It has been more than six weeks since Archbishop Elpidophoros’ controversial celebration of the Divine Liturgy at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York City on 11 June 2021. Many among the Orthodox laity are deeply disturbed that one of America’s leading hierarchs chose to use a non-Orthodox venue for the Liturgy, especially one belonging to a denomination associated with heterodox and even heretical views. It is one thing when a mission plant borrows a church building to hold their services. This is done with the eventual goal of their becoming a full-fledged Orthodox parish with their own church facility. It is a very different thing when the appearance is given of ecumenical rapprochement with a denomination that gives no indication of relinquishing their heretical teachings and practices.
On 3 July 2021, Archbishop Elpidophoros returned to St. Bart’s to express his gratitude to Bp. Dean E. Wolfe, the rector. In ecumenical dialogue as in foreign relations, a picture of two prominent leaders being photographed next to each other sends a powerful message worth more than a thousand words.
In the weeks following, it seems that very few of the Orthodox clergy and hierarchs have spoken out against Elpidophoros’ scandalous actions. Many of the Orthodox laity are waiting for our clergy and hierarchs to publicly state that the celebration of the Liturgy at a heterodox venue was inappropriate – an error not to be repeated. It is their duty to make their objections known on this matter. The ordained clergy: bishops, priests, and deacons, are the guardians of Holy Tradition. If they do not speak out, it gives the appearance of their tacit approval. Then it falls upon the shoulders of the Orthodox laity to protest against Archbishop Elpidophoros’ scandalous actions.
Is it Time for the Orthodox Laity to Speak Out?
It is hoped that the Orthodox clergy and hierarchs will step up to the plate for Holy Tradition. Do you know of any hierarch, priest, or deacon, who has publicly objected to what happened on 11 June 2021 at St. Bart’s ? Please let us know in the comment section below.
Specific details, such as the clergyman’s name, office, location, jurisdiction, and source documentation will be greatly appreciated. Hearsay or second hand accounts do not count. Information on the context of the statement, such as a church newsletter, Sunday homily, blog post, YouTube podcast or other social media post feed would be helpful. We would like to commend those clergymen who have taken the bold stand of going on record objecting to the Archbishop Elpidophoros’ recent actions. A public scandal has taken place and so a public response is needed in order to reassure the laity that our hierarchs and clergy are standing up for Holy Tradition.
Orthodox piety encourages humility and longsuffering. It seeks to avoid bellicosity and the stirring up of the passions. However, the Orthodox laity in the past have spoken out when the hierarchs failed to defend Apostolic Tradition against heresy. The life of Saint Mark of Ephesus and his struggle against the false union of Florence-Ferrara (1438-1445) provides the Orthodox laity with a useful example to follow in these troubled times.
Robert Arakaki, Ph.D.- Originally posted on Handwritings on the Wall as: Will the Orthodox Clergy Speak Out?
In the summer of 2021, I wrote “Will the Orthodox Clergy Speak Out?” Very recently in the summer of 2022, we see the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church speaking out against the questionable actions by GOARCH’s primate, Archbishop Elpidophoros. The website OrthodoxChristian.com on 18 July 2022 published the article “GREEK SYNOD SENDS PROTEST LETTER TO ABP. ELPIDOPHOROS ABOUT “GAY BAPTISM.” On 25 July 2022, Edith Humphrey posted on the website A Lamp for Today (blogs.ancientfaith.com) the article “Liberty, Welcome, and Pastoral Wisdom: In Gratitude to our Fathers of the OCA Holy Synod.” In the article, Edith Humphrey discussed the significance the statement by the bishops of the Orthodox Church in America issued in response to the questionable baptisms by the Metropolitan of GOARCH in Greece. I also read on the Internet that Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Archdiocese recently gave a speech that indirectly called into question Elpidophoros’ actions and to which the audience, laity and clergy, gave a standing ovation.
I am very encouraged by these recent developments. They give me hope for the future of Orthodoxy in North America. As I noted in my article, it is the job of the clergy and hierarchs to articulate the Orthodox Faith and to speak for the Church, not the laity. However, we are not yet out of this mess. There still needs to be a course correction by GOARCH. It is my hope and prayer that we will see the clergy and hierarchs of GOARCH speak out in support of historic Orthodoxy and reject theological novelties.
May God bless the Burning Bush Brotherhood, who already spoke out against the heresies of the Hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church, by vowing to return to the teachings of our Holy Church Fathers and Holy Tradition, even to the shedding of their blood.
Seeing as how even the BBB feels the need to retain their anonymity, I do not expect any other clergy or hierarch to come forward and publicly denounce the heresies of Archbishop Elpidophoros or Sotirios or Patriarch Bartholomew, except for those few Metropolitans in Greece who already did so. If any North American hierarchs speak out, they will be removed just as quickly as those two American clergy who spoke out against the multiple spoons and other restrictive Covid-19 measures last year. Even the lay faithful are being secretly persecuted by their American bishops for speaking out, and I personally know of at least two such cases.
The Masons successfully hijacked the hierarchy of the Greek Orthodox Church to secure their demonic power and solidarity. The faithful have already left these parishes, and in due course, I expect the faithful clergy will do the same. I’m not sure what more has to happen to wake up the sleeping faithful and the apostasized clergy.
Historically, when a nation apostasized from God, He gave them up to their sinful lusts and desires and they suffered greatly as a result. I shudder to think of it. May God have mercy on our blind brethren.