Eastern Orthodox Church Organzation

[~Anastasia~]

It is my understanding that brother bishops can together correct an erring bishop if necessary. Even the laity, and also especially monastics, have a role to play in defending the faith and making sure the clergy remain steadfast in it.

But I've never actually seen it happen so I can't say more than that about the process.

 

[Afra]

Ah well I can tell you the basic prayer we usually use and point you to some books. But that's something we actually don't go into deeply with the guidance of a spiritual father. The reason is that things can get deep when you go beyond basic prayers, and delusion is a very real possibility, so we are careful to guard against it. That's not to say anything bad about you. It's that I don't have the experience or authority to say much or to oversee anyone else's spiritual walk myself.

Understood. Thanks.

 

[prodromos]

It is my understanding that brother bishops can together correct an erring bishop if necessary. Even the laity, and also especially monastics, have a role to play in defending the faith and making sure the clergy remain steadfast in it.

But I've never actually seen it happen so I can't say more than that about the process.

The former patriarch of Jerusalem was removed from the patriarchal throne by a synod of bishops after he was found to be selling church property to the Israelis.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Even the laity, and also especially monastics, have a role to play in defending the faith and making sure the clergy remain steadfast in it.

But I've never actually seen it happen so I can't say more than that about the process.

this is true. St Basil the Great says that the Eunomean heresy was finally put down by the pious laity and monastics. the bishops just affirmed what the people already knew.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Understood. Thanks.

You're welcome.

The books I could suggest would hopefully be helpful as they explain the dangers too, iirc.

Fwiw, priests I have spoken to always allow some minutes of the prayer. Maybe 33 or 50 repetitions to begin. But there is also the understanding that if anything "happens" we will speak to them. Basic prayer is not so much the problem. Particular techniques can be.

 

[Afra]

You're welcome.

The books I could suggest would hopefully be helpful as they explain the dangers too, iirc.

Fwiw, priests I have spoken to always allow some minutes of the prayer. Maybe 33 or 50 repetitions to begin. But there is also the understanding that if anything "happens" we will speak to them. Basic prayer is not so much the problem. Particular techniques can be.

Thank you. I would be interested if you remember the titles.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

But in all fairness to the patriarch, those Jews promised him they’d open a delicatessen, a kosher bakery, a bank, and a dradle factory that would earn big shekels when the stock went public.

The former patriarch of Jerusalem was removed from the patriarchal throne by a synod of bishops after he was found to be selling church property to the Israelis.

 

[Kalevalatar]

The Finnish Orthodox Church is an autonomous archdiocese of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and headed by Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland. At the same time, the Russian Orthodox Church has been activating in Finland, partly for political reasons too, and is running a parallel semi-autonimous Orthodox Church structure under the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' and aiming to establish a separate Russian diocese in Finland.

It's my understanding this is somewhat a curious situation in the Orthodox Catholic Church where the patriarchates traditionally don't compete, if you will, with each other in each other's territory. The Finnish Orthodox Church maintains that this is uncanonical and unacceptable.

 

[Paidiske]

I'm curious... how does that work, then, in places which were not historically Orthodox?

Near me, for example, I can think of Greek and Russian and Serbian and probably other sorts of Orthodox too, and my limited understanding is that each of them answers to hierarchy "back home." Is that thought to be okay because there was nothing established here already? Or should the first one to arrive and establish a parish have been considered to have authority in the area?

I know in America they've done something that allows the Orthodox in America to be under an autocephalous American jurisdiction (although I don't know how that relates to historic patriarchates), but to the best of my knowledge nothing like that has been suggested here.

 

[~Anastasia~]

The situation in the US is not "normal Orthodoxy" but it will probably take a long time to sort it out. In the nearby city are two parishes, under two different Patriarchates. A third patriarchate is over another parish I hope to visit someday. The situation can create multiple overseeing bishops in one city.

I am told it's because except for Alaska, Orthodoxy came to the US not as a missionary effort, but through various refugees or people immigrating for other reasons, who brought their faith with them.

I don't know what efforts - if any - are being made to deal with the situation. I'd be curious.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I thought the various churches were supposed to come together to begin discussions around creating a North American Church. I heard rumors that Bishop Maxim, my bishop, was a potential patriarchal candidate! But then nothing happened and never heard squat. I have been told getting the Greeks, Serbs, ROCOR, OCA, Bulgarians, Antiocheans, and the rest together is like herding cats.

The situation in the US is not "normal Orthodoxy" but it will probably take a long time to sort it out. In the nearby city are two parishes, under two different Patriarchates. A third patriarchate is over another parish I hope to visit someday. The situation can create multiple overseeing bishops in one city.

I am told it's because except for Alaska, Orthodoxy came to the US not as a missionary effort, but through various refugees or people immigrating for other reasons, who brought their faith with them.

I don't know what efforts - if any - are being made to deal with the situation. I'd be curious.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I thought the various churches were supposed to come together to begin discussions around creating a North American Church. I heard rumors that Bishop Maxim, my bishop, was a potential patriarchal candidate! But then nothing happened and never heard squat. I have been told getting the Greeks, Serbs, ROCOR, OCA, Bulgarians, Antiocheans, and the rest together is like herding cats.

Herding cats is possibly right. And everything moves at a glacial pace in Orthodoxy anyway.

About four years ago I heard talk of thinking it was a good idea and maybe working on it - with the expectation it might take a century or so.

But I haven't heard anything concrete.

I wonder what would happen with several parishes in one city - or really I mean with more parishes than are needed? I would hope it would result in better "coverage" of areas with no Church.

But I'm just wondering. I haven't heard much.

 

[Moses Medina]

As of a few weeks ago I believe it was voted against by a significant percentage.

I thought the various churches were supposed to come together to begin discussions around creating a North American Church. I heard rumors that Bishop Maxim, my bishop, was a potential patriarchal candidate! But then nothing happened and never heard squat. I have been told getting the Greeks, Serbs, ROCOR, OCA, Bulgarians, Antiocheans, and the rest together is like herding cats.