.png "English"){kind=small}
Orthodox leaders are finalizing measures to facilitate
cooperation between their churches among diaspora and expatriate
communities, after long disputes over territorial rivalry and
jurisdictional competition.
"It is the common will of all the most holy Orthodox churches that
the problem of the Orthodox diaspora be resolved as quickly as possible,
in accordance with Orthodox ecclesiology and canonical tradition,"
noted a joint declaration. "While a canonical solution is prepared,
episcopal assemblies of all canonically recognized bishops in each
region should be created or founded in each of the regions."
The declaration, set to be agreed on June 23, is one of six key
drafts before the Holy and Great Council, currently being attended in
Crete by 170 bishops and metropolitans from 10 separate Orthodox
churches.
It said the assemblies, first proposed at an inter-Orthodox meeting
in 2009, should be viewed as "a temporary situation," pending a wider
accord on activities by Orthodox churches operating alongside each other
in Western countries.
The document added that decisions would be "taken by consensus" in
the assemblies, which would gather bishops in communion with each other
under the chairmanship of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Check out NCR's newest blog! 'Reconciliation in Chicago'
is a weekly blog from the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in
Chicago. Each post features hopeful reflections as staff and volunteers
share stories about working with youth and families affected by violence
and incarceration.
"The work and the responsibility of these episcopal assemblies will
be manifesting the unity of Orthodoxy, the development of common action
of all the Orthodox of each region to address the pastoral needs of
Orthodox living in the region, and a common representation of all
Orthodox vis-a-vis other faiths and the wider society," the document
said. "The episcopal assemblies do not deprive the member-bishops of
their administrative and canonical competencies, nor do they restrict
their rights in the diaspora. They aim to form a common position of the
Orthodox church on various issues -- in no way does this prevent
member-bishops from remaining responsible to their own churches."
Orthodox Christianity, with 300 million adherents, is divided into 14
main churches, all recognized as full and equal members of the Orthodox
communion, whatever their size and resources.
However, several, including the Patriarchates of Constantinople and
Russia, also wield authority over autonomous and self-governing
archdioceses and exarchates in various parts of the world, while
jurisdiction is disputed over Orthodox churches in Estonia, Macedonia
and Moldavia.
Speaking to journalists, Archdeacon John Chryssavgis, spokesman for
the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate, said a "new situation" had
been created by the mass 20th century emigration of Orthodox Christians
from their church homelands.
He added that all 14 Orthodox churches sometimes had communities in
the same cities or regions, notably in the United States, and said the
episcopal assemblies, allowing bishops to work together, should be
viewed as "a crucial temporary measure" until "further steps" became
possible.
"Some traditional churches have been part and parcel of the local
culture and civilization from the start in countries such as Greece,
Serbia and Russia, whereas others, such as the Patriarchate of
Alexandria, have become over time missionary churches," Chryssavgis
said. "But beyond this, many Orthodox faithful have migrated -- to the
U.S., Europe, Australia -- creating what all churches now agree is a
canonical anomaly. We now need a more unified approach by churches in
these regions."
The week-long Council, widely believed the first on such a scale for
more than a thousand years, is currently in session at Kolymbari in
Crete, despite a walkout by the Patriarchate of Antioch and Orthodox
churches in Georgia and Bulgaria and Russia.
In a statement this week, the Antioch Patriarchate said it had not
agreed to join the Council until "differences were resolved," adding
that no consensus had been reached on the draft declarations.
However, this was rejected by the Council spokesman, Archbishop Job
Getcha of Telmessos, who said the Patriarchate had participated at a
final preparatory session in January of the Orthodox Synaxis, or
assembly of church leaders, and had later submitted a full list of its
delegates, as well as an Arabic translation of key Council texts.
The document said episcopal assemblies would operate in North,
Central and South America, as well as in Australia, Britain and Ireland,
France, Austria, Belgium, Germany and other European countries, and
would aim "to manifest the unity of the Orthodox church, promote
collaboration between churches in all areas of pastoral ministry, and
maintain, preserve and develop the interests of the communities
belonging to the canonical Orthodox bishops of each region."
It added that they would also "present the common position of the
Orthodox church in the region to government, society and to other
religious organizations," while helping promote "the unity of the
Orthodox church in its theological, ecclesiological, canonical,
spiritual, philanthropic, educational and missionary obligations."
Job said "many bishops" had made interventions during debates on the
document at the Council's closed-door sessions on June 21-22, adding
that attempts at cooperation between bishops since the original 2009
proposals had also produced "useful experiences."
He added that the Council remained open to the four non-participating churches if they still wished to come to Crete.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Alexander of Nigeria, representing the
Patriarchate of Alexandria, said all Orthodox churches faced "a dilemma
of modern times" over the "source and origin of their identity," which
he counted on the new agreement to help resolve.
"Do they most refer to the ecclesial framework -- the last things, or
eschatology -- or is it their national origins which they most adhere
to? If it's the latter, then this weighs us down and makes things much
more difficult," Metropolitan Alexander told a press briefing.
"We need to go back to our ecclesial roots -- and once that's done,
it will be quite easy to find a way out of our present impasse."
[Jonathan Luxmoore's two-volume study of communist-era persecution,
The God of the Gulag, has just been published by Gracewing in the U.K.]
