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NEW HOPE OFFERED BY THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
Hellenic News of America, PA
Sept 3 2007
Orthodox Christian Laity, the US Orthodox Renewal Group, continues to
be a faithful gift to the Church. Now, some 20 years after its birth
in Chicago, it grows gracefully, increasingly touching the spirits of
Orthodox in trying times. The good news is that the Orthodox renewal
movement is alive across the land.
Witness the resolution on Orthodox Christian Unity passed by the
General Assembly of the 48th Archdiocesan Convention at Montreal,
Canada, which "calls upon all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions to meet
and take practical, concrete, ecclesial steps to achieve administrative
unity. Such a meeting may be called within the next six months." This
is indeed positive news.
Need a lift? I recommend every Orthodox join the ranks of Orthodox
Christian Laity and attend its annual meeting in Chicago, November 3-4,
2007. If you haven?t had the experience on an OCL annual meeting, you
are short changing yourself. Like a pilgrim traveling to the Holy Land,
every adult Orthodox should at least be enriched by the intellectual,
emotional and spiritual lift that comes from fellowship with other
hope-filled, renewal-minded Orthodox.
By coming together, we are reminded that we are not alone. Nor are we
delusional for staying in the ranks to advocate reform. We certainly
acknowledge that the church has a long way to go, but we have learned
that we are the Church and there is nowhere else to go.
One cannot hear speakers like Father Peter Gillquist on crucial steps
to Orthodox Unity without feeling spiritually inspired. Or Professor
Terry Mattingly, who stirs one?s soul, with his lively expression
of the Orthodox faith. Other renown speakers through the years have
included Archbishop Lazar, Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern
America, Serbian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nathanial, Primate of
the Romanian Episcopate of America, Father Alexander Abramov of the
Moscow Patriarchate in the USA, John Erickson and Vigen Guroian. We
also are privileged to hear prominent layman and women like Professor
Elizabeth Prodromou, Peter Muruda, sub deacon Robert Miclean and US
diplomat Andrew Natsios to name a few, whose presentations remain in
the minds and hearts of the faithful.
At an OCL meeting, one encounters hard assessments on accountability,
church administration, lack of transparent transactions, efforts
to unite the various Orthodox jurisdictions and the welfare of our
dedicated clergy. The organization has long sown the seeds for renewal
efforts. The question which causes deep concerns and anguish is how
distinguished and successful men and women of the Archdiocesan Council,
the leading governing body of our church, who are giants in business,
industry, science and the arts, who out of fear, embarrassment or
shame do not channel their rich talents in the proper management
and administration of the business affair of the Archdiocese. Yet,
in the conduct of their own business affairs would not under any
circumstances condone such practices. The answer is probably that
these wonderful, successful and charitable men and women have been
seduced by awards, dinners and appointments to a stage of spiritual
paralysis and fearful incapacity.
Recently you may have received a request for the Campaign for Children,
which included the statement that your support was sought for the
"very future of Greek American children (which) was at stake."
Here it is some four to five generations since our Greek ethnicity has
had a presence in the US and still our venerable GOA has no deference
to Romanian, Russian, Serbian, etc. descent children.
Please explain how Orthodoxy can continue to claim to be a universal
church when the Greek jurisdiction?s only message and concern is for
"Greek American" children. Do not non-Greek converts, children from
other Orthodox jurisdictions count, or measure up?
Metropolitan Philip recently in his address to the Antiochian
Archdiocese Convention in Montreal, Canada stated, "How can we not
condemn phyletism in the 21st century here in North America...it
is wrong to call the Church "Russian", or "Greek", or "Syrian", or
"Armenian" because the Church in essence transcends nationalism,
race or culture. Here in North America we have been hampered and
obstructed by a distorted Orthodox ecclesiology because of our ethnic
jurisdictions.
Reviewing the actions of our Orthodox hierarchy and the way it remains
frozen in patterns of Byzantine governance, are many educated and
spiritually aware laity, including members of the Orthodox Christian
Laity. The faithful at large tend to look on recent developments in
the church with sadness, despair, hurt and mercy and wonder when will
hierarchy, clergy and laity hold hands to fulfill the Apostalic mission
entrusted to our Church by Christ. Where is the leadership? Our earthly
mission can only be accomplished with the spirit of co-ministry. The
difference between Orthodox Christian Laity and many other Orthodox
is that the OCL Orthodox have not turned to dismissive ridicule. Is
it time our Orthodox bishops and Metropolitans finally learn something
about the Orthodox rank and file faithful?
