Nick, you forgot to mention that acquiring a taste for Turkish shoe leather is also a prequisite for being a Leader of the Universal Patriarchate.

Andrew: None.

The current organization of the Church is indefensible. It neuters every witness we might otherwise make, regardless of jurisdiction. The sooner we repudiate it and abandon it, the better off we will be. It is a relic of the Roman Empire. It fosters and protects all manner of corruption, complacency and concupisence. Genuine ecclesial hierachy founded on the Gospels and the sacarmental life is encrusted with Machievellian machinations motived by lust and greed.

Unless the bishops start acting like bishops instead of satraps or commisars the official church will crash and burn with a whining whimper leaving a whole lot of decimated people in its wake.

+Basil of Wichita is authentic because he wants to be AND, he is one of the few actually consecrated and enthroned in the parish he serves. It is not co-incidence, IMO, that his Cathedral is in the center of the country–Wichita, KS. He takes care of his priests, the misson parishes in his diocese (or what ever its called these days). Our parish is liberal in support of a number of local agencies as well as sponsoring as many of our own such as The Treehouse which counsels and supports women who might otherwise have abortions. We are in the process of establishing a monastary and an Orthodox Classical K-12 school. We support missions abroad and have a number of on-going catecheical endeavors for both adults (inquirers and Orthodox alike). We have excellent attendance at Sunday Divine Liturgy and have daily vespers (some what less well attended). We are somewhat slothful in our practice of confession but it is readily available either before Saturday Vespers or by appointment throughout the week.

Apart from the antimensis (sp) we don’t need anything from the Archdiocese.

Great article. Here is something to consider, if defending the EP does not mean defending Christianity in the public square, if preserving the EP does not mean preserving Christianity in a hostile culture, if the ministry of the EP does not mean evangelizing and spreading the Gospel and fighting for the truth of the Gospel then anything the EP touches will ultimately be a failure. This includes all these episcopal assemblies across the world.

If the European union can ratchet up the pressure and make itself hostile to Christians then what good are all the EP’s effort to get Turkey in the European Union or to get Halki open. What good is the opening of the Halki Seminary if it is completely neutered of a prophetic Christian witness.

they have recently done something that is disturbing to the Greeks in America, the Greeks in Greece and the Greeks in Cyprus

They have seriously hurt themselves; it is a self-destructive process because people are not that foolish. It is a long process though ….

From the EP website, an Archon is described as: “The fundamental goal of the Order of St. Andrew is directed at an ongoing concern for religious freedom and the defense and advancement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate”.

From the bylaws of the Archons, the qualifications are:

“(a) He is a citizen and permanent resident of the United States.

“(b) He is a practicing and devout Orthodox Christian and a member in good standing of his local Church.

“(c) He has demonstrated love, devotion and support to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its institutions.

“(d) By his deeds and record, he has demonstrated support, devotion and sustained service to his local parish.

“(e) He has never been convicted of any crime and enjoys the unqualified respect and high regard of his fellow parishioners.

“(f) He has demonstrated leadership qualities and achieved success in his chosen field of endeavor.

“(g) At all times he has comported himself with a high degree of dignity and in a manner consistent with the mission of the Order and the purposes and objectives contained in these By-Laws.

“(h) Following his investiture, he shall become a vibrant and enthusiastic member of the Order, who will respond in a positive way to the appeals of his Regional Commander and of the National Council.

“(i) Generally, his investiture will be a credit to the Order and a positive influence in the accomplishment of the Order’s purposes and objectives.”

(Article IX, Section 3 of the By Laws of the Order of St. Andrew )

They list only one project in which they are involved, as follows:

“Religious Freedom Project for the Ecumenical Patriarchate

The Order of St. Andrew has launched a major Religious Freedom Initiative in an attempt to safeguard the future of the Ecumenical Patriarchate whose existence is threatened by the persecutory policies of the government of Turkey. A major component of this initiative is mobilizing the Orthodox Churches in the United States to ask their respective United States Senators to sign a letter to President Bush which articulates the crisis in religious freedom the Ecumenical Patriarchate faces, which if continues threatens the survival of this nearly 2000 year old institution founded by the First Called Apostle of Christ, Andrew, the brother of Peter.”

There is no mention of the defense of Christianity in general, Orthodoxy in general or in particular, or Orthodox persecuted in places other than under the EP’s jurisdiction in Turkey.

In fact, in order to promote the interests of the EP, they have recently done something that is disturbing to the Greeks in America, the Greeks in Greece and the Greeks in Cyprus. Check this out: http://www.greeknewsonline.com/?p=14076

Andrew: There is a distinction. One is a community. The other is a cult of personality.

Strange you can defend the EP and NOT defend Christianity. Both should be the same.