We have gathered here these days bathed in the Light and Grace of the All-Holy Spirit to discuss the future of our Holy Orthodox Church in North America. Whether this comes to be seen as an historic meeting will depend on us, and what we decide. And while we may have been convened in a new way, that fact is that the project of organizing the Church on this continent is not new. As we continue our deliberations it would be helpful to pause and reflect on all of the efforts over the last century that have enabled us to come to this moment. We stand in a line of very eminent and holy people who grappled with the very same issues we will attempt, over the course of days and years, to reconcile and resolve. If we are able to discuss these issues in ways that have eluded others in the past, it will be in no small measure due to the real vision and sacrifice of all of those men and women who planted Christ’s Church here; who watered and nurtured Her; who ensured that She would take root and grow.

It is customary when we speak of the history of our presence in North America to mention the towering figures of St. Tikhon, Patriarch Athenagoras, Metropolitan Antony Bashir, and Archbishop Iakovos, and it is right to do so. Yet, it is always a perilous business when recounting names. There are so many people to whom this moment belongs. I think of my own predecessor, Archbishop Victorin. He served the Church here for over fifty years, as a professor at St. Tikhon’s, as a parish priest, and finally as Archbishop. He was a faithful witness to Christ’s Church, here. He was devoted to the cause of Orthodox unity, here. He would never be absent from meetings of the Standing Conference or other occasions of pan-Orthodox witness. There are many in this room who, like he, labored for this moment. There are many, clergy and lay people, who have struggled and continue to struggle to ensure the witness of our Church on this continent. It is fitting that we take a moment and give thanks to our Compassionate God for them.

What we are asked to do during these days is not very glamorous. Most of it is administrative. We will hear reports, be asked to establish committees and commissions, discuss and recommend the boundaries of one or more Episcopal Assemblies on our continent, and many other seemingly unimportant matters. But we would be mistaken if we think our work is not absolutely critical to the future of our Church. We are laying a foundation. When people marvel at a magnificent structure very few, if any, venture down to the cellar to examine what stones were laid to support the whole building. My beloved brothers, we are being asked to take the building blocks already prepared for us, and with these and others build the supporting structure for the future.

Let us examine the building materials we have been given. I mentioned St. Tikhon. Already in the early part of the last century he and others identified what would be the challenges of our mission here. As early as 1937 Archbishop Athenagoras and Metropolitan Antony proposed a Conference of Orthodox Bishops. In 1943 these same hierarchs joined with hierarchs of the Patriarchal Russian and Serbian jurisdictions to create the Federation. And finally, in 1960, at the invitation of Archbishop Iakovos, eleven presiding hierarchs of the Church here met and decided to create the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas — SCOBA. Over the course of the first half of the twentieth century there were many other meetings, events, failed starts and anemic successes. The political situation in Europe following the Second World War complicated matters immeasurably. Yet these early efforts gave voice to the emerging reality of an indigenous Orthodox Church in what some call the “diaspora.”

The establishment of SCOBA coincided with and benefited from the convening of the Pan-Orthodox conferences held between 1961 and 1968. There is a direct line between those early conferences and the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held last year in Chambésy, that established the principles for our present gathering. There is a direct line between the efforts in the last century to give a common structure to our Orthodox witness in North America and our current Episcopal Assembly. The Bishops Conferences held in Ligonier in 1994, Washington in 2001 and Chicago in 2006 have already given us, all of the hierarchs here, the experience of coming together to discuss issues of common concern and ways in which to work together.

It is important to keep in mind that SCOBA was never intended to be a permanent institution; it was by its nature a transitional body constrained by circumstances. Yet, despite these constraints, it played a gradually expanding role in organizing Church life here by widening the circle of participation and decision-making. In 1960 there were eleven primatial hierarchs who gathered. Since 1994 three Bishops Conferences have been held. Today we gather as an Episcopal Assembly numbering over fifty. The same can be seen in the changing scope of SCOBA commissions. The commissions of 1960 are not the same as the array of agencies, commissions, committees, and organizations presented to the hierarchs in Chicago in 2006.

Yet, it is in the system of commissions, committees, agencies, and, most recently, endorsed organizations, which we inherit from SCOBA, that we find its most visionary and enduring legacy. The SCOBA Constitution provided that “the continuing work of the Conference shall be assigned to Commissions and Committees of experts who shall work as directed by the Conference.” One is impressed at how farsighted the hierarchs were in 1960 when identifying the work needed to be done in common. Most of those areas identified in 1960 are still being addressed today by commissions and committees established then, even while others have been added over time. We all know that the progress and successes of the commissions and committees have been mixed. Over the years individual commissions have waxed and waned. Yet, taken as a whole, these agencies, commissions, committees, and organizations form solid building blocks with which to lay a foundation.

