Comments on: Archbishop Demetrios’ Encyclical on the Fourth of July

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:58:27 +0000

Amen, Andrew, amen. I often think that the GOA HQ is reading this and other Orthodox blogs and that they tailor their attitudes accordingly. That’s probably delusional on my part. Regardless, what Arb +Demetrius said is correct. Long overdue, but better late than never. Let’s hope that the secularists-elitists among the lay leadership continue to see their influence marginalized. We’ll know if we see more and more encyclicals like this.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:29:27 +0000

CORRECTION

I hold out some hope that our children will ~~not~~ inherit an American Orthodox Church.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:27:54 +0000

In our celebration of Independence Day, may we take a moment to reflect upon the meaning of our citizenship and our belonging as an American people, and as members of the Kingdom of God, affirming that compassion for and assistance to others is essential to both. "Our belonging as an American people"...... see that! Afer all the ugly bufoonery and idiocy the omogenia before Orthodoxy crowd has spewed we can -for at least one day- smile that underneath the heaps of Garbage in the GOA someone gets it for at least a moment. George, I hear you and agree with you 100% but even in my worst bouts of brutal pessimism and sarcasm I hold out some hope that our children will not inherit an American Orthodox Church.

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:31:01 +0000

The call to respond to the need of our neighbor is central to the Gospel of Christ. Abp. Demetrios exhorts us not only to remember this charge but also to fulfill it. It encourages me to practice it more. There is also an implicit gratitude that we have the freedom to fulfill the charge that I really appreciate, and that also compels me to work with the good we have been given to lighten the heavy loads that others may carry. I agree with you Andrew. There is some real good here.

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:24:09 +0000

Andrew, the “homogeneia before Orthodoxy crowd” has held the entire GOA hostage for almost 80 years now. Even a stalwart bishop like +Iakovos who was very much his own man, made his life miserable almost from the get-go. In the end, they won.

I agree with your analysis of +Demetrius’ encyclical. It was spot on. Unfortunately, like +Philip, he’s almost a non-entity. It’s just platitudes as far as the GOA is concerned. To be honest, the GOA HQ is almost non-existent as far as the majority of the parishioners are concerned. I remember when people used to hang on every one of +Iakovos’s words. Then when +Spyridon took over, it was non-stop controversy. Under +Demetrius, things seem to run on inertia, which is not necessarily a bad thing after two tumultuous back-to-back pastorates.

People ultimately will miss dynamism. That’s why +Jonah seems to be the center of attention.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:39:25 +0000

I am always happy when the 4th of July Encyclical comes out. Its one the few times the GOA focuses on America. The tone of the letter and its vision is always very different compared the omogenia junk.

My thought is the omogenia before Orthodoxy crowd does not get involved in writing or vetting this encyclical because they do not care so in the end it does not have the garbage we usually see.

Too bad this cannot be the norm everyday. The glimmer of clear thinking in this encyclical and past encyclicals are often signs of hope.

Sometimes you cannot help but think that the omogenia before Orthodoxy crowd is holding Archbishop Demetrios Hostage. If he was free to lead we might see some wonderful things.