| Some “Not-So-Obvious” Facts about American Orthodox Christianity Contemporary Issues Last Updated: Feb 8th, 2011 - 05:50:02 Some “Not-So-Obvious” Facts about American Orthodox Christianity May 1, 2010, 10:00 Discuss this article Printer friendly page Source: The Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute The “Orthodox Church Today” study released by the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute (Graduate Theological Union) disproves many stereotypes and provides groundbreaking insights into the life of one of the least known American faith traditions – Orthodox Christianity. With its historical roots in nineteenth century Russian Alaska, today Orthodox Christianity in the USA accounts for about 1,200,000 – 1,300,000 faithful worshipping in 2,200 – 2,300 local parishes (congregations) spread all across the nation. There is no single “American Orthodox Church:” Orthodox Christians in America belong to nearly twenty different Orthodox Churches or “jurisdictions” – the word Orthodox use instead of Protestant “denominations.” The “Orthodox Church Today” is the first national survey-based study of the ordinary parishioners in the two largest Orthodox Christian Churches in America: the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Here are some interesting facts about the American Orthodox Christian community. 1) The common stereotype is that the Orthodox Churches in the USA are “ethnic” Churches of certain immigrant communities. The study shows that this not the case anymore. Nine out of ten parishioners in both GOA and OCA are American-born. Further, today, more than one-quarter (29%) of the GOA and a majority of OCA (51%) members are converts to Orthodoxy – persons born and raised either Protestants or Roman Catholics. 2) Not all Orthodox are equally “Orthodox.” The study found that the gaps between the “left” and the “right” wings in American Orthodoxy are wide and that American Orthodox Christians are deeply divided among themselves in their personal “micro-theologies.” Answering the question “When you think about your theological position and approach to church life, which word best describes where you stand?” the relative majority (41%) of church members preferred to be in the safe “middle” and described their theological stance and approach to church life as “traditional.” At the same time, quite sizeable factions identified themselves as being either “conservative” (28%) or “moderate-liberal” (31%). |
| As it turned out, the American anti-traditional tradition and the Orthodox tradition were on a collision course even on the issue of EOC ordinations. In October 1986, Metropolitan Philip wrote to Metropolitan Theodosius of the OCA, inviting him to send a representative to the mass ordination of many of the former EOC clergy 389 As Philip put it, «a representative from the Orthodox Church in America will give the Evangelical Orthodox Church the feeling that they are belonging to the whole Church.» 390 Theodosius responded by affirming that he would send Fr. Alexander Federoff as a representative but cautioning that «while the canons, I am told, do not forbid " multiple» ordinations, the traditional practice of our Church prohibits them.» 391 Philip took offense to the advice, writing, «no patriarch alone and no bishop alone can express the mind of the entire Church. Only an Ecumenical Council. . . please do not feel compelled to send any representative.» 392 In April, Metropolitan Philip submitted a letter of resignation from the Board of Trustees of St. Vladimir " s Orthodox Theological Seminary. 393 Fr. John Meyendorff, the seminary " s dean, had received a copy and the seminary faculty quickly met and petitioned Theodosius not to accept the resignation. 394 Philip had been sent a copy and responded to Meyendorff in which he claimed the advice from Theodosius «puzzled me beyond measure» and had been told the OCA synod had voted to allow each bishop to make up his own mind regarding the practice of multiple ordinations. 395 At this point, Theodosius worked quickly to heal what could have become a de facto schism between the two jurisdictions. He sent copies of the correspondence to each of the bishops on the OCAs synod, informing them of the misunderstanding. 396 That very same day, Theodosius wrote two letters to Metropolitan Philip. In the first, he recounted Philip " s sermon at the funeral of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, former dean and noted liturgical theologian of St. Vladimir " s Seminary. 