Those who were present at the 2006 Bishops Conference held in Chicago will recall the reports presented by these SCOBA bodies. I believe it would be useful for us today to refresh our memories on the scope of these organizations.

Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting (EOCS) was established in 1960 as the first SCOBA Commission. Through the years this commission has offered Scouting awards and scholarship in the name of the Church.

Orthodox Christian Education Commission (OCEC) was also established in 1960. From a limited library of religious education materials available in English in the 1940s and 1950s, the Orthodox Church has developed a rich religious education curriculum second to none.

Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), established originally in 1965 as the Campus Commission, impacted the lives of countless college students in the 1960s and early 1970s. After a dormant period and at the request of the youth directors in our jurisdictions the hierarchs of SCOBA created in 2001 the reborn OCF, with a staff organizing OCF chapters on college campuses.

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) represents the new generation of SCOBA agencies. Established in 1991, IOCC became a vehicle for our Church to offer assistance and help to those in need throughout the world. One could see this as a uniquely North American contribution to world Orthodoxy. Through IOCC our Orthodox Church has also joined the broader network of religious humanitarian organizations. It has given our Church a presence on the world stage.

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) represents another way in which SCOBA agencies were created. OCMC has its roots in the early 1960s missionary efforts within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. In 1966 the GOA Clergy-Laity Congress created a Missions Committee that continued to grow and support missions all over the world. In 1994 the GOA Mission Center was transformed into a SCOBA program with a new name: the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). Today, the OCMC has reached out to over 31 countries worldwide with mission programs.

The Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) was received by SCOBA in 2003 having been started by a local priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese as a radio ministry. Today OCN is a national and effective media witness for the Orthodox Christian Church in North America. It produces high-quality programs and media tools for local parishes using the media of radio, the Internet, podcasts, DVDs, television and more.

The Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) began as a ministry within the Antiochian Archdiocese in 1991. In 2005 through a national gathering of prison ministers organized by this Antiochian effort, it was transformed into a SCOBA agency. Through 2009, Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) has ministered to more than 700 prisoners and former prisoners and is currently ministering to more than 250 Orthodox catechumens in prisons across America.

Distinct from the Agencies, the SCOBA Commissions assisted the hierarchs directly. These are:

The Ecumenical Commission established in 1960 oversees the local North American ecumenical dialogues authorized by the hierarchs. Today these are primarily with the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches. Here we should also mention the relationship we have with the Oriental Orthodox through the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches in America (SCOOCH).

The Social & Moral Issues Commission established in 1998 and reconstituted in 2002 drafts statements on important societal issues at the direction of the hierarchs.

The Orthodox Research Commission (ORC) established in 2005 conducts on-going social-scientific statistical analysis of our Church, jurisdictions and parishes.

The Orthodox Information Technologies Commission (OITC) established in 2005 coordinates the information technology department efforts of our jurisdictions.

The Endorsed Organizations are Pan-Orthodox efforts that have sought out and met the criteria established by the SCOBA hierarchs for Endorsed Organizations. These currently are:

The Orthodox Theological Society in America (OTSA) established in 1966.

Project Mexico established in 1987.

The Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR) established in 1988.

ZOE for Life established in 2002.

The Orthodox Peace Fellowship (North America) established in 2003.

St. Catherine’s Vision established in 2007.

Ancient Faith Radio established in 2007.

There are other pan-Orthodox efforts, such as FOCUS North America, that have received warm encouragement from SCOBA, as they await final endorsement.

Finally there is the Study & Planning Commission. It is unique among the commissions and committees establish in that it is designed to be the supervisory arm of the hierarchs themselves. The responsibility of this Commission was to oversee all of the work of the various commissions and committees establish and authorized by SCOBA. The members, appointed as the direct representatives of the hierarchs, assisted the General Secretary in coordinating and prioritizing issues for the hierarchs’ consideration. It is my opinion that as we think about the future structure for the Episcopal Assembly, we will need a way in which all of the voices of our jurisdictions can be present in the work of the Secretariat.

