The STOC under Bishop Akakije - Where are they going?

[Matthew]

Interesting account, Barbara. Thank you!

[Barbara]

Thank you for saying that !

After I wrote that, I remembered that I myself had had a far more amazing experience along these same lines.
But i doubt anyone would be eager to hear it here.

About that other American woman tourist, I also recall that I disliked everything else in her book [ probably a liberal or otherwise objectionable perspective ]. The only thing that I remember is this one incident, which remained in my mind for some years. The rest I blanked out.

By the way, most all travel writing by North Americans and Britons are trash these days.
I wouldn't recommend anyone waste time on their books.

Older travel journals, from many decades ago or even centuries back, are fascinating. At that time it was only the English who were traveling and writing about their journeys in English. French and other European accounts from earlier times have rarely been translated into English. These would likely be excellent, too. Many observations of Europeans about the countries they visited often hold true to this very day, which makes the reading of their travelogues of greater relevance than one might otherwise expect.

[Matthew]

Yes, they would be speaking from the views and beliefs and values of their times, and as CS Lewis noted, the only way to critique one's own time and cultural, social values and beliefs with some degree of objectivity is to compare our own to those of times past, since we don't live in the future where hindsight is 20/20 as they say.

[Barbara]

Despite the purported clarification, this situation remains murky. I agree with Matthew's comment of December 3, 2015 above : it is so well stated that no one could improve on his remarks - !

The news about Lesna having attempted to go under Bp Akakije is deeply disappointing to me. Perhaps this is now a fait accompli due to the way Maria described it. I had understood [ the last I read ] that the RTOC Synod refused to grant permission for this transfer.
Has there been further news since the last RTOC meeting ?

[Maria]

Barbara,

Are you referring to this news, which is dated November 19, 2016 (civil Gregorian calendar), as this pertains to the Lesna situation? It looks like it was released almost immediately upon Lesna's commitment to form an allegiance with STOC.

http://www.ripc.info/en/documents/doc/t ... rn-europe/

Date of publication on web-site: 19.11.2016

Please be informed that the Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church has decided not to grant the Lesna Monastery its request to leave the RTOC and join the Serbian True Orthodox Church. Similarly, the Synod has denied the Mission, with its parishes and communities, its request for a canonical leave to join the Serbian True Orthodox Church. Finally, the Synod has decided to dissolve the Mission operated by the Lesna Monastery, and relieve its office holders of their positions. In its stead, the Synod has decided to restore the structure of the Western European dioceses as it was under ROCOR, and even before that under the omophor of the Holy Patriarch Tikhon. Archimandrite Philaretos (Klimatikis) has been appointed Dean of the Western European Deanery of the Russian True Orthodox Church. He is assigned to administer this territory until such time that a bishop may be assigned. Throughout this territory, only the name of the President of the Holy Synod, Archbishop Tikhon, may be commemorated during the divine services.

With love in Christ,

Protopresbyter Victor Melehov, Secretary
Synod of Bishops
Russian True Orthodox Church

[Maria]

Oh, by the way:

Last night, I moved many posts from the public forum into this Intra-TOC thread either because they discussed polemical issues or they were off-topic.

Even in this private forum, please avoid gossip and speculative remarks. Thanks.

Let us pray that all may be enlightened with grace from above to come to the Truth that is Christ.

[Maria]

Can anybody explain to me why does Bp Akakiy
expect former GOC -K to repent? And what are they supposed to repent off?
The founder of RTOC Arb Lazar ( Zhurbenko)
in his interview with Fr Victor Potapov explicitly stated that he FULLY recognized the sacraments of MP. Current bishops of RTOC Benjamin and Tikhon never repented or even denounced the above views . And now the same RTOC demand repentance from former GOC-K!?
Isn't it time to stop being hypocritical .

I did some research, Igor, and I have found that many priests and hierarchs in the RTOC have written articles that attack not only the MP for heresy, but also condemn this GOC-K union with the SIR and the ROCOR of Agafangel. I do not see the hypocrisy, but a consistency that is admirable and true..

Here is a recent encyclical published by the RTOC which condemns Cyprianism:
http://www.ripc.info/en/documents/doc/t ... he-omsk-s/

Here is a thread containing RTOC articles and epistles some dating back to 2007:
http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/vi ... 151#p69151