Which Churches Are Orthodox?

[user_315]

Gregory,

I of course could only offer the GOC of Greece, or here in America, the GOC of America. There are others which I would not say are not Orthodox, but because our synod has not yet made formal statements, I am bound to neutrality.

The Synod of the false GOC is in schism form the GOC of Greece.
CHRYSOSTOMOS II (KIOUSIS) annointed a bishop (Pavlos) who openly recieves new calendarists. He also falsly continued an accusation that was started by a convicted blackmailer that a bishop in greece was a homosexual. When the Bishop recieved the call from the blackmailer he immediatly called the police and they set up a sting operation. The Blackmailers tape (when he showed up for the money) that supposedly proved the guilt of the Bishop was blank. Nevertheless Chrysostomos II continued the accusation needlessly to the point of schism. Elected his own bishops and continues to spread the lie that he and his ecumenical comrades are indeed florinites. The bishops elected a new Synod president, and again elected a newer president His Beatitude Makarios, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece ::: That is the actual GOC
www.gocgreece.org

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

naegling,

When the news hit the newspapers in Greece it became a scandal to the faithful that Efthymios was accused of having homosexual relations. It is natural and the responsibilty of the Holy Synod to investigate, if for no other reason than to vidicate him in the eyes of all those who read the newspapers.

But before any synod investigation could take place, the Lamians "walled themselves off" in order to avoid it.

Very well. I have no need to argue about whether or not Efthymios was involved in homosexual relations - but which canon or Holy Tradition allows a few bishops to avoid a legitimate investigation and run off and start their own anti-synod, and in the absence of heresy declare their former synod dead (which they have recently done)?

On the contrary, the Canons and the Fathers of the Church place a heavy burden of evidence on those who "wall themselves off", much less form a new synod with an "archbishop". Any reasonable person, then, must admit that unsubstantiated rumor and the lack of any heresy, by definition, does not measure up to the strict standard of evidence mandated by the Fathers.

A strict application of akriveia, such as the ecclesiology of St. Cyprian of Carthage, teaches that “God is one and Christ is one, and His Church is one; one is the faith, and one the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body. That unity cannot be split; that body cannot be divided by any cleavage of its structure, nor cut up in fragments with its vitals torn apart.” (St. Cyprian of Carthage)

This is a very thought provoking statement, one that should be taken very seriously by the Genuine Orthodox Christians of today.

[TomS]

But before any synod investigation could take place, the Lamians "walled themselves off" in order to avoid it.

...which canon or Holy Tradition allows a few bishops to avoid a legitimate investigation and run off and start their own anti-synod, and in the absence of heresy declare their former synod dead (which they have recently done)?

AMEN! OOD!

[Justin Kissel]

naegling

First, welcome to the forum.

CHRYSOSTOMOS II (KIOUSIS) annointed a bishop (Pavlos) who openly recieves new calendarists.

What do you make of the fact that 1) Met. Paul repented of his past actions and words (repentance which many, including Esphigmenou, accepted as genuine), and that 2) Met. Paul issued an Encyclical, in which he said (among other things):

...For this reason, the genuine Orthodox Christians are not permitted to enter the churches of heretics or schismatics to receive communion, for such is a very serious sin. The person, who does so, cuts himself off from the Orthodox Church...

Our times are the times of the antichrist, as the Evangelist St. John tells us. The antichrist labors so that iniquity, sin, apostasy, error, and false teaching may spread throughout the world.

Ecumenism, which today has captivated many people, is the result of all this. It is the work of the antichrist and of his followers. This Ecumenism would swallow up the very last lambs of Christ, that is us, the genuine Orthodox Christians, if it could. This is why Ecumenism is a pan-heresy.

In the face of this great danger, as your Bishop and Shepherd of the Orthodox Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of America, who is charged by God to protect His flock from the heretics and schismatics who have placed themselves outside the Church, I call upon the faithful children of our Church not to enter the churches of schismatics and heretics to take communion. You should communicate only in temples that belong to our Church, which here in America are only the Sacred Temples of the Holy Metropolis (GOC) of America. You should have the permission of your spiritual father, who himself should be a clergyman of our Holy Metropolis, and should have confessed and fasted correctly prior to Communion. Those who do not have an Orthodox faith and confession, that is heretics, ecumenists, false old calendarists, etc., will not be permitted to be imparted the Holy Mysteries in our Holy Temples, even as the Holy Synod of our Church has directed.

Neither the Holy Synod of our Church, nor I as your bishop, are chasing from our Church anyone who is seeking his salvation. However, this salvation must be achieved as Christ wills, not as just anyone wills. For this reason, all who wish to receive Communion in our Churches must formerly enter into the bosom of the Orthodox Church as genuine Christians. With the permission of their confessor, and along with appropriate preparation, they will always be welcomed to receive the Mystery of Mysteries which is Holy Communion. - Source