Beloved Brothers,

When I was called to serve as Archbishop for our Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese, I had little experience of life in North America. I was raised and educated in Romania. I did graduate studies in Western Europe. While deeply grounded in our Orthodox faith in my Mother land, my experience of our Church outside of Romania was largely in France and Germany. As I assumed my duties here, I began to experience the richness and diversity of Church life in North America. To be sure, it is not the same as in a traditionally Orthodox setting, but it is genuine, alive, and full of the Holy Spirit. Many of you have either been raised or spent many years here. I have a different perspective coming here as I did. I was and am amazed by the depth of what I have found. There are difficulties – no one can deny this. Yet, there is also an energy and vitality to our North American Orthodox Christian experience that is to be treasured. As just one example, look at the way in which faithful lay persons have taken up Christ’s work here. The faithful of our parishes and dioceses have embraced the spirit of volunteerism that is the hallmark of our Canadian and American nations. Many of the Agencies and Organizations cited above are staffed primarily by volunteers. This gift of faith in action is something we can offer to world Orthodoxy.

We can never forget that the unity of the Church is not an option. We are united in faith expressed in worship, but we are also united in faith expressed by action. The unity we find when celebrating the Liturgy together must also be expressed in the way we organize ourselves internally and in our outreach to the world. Sometimes, we might be tempted to withdraw into ourselves because of the frustrations we feel with the dissentions in our parishes and the squabbling in our dioceses. However, we can never allow ourselves to accept factions and divisions within the Church as a permanent reality. It makes a lie of what we say we believe. This is true both in our search for a closer unity within the Orthodox Church especially here in North America, as well as in our search for unity with the other Christian Churches.

In saying this we always need to remember that unity is a gift from God. We may argue for the need for a more coherent ecclesiastical structure, but even when we have achieved success at creating a better organizational framework, we still experience this unity as a gift from God, not the result of our efforts. We know that any agreement or constitution is not worth the paper it is written on if the necessary good will and love are lacking. Only God can give us this.

We are called by some the “diaspora.” Others reject this designation. There is certainly a dynamic tension. Let me suggest that in the push and pull of what we were and what we are yet to become we find the “now and not yet” of the coming Kingdom. The development of our Orthodox Church in a pluralistic “new world” has forced all of Orthodoxy to grapple with the missionary imperative of the Gospel. Much of what we see in our SCOBA legacy is in some sense a response to the new setting in which Orthodoxy finds itself.

Among the most important issues we will need to decide in these days is how to absorb the great work of SCOBA. The many ministries of SCOBA over fifty years have truly been a blessing for the entire Church. These ministries have strengthened our unity in Christ Our Lord. The ministries of SCOBA have provided a fruitful witness for Orthodox Christianity throughout these lands. The ministries of SCOBA have contributed to advancement our Church throughout the world. This is truly a precious inheritance that provides us with a firm foundation for our future work. I urge us to not only endorse it, but to embrace what is being offered to us as precious inheritance. So many grace-filled people have labored for so many years to give us this gift offered us by God. For my part, I give thanks to Almighty God for these holy witnesses who have preceded us. In them God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is glorified, now and always.

Thank you,
† Archbishop NICOLAE

My opening remarks this morning are taken from the Vespers of Palm Sunday, “Today the Grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together.” How wonderful and pleasing to God for all of us to meet and discuss matters related to the life of our Church on this particular continent. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chairman of SCOBA for his hard work to make this gathering possible.

The literature which we received from Chambesy via the Greek Archdiocese of America, raises some important questions.

ONE, Despite the vitality and the dynamic nature of Orthodoxy in North America, no member of SCOBA, not even the chairman of SCOBA, was consulted about what was discussed in Geneva. We received rules from our brothers in Switzerland which we have nothing to do with. We have been on this continent for more than two hundred (200) years. We are no longer little children to have rules imposed on us from 5,000 miles away. Orthodoxy in America has its own ethos. We have our own theological institutions, and we have our own theologians, authors, publications and magazines. We do not intend to be disobedient to the Mother Churches; we just want to dialogue with them and give them the opportunity to know us and understand us. We have been here for a long, long time and we are very grateful to the Almighty God that in our theology and worship, we do express the fullness of the Holy Orthodox faith.

Fifty years ago our hierarchs, may their souls rest in peace, founded SCOBA which has done a splendid job despite our external limitations. We have established the Orthodox Christian Education Commission which is chaired by a Greek Orthodox gentleman. We have established the International Orthodox Christian Charities which is directed by Constantine Triantafilou, a very good Greek Orthodox. We have established the Orthodox Christian Mission Center which is doing an excellent job and we have done many other things which time does not permit me to enumerate.

