Metropolitan Kallistos on Orthodox Unity in North America

As you will read below, Archbishop Kallistos Ware ("Timothy Ware") was recently in the States addressing a very crucial issue about the lack of unity within American Orthodoxy. Here is the link if you would like to hear his talk at your own convenience one day.

Fr. Steven
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Orthodox crowd jams church to hear Metropolitan Kallistos address Orthodox UNITY in Detroit - February 21, 2008

The brilliance of Orthodoxy was in full array in Troy Michigan Tuesday evening as Metropolitan KALLISTOS made his first visit to Detroit to discuss the FUTURE OF ORTHODOXY in the UNITED STATES. The visit was hosted by St. Andrew House - Center for Orthodox Christian Studies.

In what was undoubtedly the most successful Pan Orthodox event ever held in this city, more than 500 people jammed into St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Troy, Michigan to hear the presentation.

The setting was the beautiful Byzantine sanctuary of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Troy Michigan, under the pastoral care of Fr. Joseph Antypas. The event had to be moved into the sanctuary when it became apparent that the original setup in the church hall would not suffice.

"...we must say the catholicity and universality of the church are more valuable, more fundamental than our national, ethnic, and cultural identity..." His Eminence told the assembled group. "...if the basis of the Church’s existence is life in the eucharist, it means that the church is organized on a territorial, and not on an ethnic principle...", he continued.

"...we need to be clear about our priorities - the catholicity and universality of the Church…are much much more precious than our national or ethnic identity...." said the hierarch.

Comments overhead during the evening included, "That man is the reason I am Orthodox," said Bill Nowling, from Brighton Michigan. "I saw him 20 years ago in Grand Rapids, what a blessing to have him come here," said another man. "For many of us, this will be a once in a lifetime event," said a young Coptic man.

The diversity of the crowd reminded one of the multifaceted and ancient traditions of the Eastern Church. Armenians, Copts, Greeks, Romanians, Russians, Lebanese, Syrians, along with Anglican converts to the faith had come from all across the Midwest, Ontario and even Florida to listen to the world renowned author and bishop.

Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit, president of St. Andrew House, began the evening by reviewing the mission of St. Andrew House as a proponent for Orthodox Unity. "The Church in America was a united Church in the early 1900's under the Russian Diocese of America," said His Eminence, "It was only after the Russian Revolution, which cut off support of the American Church, that the various ethnic jurisdictions began to spring up in America," he continued.

The benediction given by the two hierarchs at the conclusion of the evening still rings in my ears. "Through the prayers of St. Andrew the First called, and the Great Martyr St. George..." said Metropolitan Kallistos.

Following that final prayer, and under the leadership of Archbishop Nathaniel, the building erupted in the hymn of "Lord...Bless thy People" - followed by "Many Years" which was led by Subdeacon Robert Mitchell (spontaneously). The majesty of those two hymns, at the end of such a spectacular evening, still send shivers down my spine.

What a blessing for the entire Orthodox community of Detroit!!!

For a complete recording of the evening, visit the home page of this website, www.orthodoxdetroit.com Recordings of the event were made possible by a continuing partnership between Ancient Faith Radio www.ancientfaith.com and St. Andrew House.

Finally, sincere thanks go to Mr. Michael Jaharis, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, without whose intervention this visit would have NEVER taken place. Our entire board of directors is certainly indebted to you.

Best Regards,
Dean Calvert

Church Desecration in Kosovo - 2 Responses

Fr. Steven,

While horrified to see this blatant act of desecration and malicious disrespect toward Christ and His Church, in my humble opinion, it needs to be shared and viewed by many. If viewing this does not bring tears to one’s eyes, a knot in one’s stomach or pain to one’s heart, then the de-sensitization that is so sadly prevalent in today’s society has taken over and the last sin is worse than the first....Lord Have Mercy. While viewing this video, one verse of Scripture played over and over in my mind:

“Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”
- Matthew 5: 11-12

May we humbly ask God in His infinite love for all mankind to be with those who are so deeply and profoundly affected by this persecution and brutality. May He have mercy on us all.

