The Archbishop of Canterbury and St. Valdimir

Posted on by Fr. Peter
On January 30th St. Vladimir’s Seminary will award an honorary Doctorate on the person of The Most Reverend Dr. Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England. Archbishop Williams will be at the seminary to deliver a lecture as part of the Annual Schemnan lecture series.

The Doctor of Divinity will be awarded honoris causa in recognition of his contribution to the academic study of Eastern Orthodox theology and spirituality. A press release from the seminary states:

“Many Orthodox Christians may be unaware of Rowan Williams’s research and contribution to the field of Orthodox theology,” said Father John. “But he was a pioneer in this field, with outstanding breadth and depth. The subject of his own doctoral thesis, for instance, was the work of the great Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky, the first academic study of the émigré theologians. He has also written beautifully on the icons of the Theotokos and the Transfiguration, and, most recently, has published a highly regarded volume titled Dostoevsky: Language, Faith and Fiction. In recognition of his outstanding work and contribution to the study of Eastern Christianity, we are very pleased that he has accepted to deliver the 2010 annual Schmemann lecture.”

This has caused quite a bit of conversation on the Orthodox Web and I guess I am a little late coming to the party on this one. Fr. Patrick Reardon has written an open letter to Metr. Jonah of the OCA regarding this and rather than quote from the letter I will just link to it here. I respect Fr. Patrick and I also respect his opinion on this matter.

I guess in the analysis of the situation I have no problem with Archbishops Williams coming for the lecture. After all the lecture is an academic forum that is supposed to explore all avenues of theology. Academics by their very nature are supposed to create discussion and we are supposed to look at an issue from all sides not just one.

When I was in seminary I always found it useful to read theologians who held a counter opinion to the Orthodox. Not try and change my mind but help me solidify my own position. Sometimes it is easier to explain a concept coming from the counter position. Some of my classmates did not feel the same way and felt that only opinion needed was the Orthodox one. I respectfully disagree.

This brings us to the awarding of the degree. As has been stated elsewhere, seminaries are not just academic institutions. Seminaries form the future leaders of the church both men and women and seminaries need to stand for something.

Last summer Notre Dame University invited The President of the United States to deliver the commencement address. This was a scandal in the American Roman Catholic Church. Not just because of the speech but because they awarded the President an honorary degree. It is not uncommon for universities to award such degrees to people such as the President of Dr. Williams but again these are not simply secular academic institutions. Notre Dame, as one can imagine by the name, is a Roman Catholic University and the President holds opinions different from that of the Catholic Church.

I understand that the Seminary is awarding this degree for the large body of work that Archbishop Williams has completed on Eastern Theology. But, Archbishop Williams also holds positions that are counter to the life of the Orthodox Church and dare I say to the Anglican Church as well. I find it hard to swallow that the Seminary would award such a degree. Again, I support the lecture series and look forward to attending but I think we need to stop there.

Fr. Gregory Jensen has a discussion going on his blog that you might want to check out.

I welcome your comments but let us keep this civil.

Orthodox in Haiti

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Well this came as a surprise to me and shows just how far flung Orthodox parishes are around the world. At the time of this writing there are 5 Orthodox parishes in Haiti under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. According to one website run by the church there are about 3,000 Orthodox Christians in Haiti lead by two priests Fr. Jean Chenier-Dumais, and Fr. Gregoire Legouté. Both priests survived the earthquake and are setting up a clinic.

The Church communities use rented buildings so they have no church home of their own and the priests travel many miles in a car they share with each other to visit their parishioners. These two priests need all the support they can get. The mission was struggling before and this will only make their situation worse.

ROCOR has an organization called Fund for Assistance that was established long before this happened and they are in full swing to help raise funds. To date they have raised $50,000 and have disbursed $16,000 to Haiti. On the website it states that every penny of donations will go directly to the field. Monies donated to IOCC have almost the same giving power as 92% of all funds go right to the field. Both of these organizations are worthy of your donations.

Please continue to pray for all the people of Haiti and all those who are there working to aid them. If you have not given, or would like to give again, I have included the links to both organizations below.

