I agree that the buck stops with the bishops and have said so many times. That they will not authorize excommunication of those who publicly support pro-choice policies is an utter scandal and indefensible.

As to Michael’s point about whether the laity care about excommunication: Paradoxically, I think in many Greek parishes (like mine) they would care. The reason is that communion is seen as a sort of right. People can enter the church 15 minutes before communion and receive not having confessed in years, if ever. GOARCH has encouraged frequent communion without demanding some type of confession discipline. Thus, most expect to receive each Sunday. To be refused would actually have an impact in that circumstance. Not that this will actually occur.

The real problem is that the bishops are either unconcerned themselves or that they fear the wrath of almighty Mammon. What they do not consider, apparently, is the condemnation that the “faithful” incur by approaching the mysteries lightly.

Excommunication then, doesn’t work as threat because a person fears excommunication as such. It works because the person is challenged by an authority greater than he can claim for himself. Patrick Kennedy was upset when the Catholic Bishop threatened him with excommunication because in Kennedy’s mind, who was the Bishop to tell him how he should believe? In fact, the Bishop was telling him the content of Catholic teaching. If Kennedy did not want to accept it, he could always have become, say, an Episcopalian or Unitarian.

Our Orthodox Church, especially the GOA, is very quick to compromise with the powerful on the moral issues that need the most clarity. It is one reason why there is such moral confusion in places.

To have excommunication work, one has to believer already that one is in communion with God Himself and that one’s salvation is at stake. How many of those who publically support abortion really believe that.

The truth is that many Orthodox Christians do not believe that the Church is serious in its opposition to abortion – – and they are right. They don’t take the Church seriously because the Church leadership doesn’t take it’s own statements seriously and simply doesn’t believe – – though they claim to – – that abortion is the killing of an unborn child. If they did, they would be much more adamant on the subject, not just talking and “marching” but refusing to treat an abortion advocate as something other than a moral outcaste (unless and until they were to repent, of course). The fact that the hierarchy lacks the courage or will to do this is very telling. It sends a clear message that there are no consequences and thus this is a safe area in which to publicly dissent from the Church’s teaching. The Church’s message regarding abortion is coming through loud and clear to politicians and other abortion advocates. It’s just the wrong message.

To have any serious affect on the situation, you have to send a different message.