397 Theodosius remarked on how Philip had emphasized Schmemann " s desire to see the seminary continue and asked Philip to withdraw his resignation. In the second, Theodosius clarified that OCA synodal discussions about multiple ordinations were never regarding whether such could be seen as «valid,» but simply regarding the bishops» own practice and views and therefore there was no decision regarding whether to be in communion with the AOCANA. 398 He also reminded Philip that Federoff had been assigned as the representative and thanked Philip for the hospitality shown to Federoff at that time. After considering the situation during the month of May, Philip finally responded, withdrawing his resignation. 399 |
| У нашей Церкви есть миссионерская обязанность, данная Ей Апостолами. А кого мы можем " отмиссионерить " , как выражается А. Кураев, если мы балакаем с ними на неведомой им мове? Andrew, OCA, USA 12 марта 2012, 22:22 Во-вторых, Патриарху известно, что например в Мексике, исконно католической стране, и в США, исконно протестанской, люди переходят в православные приходы Автокефальной Православной Церкви Америки (OCA), чуть ли не целыми баптисткими приходами, массово. Теперь отгадайте, знатоки ангельских языков, на каких языках там идёт служба и читается Литургия Иоанна Богослова?... Правильно, отгадали. На мексиканском диалекте современного испанского языка и американском диалекте современного английского. Что же, это Дух Святый и ангелы ведут мексиканцев и янки в Истинную Церковь, где те отрекаются сатаны и ересей его, или это делает ЦСЯ, о котором они даже не слышали никогда?! А теперь посмотрите сколько русских и украинских наших братьев и сестёр уводят в свои секты " волки в овечьих шкурах " , только потому, что немощные наши споткнулись о ваше упрямство в вопросе языка Литургии, который на самом деле яйца выеденного не стоит. Поэтому мудрый Кирилл, зная всё это, дал вам возможность обсудить всё это в мире братском и согласии. И выбрать вам для себя и своего прихода язык, Церковно-Славянский, Синодального Перевода или современный. А не отождествлять себя и свой приход со всей всемирной Православной Церковью, и ускорблять немощных в вере и языке. Andrew, OCA, USA 12 марта 2012, 22:21 Простите, мне если что не так сказал. Кстати, сам я больше всего люблю Литургию на ЦСЯ. Но так-же не спотыкаюсь через Синодальную или современную Русскую. Украинскую тоже обожаю, когда бываю на родине в Украине. В моём приходе Литургия полностью идёт на старо-английском. Но и современный английский, если попадаю на такую службу, на улицу меня из Церкви не гонит. Любите Церковь, братья и сестры, и тогда язык, на котором она славит Спасителя, для вас станет делом пятым. Сергей 11 марта 2012, 08:08 |
| 557. “L’apport des liturgies d’Orient à l’intelligence du culte chrétien,” in Paul De Clerck (ed.), La liturgie, lieu théologique (Sciences théologiques et religieuses, Paris: Beauchesne 1999) 97-122. 558. Review of Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky, Words of the Servant of God (Seniors Club, Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada, Toronto: The Basilian Press 1995) OCP 65 (1999) 203-204. 559. Review of Paul Robert Magosci, Our People. Carpatho-Rusyns and their Descendants in North America (Multicultural History Society of Ontario, Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1994) OCP 65 (1999) 208. 560. Review of Opportunity Realized. The Greek Catholic Union’s First One Hundred Years 1892-1992 (Greek Catholic Union of the U.S.A., Beaver, Pennsylvania 1994) OCP 65 (1999) 210-211. 561. Review of L’Eucologio Barberini gr. 336 (ff. 1-263). Edizione a cura di Stefano Parenti ed Elena Velkovska (BELS 80, Rome: Edizioni liturgiche 1995) OCP 65 (1999) 227-231. 562. Review of Nicolau Cabàsilas, La Vida en Crist. Introducció d’Antonis Fyrigos, Traducció de Nolasc del Molar (Clàssics del Cristianisme 42, Barcelona: Edicions Proa 1993) OCP 65 (1999) 253-254. 2000 г. 563. “Orientalische-Katholische Theologie: Fällige Wiedergeburt nach langwieriger Schwangerschaft.” Festvortrag zur Eröffnung des Collegium Orientale in Eichstätt, 31. Oktober 1999, CCOr 2/1 (2000) 10-31. 564. (Соредактор), Crossroad of Cultures. Studies in Liturgy and Patristics in Honor of Gabriele Winkler, edited by Hans-Jürgen Feulner, Elena Velkovska, and Robert F. Taft, S.J. (OCA 260, Rome: PIO 2000) 744 pp. 565. “Introduction. Gabriele Winkler at Sixty. Vita et Opera,” in Crossroad of Cultures. Studies in Liturgy and Patristics in Honor of Gabriele Winkler, edited by Hans-Jürgen Feulner, Elena Velkovska, and Robert F. Taft, S.J. (OCA 260, Rome: PIO 2000) 11-29. 566. “The bhmativkion in the 6/7th c. Narration of the Abbots John and Sophronius (BHGNA 1438w). An Exercise in Comparative Liturgy,” in Crossroad of Cultures. Studies in Liturgy and Patristics in Honor of Gabriele Winkler, edited by Hans-Jürgen Feulner, Elena Velkovska, and Robert F. Taft, S.J. (OCA 260, Rome: PIO 2000) 675-692. |