My dear brothers,

We are faced now with a very serious procedural nightmare. We are, supposedly, here to discuss a new organization to replace SCOBA. The question is: Was SCOBA dissolved and if so, by whom? And when?? SCOBA has a constitution which is fifty years old. If this constitution has to be amended, let us then amend it according to correct procedures. No one can dissolve SCOBA except SCOBA itself. SCOBA has organized Bishops’ Assemblies before Chambesy told us to do so. The first Assembly was held at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania in 1994, under the chairmanship of our brother, Archbishop Iakovos, of blessed memory. The second Bishops’ Assembly was convened in Washington, D.C. and the third Bishops’ Assembly was convened in Chicago, Illinois, both under the auspices of SCOBA and the Chairmanship of His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios.

TWO – The second point which I would like to note is concerning the term “Diaspora” which was used several times in the literature which we received from Geneva. I remember, there are many of you who were at the Antiochian Village in 1994 and should remember that the term “Diaspora” was unanimously rejected by our assembly. We are not in Babylon; we are in North America, the new world. We are dealing here with second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth generations of American Orthodox and they refuse to be called “Diaspora.”

I believe that some of our churches in the Old World are in “Diaspora.” In Jerusalem, for example, we have 2,000 Orthodox Christians left. In Constantinople, the glorious capital of the Byzantine Empire, I was told that there are only 2,000 Greek Orthodox left. And the Turkish Government, until now, refuses to let us open that famous Theological School of Khalki, despite the intervention of the presidents of the United States. In Iraq, hundreds of Christians were slaughtered and thousands had to flee Iraq to the Syrian Arab Republic. We are free here in North America — free to teach, free to preach, free to worship, free to write books and sometimes criticize even the presidents of the United States. We have the full freedom of expression in accordance with the United States Constitution. It is important to note here that the Holy Synod of Antioch, to my knowledge, never discussed the Chambesy decision and the rules of operation in order to formally bless this effort.

THREE – Some of the communiqués which were issued by the fathers in Geneva were good. I don’t understand, however, why Central America was joined to North America. The Antiochian Metropolitan of Mexico and Central America informed me that he wanted to be with the Orthodox Bishops of South America. The reason is: he has nothing in common with North America because he represents a different culture all together. As a matter of fact, he traveled to Brazil to attend the Bishops’ Assembly which met at the Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Sao Paulo.

I hope that, in the future, this matter could possibly be addressed. In the communiqué which was issued from Geneva dated June 6-12, 2009, I read something very interesting and very hopeful. It says and I quote: “The conference expresses the common desires of all Orthodox Churches for a solution to the problem of the canonical organization of the Orthodox “Diaspora,” in accordance with the ecclesiological and canonical tradition and practice of the Orthodox Church.” The same communiqué includes these bright words: “The mission of the Bishops’ Assemblies is the proclamation and promotion of the unity of the Orthodox Church, the common pastoral ministry of the Orthodox faithful in the region, as well as the common witness to the world.” Here we see a clear emphasis on the unity of the Orthodox Church. What is needed is the translation of these inspiring words into concrete action.

Other pleasing words appeared in Article III of the rules which state: “The Episcopal Assembly will have an executive committee composed of the Primatial Bishops of each of the canonical churches in the region.” From this text, I understand that no canonical bishop should be excluded from the assembly. If we share the same Eucharistic table which is the highest expression of Orthodox unity, can’t we work together on the Executive Committee?

Article XII of the rules is very promising. It states, “The Episcopal Assembly may establish its own internal regulations in order to supplement and adjust the above provisions, in accordance with the needs of the region and in respect to the Canon Law of the Orthodox Church.”

My dear brothers,

You can see that Article XII of the rules is very flexible and it gives us the freedom to “establish our own internal regulations.” Thus, no Primate of any jurisdiction should be excluded from the Executive Committee. Furthermore, the Executive Committee should be strong enough to prepare an adequate agenda for these Episcopal Assemblies. The Mother Churches must realize that Orthodoxy in America is the best gift to the world. And instead of being crushed by the burdens of the past, let us formulate a clear vision for the future. Thomas Jefferson, one of the fathers of our American revolution, once said: “I love the visions of the future rather than the dreams of the past.”

If I have a vision for the future, it is this: Jerusalem has less than 2,000 Orthodox left. Istanbul has 2,000 Greek Orthodox left. The future of Orthodoxy in the Middle East is uncertain. Thus, for the sake of international Orthodox unity and Orthodox unity in North America, we should with one voice, beg His Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch to leave Istanbul and move to Washington, D.C. or New York City and head a united Orthodox Church in this hemisphere. All of us, I am sure, will be blessed to be under his omophorion and Orthodox unity in North America will cease to be a dream, but a reality.

