Hellenism

[Cyprian]

Wrong assumption. I am a Greek Old Calendarist under His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos of America.

Dear Anastasios,

I didn't know you are Greek? I thought you are an American. So why do you refer to yourself as a "Greek Old Calendarist"?

What about you is Greek? Hellenism is declared a heresy by the Fathers.

Are you a "Greek Old Calendarist" or an Orthodox Christian?

Pick one or the other.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. --Galatians 3.28

[drewmeister2]

Are you a "Greek Old Calendarist" or an Orthodox Christian?

Pick one or the other.

What are you talking about? If you are an Old Calendarist belonging to a Greek Synod, is that not the same thing as being Orthodox?

[尼古拉前执事]

Are you a "Greek Old Calendarist" or an Orthodox Christian?

Pick one or the other.

What are you talking about? If you are an Old Calendarist belonging to a Greek Synod, is that not the same thing as being Orthodox?

It seems that Cyprian was asking whether being Greek or being Orthodox was the important part to him. Knowing Anastasios as I do, I know it is being Orthodox that matters the most, not being Greek.

[Cyprian]

What are you talking about? If you are an Old Calendarist belonging to a Greek Synod, is that not the same thing as being Orthodox?

But of course not. The Cyprianite synod was formed in Greece and uses the Old-Calendar, and they are not Orthodox.

The Papists followed the Old-Calendar for over five centuries after their departure from the Church of Christ. Did that make them Orthodox?

Orthodoxy is not defined by simply following the Old Calendar. I believe you yourself were just criticizing Abp. Gregory of Dormition Skete as an enemy of Orthodoxy. His group follows the Old Calendar, correct?

G.O.C. stands for Genuine Orthodox Christians, not "Greek Old Calendarists" or "Greek Orthodox Church".

The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ is not Greek or Russian -- she is Catholic, as we confess in the Holy Symbol of Faith.

In English, it is more accurate and preferable to say the Orthodox Church(es) of Greece, or the Orthodox Church in Greece, rather than speaking of the "Greek Orthodox Church".

When speaking, if one places the word "Greek" or "Russian" before "Orthodox Church", it could be construed to be an adjective.

People could easily be led astray into believing that the Orthodox Church is nationalistic and is only suited for Greeks, Russians, Serbians, Romanians, etc., or those who wish to become Greek, Russian, etc.

The proof of what I say is clearly manifest.

Anastasios is not Greek. He does not live in Greece. The diocese of his bishop, and in fact the whole synod, is not even in Greece, but rather in North America.

So what purpose is served by calling himself a "Greek Old Calendarist"?

One other thing. Why doesn't anyone refer to any of the synods with ties to Russia as "Russian Old Calendarists"?

Would the ROAC clergy that administer this board like to be referred to as "Russian Old Calendarists"?

Does anyone here refer to the Lavrite synod as "Russian Old Calendarists"? Why not?

Cyprian

[Anastasios]

Dear Cyprian,

Thank you for your concern. May the final days of the fast be profitable and have a blessed Nativity!

Anastasios

[joasia]

Thank you for your concern. May the final days of the fast be profitable and have a blessed Nativity!

Anastasios

Now, THAT is an Orthodox response. I vote that Anastasios is Orthodox.

KALO XPRISTOUYENNA!

[joasia]

The measure of Orthodoxy is if a Synod upholds the Seven Ecumenical Councils. And of course, ecumenism is the biggest factor, in our time.

But, we can't completely reject the heritage of a country that was Orthodox, as a nation. Orthodoxy came from them, whether with the Greeks first and spread out to Georgia, Bulgaria, Russian and others of the motherland. They all have specific traditions that are distinct to their Orthodox cultures.

What counts is that the Synods in all these countries confess and uphold the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

We are also distinct in North America, but what culture could we bring from our country which was established by non-Orthodox?

The Coca-cola Santa Clause? The Easter bunny? Halloween? April Fool's Day? Hallmark? New Years celebration? President's Day? Washington's Birthday? Veteran's Day?(Or is that just Canadian?). Labour Day? Independence Day? Boxing Day(do you have it in the U.S. too?). Thanksgiving Day? Did I miss any days? Ophra?

So, basically, the traditions of the feasts and fasts do come from the Motherland. I don't mean that the politics of that country have to be accepted, but the traditions from centuries gone-by, that are Orthodox, are the root. That's what I want to say...they are the root and all we converts and cradle-born Orthodox, in North America, can do is preserve the root of the old country Orthodox traditions. Doesn't seem like there's anything Orthodox in North America.

So, yes, I believe that Orthodoxy is a faith, but we cannot completely disregard the countries that lived it for centuries before us.

And also, they have so many saints that lived and died for Christ. It would be a dishonor to God and to the memory of the saints to criticize the meaning of Orthodoxy because it focuses on a certain country . These saints and martyrs were Greek and Russian and Georgian and Bulgarian and Serbian and other countries that I can't remember right now.

They loved their countries and died for Orthodoxy first. I think that there is much to learn from the traditions developed in these Orthodox countries, even if they have lost it now, to ecumenism. Besides, I don't see any Orthodox Genuine North American traditions that hold up to the old country.

That's my 2 cents.

Have a blessed Nativity.