| In addition to their visit to New Valaam, Metropolitan Tikhon will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the women’s Lintula Monastery of the Holy Trinity, where he and the OCA delegation will be welcomed by Abbess Mikaela and the sisterhood. Liturgical celebrations and a presentation on the life of the OCA also will be held at Oulu’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, where the delegation will be hosted by His Eminence, Metropolitan Elia, a graduate of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. See related story . In Joensuu, the delegation will be welcomed at the Theological Department at the University of Eastern Finland by Prof. Matti Kotiranta, Department Head, and other university representatives and seminarians and at the city’s Saint Nicholas Church, while in Kuopio they will visit the Archdiocesan headquarters, the Church Museum and Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Other planned visits include meetings with Lutheran Archbishop Kari Mäkinen and the Dean of the Lutheran Diocese of Oulu; with Anita Lehikoinen, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, and Riitta Kaivosoja, Director General of the Ministry’s Department for Art and Cultural Policy; and with representatives of the Finnish Ecumenical Council. The Orthodox Church of Finland is an autonomous Church within the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. According to the Finnish Church’s web site , it was after Finland gained its independence as a consequence of the Russian Revolution that the Orthodox Church acquired the status of a national Church alongside Finland’s Lutheran Church. In 1921, Saint Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow granted autonomy to the Finnish Church. In view of the political turmoil in the Soviet Union and the difficulties of maintaining contacts, however, the Orthodox Synod of Finland applied to be accepted under the protection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. On July 6, 1923, the Ecumenical Patriarchate issued a Tomos recognizing the Finnish Church as an autonomous archbishopric. Today, the Finnish Church consists of three dioceses with some 60,000 souls and remains one of two religious bodies legally recognized as a national church in Finland. For many years, the Finnish Church has enjoyed a close relationship with the Orthodox Church in America, in part due to the fact that Saint Herman and his missionary companions came from the Valaam Monastery in Russian Karelia. During World War II, the monastery was evacuated, with many monks relocating to Finnish Karelia, where they established the New Valaam Monastery. |
| One might wonder whether this concern for parachurch versus church isn " t consistent with a trajectory of scholarly studies that have examined a trend toward more traditional religiosity by many Americans, especially since the 1960s. 352 It has even been argued not only that conservative denominations were better at communicating what mattered religiously, but that the «demand» that conservative denominations placed on their adherents actually attracted members. 353 Not all have found this thesis convincing, however, and have offered counter-examples and explanations. 354 My findings here likewise question the thesis. Although the development of the EOC itself might be seen as lending support to that thesis, and one could argue that without such rigid conservativism, the former EOC members never would have become Orthodox, the full trajectory of the EOC-turned-Orthodox does not support it. The EOC " s entrance into Orthodoxy actually required a journey of becoming less sectarian, authoritarian, and morally rigid. During much of its existence, though, the EOC remained in tension between the poles of sectarianism and Orthodoxy. One clergyman of the EOC who was ready and willing to make the shift into the Orthodox Church well before Gillquist was Arnold Berstein who, in 1981, wanted to leave to join the Orthodox Church in America as a layman. 359 The EOC was not yet prepared for such a maneuver, as Gillquist wanted the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) to accept the EOC clergy as OCA clergy, as though being transferred from one Orthodox jurisdiction to another. Jon Braun believed having EOC clergy leave to become laymen would hurt the EOC " s standing. When it became clear to EOC leadership that they could not prevent Bernstein from leaving, Robert Guio, an EOC bishop, wrote to Bernstein, in which he enclosed a letter of apology that Bernstein was to sign and asked Bernstein to write the central leadership (Gillquist, Jon Braun, and Jack Sparks) an additional letter of apology. |
