Two Commentaries on Patriarch Kirill's Visit to the Ukraine

See the follwing comentaries on Patriarch's visit to the Ukraine.

Kirill on a Mission

Will the New Patriarch of Moscow Succeed in His New Role in Ukraine?



"On Monday, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia began a visit to Ukraine, unprecedented both in its scale and symbolical significance. Its results will greatly influence both the future of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine and, to some extent, that of the Russian-Ukrainian relations, as well as the status of the Moscow Patriarchate itself."
Comment by Andrei Zolotov, Jr. - July 27, 2009


see: Russia Profile.org

and

Kirll is not the Kremlin's Man

"Patriarch Kirill isn't doing Russia's bidding in Ukraine. What he wants is a unified, independent Orthodox Church"

Comment by Adrain Pabst of the Guardian

see: guardian.co.uk

WESTERN FRONT OF THE EASTERN CHURCH: "UNIATE AND ORTHODOX CONFLICT IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY POLAND, UKRAINE, BELARUS, AND RUSSIA"

"This impressive volume provides valuable empirical research on the competition of the Uniate and Orthodox churches. It offers a rich new perspective on such critical issues as confessionalization, religious identity, and politics in East Europe and Russia. It is an essential monograph for scholars in the field." - Gregory Freeze, Brandeis University

This book addresses the shifting identity of Ruthenians on both sides of Orthodox/Uniate divide. The dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century and the incorporation of the majority of the Ruthenians - ethnic Ukrainians and Belarusians - into the Russian Empire from the backdrop for confessional history critical to modern Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian identities. In a region long shaped by religious and cultural tensions between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, the creation in 1596 of the Uniate church, which retained the Eastern rite but accepted Catholic doctrine, cut a new religious fault line through Ruthenian communities that set the stage for religious and political conflict. Drawing on archival sources from Russia, Poland, and Ukraine, "The Western Front of the Eastern Church" addresses the shifting identity and fate of Ruthenians on both sides of the Orthodox/Uniate divide during the politically charged era of the partitions of Poland. Skinner investigates diverging components of these faith communities in the 18th century, the changing political landscape as the Russian Empire expanded its borders, and the religious tensions and violence that occurred as a result. She reveals cultural influences that shaped Ukrainian and Belarusian identities and sheds light on aspects of Russian imperial identity and mythology as it laid claim to its western borderlands. The confessional focus critiques the nationalist perspective that has dominated the presentation of Ukrainian and Belarusian history, and Skinner's treatment brings the region into the broader discussion of confessional development in Europe as a whole. The narrative culminates in the Uniate conversions under Catherine II, providing new insight into the limits of religious toleration in Catherinian Russia. This book is essential reading for Russian and East European historians and those interested in the history of relations between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, as well as those studying the tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus today. " Available October 2009 - See Northern Illinois University Press.

Fellow Workers with God: Orthodox Thinking on Theosis

"Asked about the Orthodox Christian doctrine of salvation, many people will hastily tell you that it has to do with “theosis” or “deification.” But few can explain what “theosis” actually means, and fewer still can do so with a broad and deep knowledge of the Church Fathers. Drawing on ancient and modern sources, and building on his magisterial study, The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition, Norman Russell here presents this teaching with breathtaking clarity without compromising its genuine complexity. This book stands out from others on the subject as a model of lucidity and reliability, and will enthrall specialists and non-specialists alike."

The author, Norman Russell, is an independent scholar who has written widely on Orthodox themes, specializing in early Greek patristics and fourteenth-century hesychasm.

Contents: Foreword Introduction - What Is Theosis? Theosis and the Economy of Salvation, The Biblical Foundations of Theosis Image and Likeness, The Transfiguration of the Believer, Self-Transcendence, Participation in the Divine Life,

Union with God, Epilogue - Do You Live It?, Bibliography and Further Reading Index

For more information see St. Vladimir's Seminary Press

OCABS Announces New On-line Journal!