Orthodox, like those who gather under the Orthodox Christian Laity
umbrella, always seem willing to take on new tasks in an effort to
break through the debilitating climate of fear and inaction that
grips the church.
Movement has already started in the Catholic Church, and deny if
you will, the era of Orthodox Greek Church domination in the US is
slowly disintegrating. What we are watching is a gradually decaying
and grieving process. But with death comes new life. A committed
Orthodox laity, including members of the Orthodox Christian Laity and
others who seek unity and are working to restore church credibility,
transparency and rebuild the Orthodox substance and image. Resisting
these initiatives only delays the resurrection process. This
movement, easily denied, is painfully difficult for some hierarchy
to accept. Many won?t yield, perhaps for years, if ever.
After 20 years, it appears to be nearing dawn as the OCL has faithfully
kept the night watch and deserves much gratitude.
As for our US clergy and religious of all Orthodox jurisdictions,
they should stand proud. They have helped to strengthen and develop
thousands of lay and clergy Orthodox leaders, who would not be in the
faith, were it not for the spiritual education and moral formation
they provided.
Stepping back some, we are witnessing the beginning of an era of a
slowly emerging new model of a healthy and far more inclusive and
vocal unified Orthodoxy; one where the lines of ethnic division are
gradually giving way to an accommodation, love and respect of all
our jurisdictional Orthodox brothers and sisters.
The sooner this process is nurtured and encouraged within all the
Orthodox jurisdictions, the faster our bishops and hierarchy will
acknowledge that our faith is built on sindiakonea- laity, clergy
and hierarchy- and as true collaborators, our church will be morally
healthier and spiritually nourished.
The Orthodox Christian Laity is an organization of parish based
Orthodox, across all jurisdictions, looking to the future and
deserving of your prayers and support.
Hellenic News of America, PA
Sept 3 2007
Orthodox Christian Laity, the US Orthodox Renewal Group, continues to
be a faithful gift to the Church. Now, some 20 years after its birth
in Chicago, it grows gracefully, increasingly touching the spirits of
Orthodox in trying times. The good news is that the Orthodox renewal
movement is alive across the land.
Witness the resolution on Orthodox Christian Unity passed by the
General Assembly of the 48th Archdiocesan Convention at Montreal,
Canada, which "calls upon all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions to meet
and take practical, concrete, ecclesial steps to achieve administrative
unity. Such a meeting may be called within the next six months." This
is indeed positive news.
Need a lift? I recommend every Orthodox join the ranks of Orthodox
Christian Laity and attend its annual meeting in Chicago, November 3-4,
2007. If you haven?t had the experience on an OCL annual meeting, you
are short changing yourself. Like a pilgrim traveling to the Holy Land,
every adult Orthodox should at least be enriched by the intellectual,
emotional and spiritual lift that comes from fellowship with other
hope-filled, renewal-minded Orthodox.
By coming together, we are reminded that we are not alone. Nor are we
delusional for staying in the ranks to advocate reform. We certainly
acknowledge that the church has a long way to go, but we have learned
that we are the Church and there is nowhere else to go.
One cannot hear speakers like Father Peter Gillquist on crucial steps
to Orthodox Unity without feeling spiritually inspired. Or Professor
Terry Mattingly, who stirs one?s soul, with his lively expression
of the Orthodox faith. Other renown speakers through the years have
included Archbishop Lazar, Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern
America, Serbian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nathanial, Primate of
the Romanian Episcopate of America, Father Alexander Abramov of the
Moscow Patriarchate in the USA, John Erickson and Vigen Guroian. We
also are privileged to hear prominent layman and women like Professor
Elizabeth Prodromou, Peter Muruda, sub deacon Robert Miclean and US
diplomat Andrew Natsios to name a few, whose presentations remain in
the minds and hearts of the faithful.
