HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Τετάρτη 9 Οκτωβρίου 2019

THE AUTOCEPHALY OF THE OCA - HISTORY, ARGUMENTS, AND AFTERMATH.



Alexander G . Dragas, Greek Orthodox Theological Review, 2016

The Orthodox Church in America is one of many Orthodox jurisdictions that currently exists among the Orthodox faithful in the American diaspora. The fact that there are currently multiple “ethnic” Orthodox jurisdictions within the same geographical area is legally unacceptable within the legal framework of the Orthodox Church as its canon law specifically dictates that every individual ecclesiastical jurisdiction must exist in one specific geographical location. This problem was further exacerbated after the Moscow Patriarchate, along with a small number of independent Churches in Soviet satellite states, granted the OCA a disputed and controversial autocephaly in 1970.
In order to better grasp the events that led up to this autocephaly, as well as the conflict that would occur in the aftermath, the subject will be broken down into four sections for greater clarity. The first section will begin with a brief historical account of the Metropolia (the former OCA) and the events leading up to its autocephaly; the second will focus on the historical documents of the autocephaly and give a summary of their content; the third section will comprise of two rival theological viewpoints from Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Professor Panagiotes Trempelas; and the final section will give an account of the actions of the OCA, the controversial jurisdictions under it, and its current standing today.

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