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) Here

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Fund for Assistance Here

Now Back to Haiti

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Yesterday, those of us in Massachusetts anyway, turned our attention to another news story other than what is happening in Haiti. Well the election is over and now we need to turn our attention back to Haiti.

This morning another after shock was felt and more damage was done. This will make the job of rescue and recovery more difficult for those who are there working.

We have a tendency to loose site of what is important and forget. We cannot forget what has happened there in Haiti and we must continue to work. I have posted at the top of this page a link to Work Vision. World Vision is a great organization that is working to coordinate the churches response to the crisis in Haiti. You can follow them on Facebook and well as twitter and the information is available from their website.

On the side bar I have a link to IOCC. This is the Orthodox Relief agency and although we do not have a presence in Haiti as of this writing they are working with the partner organizations including World Vision to bring much needed aid to Haiti. If you have not done so already please consider making a donation to one of these organizations.

Continue to pray for all of those in Haiti, those effected by the earthquake and those who are there working.

What Next?

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Last night Scott Brown did what some thought was impossible. For the first time since the 1950’s a US Senate seat is now in the hands of a Republican. The easy part was getting elected now the hard work begins.

I look at this situation this way. The people who elected him were concerned about the issues and they were willing to take a chance by letting the seat pass to another party. If it does not work out he will be voted out. It is that simple. Senator-Elect Brown has big shoes to fill and only has three years to prove himself before the next election.

Health care was the big issue in this campaign and will continue to be in the future. I am no fan of the present bill nor am I a fan of the way it is being pushed through. Senator-Elect Brown has said he will vote against it, and I hope he does. We do need health reform. We have far too many uninsured people but forcing people to buy health insurance is not the way we should do it. This bill is bad and we need to go back to the drawing board and take our time and do it right.

The election was stunning and I will be watching closely to see the ripple effect this may have. It is now time to get behind our new Senator and give him a chance. Someone said that when Ted Kennedy was elected in 1962 he was not qualified to hold the job and he had to learn. This is the same case here, give him a chance and if you don’t like the job he is doing you have another chance in three years.

On a side note, congratulations to the people of Massachusetts. More than 2 million of you came out to vote in the snow and rain. You let you voice be heard, do not go back on that and stay involved. We have another election this year. Stay informed and participate in the process. It’s your right.

The Preacher’s Role During Natural Disasters

Posted on by Fr. Peter
By: Dwight Moody
Posted: Monday, January 18, 2010 10:50 pm
Section: EthicsDaily.com’s Latest Articles

Members of Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue conduct a rescue operation at the Montana Hotel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 14. (Photo: U.S. Navy) “Leave God … out of discussion about Haiti” stated the second-page headline in Kathleen Parker’s syndicated column. She was reacting, of course, to public comments by TV evangelist Pat Robertson, who connected the earthquake in Haiti to the wrath of God and the curse of Satan.

Both of these comments leave unsaid the proper role of the preacher in the midst of a terrifying natural disaster.

First and foremost, a preacher is a member of the human community and is therefore also at the mercy of nature. Wind, fire, water and quake have, for millennia, devastated the natural and human communities. I visited Yellowstone National Park a few years after a fire destroyed much of the vegetation and some of the animal life of the park. It was sad.

Sadder by far is the earthquake that struck our hemisphere’s poorest people. Perhaps as many as 200,000 perished; millions are left without food, water, shelter and medical attention. It is a tragedy that dwarfs Yellowstone, 9/11 and the economic collapse – combined.

A preacher, as a human being, must be filled with compassion and energized by courage. The compassion will lead him or her to forsake normal routines of living and giving to invest in the assistance to Haiti. Many preachers, including some American preachers, were among those killed in the quake. Likewise, many preachers must be among those who volunteer time, labor, money and leadership to the recovery of our neighbors and the renewal of their land.

