Perhaps we should just trust in the Holy Spirit. If the upcoming Episcopal Assembly is nothing but SCOBA: The Next Generation, then like SCOBA, it will fade away. In the meantime, the fact that we belong to The Church should provide us with the necessary grace required for our salvation.

Then we are not ready for Orthodoxy, or God.

Divide and conquer is tried and true. The idea that we have to first have perfect jurisdictions and then unite flies in the face of history. There has not been a perfect Church in 2000 years. What makes one think North America will be the first? Why shold it be the first before it at least has the principle, like the 14 other Churches, of ecclesiastical unity? I don’t recall Fathers laying any canon that the diocese must be perfect before it has only one bishop.

Ready or not, we should make it come.

We are not talking about Anglican “unity,” but the same unity any other Orthodox Church has. If we are in communion with bishops who aren’t preaching and living the Gospel, then that has to be dealt with. But going into seclusion, jurisdiction jumping etc. isn’t dealing with it.

So it will be be little Orthodoxy and a lot of politics. Well, welcome to the Church. Ever read the accounts of what went on at the Ecumenical Councils, besides the finished product?

Fr Seraphim, I find your words quite apropos. Forcing unity for the sake of unity and not for love (and Orthopraxy) would be disastrous in my opinion. Forgive this analogy, but it would be somewhat like what has happened within Anglicanism. In their effort to prevent disunion at all costs, they have accepted any theology and praxis so long as the bishops in question remain within the Anglican Communion.

I’ve asked this question before: how can we be united with bishops who don’t share the same moral purpose, adherence to canons, praxis, etc.? As a Christian who is concerned about the sanctity of life, I have much more in common with local clergymen of my acquaintance who have suffered personally and professionally for their Christian witness in this matter. I know I’m pushing the envelope of what constitutes the boundaries of Christianity but doesn’t correct teaching and action lie within it? Or asked a different way, which brother is doing his Father’s will? The one who refused to heed and then did what his Father said or the one who listened but for whatever reason did not do his Father’s will?

I am uncomfortable, however, with supporting “Orthodox unity” in America. I am ready to be friends with anyone, and serve readily with other clergy in Dallas, but I think “unity” at this point would be an organizational mess, with little Orthodoxy, and a lot of politics. I personally think that with all the (un-Orthodox) noise the EP is making and the rife corruption and secularism in many areas in Orthodoxy in the Americas, we are not ready for “unity”.

In God’s time. It took a long time, longer than I thought it should, for ROCOR and the MP to reconcile. Things happen, in time.

Forcing unity when we need more Orthodoxy in practice and morality and faith first is a bad idea, in my opinion, which I readily accept is not shared by some of my brethren. I hope that some hierarchs will stop trying to be “top dog” and lead their flocks to more of a Christian life – then we will be ready for unity.

I do not believe that the Divine Liuturgy is a time for politics, or talking about Orthodox unity, etc. There is so little time to teach our people the Gospel, and many homes in our parishes have dusty bibles. We cannot have Orthodox unity unless our people are Orthodox, and we pastors must inculcate this knowledge and zeal and ability in them. I believe it is my sacred duty to expound about the Gospel, primarily from the Holy Scripture, and tell my people the truth, and inspire them to follow it, and give them “tools” to follow it.

Your sermon is good as a talk or discussion. I was edified by its content, however, I do not believe that the time it took away from preaching the gospel from the scriptures is a good trade.

In Christ,
Priest Seraphim Holland
St Nicholas, McKinney Texas
Redeeming the Time Blog – http://www.orthodox.net/redeemingthetime

AFR is calling.