(Episcopal Assembly) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is made up of all the active, canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States of America, from every universally-recognized canonical Orthodox jurisdiction, including the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (“ROCOR”), despite the decision of its Bishops to suspend their participation in the Assembly. On November 18, 2022, the Orthodox Bishops of the Assembly received a communication from the ROCOR Eastern American Diocese regarding Archpriest Peter Heers. This communication stated “that the Very Reverend Archpriest Peter Heers is not a clergyman of the Eastern American Diocese or of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, nor is there any pending consideration of his reception.”
The Assembly can further confirm that Archpriest Peter Heers is not a clergyman of, or on loan to, any other canonical Orthodox jurisdiction in the United States. To the extent that this individual purports to act as an Orthodox priest in the United States, including celebrating the Divine Liturgy and the other services of the Church and teaching the faithful and those who inquire into Orthodoxy, he does so in a manner outside of the Holy Canons.
Friday, April 21, 2023
Episcopal Assembly gets direct on Heers
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Very fascinating.
ReplyDeleteRecognizing the complicated situation (https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2022/11/25/the-ecclesiastical-standing-of-father-peter-heers/). It also speaks volumes that no jurisdiction is willing to accept and normalize him.
DeleteHeers has done everything to escape oversight in his ministry (sic) in these lands and throughout the ether online. Such a vagante deserves no credence or succor as he effectively answers to no one. The bishop of the Church of Greece who gave him general release bears some responsibility to bring him to heel, if only because he was the last to possess any hierarchical authority over Heers.
DeleteHe wasn't given a general release. He was specifically released to the MP parishes in the USA, and the MP screwed it up.
Deletejckstraw72, perhaps the real reason Fr. Peter was never received by the MP was because he ultimately decided not to be received. There's indication that he changed his mind and requested to join ROCOR instead. In that case, this mess would entirely be Fr. Peter's fault. I'm beginning to think that's the case here.
DeleteHe was actually in the MP for some time, assigned to an MP parish in Arizona. He later sought to be transferred to ROCOR. That doesn't he backed out on being received by the MP.
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DeleteWhen Fr. Peter sought to be transferred to ROCOR, the MP indicated they still considered him clergy of the Church of Greece. So even though he may have been assigned to an MP parish, his reception was never actually approved.
DeleteIt's unclear whether this was because of the MP's procrastination, or rather of Fr. Peter ultimately deciding not to be received. Fr. Peter's request to be received into ROCOR suggests the later, but perhaps it's actually both.
By the way, what's the MP doing with a parish in Arizona? There's none such listed in the OCA's tomos of autocephaly.
The problem I have with Fr. Heers is that he allegedly advocates baptizing people who have already been received into the church by another method. I agree that heterodox coming into the church ought to be received through baptism. I don't believe that baptism of the heterodox is a true baptism. But I refuse to believe that Fr. Seraphim Rose isn't a Saint just because he was received through chrismation. And St. John of San Francisco blessed him to be received this way. That is good enough for me.
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ReplyDeletei thought seraphim rose was a heritec as was archbishop lazar,, all about toll houses
ReplyDeleteI've always respected Fr. Peter, even if at times I thought some of his views were excessively rigorist. So I find the report that he is de facto a vagante, very disheartening. He needs to get right with the Church for his sake and also those who look to him for guidance on important subjects.
ReplyDelete@jckstraw72 :How could Heers have been assigned to an MP parish in Arizona? The MP does not have even one parish in Arizona. Here is a list of all their parishes in Arizona: https://mospatusa.com/parishdirectory
ReplyDeleteI think it was the 2021-2022 school year when I was looking up Orthodox K-12 private schools (online/in person) and happened upon one in that growth corridor between Phoenix and Tucson that just happened to have Heers as its dean, or headmaster, or something. I was surprised, because he did not and does not strike me as the kind of man who would be successful with educating small children - too much of a dialectical and metaphysical thinker and controversialist. Perhaps this school has it's roots in an MP effort in the area? Can't seem to find it on the internet at the moment...
DeleteNo the Moscow Patriarchate is not into that sort of thing. Have you visited any of their parishes - mostly post 1991 (fall of communism) Russian immigrants. You can see Heers' CV posted online here:
Deletechrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://hts.edu/files/Faculty-CVs/Fr-Peter-Heers-CV---Biographical-Info---2018.pdf
In it he claims to be "Attached to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY." But that is not true - he taught one or 2 online courses for the seminary and gave a talk on occasion. There is no record at all that he was ever received by the ROCOR which like the MP keeps very good records and minutes of meetings.
Does the release from the Church of Greece hold if it wasn't accepted by the MP? I thought a release was only effective once accepted
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