President Trump, after recovering from COVID, was due to leave Walter Reed hospital when he Tweeted this message, “Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” As an obese 74 year-old with a famously poor diet and a high-stress job, Trump has very publicly beaten the virus and in a short period of time. President Trump is also the man whose campaign has organized events across the country which gathered together tens of thousands of his most fervent supporters.
Through Trump’s actions we can confirm two very important things. First, COVID-19 is obviously not as deadly as the media and government scientists first led us to believe. President Trump is one of the most briefed men on the planet. He has the best medical experts in the world on speed dial. He is not interested in dying. And he wants to be re-elected president with all his heart. That would not occur if his campaign events were threatening his life and the lives of his voters. So, just like anyone else who has been paying attention, it is clear that President Trump is aware that COVID may be highly infectious, but for the vast majority of the American population, it is not a major life threat. The survival rates published by the CDC confirm an expected 99.98% survival rate for patients under 49, and even at 70 plus years of age a patient has a 94.6% chance of pulling through. Worldwide numbers indicate that COVID mortality is within the range of the seasonal flu.
The other thing Trump’s message of COVID defiance and his rallies without limits prove is that President Trump is certainly not an Orthodox Bishop in the United States. If he were, he’d be way more timid.
38 Successors to the Apostles just finished gathering, virtually of course, for the 10th annual meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA. Among other things, the bishops drafted A Message of Hope from the Assembly of Bishops. You can read the entire message at the link. The portions we would like to focus on are quoted below:
In our present circumstances, trying to hold a sensible middle ground between opposing forces of faithless reason on the one hand and spiritualized folly on the other is the greatest challenge of our time…. Certainly, our present physical separation from one another and spiritual isolation from the divine services have complicated our ability to navigate these troubled waters. It is not fitting for us, as Orthodox Christians, to add to the burdens of our brothers and sisters either by condemning them or by appeasing them with insincere flattery. Rather, we ought to honestly fulfill the law of God by bearing one another’s burdens, as the Holy Apostle Paul reminds us (cf. Gal. 6:2).
On the one hand, we suppose, it was good that the Orthodox bishops in this country finally, as a group, acknowledged that we have a few problems here. On the other hand, after reading through this multiple times, we kept asking ourselves, “Where’s the hope here again, other than in the title?”
President Trump is a secular leader, and one that is not noted for his deep and abiding faith in God. But even he was able to call upon us to cast off fear and live our lives. The Orthodox Bishops did not. Trump was bold and inspirational in a time of crisis, the Bishops are trying to hold a tepid “middle ground.” From the beginning of this crisis, Orthodox Christians have asked the bishops to evaluate the data on the virus for themselves and make wise, independent, transparent decisions. The choice has not been between “faithless reason” and “spiritualized folly.” Those words are deployed to merely cover the Bishops’ own fear of action.
Rather, as is even more abundantly clear today than ever, the choice has been between politically useful hysteria and protecting the well-being of our most vulnerable in society. Even WHO officials have now realized that lockdowns are doing the most harm to those who can least afford it. Dr. David Nabarro of the WHO has urged world leaders to stop using lockdowns as a primary virus control method, “Look what’s happened to smallholder farmers all over the world. … Look what’s happening to poverty levels. It seems that we may well have a doubling of world poverty by next year. We may well have at least a doubling of child malnutrition.”
Shouldn’t the Shepherds of Christ’s Church on Earth have something to say about a public health strategy that is doubling the rate of poverty and doubling child malnutrition? Opposing this doesn’t seem like “spiritualized folly” to us. And supporting such policies doesn’t appear to us to be any kind of reason, “faithless” or otherwise.
But there is even more evidence emerging that continuing to destroy economies and human lives over a virus with a close to 100% survival rate for those under 70 is a horrible idea. Over 6,000 scientists signed a petition calling for end of coronavirus lockdowns:
Over 6,000 scientists signed their names to a petition calling for an end to coronavirus lockdowns, citing the “irreparable damage” they have caused.
“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists we have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach we call Focused Protection,” states the petition, which was signed by over 2,800 medical and public health scientists, over 3,700 medical practitioners, and over 60,000 private citizens, according to Newsweek. “Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health.”
The petition continues: “Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed.”
“The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk,” the petition reads. “We call this Focused Protection.”
When the lockdowns began, many bishops and priests published letters saying that destroying jobs and closing churches was to help “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31). Those of us complaining about the lockdowns and the church closures were often accused of not caring about the vulnerable. We were told, in no uncertain terms, that we were putting money above human lives. Well, that was then and this is now. And now that 15 days to flatten the curve has turned into 7 months, it has become abundantly clear that the lockdowns and social isolation are hurting and even killing the most vulnerable in our society. And it needs to stop.
