Episcopal Assemby

Antiochian Archdiocese

Highlights:

Who can dissolve SCOBA except SCOBA itself?…I believe that some of our churches in the Old World are in “Diaspora.”…(N)o Primate of any jurisdiction should be excluded from the Executive Committee…The Mother Churches must realize that Orthodoxy in America is the best gift to the world…If we do not bury the burdens of the past between certain autocephalous churches, such burdens will bury us, and Orthodoxy in this country and throughout the world will become an insignificant dot on the margin of history.”

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“Your Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Brother Bishops:

Metropolitan Phillip

My opening remarks this morning are taken from the Vespers of Palm Sunday, “Today the Grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together.” How wonderful and pleasing to God for all of us to meet and discuss matters related to the life of our Church on this particular continent. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chairman of SCOBA for his hard work to make this gathering possible.

The literature which we received from Chambesy via the Greek Archdiocese of America, raises some important questions.

ONE, Despite the vitality and the dynamic nature of Orthodoxy in North America, no member of SCOBA, not even the chairman of SCOBA, was consulted about what was discussed in Geneva. We received rules from our brothers in Switzerland which we have nothing to do with. We have been on this continent for more than two hundred (200) years. We are no longer little children to have rules imposed on us from 5,000 miles away. Orthodoxy in America has its own ethos. We have our own theological institutions, and we have our own theologians, authors, publications and magazines. We do not intend to be disobedient to the Mother Churches; we just want to dialogue with them and give them the opportunity to know us and understand us. We have been here for a long, long time and we are very grateful to the Almighty God that in our theology and worship, we do express the fullness of the Holy Orthodox faith.

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By George E. Matsoukas, Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity

To all constant bloggers, ecclesiastical colonialists, ecclesiastical bureaucrats, enablers of foreign domination — i.e. journalists, lobbyists, and other special interest groups dedicated to keeping the church in disunity, disorder and dependent — I say: KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE that Christ’s Orthodox Christian Church would be free to become the Church in the Americas. 

The real heroes bringing integrity to the Chambesy process and meaning to the Episcopal Assembly are Archbishop Demetrios and His Beatitude Jonah.  Archbishop Demetrios is a man of prayer, who personifies the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.  He is wise and worthy to convene the Assembly of Bishops.  

So too is His Beatitude Jonah, who was born and nurtured in America and not a prisoner of Old World History and the Roman Empire, and free of foreign domination.  He is an example of the servant Bishop and through humility brought the bishops of the OCA to the discussion as canonical bishops. 

Archbishop Demetrios and His Beatitude Jonah, by their example of love by giving something up for the greater good, have made the assembly representative of the Bishops of America so that the first steps can be taken to develop the blueprint for a unified multicultural Orthodox Church in the Americas. 

We must remember whatever is decided must be accepted by the People of God who so far are not part of the process which is just beginning.  Renewal of the Church is the work of all the People of God especially in our pluralistic world that is free of kings and emperors.  

So for all of this to come together we must pray together that the Holy Spirit fills the meeting rooms of the bishops with the Light  so that the integrity of the Chambesy process is revealed to all of the People of God.  If there is no integrity in the process of developing the blueprint the  consequences will be far reaching and far lasting.  

George E. Matsoukas