| (1983) The Harp of the Spirit: 18 Poems of St Ephrem, London. (1984a) Syriac Perspectives on Late Antiquity, London. (1985) The Luminous Eye: the spiritual world vision of St Ephrem, Rome. (1989) «From Ephrem to Romanos», StPatr, XX, 139–151. – (1992a) The Luminous Eye. The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, Kalamazoo. – (1999) «St Ephrem in the Eyes of Later Syriac Liturgical Tradition», Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies, 2/1 (http://syrcom.cua.edu/Hugoye/Vol2N01/HV 2N 1Brock.html). Bruns P. (1990) «Arius hellenizans? Ephräm der Syrer und die neoarianischen Kontroversen seinerzeit», ZKG, 101, 2157. Bundy D. (1986) «Language and the knowledge of God in Ephrem Syrus» The Patristic and Byzantine Review, 91103. Burkitt F. C. (1904) St. Ephraems use of separate Gospels, London, p. 187191. Cramer W. (1965) Die Engelvorstellung bei Ephram dem Syrer (OCA 173). Dalmais I.-H. (1987) «Saint Éphrem et la tradition spirituelle des églises araméennes», Connaissance des Pères de Eglise, 26, 825. – (1989) «La vie monastique comme ascèse virginale d’après S. Ephrem et les traditions liturgiques syriennes», A. M. Triacca et A. Pistoia (éds), Liturgie, conversion et vie monastique, Roma, p. 7386. Darling R. (1984) «The ‘Church from the Nations’ in the exegesis of Ephrem», VI Symposium Syriacum, p. 111121. De Halleux A. (1972) «Une clé pour les hymnes d’Éphrem dans le ms Sinai syr. 10», LM, 85,171199. ----- (1973) «Mar Éphrem théologien», PdO, 4, 3554. (1974) La transmission des Hymnes d’Éphrem d’apres le ms. Sinaï syr. 10, Roma, p. 2163 (OCA 197). – (1983a) «Saint Éphrem le syrien», Revue Théologique de Louvain, 14,328355. – (1983b) «An analysis of the biblical quotations of Ephrem», An Exposition of the Gospel (Armenian Version) (CSCO 443; Subs. 66). Louvain. – (1984) «Ephräm der Syrer», M. Greschat (ed.)> Gestalten der Kir- chengeschichte, Bd. I, Stuttgart, S. 284301. – (1992) À propos du sermon ephremien sur Jonas et la penitence des Ninivites, Festgabe J. Assfalg, Munchen, S. 155160. |
| Сергию»). Кострюков А.А. К истории разделения между Московской Патриархией и Североамериканской митрополии. (Вестник ПСТГУ. 2011. II: Вып. 3 (40) С. 46-59). Обращение к архиепископу Евдокиму, Святейшему Патриарху Тихону и к Поместному Собору Русской Правосланой Церкви. Иерей Павел Безкишкин. Брошюра. Байон, 1919. 2-й доклад митрополиту Горьковскому Сергию (Страгородскому) Временного Экзарха Московской Патриархии архиепископа Вениамина. Рукопись. OCA archives. Сборник документов «Митрополит Вениамин». Деяния Архиерейского Собора русских православных епископов в Северной Америке, состоявшегося 21 и 22-го февраля 1933 года, в Свято-Тихоновском монастыре, в Саут-Канаан – Пенсильвания, а также Акты Деяний архиереев от 1-го мая, 8. 11 и 12-го Сентября 1933 года, под Председательством Высокопреосвященнейшего митрополита Платона. Издано протопресвитером Василием Кувшиновым. Сиэттл, Ваш. 1936 года. Кострюков А.А. К истории разделения между Московской Патриархией и Североамериканской митрополии. (Вестник ПСТГУ. 2011. II: Вып. 3 (40) С. 46-59). Кострюков А.А. К истории разделения между Московской Патриархией и Североамериканской митрополии. (Вестник ПСТГУ. 2011. II: Вып. 3 (40) С. 46-59). Его Высокопреосвященству, Высокопреосвященному Сергию митрополиту Горьковскому, Заместителю Патриаршаго Местоблюстителя, Временного Экзарха Московской Патриархии, Архиепископа Вениамина доклад. Рукопись. OCA archives. Сборник документов «Митрополит Вениамин». (Далее: 3-й доклад митр. Сергию) Деяния Архиерейского Собора русских православных епископов в Северной Америке, состоявшегося 21 и 22-го февраля 1933 года, в Свято-тихоновском монастыре, в Саут-Канаан – Пенсильвания, а также Акты деяний архиереев от 1-го мая, 8. 11 и 12-го Сентября 1933 года, под Председательством Высокопреосвященнейшего митрополита Платона. Издано протопресвитером Василием Кувшиновым. Сиэттл, Ваш. 1936 года См., например, статью священника Александра Мазырина «Причины неприятия политики митрополита Сергия (Страгородского) в церковных кругах (по материалам полемических произведений конца 1920-х – 1930-х гг.)» http://www.bogoslov.ru/text/1578803.html Обращение митрополита Феофила к пастве по случаю неудавшихся (главным образом, по его личной вине) переговоров с митрополитом Ленинградским Григорием. |