So why did the bishops not stand up for the least of these among us? Why can politicians and scientists speak out, but the men burdened with leading the Faithful simply keep quiet? Are they that afraid of a virus or the government, or both?
The bishops also noted, “our present physical separation from one another and spiritual isolation from the divine services.” Churches in many states, such as California, are still closed or severely constrained. Lawsuits are popping up all over on Constitutional grounds, and many churches are resisting the restrictions in a myriad of ways. This message was a perfect time for the Bishops to condemn restrictions on religious liberty, and declare once and for all that the Church is “essential.” They, of course, did no such thing which is how most of the Bishops have behaved since the beginning of this crisis. Not only will the Bishops not fight for California, they won’t stand up for Christian freedom of worship in even the mildest of language.
Thanks be to God that we have leaders in the Orthodox Church such as Abbot Tryphon who are willing to stand for the Church. Abbot Tryphon wrote the following in a recent article entitled The Church is THE Essential Institution:
Given the communal nature of the Church, it is particularly alarming our City, State, and Federal governments are using this Covid-19 pandemic to bar people from gathering in their temples for common worship. The importance of social interaction in the central square, as seen in traditional villages where the cafe life, together with the communal nature of the Church, were the primary source of fraternal interaction, demonstrate the danger facing a society that has ordered her people to remain apart, sequestered in their homes.
A nation that forbids her people from participating in corporate worship, is a nation that is doomed.
Isolated from others, the communal nature that is an important element in what it means to be human, is lost. As humans, we are meant to be together, for it is in our lives together that we grow in mind and spirit. It is in community that we learn to love God, and it is within the corporate gathering together for the Divine Liturgy, that we collectively hear the Word of God, and receive the Life-giving Body and Blood of Our Saviour.It is high time we clearly let those who’ve decided that liquor stores, pot shops, and drug stores are by far less essential to the maintenance of our souls, then the Church. A nation that forbids her people from participating in corporate worship, is a nation that is doomed. It is clear that we have need for access to the food we need for physical sustenance, but the spiritual food needed for a healthy soul and body, makes the Church THE most essential institution in the land.
Like President Trump on the secular side, Abbot Tryphon boldly proclaims truth but from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Compare his prophetic boldness in crying out that a nation which forbids corporate worship is “doomed” with the Bishops’ “middle ground.” Who speaks for the historic witness of the Faith of the Martyrs – Abbot Tryphon or the Bishops?
The danger to our Faith extends past this current crisis. The Bishops’ continuing silence probably means that we are not taking steps to make our own plans as a Church for how to deal with any future crisis. The current policy of simply “comply” has been condemned as dangerous by other Orthodox leaders such as Archbishop Theodosy (Snigiryov) of Boyarka who said:
If the Church adopts a “whatever they say, we’ll do,” stance as its doctrine of responding to social problems, then in the near future, authorities in different countries will be able to close our churches, and deprive the faithful of the Liturgy under any humanitarian pretext—a pandemic, the danger of nuclear war, climate change, etc.
The Bishops missed more opportunities than just defending the vulnerable (while embracing actual science), and calling for an end to restrictions on Christian worship. The ongoing vaccine effort is alarming many with concerns about decreased safety protocols and possible side effects from the use of potentially dangerous new technology. The Russian Church has dealt with those concerns by proclaiming that patients have the right to voluntary, informed consent of all vaccines. Our American Bishops ignored this controversy in their message, even though it is being discussed daily and even featured in presidential debates.
The Bishops also failed to renounce the “new normal” and advocate unequivocally for a return to pre-COVID life, at least for those under 70 or otherwise not in high risk groups. 7 months in, we still have mask mandates, restrictions on travel, and experiments with “immunity” passports. As with lockdowns, the science does not support the need for the “new normal.” Recently, a survey conducted by over a dozen medical institutions for the CDC and published in Sept. 11’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed that 85% of those who contracted COVID-19 during July among the study group either “always” or “often” wore face coverings within the 14 days before they were infected. Just 3.9% reported never wearing a mask. And, of course, the data tell us that the overwhelmingly, vast majority of those who did get the virus will be just fine.
The uselessness of mask mandates has always been known based on prior experience with the flu. We have been writing about masks for months. Which makes us wonder why the vast majority of Orthodox parishes are still enforcing mandatory masks, even when many of their localities are not requiring them? When will the Bishops take a stand against the “new normal,” or does their reticence to do so mean that at least the 38 who signed off on this statement are on-board with it?
