time when each faces growing friction with the United States. Yu Shi, a former banker also known as Aleksandr from the northeastern city of Harbin, took his vows at a ceremony in a church in St. Petersburg, Russia, this month following three years of training in a seminary there, church spokesman Dmitry Petrovsky told USA TODAY. A video of the event posted on social media shows Yu, dressed in white robes, entering the Church of St. John the Evangelist in a procession of ornately dressed clergymen and speaking Chinese as he vows to devote his life to God. He then kneels before a bishop in gold brocade who asks...

( mospat.ru ) - On 21 October 2015, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the DECR chairman, met with Pope Francis at the “Domus Sanctae Marthae” hotel in Vatican. Pope Francis thanked Metropolitan Hilarion for greetings he brought to the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church and conveyed his best wishes to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Discussed were topics on the agenda of bilateral relations of the Roman Catholic Church and the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as the situation in the Middle East, where Christians have been persecuted by the terrorist groups. Gifts were exchanged after the talk which was held in the atmosphere of mutual understanding and was interpreted by Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, That same day the DECR chairman met with Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. And also... ( mospat.ru ) - Y...

Moscow, October 13, ( Interfax ) - The Russian Orthodox Church is deeply concerned "over the anti-canonical actions" made by hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople's Ukrainian church structures in the USA and Canada, website of the Department for External Church Relations reports. On the instruction of Patriarch Kirill, DECR head Metropolitan Hilarion expressed the Russian Orthodox Church's concerns at the 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference in Chambesy near Geneva. He explained that the mentioned hierarchs arrived in Ukraine allegedly on behalf to the Patriarch of Constantinople without informing about it the canonical Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, come into contact with the schismatics, declare the alleged readiness of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to grant autocephaly to the schismatics, challenge the Patriarchate of Constantinople's universally recognized canonical acts of the past centuries, accept with honour the persons de...

As always, Alexei D. Krindatch's editorial comments to not sugar coat the situation he is tasked with providing statistics for while serving up a plethora of facts and figures. This will be intriguing reading for people who have graduated from one of these seminaries, those interested in a seminary education, and for the general Orthodox population who might ask the question "What the heck are they teaching them up there?" ( AOB ) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has released a new study report today. The study focuses on US educational institutions that offer programs in Orthodox theology. It is based on a survey of 12 Orthodox theological schools in the US. The report examines degrees and programs offered by these schools, questions of their accreditation, student body, and faculty. Data-gathering was finalized in September 2014; all data was accurate at that time. The study was initiated by the Assembly's Committee for...

New York ( GOARCH ) – The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America convened for its regular fall meeting at the Synodal Chamber of the Archdiocesan headquarters in New York on October 13th and 14th, 2015. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America presided at the meeting with the participation of all the Members of the Synod. The Synod deliberated extensively on many matters including the following: 1) The Holy Synod discussed the need to establish at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese a Department of translations into English of liturgical texts so that the task of the Synodal Committee on this matter maybe expedited. This proposal will be studied and the necessary decisions will be made. 2) The Holy Synod dealt with subjects of administrative nature related to the parishes and holy monasteries of the Holy Archdiocese, as well as the spiritual work that is accomplished by them. 3) The Holy Synod dealt also with matters that concern the Orthodox Christi...

( On Coptic Nationalism ) - The 21 Coptic martyrs of Libya (one, Matthew Arayiga, was actually African martyr) were savagely beheaded by Islamic terrorist in Sirte, Libya, in February 2015. The Coptic Church has added their names to the Synaxarium; but, other Christians across the world have been touched by the courage and faith of the 21 martyrs who preferred death than denying Christ, and died with the name of Jesus on their mouth. Edward Chrysogonus Yong, a Christian Singaporean of Chinese descent, wrote these two hymns “In honour of the 21 Coptic New-Martyrs of Libya”. A troparion, in Orthodox churches, is a short hymn of one stanza usually; and a kontakion is another type of hymn. Troparion (Tone 1) Like meek lambs ye cried out with your last breaths,/ ‘O Lord Jesus’,/ And like roses blooming in the desert of Libya,/ Ye shed your blood for the Master./ With godly valour, ye showed your godless persecutors/ True strength from the true faith,/ O pride of Minya and boast...

