The Episcopal Assembly of all Orthodox bishops in North America was held back in May. Both before and after the event, bloggers of various types have been busy condemning the event. The charges of Greek takeover are rampant. For instance, one blogger states:
Underlying this article is the equation of the “Greek Orthodox Church” in Greece and the US with Phanar. Sorry but I have absolutely no desire to be seen in the future as in any way,shape or form as a member of a subsidiary of either of these two bodies. This is regardless of whatever bizarre non-rational arguments Phanar may make about themselves as being truly Eastern Romans. They are modern Greeks.
But another blogger comments:
One of my personal difficulties, and I have to be frank about this, is that it appears that everything will be under Constantinople. There is some logic to this. After all a recent study states that 80% of the Orthodox in the United States are already in the Greek Archdiocese. If they have those numbers, then naturally they should have the lion’s share of say.
Generally the enmity against the Greeks seems to have several sources. One is what Father Orthoduck calls the “Big Fat Greek Wedding” effect. If you remember that movie, you will remember that the father was an overwhelming supporter of anything Greek. Sadly, he also disparaged anything that was not Greek. The Greek Orthodox Church in the United States has all too often functioned as a Greek club, and its members have made it all too often clear that non-Greeks are present in their churches (notice, not God’s churches) only on sufferance. That is, the Greek Orthodox in the USA have earned some of the enmity against them. Sadly, some Greeks continue with this attitude.
Another source of enmity is the charge that the Ecumenical Patriarch is trying to take over much of the world and is trying to make himself into a mini-Pope. That could be true, but how would one prove it? There is a theological source of enmity that says that the theological claims by the Ecumenical Patriarchate that they have authority over the “barbarians” is wrong. Yet, while Father Orthoduck thinks that the claim is wrong, he is not ready to use this as a charge against the Patriarchate. This is a difference in theological opinion, not an issue of heresy.
But, Father Orthoduck is a convert. So, he would like to mention that he has some, uhm, ethnic folk in his church who have bedeviled him by having exactly the same attitude as the Greeks, and making it clear that they think that Father Orthoduck does not really know Orthodoxy. So, for a convert, being in one ethnic jurisdiction or in another ethnic jurisdiction does not really matter. In fact, the union of the various jurisdictions may very well work in favor of converts by forcing ethnic people to relate to each other and to the converts in a more godly faction.
As to the conspiracy arguments (that Moscow and Constantinople have made a deal so that Moscow gets jurisdiction over Slavic Europe while Constantinople get the rest of the world) and the theological argument, they do not matter much to Father Orthoduck either. They may or may not be true. There may be a conspiracy, there may not. There may be a mistaken theological argument, there may not. But, as a convert, Father Orthoduck is convinced that the unity of the Orthodox in the USA needs to be our most important priority. And, that united Church will doubtlessly be under some Patriarchate for a period of time. That period of time may be decades to well over a century long. Those who argue that the jurisdictions should be united and immediately be granted a Patriarch are going against the precedent of Church history. It always has taken a while before a region is granted both autonomy and autocephaly. The number of world patriarchs is actually very very low.
As a convert, Father Orthoduck does not care much under which Patriarch the united Church is placed. He has no ethnic connection that calls out to one patriarchate over another, unless there is a Cuban patriarch hiding somewhere. And, since the Greek Orthodox Church is the largest part of Orthodoxy in the USA, they do have a very good argument as to why it should be their Patriarch. And, since their Patriarch is also the Ecumenical Patriarch, well, that would indeed put us under Constantinople.
The only thing Father Orthoduck wants from the Greeks is to control those who disparage non-Greeks. It does not actually bother Father Orthoduck to use some Greek in the service. Using the language of the New Testament is enjoyable and lets Father Orthoduck feel a bit of a connection the past. But the disparaging attitude has got to go!
A Cuban patriarch! Now there’s an idea…Viva!
That we must come together and have one American church is an idea that is well worth striving for–that the Greeks outnumber the rest of us is a fact that cannot be ignored–although that the Russians were in North America first also must be taken into account–in my humble opinion–but numbers probably outweigh that history in today’s world. I think that as things come together and as the Episcopal Assembly works things out, the problems will start to unravel. Human nature and the fact that we live in a fallen world tells me that even in the church there are those of us who have faults and who cling to their “old ideas.” One would hope that prayer and the love that Jesus bade us to have for one another would slowly heal the rifts between us and that the Holy Spirit will assist when invited. I struggle to show that love–even in the face of the flaws and faults of others and would hope that the others would likewise struggle to love me with my faults and flaws. There is a reason that we Orthodox pray Lord Have Mercy so much!!
Who was here first is a red herring as is simple majority stats. Our history has nothing to do with our present in this regard – although I’m sure it will figure into their conversations.
For most of us, patience and humility here are more important than the actually decision. The coolest thing to come out of this is the actual conversation is being blessed by the Patriarchs instead of just the American Bishops making some kind of decision on their own. Our work has never changed: it’s our job to pray, and do the work of the Kingdom on the street . Let the Bishops play all the politics they want.
My only concern was that the Bishops were going to gang up and “take” autocephally – something that has been done before in EOC history. But it would have splintered the American Church further.
I am in agreement with Fr. Orthoduck regarding the lack of ethnic connection – I have none either. However, I believe that North America should have its own patriarchate and the American Orthodox Church ought not be under any other.
Regarding any other language but English in our Liturgies, I believe it should be the language of the country. If in Spain, then Spanish. If in Italy, then Italian. If in North America, then English. I want to understand what it is I am saying in prayer.
Just recently our little parish participated in an Independence Day event in our local community by having a food booth and selling halupki and halushki. Attendance at the event was low. Food sales where low. Patronage was largely Hispanic and African-American. Not everyone is interested in halupki on the 4th of July. Most want a ‘burger or a ‘dog, heavy on the mustard and onions. Thus the suggestion was made to change the food offering at the booth. The comment was overhead, made by an American born Orthodox woman, “But we’re Russian! We can’t do that!” Uh…I don’t think so. We’re NOT Russian. We’re ‘American’ Orthodox.
That being said, I do love me a good bowl of halushki!