Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese attended a Black Lives Matter march in Brooklyn at the invitation of a couple of local politicians. The official press release is at the Orthodox Observer. The academics over at Public Orthodoxy wrote a glowing article about the event.
The official remarks attributed to Archbishop Elpidophoros at the march stressed:
“I came here to Brooklyn today in order to stand in solidarity with my fellow sisters and brothers whose rights have been sorely abused. This was a peaceful protest, one without violence of any kind, and I thank all of those involved, because violence begets only more violence. We must speak and speak loudly against the injustice in our country. It is our moral duty and obligation to uphold the sanctity of every human being. We have faced a pandemic of grave physical illness, but the spiritual illness in our land runs even deeper and must be healed by actions as well as words. And so, I will continue to stand in the breach together with all those who are committed to preserving peace, justice, and equality for every citizen of goodwill, regardless of their race, religion, gender or ethnic origin.”
The Archbishop’s remarks were fine, as far they went. But there were some important things missing that one would expect from an Orthodox bishop given such a national audience.
The Orthodox Christian faith has deep, deep roots in Africa. The lives of multiple African saints are preserved in the Church as examples for all. More than ever before, all Americans need Christ and His Church. Imagine how impressive it would have been had the Archbishop carried an icon of Black Orthodox Saints as he marched. His Eminence could have used the march as the ultimate teaching moment. Using one image, he could have explained the position of the Church concerning racism, and called on those present (of any race or religious background) to come home to the Orthodox Faith. How wonderful would it have been to pray over those in attendance in the name of the Holy Trinity and to invite them all to experience the faith of those wonderful African saints?
Black Saints matter, now more than ever.
But His Eminence did not carry an icon or even a cross. Nor did he seem to mention Jesus or the need for all of us to repent of our sins and be reconciled one with another. One of the greatest opportunities for Orthodox Evangelism on this continent seems to have been mostly wasted. The Archbishop’s remarks, as quoted in the media, could have been made by any politician, civic leader, or trendy college professor.
As this YouTube video shows, there were evangelists who went out among the protesters and boldly proclaimed the truth of the Gospel. One street preacher put it this way in the description of his video:
If we obey Jesus and love whom we think is our enemies, we can change hearts, other wise we will just make people more racist and prejudice if we cuss them, throw things at them, burn buildings down and steal from them. Also if you resist arrest it is much more likely you will be abused or mistreated by a cop, whether you or white, black, red, or purple, which is another reason to obey your Lord & Savior.
If the heterodox are so bold in proclaiming Christ and His Kingdom, why is a Bishop of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church so timid? Especially when an Orthodox Bishop would be the most effective witness to the Gospel that anyone at the march had ever seen or heard.
There is another problem with the Archbishop’s participation in this march. “Black Lives Matter” is more than just a slogan or a #hashtag. There is an actual organization by that name whose goals are distinctly anti-Christian. Black Lives Matters is a Marxist organization. While it does protest for police reform (a very worthy goal), its agenda is much broader. Among the policy positions BLM (as an organization) supports:
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- Abortion on demand
- Implementation of Marxist economic policies
- Promotion of homosexuality as equal to heterosexuality
- Disruption of the nuclear family
There is also the use of violent rioting as a form of political protest. Rioting that has destroyed black neighborhoods and businesses while taking black lives. Though the march at which he appeared was peaceful, Archbishop Elpidophoros recognized that there could be a problem with the optics of a Bishop of the Church marching under a banner associated with support for violence, abortion, Marxism, and homosexuality. In a recent interview, His Eminence said, “I know that some few are worried about some political associations, but, as a Church and as a Church leader, there is a responsibility to speak up and speak out for justice and the rule of law for all people.”
Not long after the Archbishop marched, holding a Black Lives Matter sign, the statues started to topple and the violence worsened as police repeatedly stood down. The mobs of rioters attacked statues and memorials to fallen soldiers, generals, past presidents, civic leaders, writers – even abolitionists have not been spared from the raging iconoclasm.
Finally, the mob has now come for the statue of a Roman Catholic Saint, St. Junipero Serra, who was known for his heroic sacrifices to protect the indigenous people of California. Neither that benevolent reputation nor the cross in his right hand did anything to save him. His statue now lies covered in red paint, while obscenities desecrate the pedestal on which it once stood.
The movement now appears to be moving on from mere statues to a new, and more troubling target. The Tweet below is from Shaun King, writer-in-residence at Harvard Law School’s Fair Punishment Project, one of the best known advocates of Black Lives Matter, and the man who introduced Bernie Sanders at his campaign kickoff event. In this Tweet, King calls for the destruction of images of Christ and His All-Holy Mother.
Someone please inform His Eminence, that many of us find certain political associations of Black Lives Matter extremely troubling and we want the rule of law restored while our churches are still standing.
His Eminence may have overlooked a golden opportunity to preach the faith of Christ. He may have ignored the rioting in order to focus on themes of social justice. He may have continued to ignore the black lives lost, the black businesses destroyed, and the increased urban violence in order to focus on police reform. He may have ignored the civic memorials and statues as they fell because he felt like focusing on the threat to Hagia Sophia. Frankly, the reason for his silence does not matter now.