My dear brothers,

If we do not bury the burdens of the past between certain autocephalous churches, such burdens will bury us, and Orthodoxy in this country and throughout the world will become an insignificant dot on the margin of history.”

Antiochian Archdiocese

At the Episcopal Assembly of North and Central America

Helmsley Park Lane Hotel
New York, New York
(May 26, 2010)

* * *Your Eminences, Your Excellencies and Your Graces,

Beloved Brothers and Concelebrants in the Holy Spirit

Of the Holy Orthodox Churches of North and Central America,

I greet all of you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the joy of the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Who on the Holy day of Pentecost descended upon the Apostles and abides with the Church and with us, today and forever.I convey to all of you the greetings of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who, in these very days, in fact in this very hour, even as we are meeting here in New York, he is making a reciprocal visit to the Patriarchate of Moscow. The images that we have seen of the Patriarch of the First Church of Holy Orthodoxy meeting with and being together with the Patriarch of the largest Church of Holy Orthodoxy truly impart an inspiring and visionary message for our Pan-Orthodox work, as a labor of unbreakable togetherness.

In the spirit of this important visit and brotherly encounter of the two Patriarchs, we, too, are assembled together and joyfully repeat with the Psalmist: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together (Psalm 132:1). We are together in this place and at this historic moment by the will of our merciful God, in order to continue and promote the sacred work of the Church, the Body of Christ, as good shepherds of the Flock entrusted to us by our Heavenly Shepherd and Lord.

1. We have come together during this festive and solemn week of Pentecost, when, as we gratefully chant in the Kontakion of the Feast, “the Most High God by distributing the tongues of fire on His Apostles has called all people to unity.” In Pentecost, we celebrate the call to unity for all human beings through faith and obedience to the one Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, however, in Pentecost, we celebrate the refreshing reality of the diversity, wonderfully manifested in the extraordinary fact of the proclamation of the one Gospel in many languages as a result of the advent of the Holy Spirit. The relevant description in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles is truly astonishing. For, upon hearing the proclamation of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the multitudes marveled: And how is it that we hear, every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:8-11)

As we behold the event of Pentecost, we observe that the multiplicity of languages used by the Holy Apostle in proclaiming the single Gospel is not a cause of confusion or conflict, but a reason for thanksgiving and celebration. The one Gospel does not obliterate linguistic, ethnic, or cultural differences and particularities. The Gospel is clearly a call to unity, but as our history of 2000 years demonstrates, it does not cause an eclipse of the diversity within the Church. And this speaks directly to our case.

Indeed, as we consider the history of the Church, we see that through the ages the Church promotes unity but resists homogenization and reductionism. Remember the example coming from the Second Century A.D., when the Early Church outrightly rejected Tatian’s effort to compile a single or uniform Gospel text from the four canonical Gospels, the so-called “Diatessaron.” In the mind of the Church, there was only one Jesus; but this one Jesus Christ was revealed through four Gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And this Biblical diversity offered to the Church a unique perspective, and a richer and more textured understanding of the One Christ, Son of God and Son of Man.

We strive for unity because the Lord asked of us to be one, but diversity and differentiation are not to be feared. They are gifts that are to be used for the glory of God. Our unity cannot exist to destroy such differentiation; rather, our unity is meant to flourish as a result of our natural diversity, be it linguistic, cultural or ethnic. Is this not exactly the condition of our universal Orthodoxy today? Of course, problems related to unity, or to differentiation, or to both, always existed in the Church, starting already in the time of the Apostles, as the Book of the Acts of the Apostles testifies. This is a valid observation for us today.

We come together to face the problems that have arisen in our region, where the Orthodox Faith has flourished for generations. As we have grown and established ourselves, situations have been created that need our attention and our wisdom.

Indeed, we have, as the Apostle Paul says: … one body, and one Spirit, … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4: 4-6) But our unity is not a theoretical premise viewed on a grand scale; it is a calling for us, indispensable for our witness to the Crucified and Risen Lord. It is a reality that has to be manifested in the local parish, the diocese, the jurisdiction, the autocephalous churches or the totality of the universal Church. Unity starts from the elementary Church community, the local parish, as it happened when Saint Paul asked the Corinthians that there should be no schisms among them (1 Corinthians 1:10), or when he urged the Ephesians to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, (Ephesians 4:6).2. Beloved brothers in the Lord, being mindful of the above and the need to resolve any related problems, we have come together in accordance with the decisions of the Heads of the Most Holy Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches, who, at their Holy Synaxis at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in October of 2008, expressed their strong… desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements, such as in the so-called Orthodox Diaspora, with a view to overcoming every possible influence that is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology.