At an OCL meeting, one encounters hard assessments on accountability,
church administration, lack of transparent transactions, efforts
to unite the various Orthodox jurisdictions and the welfare of our
dedicated clergy. The organization has long sown the seeds for renewal
efforts. The question which causes deep concerns and anguish is how
distinguished and successful men and women of the Archdiocesan Council,
the leading governing body of our church, who are giants in business,
industry, science and the arts, who out of fear, embarrassment or
shame do not channel their rich talents in the proper management
and administration of the business affair of the Archdiocese. Yet,
in the conduct of their own business affairs would not under any
circumstances condone such practices. The answer is probably that
these wonderful, successful and charitable men and women have been
seduced by awards, dinners and appointments to a stage of spiritual
paralysis and fearful incapacity.
Recently you may have received a request for the Campaign for Children,
which included the statement that your support was sought for the
"very future of Greek American children (which) was at stake."
Here it is some four to five generations since our Greek ethnicity has
had a presence in the US and still our venerable GOA has no deference
to Romanian, Russian, Serbian, etc. descent children.
Please explain how Orthodoxy can continue to claim to be a universal
church when the Greek jurisdiction?s only message and concern is for
"Greek American" children. Do not non-Greek converts, children from
other Orthodox jurisdictions count, or measure up?
Metropolitan Philip recently in his address to the Antiochian
Archdiocese Convention in Montreal, Canada stated, "How can we not
condemn phyletism in the 21st century here in North America...it
is wrong to call the Church "Russian", or "Greek", or "Syrian", or
"Armenian" because the Church in essence transcends nationalism,
race or culture. Here in North America we have been hampered and
obstructed by a distorted Orthodox ecclesiology because of our ethnic
jurisdictions.
Reviewing the actions of our Orthodox hierarchy and the way it remains
frozen in patterns of Byzantine governance, are many educated and
spiritually aware laity, including members of the Orthodox Christian
Laity. The faithful at large tend to look on recent developments in
the church with sadness, despair, hurt and mercy and wonder when will
hierarchy, clergy and laity hold hands to fulfill the Apostalic mission
entrusted to our Church by Christ. Where is the leadership? Our earthly
mission can only be accomplished with the spirit of co-ministry. The
difference between Orthodox Christian Laity and many other Orthodox
is that the OCL Orthodox have not turned to dismissive ridicule. Is
it time our Orthodox bishops and Metropolitans finally learn something
about the Orthodox rank and file faithful?
Orthodox, like those who gather under the Orthodox Christian Laity
umbrella, always seem willing to take on new tasks in an effort to
break through the debilitating climate of fear and inaction that
grips the church.
Movement has already started in the Catholic Church, and deny if
you will, the era of Orthodox Greek Church domination in the US is
slowly disintegrating. What we are watching is a gradually decaying
and grieving process. But with death comes new life. A committed
Orthodox laity, including members of the Orthodox Christian Laity and
others who seek unity and are working to restore church credibility,
transparency and rebuild the Orthodox substance and image. Resisting
these initiatives only delays the resurrection process. This
movement, easily denied, is painfully difficult for some hierarchy
to accept. Many won?t yield, perhaps for years, if ever.
After 20 years, it appears to be nearing dawn as the OCL has faithfully
kept the night watch and deserves much gratitude.
As for our US clergy and religious of all Orthodox jurisdictions,
they should stand proud. They have helped to strengthen and develop
thousands of lay and clergy Orthodox leaders, who would not be in the
faith, were it not for the spiritual education and moral formation
they provided.
Stepping back some, we are witnessing the beginning of an era of a
slowly emerging new model of a healthy and far more inclusive and
vocal unified Orthodoxy; one where the lines of ethnic division are
gradually giving way to an accommodation, love and respect of all
our jurisdictional Orthodox brothers and sisters.
The sooner this process is nurtured and encouraged within all the
Orthodox jurisdictions, the faster our bishops and hierarchy will
acknowledge that our faith is built on sindiakonea- laity, clergy
and hierarchy- and as true collaborators, our church will be morally
healthier and spiritually nourished.
The Orthodox Christian Laity is an organization of parish based
Orthodox, across all jurisdictions, looking to the future and
deserving of your prayers and support.