He’s swamped with work. He checks in but does not have much time to write.

Christopher, I hear your concerns, but I can’t equate the Holy Synod speaking on a moral issue in and of itself and membership in the WCC/NCC (which may or may not speak to moral issues. Hey, who are we kidding: not ever speaking to moral issues, just leftist clap-trap.) Anyway, Orthodoxy’s membership w/in the NCC/WCC is another issue entirely. I’m just glad that +Jonah and the American bishops did speak out for another local church, one that has no formal ties with it.

thank you Fr.

As far “in” and “of”, your preaching to the choir. Perhaps you should direct your counsel to your own parish/bishop/Church, for as know you do go by the title “Orthodox Church in America”.

Finally, concern for other local church’s (or any other virtue) is always within the larger context of the all the rest of the virtues. Your proof texting here. Two problems with American bishops spending what little time they have with congressional leaders on the EP, Kosovo, and the Copts:

1) Our own culture and context (our own house) comes first. Plenty to talk about (abortion, religious freedom vs. “multiculturalism”, etc.). Now perhaps you know something I don’t and the concerns of America’s local church’s were discussed (and to a greater extent) than local church’s and historical anachronisms in other lands, but press release you quoted does not indicate that.

2) political pressure from the state department on Egypt’s government is next to worthless. Indeed, it’s as likely to give Egypt’s repressive oligarchy yet another excuse to ride roughshod over there own people (Copt’s and Muslims both). It is naïve at best to project our western concern for “human rights” on to these sorts of governments. If one is really interested in helping the Copts, then address the root and cause. What is the religious, cultural, and political contest of their life? What can be done practically (as opposed to idealistically) from our position? I would support an organization that would help the Copts in their real life and situation. If our bishops would do something in this direction (which would not involve congressional leaders or any other governmental action) I would be there. The bishops actions here were sentimental at best…

Christopher,

Thank you for your comment.

Forgive me but you are mistaken about my motivation for this post. I wrote it for the reason I stated, as a thought experiment.

Regarding the comments in your last paragraph, first, the Church is OF Christ and will never, and must never, be OF America, even as we are to be IN the world but not OF the world.

Second, the EP is not an anachronism even if its role in the universal Church is unclear.

Third, we must be concerned for other local Churches. The Apostle Paul is clear, a local Church has a responsibility to and for the needs of other local Churches. This is why, in 2 Cor 8, he commends the Church in Macedonia for it generosity for the Church in Jerusalem. If we are to be faithful to the apostolic example we can do no less than to be concerned for the needs of the EP.

Finally, if you do not wish to advocate on behalf of the EP (and presumably the Coptic Church as well, they not even being Orthodox), you are certainly free to not do so.

In Christ,

+FrG

Greg,

The EP & the DL working together on behalf of religious minorities? A great pairing for sure!

In Christ,

+FrG

George,

Thanks for the observations above. A couple of quick points.

(1) Yes, it is unfortunate that the EP has tied concern for the environment (a good thing) to global warming which, at a minimum, seems based on rather shaky scientific research. While we can, and should, use science to illustrate and explain the faith, we need to be careful about basing our arguments solely on scientific data which, by their nature, are provisional and subject to revision.

(2) Granted that a pro-life message would not have been well received by many in Congress but I think the EP would do well to speak directly (or at all) against abortion. His failure to do so is troubling to me and I think to many.

(3)The EP speaking on behalf of persecuted religious minorities, using his own situation as an illustration, would be a good thing and a powerful witness.

Finally, I do not think your comments verbose and concur that our witness would be more effective if we spoke with one voice.

In Christ,

+FrG

Fr Peter,

Thank you for your comment.

If I’m not mistaken, SCOBA had (has?) an office in DC with the express purpose of bring issues important to the Orthodox Church to the attention of Congress. In other words, a lobbyist. Does anyone know what happened to it?

Your broader point about learning to engage the political arena is spot on–it’s why I contribute to AOI and one or two others. At the risk of inciting controversy, what areas and on whose behalf do you think we ought to speak?

