Bonovox

I’ve been asked by several friends about how I can be a member of a hierarchical church and subject myself to the indignities that I have suffered, and no doubt will continue to suffer.  After all, aren’t these hierarchies and traditions merely the creation of men?  And this is indeed the crux….

I firmly believe that the Christian priesthood was established by God.  It was Christ Himself who hand picked 12 men ( and the 70, etc), breathed His Spirit into them, and “gave them the authority to forgive the sins of men.”  And “binding and loosing” and all that jazz.  In the book of the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline epistles and other letters we see how this ministry grew and how the apostles anointed other men to lead the local churches they established.  Its well known that St. Timothy was established as an early bishop.  James, “the brother of the Lord” was the well known bishop of Jerusalem, and who presided over the first recorded Church council.   “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.”  A very bold proclamation.

And this ministry continued beyond the years recorded in the New Testament.  The “disciples of the disciples” were established in various cities to lead the Church as it grew:  Ignatius in Antioch, Polycarp in Smyrna, Clement in Rome are just some examples.  These men authenticated their apostolic leadership by their lives and martyrdom.  And this ministry has come down to us in our own day.  I of course embraced Orthodoxy, because I saw there that this apostolic order and tradition of ministry was honored and continued unbroken.  I submit to my bishop as I submit to Christ who breathed into them and said, “If your remit the sins of any they are remitted.  If you retain the sins of any they are retained.”

Now this does not preclude the fact that bishops are men like me, and thus capable of error and even evil.  Our history is rife with both saints and great sinners in the episcopate.  But the Church is still the Church.  And ungodly man leading the local church does not change (nor can he change) the truths and salvific doctrines of our church.  Truth stands above man and the bishop is accountable to Truth….else he forfeits his position ” and another, let his office (episkopos) take.

As I have mentioned, I am disappointed in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, both in American and in the mother country.  We have our work cut out for us in assisting the Holy Spirit in “righting the ship.”  But it is still Christ’s body and blood that I gratefully receive each Sunday and Feast day.  It is still the company of Saints that my family prays with each morning.  The Church is still the bride of Christ, whom He loves dearly and gave his life for.

No, I am still a faithful Orthodox.  I am justmore zealous than ever in protecting the healing ministry of Christ’s Church, no matter the personal cost.

Pray for me as I travel and meet with the rest of the clergy of my home diocese as we unitewith our bishop and Father in Christ, Alexander of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York.  Pray for my family as we continue to heal and experience God’s purifying grace.  And please pray for the Antiochian Orthodox in North America as we struggle to bring peace and holiness back in our Church.