Autocephaly? How does it work?

[Polycarp1]

Okay, this is a boring polity question, but one that has intrigued me, and I'd like an explanation and clarification or correction of my misunderstanding.

I am very well aware that the Ecumenical Patriarch is not "the Orthodox Pope" but rather the first among equals of the four Eastern Patriarchs. And I know that each church is autonomous and autocephalic, under its own Metropolitan (some of whom have assumed the title of Patriarch).

So say that I'm a Bulgarian, living in Plovdiv, attending a Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish there. My priest answers to his bishop, who in turn answers to a Metropolitan presumably in Sofia. If I'm a Bulgarian Orthodox American, my priest answers to an Exarch or something of the sort who in turn answers to Sofia (or wherever the Bulgarian Metropolitan's see is).

But I gather that the various autocephalic Orthodox churches do have some sort of allegiance to one of the four Patriarchs, apparently as the "next step up" from the Metropolitan, and that that relationship is not juridical but one of respect and teaching authority.

But all this is educated guess based on implications from things said and written about other topics and touching on authority tangentially.

So can somebody spell out the organization of the Orthodox churches and how they relate to the Patriarchs?

 

[Michael G]

http://www.oca.org/pages/orth_chri/q-and-a_old/autocephalous-autonomous.html

An "autocephalous" Church is completely self-governing. It elects its own primate and has the right to consecrate its own Holy Chrism, among other prerogatives unique to autocephalous Churches. [The term "autocephalous" literally means "self-heading."]

An "autonomous" Church is self-governing to a certain degree in its internal matters, but its head is appointed or confirmed by the autocephalous Church which nurtures it. An autonomous Church also receives its Holy Chrism from its "Mother Church."

Ok, an example of this is as follows:

The OCA is an Autocephalous Church. It was granted Autocephaly in 1970 by the Patriarch of Moscow. Prior to 1970 the OCA was part of the Moscow Patriarchate. Since 1970 the OCA has appointed it's own Metropolitan who is the president of the OCA's synod of Bishops. The OCA is self ruling and self headed and would only go to the Patriarch of Moscow in the event of the need to deal with a matter of faith and morals that it's own synod of Bishops could not handle.

 

[Philip]

I am very well aware that the Ecumenical Patriarch is not "the Orthodox Pope" but rather the first among equals of the four Eastern Patriarchs.

Actually, he is the first among all Orthodox bishops.

And I know that each church is autonomous and autocephalic, under its own Metropolitan (some of whom have assumed the title of Patriarch).

Metropolitans are bishops of large cities, but still 'just' bishops. Likewise, patriarchs are 'just' bishops. All bishops are equal in grace.

So say that I'm a Bulgarian, living in Plovdiv, attending a Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish there. My priest answers to his bishop, who in turn answers to a Metropolitan presumably in Sofia. If I'm a Bulgarian Orthodox American, my priest answers to an Exarch or something of the sort who in turn answers to Sofia (or wherever the Bulgarian Metropolitan's see is).

As long as we understand 'answers to' purely in the context of the temporal operation of the Church.

But I gather that the various autocephalic Orthodox churches do have some sort of allegiance to one of the four Patriarchs, apparently as the "next step up" from the Metropolitan, and that that relationship is not juridical but one of respect and teaching authority.

Allegiance to another Patriachs is somewhat like a family tree. For example, the OCA looks to Moscow because she is a daughter of Russia. In the Coptic world, the Patriach of Ethiopia is likely to defer to the Patriarch of Alexandria since the Church of Ethiopia is a daughter of Coptic Alexandria.

I hesitate to use the phrase 'teaching authority' as it is commonly associated with the Catholic Magisterium. Should the EP go astray, the rest of the Churches would not hesitate to correct him.

All in all, I think the polity of the Anglican Churches is similar to the Orthodox Churches, but more 'democratic'.

 

[Polycarp1]

Actually, he is the first among all Orthodox bishops.



Metropolitans are bishops of large cities, but still 'just' bishops. Likewise, patriarchs are 'just' bishops. All bishops are equal in grace.



As long as we understand 'answers to' purely in the context of the temporal operation of the Church.



Allegiance to another Patriachs is somewhat like a family tree. For example, the OCA looks to Moscow because she is a daughter of Russia. In the Coptic world, the Patriach of Ethiopia is likely to defer to the Patriarch of Alexandria since the Church of Ethiopia is a daughter of Coptic Alexandria.

I hesitate to use the phrase 'teaching authority' as it is commonly associated with the Catholic Magisterium. Should the EP go astray, the rest of the Churches would not hesitate to correct him.

All in all, I think the polity of the Anglican Churches is similar to the Orthodox Churches, but more 'democratic'.

Thank you, Philip and Iconographer, for clear answers. Yes, the Episcopal Church will listen with great respect to the Most. Rev. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, but it will not hesitate to make its own decisions, and he has no authority to supersede them, save great moral and traditional weight to what he says.

 

[Rilian]

Should the EP go astray, the rest of the Churches would not hesitate to correct him.

This is the most important distinction. Orthodoxy is a communion of shared faith, deviations from the shared faith would render a church out of communion and no longer Orthodox. This is not because of a central authority, but because it would be the duty of everyone to rise up and reject any heresy that entered the teaching of the church. The ecclesial bodies that make up the Anglican Communion have in many places abandoned such controls and heretical teachings have become accepted, sometimes at the highest levels.