Orthodox Unity

Get info on the OCL Conference here: www.ocl.org/roadtounity

Contact: George Matsoukas, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Laity, 877-585-0245, ocladmin@ocl.org

LIGONIER, Penn., Sept. 11 /Christian Newswire/ — Orthodox Christianity in America stands at the threshold of a new era of renewal. As the ancient faith lays down new and dynamic roots in America, new and indigenous leadership is emerging as the Church engages American culture. Meeting in Ligonier, Pennsylvania on October 20-31, 2009 for “The Road to Unity: From Vision to Action” conference, leaders and participants will develop ideas on how the American Orthodox Church can achieve unity in America.

The meeting takes on greater significance as world church leaders challenge the American Orthodox jurisdictions to work together to present a nuts and bolts plan for a unified North American Church. The process toward unity was established at the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference of Orthodox Patriarchates in Chambesy, Switzerland, June 2009, and will be guided by an Episcopal Assembly that is inclusive of all canonical jurisdictions, chaired by Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Newly-elected Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, will present the keynote address. His unique vision for establishing Orthodox unity in America has stimulated much discussion in national Orthodox circles. Other hierarchs joining him include: Archbishop Nathaniel, Ruling Hierarch of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America; Bishop Thomas, Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic, Bishop Melchisedek, Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western PA and others (confirmation pending).

“Orthodox unification in America is more than an administrative project – it is a spiritual imperative,” said George Matsoukas, Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) that is sponsoring the conference. “If we don’t unify, we risk losing our faith and the opportunity to share it with our fellow Americans who are seeking the roots of Christianity.” Continue reading →

Watch and listen as American Orthodox metropolitans and bishops make a case for administrative unity — 15 years ago. The Ligonier Meeting was a gathering of twenty-eight or twenty-nine Orthodox Christian hierarchs in North America, specifically those affiliated with SCOBA, held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 1994, at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pa.

In Part 3, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios says: “There’s no question that we all want to be one administratively, and share not only a theological union that we have … but we want to be united administratively. I like to think it can be done soon. I’m not saying in a month or two or three or a year. But I hope that it doesn’t take 50 years to accomplish. It will certainly take some time.”

Antiochian Metropolitan Philip issues an appeal to the Mother Churches to include the American churches in “overseas” Pan-Orthodox synods. “We pray that the mother churches will realize soon that we are no longer little children and that the preparatory commission of the Great Synod will stop discussing the diaspora, quote unquote, in absentia,” he said.

In Part 4, Archbishop Dimitri, of the Orthodox Church in America, says that, “Our perception is that it’s an immediate need. Whether the response to that perception is going to be the same or not, is hard to say. I think at least some of the churches like Constantinople and Antioch are very conscious of our concerns here and perhaps they’ll respond. If those two churches, for example, take the lead, I believe the other churches would follow.”