Actually someone had asked me where the pictures of the tonsuring of the female GOA Reader and OCA altar girls since our forum search engine is not working right. Since I could not find the thread with the OCA altar girls, even though the image was on the server I posted it in response to another related post that they were asking for. It was asked after them seeing the ACROD jurisdiction of the EP having Uniate bishops concelebrate with them and adding post-schism Uniate saints to their calendar.
A private email to them would have accomplished the same task.
Instead, the church appears to be a jumble of national and ethnic bodies (a situation even more confused in the U.S. as a result of immigration). To Catholics, the Orthodox Church looks like chaos.
ioannis,
Good to see you back on the board! Christ is Risen!!!!
As to the above quote, I don't disagree with that statement. I can understand why people see that, because that is a reality. We as Orthodox Christians in America, do seem to be a jumble of national and ethnic bodies.
It is interesting that we see this in America. As far as my understanding goes, having never been to Greece, but having inquired about it.... There are not Antiochian, OCA, Jerusalem Patriarchate, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, parishes in Greece, ministering in their respective tongues to those of their respective nationality. Nor could it be said of Russia. With the exception of one OCA church that I understand is in Russia.
I think we are our "own" worst enemy in trying to spread to gospel of Christ in America. We have a tendency to want to minister to the "immigrants", and not to America as a whole. As to the OCA, I think that we reach out to only "Christians", and not to the mass of the unchurch. Thus, we have alot of converts, but few out and out pagans, who's first exposure to Christianity is Eastern Orthodoxy.
Disagree with them, "fight from within" if you must, but the Church is defined by administrative unity and not the faith!
I would agree with this statement, but it applies to Traditional as well as World Orthodox.
I guess what I realize, is that we quote the Church Fathers, Canons, etc., of which much of the quotes, etc, were done before 1054.
We have a greater "cross" to bear, than our forefathers, due to the rampant denominationalism that has spread due to Protestant growth and division. NO telling how the Church Fathers, etc., would respond to this situation that "WE" Eastern Orthodox (Traditional and World) face today.
Surely, we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, and I am confident that they are interceding on our behalf that we will hold on and continue to manifest Christ in our lives to the world so that it can be redeemed and restored.
Your fellow struggler in Christ,
Rd. Chrysostomos