Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and the South (EO)

[ArmyMatt]

I think that was the case during Metropolitan Herman or Jonah's election. The election of Metropolitan Theodosius though, Vladika Dmitri had the clear majority vote, but the Synod wasn't ready for a convert metropolitan (yet) mostly out of fear that other jurisdictions wouldn't view the OCA as being legitimate. It was the 1970s, it was a different time.

it was Metropolitan Herman. Archbishop Dmitri was retired by Metropolitan Jonah

 

[archer75]

I think that was the case during Metropolitan Herman or Jonah's election. The election of Metropolitan Theodosius though, Vladika Dmitri had the clear majority vote, but the Synod wasn't ready for a convert metropolitan (yet) mostly out of fear that other jurisdictions wouldn't view the OCA as being legitimate. It was the 1970s, it was a different time.

WOW.

 

[E.C.]

WOW.

Yeah, it sounds scandalous now, but the 1970s were a different time. The OCA was considerably more Slavic in character at the time too to the extend that we would have described it as "diet Russian" today; the switch to the New Calendar for example didn't happen until about 1982 or so. Vladika Dmitri's status as a bishop, because he was an American convert, was viewed with such suspicion by others that when he was Bishop of Berkley in the 1960s, the Bay Area ROCOR community was convinced he was a KGB agent because that was the only way they could rationalize there being a non-Russian American bishop! It's sad, yes, but that's history and the best thing we can do is learn from it, forgive others for their ignorance/xenophobia, and move on. Trust me, it is a lot easier said then done.

 

[archer75]

Yeah, it sounds scandalous now, but the 1970s were a different time. The OCA was considerably more Slavic in character at the time too to the extend that we would have described it as "diet Russian" today; the switch to the New Calendar for example didn't happen until about 1982 or so. Vladika Dmitri's status as a bishop, because he was an American convert, was viewed with such suspicion by others that when he was Bishop of Berkley in the 1960s, the Bay Area ROCOR community was convinced he was a KGB agent because that was the only way they could rationalize there being a non-Russian American bishop! It's sad, yes, but that's history and the best thing we can do is learn from it, forgive others for their ignorance/xenophobia, and move on. Trust me, it is a lot easier said then done.

I didn't mean to condemn anybody by my "wow," just to express my total surprise.

No KGB agent wrote "Miracles of Christ," that's for sure...

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yeah, it sounds scandalous now, but the 1970s were a different time. The OCA was considerably more Slavic in character at the time too to the extend that we would have described it as "diet Russian" today; the switch to the New Calendar for example didn't happen until about 1982 or so. Vladika Dmitri's status as a bishop, because he was an American convert, was viewed with such suspicion by others that when he was Bishop of Berkley in the 1960s, the Bay Area ROCOR community was convinced he was a KGB agent because that was the only way they could rationalize there being a non-Russian American bishop! It's sad, yes, but that's history and the best thing we can do is learn from it, forgive others for their ignorance/xenophobia, and move on. Trust me, it is a lot easier said then done.

I remember people were wigging out when Met Jonah was elected as the first convert who became the primate.

 

[archer75]

I remember people were wigging out when Met Jonah was elected as the first convert who became the primate.

Everyone has to be received at some point in their life. No one is born baptized...

 

[E.C.]

I didn't mean to condemn anybody by my "wow," just to express my total surprise.

No KGB agent wrote "Miracles of Christ," that's for sure...

No, I didn't read your post that way, but this is the internet where all posts are public and I'm sure some naysayer out there would have.

 

[E.C.]

I remember people were wigging out when Met Jonah was elected as the first convert who became the primate.

I remember that too, but my reservations were less his convert status (like me) and more his lack of experience and inability to listen to advice which was known in the Diocese of the West. Both of which ultimately led to his downfall.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Everyone has to be received at some point in their life. No one is born baptized...

yep

 

[ArmyMatt]

I remember that too, but my reservations were less his convert status (like me) and more his lack of experience and inability to listen to advice which was known in the Diocese of the West. Both of which ultimately led to his downfall.

well, he’s doing well now from what I see

 

[archer75]

And Archbishop Dmitri's commentary on the Gospel of John is quite meaty fare...

 

[ArmyMatt]

And Archbishop Dmitri's commentary on the Gospel of John is quite meaty fare...

and his commentary on Romans is wonderfully pastoral.

 

[archer75]

and his commentary on Romans is wonderfully pastoral.

The commentary on the Gospel of John will probably take me about six months, but I definitely want to check out the one on Romans, too. The Archbishop is an extremely sober, down-to-earth, and accessible writer. Father Seraphim Rose is also a very strong writer as a writer, but Archbishop Dmitri seems to have developed his God-given talents to an unusual degree, maybe in part because he lived much longer.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The commentary on the Gospel of John will probably take me about six months, but I definitely want to check out the one on Romans, too. The Archbishop is an extremely sober, down-to-earth, and accessible writer. Father Seraphim Rose is also a very strong writer as a writer, but Archbishop Dmitri seems to have developed his God-given talents to an unusual degree, maybe in part because he lived much longer.

maybe, plus he had to govern a far larger flock than Fr Seraphim.