This specific expression of the will of the Heads of the worldwide Orthodox Churches was introduced in essence and with great precision by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his opening address to the aforementioned Synaxis, when he stated:

With a sense of our Church’s obligation before God and History in an age when the unified witness of Orthodoxy is judged crucial and expected by all, we invite and call on you fraternally that, with the approval also of our respective Holy Synods, we may proceed to the following necessary actions:

(1) To advance the preparations for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, already commenced through Panorthodox Pre-Conciliar Consultations.

(2) To activate the 1993 agreement of the Inter-Orthodox Consultation of the Holy and Great Council in order to resolve the pending matter of the Orthodox Diaspora.

As a result of the pertinent resolutions of the Synaxis, the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference convened at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy from June 6th to the 12th in 2009, charged with the task of preparing the ground for the appropriate actions. In its Communiqué the Pre-Conciliar Conference stated:

The theme of the 4th Pre-Conciliar Panorthodox Conference was, in accordance with the will of the Primates and the representatives of the local Orthodox Churches, as expressed in the Message of their Holy Synaxis at the Phanar (October, 2008), is the discussion of the subject of the canonical organization of the Orthodox Diaspora. The relevant decision regarding the agenda was agreed upon by the Conference at the opening of its proceedings.

The Conference examined the texts prepared by the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Committee in its conferences at Chambésy, namely: a) from November 10-17, 1990; and b) from November 7-13, 1993; as well as the document of the Conference of Canon Lawyers held in Chambésy from April 9th to 14th, 1995. These texts, together with the relevant clarifications, supplements, corrections and additions, were unanimously agreed upon.

The Conference expressed the common desire of all Orthodox Churches for a solution to the problem of the canonical organization of the Orthodox Diaspora, in accordance with the ecclesiology, canonical tradition and practice of the Orthodox Church. The Conference decided to establish new Bishops Assemblies in certain regions throughout the world in order to resolve the problem of the Diaspora, namely for the Orthodox faithful that have settled outside the traditional boundaries of the local Orthodox Churches. The Presidents of these Assemblies are the primate hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in that region or, in their absence, the next in order of the Church Diptychs.

The members of these Assemblies include all those recognized by all Orthodox Churches as canonical bishops, who shepherd the existing communities in each region. The mission of the Bishops Assemblies is the proclamation and promotion of the unity of the Orthodox Church, the common pastoral ministry to the Orthodox faithful of the region, as well as their common witness to the world. The decisions of the Bishops Assemblies are made on the basis of the principle of unanimity of the Churches, which are represented therein by bishops.

Beloved Brothers in Christ, it is precisely these suggestions, proposed by the Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference and fully approved by all Orthodox Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches, that have brought us here today when we celebrate the fullness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. Thus, we have arrived at this important moment in our history.

3. Before proceeding with our work these days, let us call to mind the geographical regions in which the Episcopal Assemblies like ours will be convening. They are as follows:
(1) North America and Central America.
(2) South America.
(3) Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.
(4) Great Britain and Ireland.
(5) France.
(6) Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.
(7) Austria.
(8) Italy and Malta.
(9) Switzerland and Lichtenstein.
(10)Germany.
(11)Scandinavian countries (except Finland).
(12)Spain and Portugal.

In accordance with the decision of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference:

The Bishops of the Diaspora, living in the Diaspora and possessing parishes in multiple regions, will be members of the Episcopal Assemblies of those regions.

Allow me an observation here. The word “Diaspora” is not being used in any pejorative sense; rather it is merely a description of places where no single Autonomous or Autocephalous Church governs all the Orthodox who live therein. In fact, the Message of the Primates, included in your folders, uses the expression, “so-called Diaspora.” I am aware that some of us take offense at the word, but I ask that you apply your understanding to the bigger picture, and that we try to find a word better than the “so-called Diaspora” to describe our situation.

The fact is that Orthodoxy is dispersed throughout the world in places where multi-jurisdictional realities have ensued from a whole complex of facts, not the least being immigration. The vital presence of our Churches throughout the world bears witness to the ongoing work of pastoral care of our flocks who have moved around the globe. It also bears witness to the continuous preaching of the Gospel that has brought an abundance of converts to the Faith. Neither of these realities stands in opposition to the other. They are merely the facts of our existence and they should be cause for celebrating the unique gifts and talents that all of our communities bring the Church universal.