In Christ,
Alexis
~~~

Fr. Steven,

"Sick to your stomach" only begins to
describe!! It has the feeling of Christ being
crucified all over again. To me this gives the
appearance of what it must have been like when the
Roman soldiers mocked, spit on and physically abused
our Lord. I kept waiting to see lightning bolts strike
down the soldiers as they desecrated the beautiful
icons of Christ and all his saints (I probably would
have found myself cheering out loud). Contrary to
striking these evil men down the Saints whose icon is
being destroyed was probably praying for the soldiers
and I can almost imagine Christ asking God the Father
to "forgive them for they know not what they do" Could
this be what it looked like when the Saints were being
martyred and what could one day happen to us if we
stand up for our faith?....Where can one learn more
about what is happening in Kosovo? Not only is apathy
an issue and an evil here but also ignorance, for
which I am guilty of.

Stephen Wendland

VIDEO: Church Desecration in Kosovo

Dear Parish Faithful,

The attached video is deeply disturbing, and the crass brutality and blasphemy can make you sick to your stomach. Kosovo has always been the heartland of Serbia, and to this day many of the great medieval Serbian monasteries have been destroyed while an apathetic world takes no notice. In fact, apathy is one of the great assistants of evil.

Fr. Steven

Fr. Steven,

Take a look at this video sent from our priest in N. Idaho. I have no words...

Mary

This video brings the reality of world politics right before our very eyes...we have no time to fight petty duals among ourselves or focus on things of no importance. Lord have mercy on us and on this world for the many, many sins being committed at present...

The BODIES Exhibit, and "Super Sunday"

In yesterday's post-Liturgy discussion I responded to someone's question concerning the BODIES exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center. From the Orthodox perspective, this exhibit is definitely ill-conceived and ethically dubious - at best. The display of human cadavers in such an environment, though purportedly for "educational" purposes, is thoroughly inconsistent from a biblical understanding of the integrity of the human body. To make matters worse, the deceased, whose bodies are on "display," did not consent to such a use as far as can be ascertained. Sadly ironic In an era when "exploitation" is vehemently rejected from all quarters!

I went on to read a few passages from an editorial in Friday's enquirer, written by the Rev. Michael A. Seger. For those who missed this editorial, here are a few of the more telling portions from the Rev. Seger:

First, one is drawn to ask about the values at stake in displaying human beings in such a manner ... Our society goes so far as to regulate the treatment of corpses. This concern speaks to protecting and promoting profound human values. The human person is an embodied spirit so that our body is more than just a temporary container.

One faces yet another, related question: How does this exhibit touch upon the respect due to the human person as an embodied spirit?

As an integral unity of spirit and body, my body as a personal reality expresses and communicates my deepest spiritual values. We love with our bodies, we mourn with tears, we nourish with our bodies, we comfort with compassionate embraces. Our bodies bear the marks and movements of our life story. The plasticized bodies of this exhibit rip a person from the context of her or his life story. They stand before us sadly anonymous: not mourned and not reverenced.

...The plasticized bodies splayed for anatomical voyeurism belong to a person who deserves better. We are a society that prides itself on protecting and promoting human dignity, so we ask if this exhibit respects that noble goal.

Well said, I believe, and also quite consistent with our own Orthodox Christian perspective. What prompted me to relate yesterday's discussion was what I saw on the news last night as a kind of follow up to our discussion. I found a seemingly innocuous and "upbeat" report filled with disturbing and even chilling images: the smiling faces of adults and children coming out of the exhibit with comments of "cool," "neat," "amazing," etc. You would think that they just emerged from the Newport Aquarium after seeing a rare species of some tropical fish! We continue to cheapen life - and death for that matter. And that further means that everyone's life - yours and mine - is cheap regardless of how we bluster on about "human rights" and the like.

If your instinctive and intuitive reaction is to say "there is something not right in this" then I believe that you got it right.
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Yesterday was "Super Sunday" and tomorrow will be "Super Tuesday." Sounds like almost too much to handle in one week! The former brought to us the Game of the Year (and from what I understand, a good game because it was such an "upset"); and the latter a series of primaries that will further reduce the field of candidates for the presidential election later in the year. As is my own tradition, I always announce the "real" Super Sunday of each year on the day of the national and secular Super Sunday. And that would of course be the date of Pascha, the "Sunday of Sundays," because it is the Feast of Feasts. This year Pascha Sunday will be April 27. That means that Great Lent will begin on Monday, March 10. Still a ways off, but good to know well ahead of time, so that we will not make any foolish calender choices/commitments that could have been avoided with a bit more care. Whatever your level of "commitment" to Super Sunday or Super Tuesday, may it be nothing in comparison with your commitment, anticipation and preparation for the paschal celebration of the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

Fr. Steven