A preacher is also the public leader of a community of faith. In such a time, the preacher must lead in prayer, must call attention to the plight of others, must help those of us who whine about insignificant things to repent of such narcissistic behavior and take to heart the real tragedy of the world. A preacher must help us put things in proper perspective, must call us to deny ourselves and our petty preferences and give ourselves to the wider, nobler good of caring for people. If a preacher can arouse the listening congregation to such behavior, the work of the gospel will be advanced.

Read the Rest

Repost: Scott Brown for US Senate

Posted on by Fr. Peter
First let me say that I never do this, I never publically endorse or support canididates for political office. I think it can be dangerous for clergy to support candidates in public but in Massachusetts we have a chance to make a change in Washington.

Scott Brown is a State Senator in Massachusetts, a Lt Colonel in the Massachusetts National Guard and a family man. As a republican he would bring some balance back to the US Senate delegation from Massachusetts.

It has been said that the person who replaces Ted Kennedy in the US Senate will be the deciding vote on health care. This is where Scott Brown stands on the issue:

I believe that all Americans deserve health care coverage, but that we shouldn’t have to create a new government insurance program to provide it. I support strengthening the existing private market system. In Massachusetts, I support the 2006 healthcare law that expanded coverage, but I believe the Deval Patrick administration must do more to contain the costs of the Commonwealth Care subsidy program.

Part of the health care bill is federal funding for abortions. Here is what Scott Brown says about abortion:

While this decision should ultimately be made by the woman in consultation with her doctor, I believe we need to reduce the number of abortions in America. I believe government has the responsibility to regulate in this area and I support parental consent and notification requirements and I oppose partial birth abortion. I also believe there are people of good will on both sides of the issue and we ought to work together to support and promote adoption as an alternative to abortion.

As a comparison, Martha Coakley, the other person running for the seat, is in favor of the public option on health care and has said she would not vote for a health care bill if it contained any limit on abortion. “Coakley, in her boldest gamble of the campaign, said that fighting for women’s access to abortions was more important than passing the overall bill, despite its aim of providing coverage for 36 million people, establishing a public insurance option, and prohibiting insurers from discriminating against patients with preexisting conditions.” (Boston Globe November 10th)

On his website Scott Brown writes about why he is running:

America is a great country but we also have some challenges that we need to solve if we’re going to remain the world’s superpower. The most important of our challenges is getting the U.S. economy moving again. People are hurting as they struggle to make ends meet. They’re worried about their future, and that of their children and grandchildren. I want to ensure that we leave them an America that is financially stronger and independent: minus a national debt that we can never repay.

I could not agree more.

As a Christian and a priest in the Orthodox Church the choice is clear. We have to protect life and we do that in many ways and we can start by voting Brown for US Senate.

Brown for Senate Website

Follow Scott on Twitter

Phony calls pretending to be from Mass Citizens

Posted on by Fr. Peter
I received this email tonight. Please pay attention!

The most disgraceful thing is happening!

Pro-lifers are receiving phone calls from people claiming to be Mass Citizens. The callers say that Mass Citizens is not supporting Scott Brown because of his position on health care!

The truth is that Mass Citizens is supporting Brown because of his position on health care!

These deceitful calls are coming from 202-461-3441, a Washington, DC number. The phone company says this is a company called SOOH. Pro-lifers are not the only victims of this scam. Our MCFL sleuths have found that this same number is calling people across the state claiming to be different groups with different messages – all anti-Brown!

Please, please send this email to your entire list and ask those people to do the same! This deceit must go viral!

We cannot let this election be stolen!

Keep up your great work!
Anne Fox

P S If you get the call on your answering machine, please save it. These people should be made accountable for using our name!

Urge President Obama to Seek Cancellation of Haiti’s Foreign Debt

Posted on by Fr. Peter
While two-thirds of Haiti’s debt ($1.2 billion) was cancelled in June 2009 thanks to the efforts of faith groups and debt activists, the country still has $641 million in debt on its books. This is because the debt relief agreements from the IMF and other creditors only covered debts acquired up to 2004. So, new loans Haiti has received since then have been adding to its debt. Half of this total of $641 million is owed to the InterAmerican Development Bank and the IMF, with the other half owed to other countries like Venezuela and Taiwan. In 2010, Haiti is projected to pay around $10 million to the IMF and IDB – and this is money Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, simply cannot pay in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake.