( OCA ) - On Monday, October 19, 2015, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America convened a Spiritual Court at Saint John the Divine Church, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, to hear the case of Archbishop Seraphim, retired Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada. The Holy Synod of Bishops will render a decision in due course.

( Christian Today ) - Without much fanfare and publicity, another pope has arrived in the United States for a three-week visit. Following the footsteps of Pope Francis who made a six-day visit to the US last month, Egypt's Coptic Pope Tawadros II arrived in Atlanta on Oct. 7, his first official visit to the US since his papacy began in 2012, reports said. On Thursday, Pope Tawadros II landed in Los Angeles International Airport, Youm7 reported. Sources said the Coptic pope is visiting the US "to maintain communication with Copts in the diaspora and to connect them with their homeland." The Coptic pope began his visit with a reception at St. Mark Church in Los Angeles before proceeding to various parishes and dioceses including the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles and meetings with religious leaders. The pope's three-week pastoral tour includes visits to congregations in Atlanta, Florida, Nashville and California. Upon arrival and was greeted by several b...

( Mospat.ru ) - With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, took part in the meetings. The delegation also included Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia); archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR vice-chairman; Archimandrite Irinei (Steenberg), cleric of the ROCOR’s diocese of Western America; and Rev. Anatoly Churyakov, DECR interpreter. The conference was chaired by Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Patriarchate of Constantinople). Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Patriarchate of Constantinople) presided over a number of sessions. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent his greetings to the participants in the conference. The 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference approved a draft document of the Holy and Great Council of the O...

Some of my family's closest friends are friends we made at St. Tikhon's. I still remember the bell ringing at the first Divine Liturgy I attended to have been a very emotional moment in my life. It's one of those poignant memories that I'll keep with me always. If seminary is in your future, do yourself a favor and make a visit.

( The Independent ) - The anti-establishment credentials of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may have taken another knock with news that cash withdrawal limits have been raised – but only for the Greek Orthodox church. His leftist government imposed capital controls in June when fears of a Greece exit from the euro led to mass withdrawals from Greek bank accounts. But now, after lobbying by the church, dioceses will be able to withdraw €10,000 (£7,400) a month while the archdiocese in Athens will have access to €20,000 a month. In contrast, Greek citizens can withdraw only €60 a day in cash from their banks. The Holy Synod, the executive arm of the Greek church, said the measure was needed to allow its charitable work to continue. “The monthly limit has been increased because of the difficulties in delivering help to people and families in difficulties,” it said. But sarcastic remarks from cash-strapped Greeks about “saintly cash dispensers” working “miracles” quickly app...

( Business Insider ) - As Russia continues to deepen its military involvement in Syria, the conflict has increasingly taken on religious dimensions. In the above photo, an Orthodox bishop blesses Russian missiles intended for airstrikes against Syrian rebels. According to Reuters reporter Noah Browning, the bishop is sprinkling holy water on the missile before it is put aboard a Russian plane. The blessing of missiles comes after Patriarch Kirill, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, declared that Russia's intervention in Syria, which is aimed at the rebels currently aligned against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is a "holy battle." “Russia took a responsible decision to use military forces to protect the Syrian people from the woes brought on by the tyranny of terrorists," Kirill said. Russia has been carrying out a high tempo of airstrikes largely against nationalist Syrian rebels, with few strikes against ISIS, since September 30. Moscow has ...

I see this as a positive step. As we've seen with street side preachers in the US and UK, quoting the Bible can now get you cited for hate speech. ( Moscow Times ) - President Vladimir Putin has introduced a bill at the State Duma that would prohibit the canonical texts of Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Buddhism from being designated “extremist,” a news report said. “The Bible, Quran, Tanakh and Kanjur, their content and quotations from them may not be deemed extremist materials,” the bill states, state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday. The bill follows an outcry by Russia's Muslim population against a ruling made by a Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city court in August that deemed a book containing quotes and commentary on verses from the Quran “extremist” and banned it from local distribution. The leader of Russia's republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has pledged to “personally call to account” the judge and prosecutor in the Yuzhno-Sakhalin case. A senior ...

( Save Tibet ) - September 23, 2015 at the International Forum "Buddhism in the dialogue of cultures of the East and West: past, present and future" was held an meeting of the Interreligious Council of the Republic of Kalmykia, dedicated to the Buddhist temple "Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni" and the twentieth anniversary of the creation of Elista and Kalmyk diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

( ACNS ) Last week’s meeting of the Anglican Oriental Orthodox International Commission in Hawarden, Wales, and the agreement on dropping the filioque clause of the Nicene Creed has moved the two families of churches “one step closer to as close as we can be”, a leading Orthodox bishop has said. “For us, we saw [the filioque clause] as an addition to the Creed,” Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said. “One of the founders of our Church, Saint Athanasius, was instrumental in formulating it. As a church that has been persecuted for most of its existence, our faith and faith issues are exceptionally important. “The relevance [of the agreement] is that we are one step closer to as close as we can be. There are things that we are not going to be able to agree on but that should not stop us resolving things that we can agree on.” The centuries-old disagreement centres on the words “and the son” which were added to the Nicene Creed ...

( Catholic Herald ) - One of Syria’s leading churchmen has welcomed Russia’s intervention. Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart of Aleppo told Swiss television that Vladimir Putin’s intervention was a source of “hope” for the country’s Christians. The Russian president, Archbishop Jeanbart told Télévision Suisse Romande, “serves the Christians’ cause”, even if Moscow was only serving its own interests. Archbishop Jeanbart spoke of a “renewal of confidence” among Christians in Syria, adding that President Putin “is solving a problem”. Russia escalated its military involvement late last month, launching attacks on Syrian rebels in Homs, and against ISIS in the formerly heavily Christian village of Al-Qaryatayn, which the terrorist group overran in the summer. ISIS, which controls the east of the country, has carried out numerous atrocities against Christians and other minorities. However, the al-Assad regime has been blamed for the majority of the 200,000 de...

American Orthodoxy, you have to stop. The word has not been, is not now, and never will be "deaconate." Even as I try to type the word my computer's spell-checker writhes in agony at the woeful misformation of letters. And yet I have seen, from every jurisdiction that chooses to post on ordinations, that bilious plash besmirching the titles of otherwise joyous events. It's diaconate. Please, people. It's diaconate.

( ACNS ) - Historic agreements have been signed between Anglican and Oriental Orthodox Churches helping to heal the oldest continuing division within Christianity. An Agreed Statement on Christology, published in North Wales this week by the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission (AOOIC), heals the centuries-old split between the Anglican Churches within the family of Chalcedonian Churches and the non-Chalcedonian Churches over the incarnation of Christ. In addition, the Commission has made substantial progress on issues concerning the Holy Spirit, which have continued to keep the Churches apart over the centuries. Leading clergy and theologians from both Christian traditions from around the world have been meeting at Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden to engage in theological dialogue, while at the same time forging deeper bonds of faith and mutual support. His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy from the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Egypt and Co-Chair of the...

( Chicago Tribune ) - T he former Chicago bishop of the Orthodox Church in America who was asked to retire amid allegations of sexual misconduct two years ago has sued church leaders, claiming they breached that retirement contract. The lawsuit against Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and Detroit Archbishop Nathaniel, leader of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate, was filed in Cook County Circuit Court last month. Both defendants were served during the national Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in Chicago. Bishop Matthias alleges that church leaders violated the terms of his retirement and a recent employment agreement when they terminated a parish assignment in response to complaints from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. "This is a case about broken promises and the repeated failure to honor one's legal obligations," the suit says. "The legal questions involved are not complex. Indeed, they require...

( Greek Reporter ) - Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece accused Europe and the Greek government of trying to alter Christian Greek society and the identity of Greek people. Ieronymos spoke on the occasion of a recent government proposal to make easier for students to be exempted from religious education classes. “The recent incident regarding religious education classes is the tip of the iceberg, I’m afraid. It seems that our European friends — taking advantage of our dire economic situation and in light of changing the economic relations between us — will seek by all means to alter Greek society starting with our schools,” Ieronymos said, addressing the Annual Conference of the Holy Synod. “The tragic thing is that our enemies are no longer far away. They are inside our walls. We can see it,” he said. The Archbishop referred to the reforms required by Greece’s creditors as part of the bailout agreement. He said that the Greek government has committed to a serie...

Wouldn't put a cell phone on a classy dinner table? Don't put your iPad on God's altar.