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Submitted April
20, 2005
Unity in Orthodoxy |
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Dear brothers and
sisters in Christ:
The present situation of Orthodox
Christianity in America is unique, it seems, in
all the world. Various bishoprics overlap one
another's territories, and lately, the Greek
Orthodox have raised the "bar" by using the title
"Metropolitan" for their hierarchs. No doubt they
forsee the day when all will be united under their
particular Metropolitan in each territory, since
most others are merely bishops and archbishops.
There is no end to the our ability to deceive
ourselves. One cannot judge motives, but it does
not look like a harmonious and brotherly step
toward unity.
Contrary to the drive for Unity at all costs,
the plethora of jurisdictions has several
important functions in this time when small cults
may thrive within larger Church groups. These
functions may include (in keeping with I Cor.
11:19)
being a
refuge for believers when one bishop or
jurisdiction moves outside the canons and
acceptable practices of Orthodoxy (i.e. the
Augustinian "toll house" teaching ). One
bishop has termed this jurisdictional function an
"immune system", guarding the whole Church
from any bishops and/or priests who may
temporarily depart from our Orthodox teachings. We
must remind ourselves that there is no Orthodox
doctrine of "infallibility" imparted in the
Mystery of Ordination.
Unity, as I have written here before, cannot
be imposed from without, it must come from
within. When American Orthodox have decided that
ethnic languages need to be replaced with English,
that doctrine really does matter, that latinist
tendencies like mandatory confession before
communion must be expunged from our midst - that
spiritual fathers are not "gurus", and that all
jurisdictions must serve the Holy Gifts to
Orthodox Christian believers and not refuse
certain members of smaller jurisdictions (to
name only a few problems) then perhaps we will
have the grace from the Holy Spirit to be granted
the unity that binds the All-Holy Trinity to
energize our Orthodox Church. This is Christ's
holy prayer (Jn 17) and it is our own this
Holy Week and Pascha!
Mrs. Irene Matta, MTh, Los Osos, California
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