The Bishops’ message also said:
At the same time, this health crisis and the energy required to shoulder it have also given rise to an unhealthy increase of polemical opinion related to questions of science, medicine, and civil and ecclesiastical directives. As often happens when human passions erupt, such polemics have infected other areas of society as reflected in the rise in this country of racial tensions, ideological clashes, and political polarization… we are not called to base our lives upon the ephemeral convictions that are common in the realm of politics, economics, or ideology. Rather, we are called to “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2), placing our trust in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing His Holy Will through our efforts to fulfill His life-giving commandments.
Many American cities have been rocked for months with violent riots. Innocent business and home owners have suffered billions in property damage. There is rampant, open speculation of increased mob violence after a possible botched election. But the Orthodox Bishops don’t condemn the violence while calling for calm and prophetically taking to task the politicians who have promoted the chaos? Why do the Bishops note our current distress, but somehow refer to all this chaos and destruction as “polemics“?
As Christians, of course we place our hope in the Gospel, just as the Bishops advise. But how can our leaders ignore what is happening around us? Not only are we beset by Marxist-led mob violence in the streets, but churches are being attacked and vandalized. Christians are being “cancelled” from their jobs and from society for the crime of merely standing up for the tenets of our faith. A Supreme Court nominee is being attacked for the crime of taking her Roman Catholic faith seriously. Yet our Bishops ignore all that and simply tell us to focus on Jesus Christ.
That is not bad advice, focusing on Jesus is always the right thing to do. But we need more out of our leaders to help us in the life we have to live prior to entering God’s Kingdom. What is happening to us now as a nation and as a Church matters, and the Bishops seem completely disconnected from our daily struggles.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 churches will close in the next 18 months. That crisis is reaching the Orthodox as well. The Greek Archdiocese has launched a COVID-19 Parish Recovery Initiative:
Many parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America have reported declines in weekly giving and stewardship donations due to the lengthy COVID-19 shutdown. Additionally, reports showcase the decline of attendance at holy services and ministries as well as technological challenges associated with delivery services and ministries virtually.
Millions of people are deeply disappointed in the way the Church (and the other “Christian” bodies in the US) has caved to COVID hysteria. They are lost, dejected and in need of guidance. They are staying home in droves, and they are keeping what money they have and not giving it to the Church. Our people need the kind of “spiritualized folly” that the Bishops condemn. They need the Faith of the Apostles and Martyrs, not the scribblings of academics too afraid to even meet their fellow Bishops face-to-face. By God’s Grace that boldness still exists within our Holy, Orthodox Church. May God grant that the Bishops catch the the fire of the Holy Spirit in their bellies and that it pours out into their preaching. Then maybe the leaders of our Faith will be capable of giving us a real message of hope over fear.
Nicholas, member Greek Archdiocese of America
[…] we were assured by our Shepherds in Christ. This was a “crisis.” Our governments had only our safety in mind. Everything would eventually go back to “normal.” Only “fanatics” would oppose […]
I have been thinking this for months now. I’m glad I am not alone. I am greatly disappointed that the Greek Orthodox Church I attend has been requiring face masks and all the other bogus regulations. It is a major distraction during the liturgy and makes me not want to go. I have only been a few times since they started requiring them and now I am just fed up with it.
When some of our beloved bishops are tipping the scales way north of 300, there is good reason for them to be afraid of COVID. Obesity accelerates morbidity of COVID exponentially. Some of the Orthodox witness is that we are a “fasted” people, having our appetites under control. How can practicing the fasts, produce so many obese clergy and laity? Is there an underlying cause of fear due to the poor health of our hierarchy? Of course, this is just a side issue, but it may speak to our overall spiritual health.
Bishops used to be leaders of the Church, but in America they’re mostly just administrators.
It seems to me that the main reason for the apparent cowardice of the bishops is their marching orders. Bartholomew said that the Greek Orthodox Church will do what the government and public health authorities tell it to do. Archbishop Sotirios said the same thing – and he is doing it. Therefore, going against what the politicians are advocating amounts to “disobedience’ to the Patriarch. Isn’t that why two American Metropolitans were sacked when they would not give up communing with the common spoon? How un-covid of them, and yet how Orthodox of them.
Therefore, it is not the virus these Bishops are afraid of, but being sacked! So this begs the question, why would such a stance be the new Patriarchial agenda?
In my humble opinion, Covid-19 mass hysteria is the perfect environment to introduce communion innovations that approximate those of the Roman Catholic Church for an eventual false union. Just last week, the church of Panaghia in Toronto celebrated the Divine Liturgy according to St. James in the following innovative “safe” manner: the faithful were given the Body in the hand, but instead of partaking of the blood from a common chalice, as St. James had written, the bread in the hand was already intinctioned with the blood. The faithful were then instructed to eat the Holy Host, then lick their palm with their tongue, and then wash their hands in a basin of water, which everyone shared.
