7.2.09
News From Around Orthodox America
• OCA Diocese to be Split, New Bishop to be Elected
• New Bishop Installed in Pittsburgh
• Antiochian Archdiocese Considers Assessment
Change
• Bulgarian Diocese Representatives Join OCA’s
Metropolitan Council
• No Vote To Be Taken At Vatra Meeting This
Weekend? (Read more here)
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7.1.09
More Questions Raised About Damascus Entourage As Archdiocesan Trustee Threatens Bishop
Eight men were chosen by Metropolitan Philip to represent him to the June 2009 meeting of the Synod of Antioch. Of the five who spoke Arabic, two were laymen: Walid Khalife and Fawaz El Khoury. Besides being Archdiocesan Trustees, the two share at least one other thing in common: past trouble with fraud.
(Read more here.)
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6.29.09
SCANDAL OVER DISPUTED JUNE 17th DOCUMENT DEEPENS
The scandal over conflicting June 17th documents that is rocking the Archdiocese deepened as comments explaining the origins of one of the documents were posted by the wife of one the Damascus delegations members. (Read more here)
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6.26.09
News From Around the OCA
• St. Tikhon's Investigation Launched
• +Jonah Addresses Breakaway Episcopalians
• Read more here
new reflection
Metropolitan Philip Should Order A Thorough Investigation
by An Antiochian Clergyman (Read it here)
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6.24.09 Crisis in Englewood
+PHILIP REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OFFICIAL SYNODAL DECISION
Rather than calm the turbulent waters, the publication from Damascus on the patriarchal website of the official June 17th decision of the Synod of Antioch, in both Arabic and English, concerning the status of dioceses and bishops this morning, has led to even more profound trouble in the shaken American Archdiocese. The Synod’s official re-affirmation of the diocesan status of the Antiochian Bishops in America has led the Antiochian Archbishop in America to just one step away from open rebellion.
(Read more here.)
Patriarchal Secretary Releases Official English Translation of the Decision
The Metropolitan and Bishops of the Antiochian Archdiocese have all received the following official English translation of the recent Synodal decision, posted in Arabic this morning, as a pdf attachment, in an email from the Patriarchial Secretary, Archimandrite Ibrahim Dauod, according to letters from Bishop Basil and Bishop Mark, just released to their clergy. Bishop Basil writes: (Read more here)
Damascus Posts “Official”
Synodal Decision in Arabic
• Document #3 From Englewood is Authentic
• Patriarch: “Any Other Version Not to be Considered”
• Text Does Not Contain word “Auxiliary”
The Patriarich of Antioch posted the following notice, in English, on its patriarchal website early this morning (June 23):
(Read more here)
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6.23.09
Did the Patriarch Really Say That?
Authenticity of Englewood’s Posted Documents Under Question
The trouble in Antiochian America just got worse.
Late yesterday afternoon the official Archdiocesan website at www.Antiochian.org published three documents, all purporting to be official texts from the Patriarchate in Damascus. The first document claims to be a fax of an “official” English translation of the Synodal decision of June 17th, bearing the Patriarchal signature and seal. The second document, also a fax, purports to be the decision in the original Arabic, also bearing the Patriarchal signature and seal. but with the English word “Auxiliary” inserted into the Arabic text. The third document is yet another fax, this time of an Arabic version of the June 17th decision, also bearing the Patriarchal seal and signature on Arabic and French letterhead. (Read those documents here.) Serious questions have been raised about the authenticity of the first two of these documents, the publication of which were clearly intended to bolster the Metropolitan’s position in the crisis which has gripped the Archdiocese since February 24th. (Read more here)
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6.20.09 BREAKING NEWS in both the OCA and AOCA
Metropolitan Jonah Makes Major Statement Regarding the OCA and the Future
"The Tomos does not allow for the full consequences of autocephaly to be proclaimed, that all other churches on the territory of the OCA are thereby uncanonical. Rather, it allows for the preservation of their ties to their mother churches until such time as all can be brought into a new unity, a single Church for America.
Thus, the OCA’s charter and vocation is for it to disappear: it is kenotic. Either it is to become the basis for the unity of the rest of the Churches in America; or it must enter into a new organization that will be fully autocephalous. We await this day, eagerly, so that the mission of the Orthodox Church and the proclamation of the Gospel are no longer compromised by the scandal of disunity."
Read his whole speech at SVS here.
Real Time Blogging of SVS Conference Continues
You can follow our real time comments here.
BISHOP MARK:
Synod affirms "we were not consecrated as ....auxiliaries"
Read his letter to diocesan clergy here.
SYNOD OF ANTIOCH RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING FEBRUARY 24th
"The Holy Synod of the See of Antioch,
after long discussion and deep deliberation of the Synodal decision of February 24, 2009,
and with the recommendations of His Beatitude, the Patriarch, it affirms that the nature of the Episcopate is one and the same to all those who are consecrated as bishops,
The Holy Synod of Antioch affirms and reminds that all bishops of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America are bishops who assist the Metropolitan,
And that, furthermore, any diocese of the one united Archdiocese, under any circumstances, cannot be considered independent Archdiocese. The Holy Synod of Antioch alone has the prerogative to establish Archdioceses in the See of Antioch.
Issued June,17, 2009"
Unfortunately, according to multiple sources present at the Damascus meeting, attempts were made by supporters of Metropolitan Philip, who was not present, to alter the careful and intentional wording of this decision. According to reports emanating from Damascus it is fully expected that these same forces will now attempt to alter the text of the official version and distribute "modified" English versions as widely as possible to support their interpretation of the decision - much as occurred with respect to the Archdiocesan Constitution. The key point is that the translation specifically uses the phrase "bishops who assist the Metropolitan" rather than the term "auxiliaries" as sought by others.
A link to the Arabic original may be found here.
-Mark Stokoe
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6.19.09
Meeting Ends: Statement Awaited
The meeting of the Synod of Antioch concluded Friday morning, June 19, with the issuance of a brief Statement regarding the situation in North America. Various reports from the meeting indicate that the gathering was very contentious and resulted in a decision that was not unanimous.
It is reported that those who voted against the Statement of the Synod were those normally aligned with Metropolitan Philip.
As soon as the official English language translation of the Statement is released, it will be posted on OCANews.org.
Real Time Blogging of SVS Conference Continues
In order to more effectively cover the “Future of Orthodoxy” Conference 2009, at St. Vladimir’s Seminary , June 17-20, OCANews.org will be experimenting with real time postings from the the SVS campus. Since this important conference is about the future, we thought having two perspectives – one older, one younger – running in dialogue would be more interesting.
You can follow our real time comments here.
A New Reflection on the AOCA
Our Problem Is Not “Foreign Bishops”
Let me begin by saying that I am a strong advocate of Orthodox administrative unity in America. It is both uncanonical and impractical for us to be divided into separate, overlapping jurisdictions. It is a problem that needs to be solved.
That said, I am disheartened when I read some comments on this website calling for the Antiochian Archdiocese free itself from “foreign bishops.” These commentators often call for the Archdiocese to unilaterally declare itself independent of the Patriarchate of Antioch and join the OCA. They also want the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all other bishops not living in North America to, essentially, “leave us alone.” (Read more here)
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