What matters now is: Can the Archbishop of the Greek Archdiocese ignore a direct threat to the parishes under his authority? Our sacred icons are likely to be judged by the mob as being “tools of oppression” and “racist propaganda.” Is Archbishop Elpidophoros ready to be silent as they are desecrated or even burned along with the Churches that house them?
Archbishop Elpidophoros, and all other Orthodox hierarchs in this country, must understand that this is no idle threat. This movement has engaged in wanton violence and destruction with impunity. It was even able to carve out an autonomous zone in the center of Seattle. If this mob plans to come for the churches, who will stop them? Who will draw the line at protecting non-essential houses of God, when entire city blocks have already been sacrificed to appease the mob?
Archbishop Elpidophoros made a severe mistake in marching under the banner of Black Lives Matter. He compounded that mistake by carrying a Black Lives Matter sign instead of an icon or a cross and by spouting social justice platitudes in place of the Gospel. He, and apparently most other bishops, continue to err in being silent as our nation slides into anarchy.
That silence has to end now.
Supporting police reform is a noble endeavor, but that will not satiate a mob bent on destroying icons painted with the wrong skin color. We are clearly past simply agitating for an end to choke holds and civilian review of police shootings. To protect that which is holy, strong measures are needed. All Christian leaders, most especially our Orthodox Bishops, must demand a return to law and order. The politicians and police must control this mob before our holy icons and Churches are defaced as was poor St. Junipero. The hour is late, the threat is real, and our Bishops must speak with once voice in defense of our Holy Church.
you all make me sad, Do the Gospels and teachings of Christ mean nothing? Whatever political agenda BLM may or may not have, most people marched to protest the senseless violence against Black people. The Archbishop was not wrong in joining them. Showing love and kindness is not political unless you choose to make it so. Too many Greeks are looking out for their own political power instead of following our Lord in his support of kindness and love. Grateful I grew up in the era of Iakovos, and my parents taught me to see all equally, and remember the suffering of our forefathers as an example to stand up against the same happening to others.
p.s. please stop spreading false rumors about riots by BLM and the little, bizarro Antifa group. The vast majority of violence was committed by white supremacists. I do not get my news from biased sources, but go directly to the municipal, state and federal reports to get accurate information. All should do the same. And remember how OUR people were victimized by white supremacists, like the KKK, who lied about their actions and behaviors to justifying harassing, beating and lynching Greeks. Our memories are too short.
[…] Tens of millions of us are looking out over the landscape of contemporary America and feeling besieged. This year, we’ve watched BLM / Antifa rioters allowed to pillage and burn with impunity. Police stood down in the face of violent disorder, and refused to protect innocent civilians. Citizens who tried to protect themselves and their property were vilified and some have even been charged with crimes. Not even senior public officials such as senators and congressmen were safe from the fury of the mobs. The riots have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses causing billions in damages. Churches have not been spared, some even being attacked while worshippers prayed inside. Statues of Jesus, the saints, and American heroes have been pulled down and desecrated. […]
Fr William Keebler,
your naive to think it’s ok for Elpidoforos to have followed along with the liberal bandwagon of today?
He clearly has No awareness of America’s problems.
That’s why we need an American Orthodox.
Clearly one of two things is the case-
-Elpidophoros understood the Marxist nature of BLM and approved.
-he did not.
In either case this makes him unfit to lead the church, especially in this tome of battle. On the one hand he is a traitor, on the other he has such a deep seated and astounded ignorance of the culture wars and political landscape that he is an encumberance to those in the chirch with even a molecule of brains in their heads.
One has to look at the intention of His Eminence which clearly opposed violence and looting. Regarding the organization Black Lives Matter, I highly doubt the archbishop was aware of any further implications beyond that of racial equality and human brotherhood. At no point is it fair to question the pro-life stance of the archbishop.
You don’t think His Eminence is surrounded by advisors that made him aware of the optics of participating in the march? I find that highly unlikely.
I would direct you to the article with hyperlinks proving his point by Archpriest Nectarios Trevino on the OrthoChristian website:
https://orthochristian.com/132498.html
Quote:
Ideological conformity to this world is evident when
“The new Greek archbishop went to a Black Lives Matter march in Brooklyn recently. [While] one is certainly pleased that the Greek Orthodox primate stands up against police brutality and against racism, but as the ‘What We Believe’ page of the Black Lives Matter website indicates, the organization is directly opposed to some fundamental teachings of Orthodox Christianity”14 . . .
Yet the archbishop states
“I will continue to speak and to act in the ways that are consistent with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the high office with which I have been entrusted by our Holy Mother Church.”15 [Emphasis added.]
Given his words and deeds, the archbishop thus stands with the BLM agenda.
We make space for transgender brothers and sisters to participate and lead.
We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.
We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.
…We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.
We foster a queer-affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).16
I believe we now know where the archdiocese is taking its people. And it is doing so by trampling on the bones of its faithful across the centuries, becoming a part of the cancel culture—canceling our Holy Traditions, if not God—the transcendent reality.
Satanic optimism exists when bishops walk with the Enemy. Walking with the Enemy is to walk with a liar—and to lie. Walking with the Enemy also means it, the Enemy, will lie to its allies—and consume them.
End quote. This is much more eloquent than I could write by a true man of God. Check out the hyperlinks in the article proving his thesis. You only think Pope Francis, Bergoglio, is anti-Christ?