Thank you for this. It is my love and concern for the EP that inspired in me greater thought and yes prayerful meditation on the American Experiment and especially our valuing of freedom of religion and association. The contribution of the Church in America to the whole Church is, I think, our theological and practical defense of the freedom of conscience and assembly as the norm for Caesar–where he may live and whatever language he speaks.

To do this, however, our Church here in America needs to be robust, firmly rooted in Holy Tradition, and present a winsome (in the best sense) Evangelical witness both to America and frankly for America. The recent scandals, the petty (and not so petty) nonsense of the past few years undermines all that we could do and do easily.

As a thought experiment, what if we were to simply table administrative unity here in America and devote our considerable financial and human resources to this witness. We have started with OCMC and IOCC and now FOCUS North America–but we have largely left unexploited the intellectual riches of America. I think we worry more that we aren’t producing patristic scholars and leave untapped the rich technical, economic and legal resources that we have in the American Church that could be of assistance not only the EP but the Church in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia.

In Christ,

+FrG