Beloved Brothers in the Lord, with that said, allow me to set the stage, as it were, for our deliberations, by refreshing our collective memory of the work of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference, whose decisions and conclusions form the very basis for our work.

In the “Decision,” subscribed to by all Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches through their duly appointed representatives, there was an exceedingly important acknowledgement of a basic reality that we face. As the Decision puts it:… it is affirmed that during the present phase it is not possible, for historical and pastoral reasons, for an immediate transition to the strictly canonical order of the Church on this issue, that is, the existence of only one bishop in the same place. For this reason, the Conference came to the decision to propose the creation of a temporary situation that will prepare the ground for a strictly canonical solution of the problem, based on the principles and guidelines set out below. Of necessity, this preparation will not extend beyond the convening of the future Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church, so that it (the Council) can proceed with a canonical solution of the problem.

4. I would ask that all of us pay special and close attention to the language of the Decision. Three very important points are made here about the nature of our work as a Bishops’ Assembly.

(1) First, the uncanonical overlapping of episcopal jurisdictions is not only admitted, but also understood within an historical and pastoral context. All of us who are bishops of the Church, and who have vowed to uphold the sacred canons of the Church, are fully aware that the uncanonical condition of the status of Orthodoxy in the so-called Diaspora is due not only to multiple claims on same titles, but the overlapping of territorial jurisdictions. This jurisdictional disorder is fully acknowledged. The unattainability, as well as the impracticality of an immediate transition to the canonical norm of the Orthodox Church is seen in the wider context of history and in the current conditions is basically called transitional. We must patiently and prudently find solutions to the disorder that afflict the Body of Christ in our region, and to provide healthful alternatives. This does not mean that we should tolerate further abuses – for example, when parishes are organized next to existing parishes, and titles are unnecessarily duplicated.

(2) Second, inasmuch as we are in a time of transition, we need to recognize that our Episcopal Assembly is neither designed nor empowered to be a permanent solution. We are literally a temporary situation, designed to foster the kinds of relationships that will produce a functional, canonical model that is appropriate for the region, and that can be presented to the Great and Holy Council when it convenes. In this regard, this Episcopal Assembly bears no resemblance to SCOBA, the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, founded fifty years ago.

As you well know, SCOBA was neither a conference of all the bishops in the region, nor was it an authorized construct of the universal Church with a clearly defined functioning methodology. What SCOBA was, was a useful and productive vehicle of Pan-Orthodox cooperation. But unlike this Assembly, it could not produce definitive results in overcoming jurisdictional disorder. Even the three Bishops’ Assemblies sponsored by SCOBA: Ligonier in 1994, Washington, DC in 2001 and Chicago in 2006, could not move beyond the self-contained parameters of SCOBA, which provided a working but limited context.

Now, the work of SCOBA should not be underestimated, since it is delivering to this Assembly a legacy of noteworthy Pan-Orthodox ministries and agencies, theological dialogues, and a model for cooperation. However, as we, the Members of the Assembly, embrace the ministries and dialogues of SCOBA, we must exercise wisdom and discretion. We must take care to organize these functions in accordance with the intentions and guidelines of the foundational documents of the Assembly, issued by the Fourth Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference and approved by all Orthodox Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches.

This is not as easy as it sounds, for we have each been growing, to a large degree, in a certain isolation. It is as if the various Orthodox jurisdictions in the region are self-contained units, which have been growing through the decades, as each jurisdiction has sought better and better ways to serve its clergy and faithful. If we are unable to overcome the accompanying isolation, then there is no way to overcome any jurisdictional disorder.

Our task is not to envisage a Church based on our own agendas or limited vision. Our task is to work within the parameters recognized by the universal Church, and to do so, as His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reminded us during his Apostolic Visit to the United States last October, when he said there is a need for:… “thinking outside the box,” so that we may construct models of ecclesiastical polity and governance with foundations sunk deep in the venerable tradition of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church – and at the same time are relevant to the spiritual needs and societal conventions of the world within which our faithful live.

This is a tall order indeed, but one that will fulfill the aspirations of all the faithful, and not the limited agendas of a few well-placed individuals.

(3) Thirdly, our task is to prepare the ground for the planting, not necessarily to reap the harvest. This Assembly does not constitute a final canonical ecclesiastical entity. Rather, it functions out of the canonical ecclesiastical entities and members, in order to exercise the competencies with which it has been endowed by the decision of the Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches. We are not authorized to go beyond these competencies in any way.