In Christ

FrG

I certainly don’t see this sort of “sectarian” stubbornness in the American Church. I think “thought experiment” is actually where this thinking belongs, because as the history of the NCC/WCC, and the more recent history of the EP’s involvement with the environmental alarmists demonstrates, reality has a way of being much more nuanced and complicated than a “thought experiment”.

Also, as an Orthodox Christian in a “post-Protestant” culture we are already well practiced at discussing, persuading, and otherwise cooperating with “the other”. Every time I have a significant discussion with a person I work with, the guys at the neighborhood poker game last night – does not matter I am almost never talking with another traditional Christian, let alone an Orthodox one. Perhaps Fr. Gregory would be kind enough to identify the inward looking sectarians he is worried about.

Finally, as an American Orthodox Christian and not a Turkish one, I would hope that the Bishops would address the concerns of America first and foremost. Plenty there to discuss with congressional leaders. The EP is an anachronism. As long as our bishops are taking time to deal with that dead letter we will continue to be a foreign church in America, and not Of America. I want my little girl to grow up in a Church that is focused on the opportunities and temptations of her life – NOT the EP’s…

the message of religious persecution would have resonated well I believe. At this point, the EP could have rightly used his own precarious position as a reference point and thus, his moral authority would have compounded immensely. This would have been a message that could have united both the Left as well as the Right into action.

I just had a thought. What if the EP worked regularly with the Dalai Lama on behalf of all oppressed religious minorities?

To be honest, until I became interested in Orthodoxy, I never gave the EP a second thought. And, even if it’s not true, I always identify the DL with Tibet rather than any larger “world peace” type issues.

BUT…

If these two came together, wow! Think of the possibilities. To begin with, how could you pigeon-hole them? An Orthodox Christian and a Tibetan Buddhist! Are they conservative? Are they liberal? Maybe folks would stop trying to label the issue, and just listen to (and act on) the concerns.

Permit me to explain. Recently, the EP did exactly what you suggested, proclaim a message to the broader community and not for our own, or from our own narrow Orthodox perspective. His message was expansive and tolerant. To his credit, he rarely mentioned Orthodoxy and as such was a message for all humanity. It was a great example of what can and should be done by Orthodox bishops. Unfortunately, it was done in service of a great fraud –anthropogenic global warming–a scheme which was riddled with pseudo-science from the get-go. (Both he and the GOA hierachy had been warned several times on this blog by courageous pastors that this would all end in tears.)

How much more wonderful would it have been if instead the EP had spoken up for the sanctity of life, or religious minorities throughout the world? I mean not just Orthodox, but Tibetans, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, and yes, Jews. (Let’s be honest, the “60 Minutes” interview was self-serving: is he the only religious man being “crucified”? Right now Sudanese Christians are literally being crucified by Muslim slavers.)

I’m fully aware that the Sanctity of Life message would have gone over like a lead balloon given the present extremist makeup of the Congress and the Administration. OK, ditch that. Instead, the message of religious persecution would have resonated well I believe. At this point, the EP could have rightly used his own precarious position as a reference point and thus, his moral authority would have compounded immensely. This would have been a message that could have united both the Left as well as the Right into action.

Forgive the verbosity of my counter experiment. I totally agree with your thesis. The meeting of the Holy Synod of the OCA with Congressmen to discuss things that are not within the narrow interest of the OCA is a Christian act in and of itself. If I may add one more thing: our ability to speak to the broader audience with no ulterior motive would be more believable if 1) we were united, 2) we acted as an American church, and 3) we established institutions such as hospitals and universities for the broader public. (I know our numbers are meager, how about if we start with soup kitchens, free medical clinics, and thrift stores/food pantries)?

I like your line of thinking and welcome the fact that the bishops met with leaders of Congress. I have been saying we need to be involved on this level for a long time now. +Jonah mentioned at the conference a few months back that a unified American Orthodox Church would be able to speak with a much louder voice on these issues. And you are correct that we need to speak the truth in love. We need to engage the political arena and be comfortable speaking in that area.

My belief is we as the church are called to speak on behalf of all people not just those who are Orthodox. We need to make this world a better place for all people not just for Orthodox. I think we have been silent far too long adn this is a great start.