Terry Mattingly email newsletter
Summer is the season for church conventions that talk about hot issues.
Last week’s 47th convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America passed a resolution that addressed both sexuality and the Iraqi war. But this time the lofty words led to an historic change.
The assembly voted to oppose “divisive and dangerous” positions taken by “left-wing” and “right-wing” groups. To be specific, it rejected “support for same-sex marriage, support for abortion, support for ordination of women to Holy Orders, support for the concept of war that is ‘pre-emptive’ or ‘justifiable’ and the labeling of other faiths and their leaders with hateful terminology.”
The archdiocese — a blend of Arab-Americans and many converts — vowed to avoid groups that “promulgate these extreme positions” and renewed its commitment to seek Orthodox unity in North America.
Then the delegates cheered as Metropolitan Philip Saliba announced his decision to withdraw from the National Council of Churches USA.
The archdiocese joined the old Federated Council of Churches in the 1940s and had been active in the ecumenical movement ever since, said Father Olof Scott, of the church’s interfaith relations office. But recent decades have been tough.
The Orthodox believe “we’re getting further and further away from the primary goal of looking to bring Christianity back into a unified fold,” he told AncientFaithRadio.com. Now, the “churches of the mainline Protestant world really don’t want to hear our message. It is with that frustration that we felt that we can put our efforts to better use elsewhere.”
The national council has not responded to the departure of one of its 36 churches, said the Rev. Leslie Thune, its spokesperson in Washington. General Secretary Bob Edgar — a former Democratic congressman — is currently out of the office, but has promised to meet with Metropolitan Philip as soon as possible to discuss his concerns.
“We did not even know that this was in the works,” said Thune. However, she noted the council’s oft-repeated stance that it does not take stands on divisive doctrinal issues, since many of its member churches have clashing beliefs on such matters.
Nevertheless, Scott said the Antiochian archdiocese quit the council, in large part, because of what he called an “almost a politicized agenda” under Edgar — with a strong emphasis on sexual liberation and opposition to conservative Christianity.
A turning point came in 2000 when Edgar removed his signature from “A Christian Declaration on Marriage,” a statement signed by representatives of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention and the National Association of Evangelicals. The text defined marriage as between man and a woman.
After speaking at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Breakfast during an NCC general assembly, Edgar issued an apology and affirmed his support for same-sex unions. He told Presbyterian News Service: “I support marriage, and I support more than marriage the love between two people, and I don’t differentiate whether it is between a man and a woman or a woman and a woman or a man and a man or whatever. We need fidelity and care in relationships.”
There have been many signs of tension. Two years ago, the Russian Orthodox Church cut all ties with the U.S. Episcopal Church following the consecration of the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Russian Patriarch Alexy II recently said he was worried about the leadership role that churches offering a “free interpretation” of sexual morality hold in the World Council of Churches.
Last month, the Orthodox Church in America — which has Russian roots — studied a document that said the “most advisable course” for its ecumenical work “would be eventually to withdraw from the NCC and the WCC.” After all, said this “Orthodox Relations” text, there are more Protestant and Pentecostal Christians outside of these councils than there are inside and neither includes the Roman Catholic Church.
The Antiochian archdiocese agrees. Decades ago, said Scott, Orthodoxy needed a seat in the National Council of Churches in order to “put a face” on its often mysterious rites and parishes. But now the momentum is toward work with more conservative believers.
“We don’t need the NCC,” he said, “for the identity of Orthodoxy in the new world. People know who we are. We are strong. We are vibrant. We are growing.”
Terry Mattingly (www.tmatt.net) is senior fellow for journalism at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. He writes this weekly column for the Scripps Howard News Service.
The decision to leave the NCC was great. I don’t inderstand the part in the Antiochian declaration that seems to say there are *right* wing extremists in the NCC??? Under what bush? Behind what tree? They act like there were conservatives lurking there that offended their sensibilities for attacking Islam. Very strange.
I’m still puzzling over the implications of the title “Antioch exists the NCC”!
Oops! Should be “exits”.
Note 1. I caught that too. All the complaints cited were NCC positions. The only ‘right wing’ idea was preemptive war, but the AOC (and no other Orthodox jurisdiction for that matter) belongs to any organization advocating preemptive war. Not to put too fine a point on it, another comment was that the NCC was “almost politicized”. Almost? The NCC has been the activist arm of leftist mainstreamers for its entire existence.
I understand the need to soft-pedal the decision. As long as they made the right decision it doesn’t really matter. The final comment is best, IMO:
“We don’t need the NCC.” Fr. Scott is right.
The 47th North American Convention of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America was held in Dearborn, Michigan from July 25th through July 31st, 2005. The convention was hosted by St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Troy, Michigan and was attended by 2,500 faithful. It was the first regular convention held since the granting of self-rule status by the Holy Synod of Antioch by unanimous resolution in October, 2003. Highlights of the Convention included:
A. The organizational and departmental meetings held earlier in the week
B. The General Assembly held on Thursday and Friday
C. The North American Bible Bowl and Oratorical Festival
D. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday concelebrated by Metropolitan PHILIP, Archbishop of New York and All North America, the visiting Metropolitan PAUL, Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand, and the six diocesan bishops of the North American Antiochian Archdiocese
The General Assembly was attended by 1,000 delegates comprised of pastors, retired pastors, clergy who are full-time department heads, North American and diocesan presidents of organizations, and Members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees. The General Assembly took specific action on the following items:
The delegates approved a voluntary contribution plan for clergy and full-time employees of the Archdiocese whereby the contributor may deposit up to 3% of his or her salary into the fund, and the parish (for pastors) or the Archdiocese (for full-time employees) may match this 3% contribution.
