On Union of "True/Genuine Orthodox" and Autonomous

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

It appears the three "anti-union" Matthewite bishops finally went into schism these past few weeks, claiming the newly elected archbishop of Athens is uncanonical because the previous archbishop cannot retire if he wants to.

Perhaps now, the union will now take place?

[尼古拉前执事]

Union is a good thing. A unified Church of traditionalist Orthodox Churches would shine like a beacon and present stability with communion that would make it much more comfortable with those that have lingering issues.

[mwoerl]

the posts here sort of answered a lot of my questions about the Greek Old Calendarists. I understood the "reasons for being" of the Florinites, somewhat less of the Matthewites. If this Lamia Synod actually departed its original GOC Synod for administrative reasons..well, I would have to vehemently disagree with Bishop Gregory that they have an "unquestionable canonical foundation," as he claims for them and the ROAC. Which brings up the question: if the Lamia Synod has an "unquestionable canonical foundation," and "the same faith" as ROAC, why did Bishop Gregory leave the one for the other? Was this change of affiliation carried out on good terms-a canonical release, perhaps?
the main problem within the GOC movement has been the seemingly never ending splits-all claiming to be the "True Church." It is rather distressing that this is now happening too in Russia! To a lesser degree in Romania...when you need a forty volume encyclopedia to sort out the players, unfortunately, the great majority of people would simply rather not...
michael woerl

[尼古拉前执事]

Bishop Gregory left the Lamian GOC after asking for a canonical release and being told that he would get one. He joined the Russian Church as they had canonical rights to America since they were here first and so he joined the Russian Church. Had he known of ROAC as he did at the time of his switch, he would have gone straight from ROCA to ROAC.

[Justin Kissel]

Maybe my chronology is messed up Nicholas, but are you saying that his Grace, Bp. Gregory knew about 3 seperate Greek Old Calendarist groups to a great enough extent that he could join his soul to them, but that he didn't know about ROAC all that time? I don't say that it couldn't be true, of course; it's hard to swallow, though. Give me something to swallow it with?

[尼古拉前执事]

The Greek groups were all in America while ROAC was not until a few years ago. Being a priest in the GOC you would know about the other GOCs.

[Justin Kissel]

Well that makes sense Nicholas, at least as far as knowing about the GOC's. I guess maybe the part that confuses me is that he didn't know about ROAC. I realise that at that point the internet had not yet boomed... maybe it's hard for me to imagine not having such knoweldge, being that I live in a world where every move and union and schism is talked of for months in advance and known within hours of happening.