The U.S. has substantial voting power on the Boards of the IMF and the IDB and should use its influence to secure immediate cancellation of these debts. If cancellation cannot be granted immediately, President Obama should call for a moratorium on all debt payments from Haiti with no accrued interest until cancellation can be agreed on, as it was for countries hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004. Haiti’s limited resources should be directed at recovery, not repayment.

The Haitian earthquake has caused horrendous loss of life and unimaginable destruction. Massive humanitarian and reconstruction assistance is needed. This should come as grants, not loans, so that Haiti does not become saddled again with large debts through no fault of its own.

Just as a gracious and compassionate God extends unlimited mercy and forgives debts, so the human family is called to cancel debts and extend aid to those in need without seeking repayment. Jesus says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” And, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” And, “if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you” (Luke 6:34-38). The tragedy occurring in Haiti must call forth our country’s most compassionate response.

For more information and to take action see the Church World Service Website

Orthodox Christians Support Airlift to Haiti

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Baltimore, Md. (IOCC) — International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is working in partnership with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) to deliver two of the most critical needs in Haiti today – water and shelter. Water purification equipment that will serve 10,000 people and 500 family tents, as well as other supplies, are being airlifted to Haiti. The aid, valued at more than $600,000, is expected to reach Port-au-Prince by Saturday, January 16.

IOCC’s participation in the airlift is made possible through a $20,000 emergency grant by the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society. The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) has also expressed its solidarity with the people of Haiti by donating $10,000 to IOCC’s relief effort.

Three days after an earthquake devastated wide sections of the capital of Port-au-Prince and buried countless people, traumatized Haitians were still sleeping in parks and streets, fearing aftershocks. The airlift provided by IOCC and its ecumenical partners includes water tanks and water purification equipment, tents, and personnel to provide technical assistance.

IOCC, founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), continues to coordinate its response with Action by Churches Together (ACT) and Orthodox partners on the ground to address the urgent humanitarian need for emergency supplies such as food, safe water, hygiene supplies, and shelter. IOCC is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy. Efforts by IOCC staff are ongoing to monitor needs in Haiti as they emerge and to coordinate shipments of aid through the alliance.

You can help the victims of disasters around the world, like the Haiti Earthquake, by making a financial gift to the IOCC International Emergency Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief as well as long-term support through the provision of emergency aid, recovery assistance and other support to help those in need. To make a gift, please visit www.iocc.org, call toll free at 1-877-803-IOCC (4622), or mail a check or money order payable to IOCC, P.O. Box 630225, Baltimore, Md. 21263-0225.

Haiti How to Help

Posted on by Fr. Peter

I have been asking this question since the earthquake happened. What can I do? I have participated in two conference calls over the last two days about what church is doing to help. The biggest need right now, cold hard cash. As bad as that sounds that is what is needed. Everything is running out and cash is king.

Faith based groups from around the country are working together and with the US Government to help bring aid to Haiti. It is always amazing when I see churches of different denominations working together.

If you are looking for a concrete way to help you can get a group of people together and assemble Health Kits. These kits bring basics to people and will be needed for many, many months. The cost is less than $10 per kit and the supplies can be purchased locally, assembled, and then mailed to a central location.

Here is what is needed, and for more information check out this link:

Buy a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure and fill it with the following items:

One hand towel
One washcloth
One comb
One metal nail file or nail clipper
One bar of soap (bath size, new and wrapped in original packaging)
One toothbrush (NO TOOTHPASTE)
Six Band-Aids

Secure the bag and pack it in a box. Secure the box with packing tape.

Clearly mark the outside of the box with the type of kit (“Health Kit-IOCC”) and number of kits that are enclosed. Apply the correct amount of postage and mail the box to the following address:

IOCC / Church World Service
Brethren Service Center Annex
601 Main St. P.O. Box 188
New Windsor, Md. 21776-0188

Be sure to include the name of the parish, group or individual sending the kits on the box.

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