| 286. Review of Brian D. Spinks, The sanctus in the eucharistic prayer (Cambridge/New York/Port Chester/Melbourne/Sydney 1991), OCP 59 (1993) 282-286. 287. Review of Kathleen Hughes, R.S.C.J., The Monk’s Tale. A Biography of Godfrey Diekmann, O.S.B. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press 1991), OCP 59 (1993) 286-288. 288. Review of Dmytro BlaÏejowskyj, Hierarchy of the Kyivan Church (861-1990) (Rome 1990), OCP 59 (1993) 310-312. 289. Review of The Ukrainian Religious Experience. Tradition and the Ukrainian Cultural Context. Edited by David J. Goa (Edmonton 1989), Religious Studies Review 19 (1993) 77. 290. Review of George Guiver, C.R., Company of Voices. Daily Prayer and the People of God (New York 1988), OCP 59 (1993) 568-569. 291. Review of Enrico Mazza, La mistagogia. Una teologia della liturgia in epoca patristica (BELS 46=Collana Studi di liturgia, n.s. 17, Rome 1988); id., Mystagogy. A Theology of Liturgy in the Patristic Age (New York 1989), OCP 59 (1993) 569-570. 1994 г. 292. A History of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, vol. II: The Great Entrance. A History of the Transfer of Gifts and Other Preanaphoral Rites (OCA 200, 3rd ed. Rome: PIO 1994) (репринт 39 сновымназваниемсерии). 293. “The Oblation and Hymn of the Chrysostom Anaphora. Its Text and Antecedents,” in Miscellanea di studi in onore di P. Marco Petta per il LXX compleanno, vol. IV=BBGG n.s. 46 (1992) 319-345 (published 1994). 294. “The Synaxarion of Evergetis in the History of Byzantine Liturgy,” in M. Mullett and A. Kirby (eds.), The Theotokos Evergetis and Eleventh-Century Monasticism. Papers of the Third Belfast Byzantine International Colloquium, 1-4 May 1992 (Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations, 6.1, Belfast 1994) 274-293. 295. “The Society of Jesus and the Christian East: Realities, Prospects, Reflections,” Diakonia 27 (1994) 144-164. 296. (Co-editor), Il 75° anniversario del Pontificio Istituto Orientale. Atti delle celebrazioni giubilari, 15-17 ottobre 1992, a cura di Robert F. Taft, S.J., e James Lee Dugan, S.J. (OCA 244, Rome: PIO 1994) 318 pp. |
| With these words, our guest speaker Dr. Margaret Barker commenced the 29th annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture, transporting her audience into the liturgical world of the first Jewish Temple—a world remarkably familiar to Orthodox Christian worshipers. Her lecture was titled " Our Great High Priest: The Church as the New Temple. " The audience listened with intense interest as Dr. Barker described with vivid imagery the furnishings, appointments, and keepers of that temple—the anointing oil, cherubim, bread of the presence, seven-branched lampstand, Melchizedek priest-king, and so forth—as they were drawn deeper and deeper into its ancient liturgical life. As Dr. Barker focused on the structure of the first temple and on the figure of the high priest within that temple, she led her audience along " the trail that leads from Solomon " s Temple to the Christian Church, " her premise being that both the first temple and its high priest were restored by the coming of Jesus Christ. " The Christian community was the temple of the Messiah, " she noted, " the original temple restored, and it was a living temple. " Further on, she stated, " There is good evidence in the gospels that Jesus did see himself as the great high priest, and that his ministry was shaped by that ideal. " Upon her closing words, " Christians are the anointed ones of the restored temple, and our covenant is the eternal covenant entrusted to the ancient temple priesthood, renewed by our great High Priest [Jesus Christ], " the audience exploded with sustained applause in gratitude for her presentation. At the close of her talk, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), presented Dr. Barker with a beautiful icon of " Christ the High Priest. " Other hierarchs in attendance at the lecture were His Grace The Right Rev. Benjamin, bishop of San Francisco and the West (OCA), and His Grace The Right Rev. Maxim, bishop of the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church of North and South America. |
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