sanctity of life

Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit discusses Michigan’s severe economic decline — caused by the state’s close ties to the auto industry — and its effect on the state’s parishes in an interview with the Greek-American newspaper National Herald (available on the Orthodox Christian News site with free registration).

To tell you the truth, our people have been affected in some ways, but not as strongly as some other communities because the majority of our people our educated people. There are scientists working for the auto companies and also people working in the lines, but many of those people have retired so either they received a buyout or pension. Most of the young people are working as doctors, lawyers, pharmacists.

Interviewer Theodore Kalmoukos also asked Metropolitan Nicholas about the direction of the Church in America. The Metropolitan answered:

I hope we are going to God’s kingdom, but in order to get there, we have to strongly proclaim the gospel message. There was a proposition in our ballot here to increase embryonic stem cell research and I, along with Roman Catholic leadership of this area and some other Churches took a stand. We did not think it was appropriate. It was interesting because it was one of the first times where we made a short statement for the clergy to read in the parishes of Michigan and we had a number of people that came and said thank you. We wanted a statement from our Church and we had a few people asking why the Church was talking about moral issues. If we are going to be effective in this community, then we have to engage the community more strongly. I think we have to be able to witness who we are and what we are and why we have something to offer, by offering the people the words come and see.

Michigan’s Proposal 2, which voters passed 53 percent to 47 percent in November, allows the use of human embryos for research permitted under federal law.

As for the parishioners who questioned Metropolitan Nicholas about the church “talking about moral issues,” a simple reply would be — Isn’t that what churches do?

The Human Life Foundation awarded its “Great Defender of Life” to Wesley J. Smith last month for his tireless work in defense of human life. I’ve admired Mr. Smith’s work for years, have read most of his books, and even reviewed one for Town Hall a few years back. His books are invaluable in keeping you informed about the relentless assault on human dignity waged behind closed doors in our culture. You are not informed about these issues unless you are familiar with his work.

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George C. Michalopulos has submitted the following in response to Harry Katopodis’ article on Orthodox Dominionists. Michalopulos is co-author, with Herb Ham, of “The American Orthodox Church — A History of its Beginnings” (Regina Orthodox Press).

Michalopulos:

It never ceases to amaze me how certain benighted and theologically inept individuals take upon themselves the task of speaking for Christ’s Church as it traverses on its voyage through history. One such individual fears that the so-called religious right has made inroads into the Orthodox Church in North America, and that it is only because of noble souls such as himself that tolerance can only be found in one remaining bastion, i.e. the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

And of what is Katapodis afraid? In no particular order: converts, “theocons,” non-GOAA bishops, and the rising tide of pro-lifers within American Orthodoxy.

The ridiculousness does not end there. In order to buttress this foolish argument, Katapodis creates a straw man –the dreaded “Dominionist theologian.” This phantom has under guise of conversion to Orthodoxy taken over the Antiochian Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America. Instead of what actually happened –sincere converts of all political ideologies embracing the Ark of Salvation—he sees instead a nefarious descent along a rightward political path.
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