Seriously? If we are so afraid of Covid, why are we all washing our hands in the same basin of water? And what then happens to that water with traces of communion in it? Did the Auxiliary puppet-Bishop Athenagoras, who presided at this liturgy, drink it all down, by any chance? That is highly unlikely.
But you do see, how Archbishop Sotirios is advancing his agenda of giving communion in the hand?! I fully expect the next steps to go as follows:
1) In the hand is good, because we avoid the spoon and the chalice, but licking the hand is not good
2) therefore, we will dispose of giving the blood to the laity in order to avoid any liquids, and we will tell them that the body is just as good (a la Roman Catholicism)
3) but then, the bread leaves crumbs in the hand and the licking will still be required
4) Therefore, we will shift to an unleavened wafer which leaves no crumbs behind making any licking unnecessary
And Presto! it now looks just like a Roman Catholic communion practice.
Parallel to this, mover and shaker Archbishop Elpidophoros is hard at work bringing to fruition all the things he talked about in his lecture, in which he also promoted the Orthodox communion of non-Orthodox spouses in the name of showing “love” to the Ecumenical families of North America – Ecumenical families – a heresy their Freemason and Ecumenist predecessors helped create by permitting mixed marriages without the conversion of the non-orthodox member.
Do you see where this is going? This is the Ecumenist movement which has been planned for years and is supported by Freemason hierarchs who infiltrated the Orthodox Church by hijacking the higher positions. They don’t say “boo” to any of the issues raised in this excellent article because they are riding on the coat tails of a very advantageous pandemic in order to speed up their ecumenist agenda and a false union with Rome. Some sources say this will happen within the next 6-12 months, so get read for a seismic shift in the Orthodox world.
May God help us!
@Anon: After reading your disagreement, I’m in need of clarification on exactly which point(s) you disagree. Your response was well-written, but failed to isolate the points of disagreement, at least for this reader. Please forgive if this is simply lack of perception on my part.
The Bishops in America are cowards. The people have been betrayed and abandoned. We need just one true bishop to lead us out of this wholesale apostasy.
Excellent job, Nicholas! Mrs. M
Thank you Mrs. M! We are big fans.
At least the bishops are in good company . . . well, perhaps good isn’t the right word. This year of our Lord, 2020, has exposed pretty much every influential institution as craven, rotten, and/or deeply committed to the demons’ mission. I knew that we had problems, but it has been alarming to see how much we’ve been contaminated. The recovery (and I’m not talking about COVID-1984) will take generations, God willing.
Amen!
I converted to Orthodox Christianity nearly 20 years ago, and I’ve spent nearly all of my adult life as an Orthodox Christian.
I feel lost and alone. I feel as though, with few exceptions, the Church has abandoned its flock. If they had showed some real leadership, if they had been the beacon in the storm, membership and money would not be the issue that it is now.
I am angry, and the simpering, snivelling, sanctimonious “bishops” are like the hired hands who left the sheep when the wolf showed up. They have their reward; the esteem, the trappings, the luxury of being a bishop in the 21st century. Woe to them in the world to come though!
Respectfully disagree
Disagree with?
I converted about 6 years ago, one thing that I recall having concerns about (and an issue that also affected the mainline Protestant church I left) was the academic mentality in the clergy and leadership. I respect learning but we must recognize the folly of placing human knowledge on par with what the Holy Spirit grant’s believers.
It’s no secret that Orthodoxy in America attracts a high percentage of the well educated into the priesthood as well as lay people and this is, or can be, a good thing. The lay committees have the combined knowledge and expertise of professionals and leaders from a variety of disciplines at their disposal and can channel these gifts to their advantage if the first goal is to strengthen and grow the Church. But it can also allow these same attributes to drag His Body into the mire of worldly politics, social justice “gospel”, and related issues that we see dominating our universities.
Add to this the fact that a very high percentage of Priests are approaching or are past retirement age. Replacement numbers fall far short, this is a crisis.
It may be that historically uneducated priests let to issues in Greece and Russia and for this reason the Churches have pursued a much higher level of education for their Priests and this is understandable. But we can educate and train Priests in a couple of years without requiring them to already possess a higher learning degree. Our Parishes don’t necessarily require a pastor with a PHD for spiritual leadership, the need Godly men who are versed in the teachings of the Church, can communicate them effectively, and can be loving shepherds to their flocks. Perhaps the added perspective of “working class” clergy can add some balance to the discussion of issues and help to attract a more diverse body of believers, widen the net, so to speak. I don’t mean we should lower the bar, one has to be suited and called for the Priesthood, and certainly a thorough screening process is to be applied (as it is already, I would hope).
Ditto and Amen, brother.
Doxa to Theo.
Thank you for saying so eloquently what so many of us have been thinking for months. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners.