Outreach Conference
Hosted by: Antiochian Dept. of Missions & Evangelism
When: 12-4 PM Saturday, October 17, 2020
Where: Facebook
12:00 "Service Projects" Sonya Kassis
12:30 "Festivals" Dn. Yakoub Daoura
01:00 "Sharing Political Views" Fr. John Hogg
01:30 "Local Hunger" Fr. Joseph Huneycutt
02:00 "Prison Ministry Today" Mark Santana
02:30 "How To Say Hello" Fr. John Finley
03:00 "Homeless Families" Fr. Barnabas Powell
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Posts
"Orthodox Outreach: Sharing Political Views" -- A guaranteed way to politicize your local church according to your own image and to alienate at least half the American populace from Orthodoxy.
ReplyDeleteHoping that talk will be very short: "don't."
DeleteI agree. When talking about the Church, political views don't need to be discussed. We should be witnessing Christ to people, not discussing fallen politics.
DeleteIt is simple: anyone who supports abortion or homosexual equivalency needs repentance. Are those "political views" anathema too. The fact is, as the confirmation hearing for Judge Barrett any Christian faith is considered "political" Why should talking about how to live as faithful Orthodox Christians in a hostile land and still contributing to the polis be off limits?
ReplyDeleteMust we sit in silence regarding anything that someone might object too.
I had a frank and direct conversation with a brother parishoner recently about something he wrote that I found politically and spiritually problematic. My original reaction was not Christian. I was already upset with him for other reasons going back 16 years.
I prayed and contemplated the tangle and approached him in humility and concern. I was able to share many things with him that could have been contentious. The result is that we both learned and got closer.
In todays world what we eat is political. Even sports. Are we supposed to sit around in silence with each other staring at the wall paper! Or are the Bishops supposed to send out a list of pre-approved topics?
The Proto-martyr Stephen was stoned for his political beliefs and for sharing them.
It is perfectly appropriate to discuss how, when, where and why to do it.
I think your example of a serious subject discussed in humility with a longtime brother is a great example of how, where, when, and why.
DeleteWhen I imagine "politics" in the context of OUTREACH, though, that leads to my glib reply of "don't". Speaking the truth in love is only possible when you're speaking a language that the listener understands, implying a shared set of definitions and cultural context, and a relationship, which is again not what "outreach" conjures up to me.
Other than that I am quite sure we agree more than we disagree.
What earthly political beliefs was St. Stephen martyred for? Christ said "My Kingdom is not of this world." Did St. Stephen die on behalf of an earthly kingdom?
DeleteIt's the difference of being "in the world" and "of the world". The kingdom on earth St. Stephen helped to establish was a kingdom of the repentant heart, the Church. The early Christians weren't trying to overthrow or even change their local governments.
DeleteSt.Stephen still shared his political beliefs as have many prophets. Yes, it frequently got them killed.
DeleteJames, what you are missing I think that any substantial talk about the beliefs and practices of the Orthodox Church will hit a political nerve in many people. It is almost inevitable.
DeleteHuman beings are political creatures are we supposed to be some group of dualistic Cathars?
ReplyDeleteCome on folks-wake up! 🤯
Michael Bauman, it's exactly a "Dualistic Cathar" mentality that is represented by American politics. It's the Republican Cathars vs. the Democrat Cathars. The polarization is extreme and is easily engaged. It's a fight for the top position of America's power pyramid.
DeleteRather than engaging that polarization, the Church can instead offer a different approach. It's the approach that St. Sophrony of Essex refered to as the "inverted pyramid". Following the example of Christ, the Christian places himself at the bottom of an inverted political pyramid. It's not a rush to the top, but rather a rush to the bottom. In effect, it's a prostration. Following the example of Christ, the Orthodox Christian can place himself below and underneath secular politics. This is the example of Christ, and it is also the example of St. Tikhon of Moscow.
And what if the Republican Cathars do succeed? What will they accomplish? Their main accomplishment will be social polarization and Catharism. The same goes for the Democrat Cathars also.
Joseph, that approach sharing our political views does it not. One cannot just be silent and not rock the boat. I really like your analogy. Quite apt.
Delete