The delegates approved a new and significant system by which the parishes of the Archdiocese will contribute to the Archdiocese budget. The old system had consisted of a fixed dollar amount that each parish contributed based on the number of people reported by the parish census. The new system will eventually result in the parish tithing to the Archdiocese based on its Operating Income. The 10% will be attained by starting with 8% in 2006, 9% in 2007, and 10% in 2008.
The delegates approved a resolution calling on SCOBA to act decisively to plan and implement Orthodox Unity in North America (attached)
The delegates approved a resolution in vigorous opposition to extreme positions being taken by so-called �left-wing�, and �right-wing� Christian groups (attached)
The delegates approved a motion which removes the Archdiocese from membership in the National Council of Christian Churches in the USA (NCCCUSA), in light of the shift of the NCCCUSA to a position which no longer contributes to the mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in North America. This move does not signal an end to participation in ecumenical dialog, and membership in appropriate groups. On the contrary, it allows our attention to be focused on participation in groups which are consistent with the mission of this Archdiocese in North America.
Opposition To Extreme Christian Groups
WHEREAS, several extreme positions that are both divisive and dangerous have emerged from so-called �Left-wing� and �Right-wing� Christian groups;
AND WHEREAS, the tenets of these extreme positions include, but are not limited to, support for same-sex marriage, support for abortion, support for ordination of women to Holy Orders, support for the concept of war which is �pre-emptive� or �justifiable�, and the labeling of other faiths and their leaders with hateful terminology;
AND WHEREAS, The Holy Orthodox Church believes and teaches the faith which was taught by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and upheld by His Apostles, and �which was once for all delivered to the saints� (Jude:3);
AND WHEREAS, The Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America stands firm in her resolve to uphold this Holy Orthodox Faith in all of its purity;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this General Assembly of the 47th Convention of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America firmly rejects all extremist positions that are contrary to the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Faith;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Archdiocese will not be affiliated with those groups that support and promulgate these extreme positions, and that this Archdiocese will continue to witness to the Truth as received from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, His Holy Apostles, the Holy Fathers, and all of the saints and martyrs who have lived and died to uphold the Holy Orthodox Faith.
A Call for Orthodox Unity
WHEREAS, Orthodoxy first came to North America over two hundred years ago, and has been firmly planted in this soil and in the hearts and souls of North Americans who have been born and raised on this Continent as well as those who have immigrated here and have no desire to leave their homeland;
AND WHEREAS, the past century has seen the presence of many Orthodox jurisdictions, each with their own parishes, bishops, priests and faithful, building churches and Orthodox communities along their own ethnic and/or jurisdictional lines, often in close proximity and in conflict with other Orthodox communities;
AND WHEREAS, this has resulted in an uncanonical situation by the presence of multiple Orthodox communities in the same geographic area and the presence of more than one Orthodox Bishop for the same geographic area, as well as the division of the one Holy Orthodox Church along jurisdictional and/or ethnic lines thereby dividing what is meant by God to be united;
AND WHEREAS, this uncanonical situation has weakened the presence of the Orthodox Church in North America, in many practical respects among others: The inability to speak to the political leaders and the citizens in North America with one united Orthodox voice that would vocalize with strength the Orthodox position and concerns on the moral, spiritual, practical and political issues that concern North Americans in their everyday life;
AND WHEREAS, this uncanonical situation has resulted in the faithful Orthodox, whether in school, work or in the home, being unaware that their schoolmates, fellow workers and/or neighbors share the same Orthodox faith;
AND WHEREAS, it is the duty of all Orthodox Christians, and especially the members of the holy episcopate to work and pray for the unity of the faith and to work to correct any uncanonical situation;
AND WHEREAS, the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America, (SCOBA) which is comprised of Orthodox bishops from all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in North America, last met with respect to Orthodox unity at the Antiochian Village in 1994 and has done nothing since that time to further resolve the uncanonical situation in North America and to promote Orthodox unity;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this General Assembly of the 47th Archdiocesan Convention, duly assembled at Dearborn, Michigan, challenges, requests and calls on SCOBA to meet with all deliberate speed with the expressed purpose to endorse, promote and accomplish Orthodox Unity in North America and to set forth a plan and timetable for achieving such Orthodox Unity.
Go to this link to read original: http://www.antiochian.org/1123162856
I agree, Father, that *whatever* reason was given, it was a good decision. If the other Orthodox think of more bad reasons to leave, then do it, they will get my compliments for doing so.
I applaud all those Orthodox Jurisdictions in the US which withdraw from the NCC. I would like to see a Council of all the Holy Orthodox Churches in America to come together in brotherly love to bear witness to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church To resist the continued secularism which is rampant in America. Finally, that we all pray for our Orthodox brothers and sisters who have suffered under the Hurricane Katrina disaster. May Our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, give us the strength to bear witness to our faith.
Glory Be To God,
Thomas
Finally, that we all pray for our Orthodox brothers and sisters who have suffered under the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
For them and all who suffer – Lord, have mercy!
Pray for everyone who is suffering in this disaster.