Posted by Herman
on 1/16/2009, 2:53 pm
Message modified by user Herman 1/19/2009, 7:11 pm
from “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carrol
“I am the Walrus. Cou cou ka jube!” The Beatles
The time has come, to talk of Orthodox unity in America and how it might realistically be achieved. SCOBA was a noble experiment that failed. It has done many good things but cannot, as currently comprised, achieve its original intended purpose, which was really to create one united Orthodox Church in America. The Ecumenical Patriarch will continue to use it to block unity through its continued chairmanship by his Exarch in the GOA. We cannot “fire” the Exarch, but we can do an “end run” around him.
Instead of a standing council of “canonical” Orthodox bishops in America, it may be time to form a separate Synod of Orthodox Churches in North America. This could be initiated by the OCA and AOCA, with Metropolitans Philip and Jonah forming this synod as co-chairs. Concurrently or soon after, invite the participation of ROCOR and some of the smaller jurisdictions. Once there are more than two churches, they can have the “chair” rotate every so-many years between each Church or decide on some sort of representative participation based on the size of each jurisdiction, or elect a head like ROCOR does now. They're bishops and responsible adults, I suspect they can figure something out.
This new organization would then become the end run around SCOBA. The members of SOCNA would maintain membership in SCOBA, stressing their entity as SOCNA, whether or not the churches under the EP choose to recognize it as such. The Ecumenical Patriarch cannot disband SCOBA and would probably not want his bishops to pull out since this would undoubtedly reduce what little influence he still has. If the EP objects and demands that the churches under his authority withdraw from SCOBA, that organization would for all intents and purposes be replaced by the SOCNA which could take over its ecumenical functions such as the IOCC and OCMC. Nor does he have any power to “eject” the SOCNA bishops through the chairmanship of his Exarch. Without the SOCNA bishops, the SCOBA loses what little relevancy it may still possess. At the same time, the establishment of SOCNA also would provide an opportunity to leverage the semi-autonomy that the EP tried to create by breaking up the GOA into metropolitanates. This was done, of course, to prevent what Archbishop Iakovos of blessed memory tried. However, this state of affairs could be turned to advantage, since this organization would provide an alternative for any Greek metropolitans who are willing to throw in with SOCNA rather than the EP (or not). The Greeks that remain under the EP will then, of course be “on their own”, but essentially speaking that is how they have always operated to begin with. But then the obstacle to unity that continued Greek chairmanship of SCOBA represents would indeed be overcome.
This would not be a permanent solution, obviously. The organization would most likely evolve as directed by the Holy Spirit. The important thing is that this organization would provide a fertile ground for a true American Patriarchate to eventually emerge in God's good time, whether or not the Ecumenical Patriarch cooperates.
To “ease the pain”, it might be wise to also establish some sort of formal funding dedicated to provide continued support to the “mother churches”. Let the other patriarchs know that they need not be “cut off” and I suspect some of their objections to such an organization may be ameliorated somewhat.
Why now? Well, why not? I suspect one of the main reasons that the idea of unity has not been actively pursued of late has been pretty much eliminated with the elevation of Metropolitan Jonah of the OCA. He certainly sounds like a man of vision along with Metropolitan Philip. If two such men can get together, who knows what can be achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit?
Thoughts?
Herman the Walrus
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