5. At this point, please allow me to refresh our memory and awareness on the competencies of our Assembly. They are listed in the Rules of Operation of the Chambésy Documents, Article 5.

The competencies of the Episcopal Assembly are:

(1) to safeguard and contribute to the unity of the Orthodox Church of the Region in its theological, ecclesiological, canonical, spiritual, philanthropic, educational and missionary obligations.
(2) The coordination and leadership of activities of common interest in areas of pastoral care, catechesis, liturgical life, religious publishing, mass media, religious education, etc.
(3) The relations with other Christian Churches and other religions.
(4) Anything that entails obligations of the Orthodox Church in Her relations with society and government.
(5) The preparation of a plan to organize the Orthodox of the Region on a canonical basis.

Each one of these competencies will require tremendous effort on our part, and we will surely have to reach out in our Orthodox Communities for expertise both from the clergy and the laity. Legal issues, issues of financial transparency and accountability, accountability and behavior of the clergy, regulations of parishes and monastic institutions, philanthropic and cultural initiatives, educational institutions, etc; these are the substance of the work of canonical normalcy and regularization.

6. We all know of the problem of overlapping jurisdictionalism, but allow me, before closing, to raise other issues of canonical normalcy and regularization that also need to be addressed:

(1) Some jurisdictions receive persons from Roman Catholic and certain Protestant bodies into Holy Orthodoxy by baptism and chrismation, some by chrismation alone, and some merely by confession of faith.

(2) Some jurisdictions receive Roman Catholic clergy converting to Holy Orthodoxy merely by vesting, while others ordain.

(3) Some jurisdictions recognize all marriages performed outside Holy Orthodoxy as being real marriages (though certainly not sacramental) whether performed for an Orthodox or non-Orthodox, while others recognize no marriages performed outside Holy Orthodoxy whether performed for an Orthodox or a non-Orthodox.

(4) Some Orthodox jurisdictions bury suicides under certain circumstances, while others forbid the burial of suicides under all circumstances.

(5) Some jurisdictions bury a person who was cremated with all funeral rites in the church temple, others permit only Trisagion Prayers of Mercy in the funeral home, and some forbid any prayers anywhere for a person who was cremated.

(6) Some jurisdictions recognize civil divorce as complete and sufficient for ecclesiastical purposes, while others do not recognize civil divorce at all and insist on Ecclesiastical Courts.

(7) Some jurisdictions have in the past accepted clergy suspended or even deposed by other jurisdictions.And this list is by no means exhaustive. This means there is serious work ahead, and this may not sound very appealing. Some of us may wish to avoid this difficult work and settle for easy pronouncements about unity, but the Gospel compels us otherwise.

7. Beloved brothers in the Lord, even as we gather together in the wake of the Feast of Pentecost, we humbly recognize our calling, in our unworthiness, to serve as instruments and disciples of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. We offer thanks and glory to the God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for rendering us worthy to gather together in prayer and deliberation as Hierarchs and Members of the historic first Episcopal Assembly of North and Central America in response to the decisions of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held in Chambésy from June 8th to 12th, 2009, and in preparation for the Holy and Great Council.

We express gratitude to the Primates and Representatives of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches, who assembled at the Ecumenical Patriarchate from October 10-12, 2008, affirming their “unswerving position and obligation to safeguard the unity of the Orthodox Church” and emphasizing their will and “desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements.”And now we proceed with our specific tasks in our Assembly today and tomorrow. Our tasks include: work for the promotion by our Church here in America of the genuine, total and life-giving message of the Gospel; work for coordinating and enhancing our pastoral, liturgical, educational, cultural, philanthropic and missionary activities; and work for contributing to the preparation for the Pan-Orthodox Synod to be convened when God gives His blessing, with a plan for establishing a full canonical order where such order is needed.

There is no limit to our noble activities, there is no limit to our promising faith perspectives. Our Lord said: All things are possible to the one who believes (Mark 9:24). He also said something even more astonishing to His apostles, Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do (John 14:12). We are united to the apostolic task in which—unbelievable as it sounds—we are called to produce works greater than those produced by Christ!

This is our true challenge. This is our ultimate mission. The fields are ready and waiting for sowing and harvesting. With the help of God, our Great God, let us face the challenge. God has opened to us a door and no one can shut it (Rev. 3:8). Let us go out to the fields. This is God’s time. This is our time.