Appeal of the Laity to ROCOR Synod

Etienne · Post by **Etienne** » Tue 29 June 2004 7:32 pm

AN APPEAL BY THE LAITY TO THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS OF THE ROCOR

27 July, 2004

We, the undersigned, respectfully address our Synod of Bishops with the insistent request to refrain from adopting any resolutions on the subject of unification in any form of our Church with the existing Moscow Patriarchate before the convocation of a ROCOR Sobor that would include the participation of bishops, priests and laity.

This issue is overwhelmingly the most important issue our Church has had to face since 1917 and it must be examined "soborno" by representatives of all component parts of our Church, with the aim of reaching spiritual unity. With God's help, such unity has guided our Church during the course of many decades throughout many non-Christian and non-Orthodox ordeals and temptations.

Having maintained its independence over 87 years, the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia in its entirety, with its bishops, priests and laity has always sought to preserve the unity of Christian Orthodox beliefs and practices which most regrettably have too often been lost or reduced by many Churches.

This profoundly important issue which closely affects our religious life must be freely and thoroughly discussed at a forthcoming All-ROCOR Local Council (Sobor) by bishops, priests and laity: the three component parts of all Orthodox Churches, for the good of the Russian Orthodox Church. The absence of one of these component parts of the Church will obliterate the full value of the adopted resolutions, a quality that is necessary in the Russian Orthodox Church. It may also widen the already existing and serious differences of opinion with the ROCOR and lead to a split within our Church or even a schism.

If anyone would to add his or her name to the laity letter, please say so to:

geosffa@i-2000.com (George Schidlovsky)

Thank you in anticipation of your support

ania · Post by **ania** » Wed 30 June 2004 10:55 am

Nevermind that the people who drafted this letter are... what's the word... kooks... (and yes, I do know several of them personally).

joasia · Post by **joasia** » Wed 30 June 2004 2:17 pm

Ania,

Exactly what group is this and who do you know?

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 30 June 2004 2:37 pm

Ania,

You called ROCOR Priests kooks over at OC.net! And now you do something similar, though this time at least it is about laymen. If I am going to ignore someone, it certainly wouldn't be the people who drafted the letter!

Etienne · Post by **Etienne** » Wed 30 June 2004 2:40 pm

The appeal appears - and I have read and reflected upon it very carefully - to reflect an important area of need with regard to the issue. I acknowledge I know nought of the originators of the appeal, but I do have very real concerns about the 'rush' to embrace the MP by at least some of the ROCOR!

Does having a concern on such an important moment in the contemporary history of the Russian Church qualify one to be dismissed as something derogatory, or is something more substantial to one respondents reservations about the appeal? For myself I would prefer to deal with the issues rather than the personalities.

Hopefully that doesn't make me a .....kook...? (At risk of sounding like a very elderly judge, what is a kook?).

joasia · Post by **joasia** » Wed 30 June 2004 3:01 pm

Stephen,

Sorry for the mix up on the other board. I recalled the Appeal, but I guess I incorporated it as originating it from England as I saw your location.

Just the same, I also agree that there should be some reservation as to the question of uniting with MP. I really feel that the priests should schedule a meeting with the parishners so that we can have a detailed explanation about what the exactly is going on.

Ania,

You are very judgemental. Your OPINION stands on thin air here. You'll have to back up your ACCUSATIONS with clear explanations if you want to be taken seriously.

Don't be so hasty to sling rocks. I bet you'd be the first to throw the stone at Mary Magdelaine without a second thought.

You're not God, so you have no right to condemn actions. Questioning is reasonable, but leave the condemnation to God.

P.S. I don't understand your humour with your quote. Any jokes incorporating God (any of the three divinities) is profoundly distasteful.

fserafim · Post by **fserafim** » Wed 30 June 2004 6:13 pm

This seems to be a difficult problem in ROCOR, if not in Orthodoxy in general. Some parishes control the priest i.e. the latter is considered an employee of the parish council, while others are totally obedient to the priest. There seems to be a fine line between hierarchical obedience, based on love and respect and at the other extreme - congregationalism based on political control and budget.

If the people threaten to stop paying med insurance for their clergy, the latter might listen, even if for the wrong reasons.