Ecumenical News International / 30 April 2010 By Jonathan Luxmoore

Metropolitan Hilarion

Warsaw, 30 April (ENI)–A leader in the Russian Orthodox Church has insisted his church has no wish to be an official State denomination and will never side with any single political force.

“The threat that the church will be used by government doesn’t exist today,” said Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, chairperson of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, Russia’s Interfax news agency has reported.

“Far from giving precedence to any political party or political power, the Russian church upholds the principle of equidistance. It cannot interfere in politics, support one party against another or identify itself with any political power,” said Hilarion, speaking at a Moscow meeting with young Orthodox Christians, on 21 April.

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From the GOA Press Office. Note the last paragraph:

Upon his arrival in New York yesterday, Archbishop Demetrios was informed about some false reports in the Media referring to information of a supposed resignation. His Eminence stated categorically that the reports were baseless and patently false. The Archbishop further added that there is no discussion about any resignation whatsoever. He said that he is looking forward in the coming years to the continuation of the sacred and vital mission and work of the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with the same faith, zeal, methodical planning and love, especially in view of the difficulties confronting our contemporary world.

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Contact: PRESS OFFICE
Stavros Papagermanos
pressoffice@goarch.org

NEW YORK – Archbishop Demetrios of America made a five-day trip to Constantinople and Athens. He arrived in Phanar on Friday, April 23 – the feast of the St. George the Trophybearer – in order for his visit to coincide with the visit of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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HT: St. Andrew House Orthodox Discussion Forum

Theodore Kalmoukos

His Emminence Abp. Demetrios blessing a congregation

BOSTON- At 83 years old and beleaguered by a raft of questions about his ability to keep leading, Archbishop Demetrios may leave his position at the Archbishopric Throne of America, it emerged after intense discussions at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, where he traveled unannounced, as well as among prominent Greek-American leaders who want him retained. The National Herald was unable to reach him at press time.

Those familiar with the issue attribute the possible development to his age the constant accumulation of various unresolved problems under his tenure recently.

Sources said it was believed at the Patriarchate that these questions have stagnated the ecclesial life of the Archdiocese of America. TNH also has learned that a group of prominent Greek Americans do not agree with the possibility of Archbishop Demetrios leaving his post and threatened to stop all financial and other support to the Ecumenical Patriarchate if he does not stay.

The speculation about a possible exodus were re-enforced after his meeting with Prime Minister George Papandreou and the Deputy Minister of State Demetris Droutsas in Athens on April 27. The Archbishop’s statement to The National Herald after the meeting that he discussed “issues that concern him” intensified even more the reports his departure is being arranged, especially after his visit to Constantinople.

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An earlier post on clergy sexual misconduct (read it here) generated a number of very good comments.  These comments also reveal fundamental misunderstandings about the nature of social scientific research.  Many of those who did offer an opinion conflated the empirical, social scientific research on homosexuality and clergy sexual misconduct with the moral analysis of these issues.  Methodologically people have confused correlation and causation.  While there is a correlation between homosexuality and sexual misconduct among Catholic clergy–that is the two variables occur together–we cannot say on empirical grounds that the former caused the latter.  (You can read more about the difference between correlation and causation here.)

Understanding methodology is important if we are to understand the what the research does, and does not, tell us about the problem of clergy sexual misconduct.  So assuming a right understanding of the research, how should the Orthodox Church respond to the growing awareness of the harm caused by clergy sexual misconduct?  I’m not interested here in canonical discipline or the policing of misconduct.  Policing  is important but is largely reactive and rarely sufficient to undo the harm that has been done.  So my concern here is to help readers understand clergy sexual misconduct and offer some strategies to lower its likelihood.  In what follows, I’ll first sketch out a brief overview of the research into the problem and then  offer some practical, if hard and no doubt unpopular, suggestions. Continue reading →

Source: Iglesia Catholica Apostilica Orthodoxa De Antioquia

Use Google translator above.

Asamblea Episcopal de Iglesias Ortodoxas en L.A.

Los días del 16 al 18 de abril marcarán la historia de la Iglesia Ortodoxa en Sudamérica, por la realización de la “Primera Asamblea Episcopal de las Iglesias Ortodoxas en Sudamérica” en la sede del Arzobispado Antioqueno de San Pablo (Brasil); anfitrión de la misma estuvo S.E.R. Monseñor Damaskinos. Participaron de dicha reunión los obispos de todas las Iglesias Ortodoxas (Patriarcado de Constantinopla, Patriarcado de Antioquía, Patriarcado de Moscú, Patriarcado de Rumania), contando con la presencia de 10 jerarcas, faltando únicamente el obispo del Patriarcado de Serbia, por su participación en la reunión del Santo Sínodo Serbio.
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