THE ORTHODOX CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BIBLICAL STUDIES (OCABS) is pleased to announce the launching of its new, on-line academic journal, The Journal of the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (JOCABS). The mission of JOCABS is to promote scholarship in biblical studies, homiletics, and religious education among Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians around the world.

Although submissions in English are preferred thus ensuring greater accessibility, academic papers in other languages (especially Arabic, Armenian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, and Spanish) will be considered by our multi-lingual editorial board and its international associates.

Articles may be submitted in the following areas:

• Old Testament and Cognate Studies. Including (but not limited to) critical studies in Hebrew Bible; Septuagint; Pseudepigrapha; Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture; Syro-Palestinian Archaeology.
  
• New Testament and Cognate Studies. Including (but not limited to) critical studies in New Testament; Early Christian Literature; Apocryphal Literature and Traditions; Classical Studies; Archaeology of the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
  
• The Bible in Homiletics and Christian Education. Including theoretical and methodological studies dedicated to the practical applications of biblical scholarship to both preaching and pedagogy.
  
• Book Reviews. Submissions of critical reviews of books related to the field of biblical studies will be accepted and invited.

JOCABS is committed to promoting scholarship among scholars and graduate students and encourages them to submit papers to its peer-reviewed process. The first issue will appear in the Summer of 2008, and semiannually thereafter.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Nicolae Roddy, at nroddy@creighton.edu or

Fr. Vahan Hovanessian, at vartabed@stnersess.edu.

The 4th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference completed its work!

The 4th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference, which took place at the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Orthodox Centre in Chambesy near Geneva, completed its work on 12 June 2009. The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Archpriest Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, included Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain, Russian Church Outside Russia and Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman.

The conference was chaired by Metropolitan John of Pergamon. Metropolitan Jeremiah of Switzerland, Patriarchate of Constantinople, acted as its secretary. It was attended by delegations from the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgia, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria as well as from the Orthodox Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Poland, Czech Lands and Slovakia. They were led by their hierarchs.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed a message of greetings to the conference.

As had been agreed by primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches at their meeting in October 2008 at the Phanar and reaffirmed by subsequent correspondence, the 4th Conference focused on the canonical order of the Orthodox diaspora. This decision on the agenda was made by the participants in the beginning of their work. The rest of the agenda items for Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conferences, including a procedure for declaring authocephaly and autonomy and the diptych order, will be considered in the sessions to follow the preparatory work to be done by the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission.

The participants considered documents prepared by the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission at its meetings on 10-17 November 1990 and 7-13 November 1993 and the conference of canon law experts that took place on 9-14 April 2009 in Chambesy. The documents were clarified and amended by consensus.

The conference agreed that the problem concerning the canonical order of the Orthodox diaspora, that is, those faithful who reside beyond the traditional boundaries of Local Orthodox Churches, should be dealt with on the basis of ecclesiology, canonical tradition and the practice of the Orthodox Church. To this end, it was agreed to set up bishops’ assemblies consisting in all the canonical Orthodox bishops who take pastoral care of the community in a given locality. The task of bishops’ assemblies will be to ascertain and consolidate the unity of the Orthodox Church, to provide common pastoral care for Orthodox people in a region and to bear common witness before the external world. The assemblies’ decisions are to be made on the basis of consensus reached by the Churches whose bishops are represented in them. The authority of a bishops’ assembly excludes interference in the diocesan jurisdiction of each of the bishops and does not restrict the rights of a bishop’s Church including her relations with international organizations, governments, social institutions and mass media as well as other confessions, governmental and inter-confessional organizations and other religions.

The conference also adopted a revised draft procedure defining the foundations for the work of regional bishops’ assemblies in the Orthodox diaspora.

Source: DECR Communication Service

New Film on the Life of Saint John (Maximovitch) is Released in Los Angeles

"With the blessing of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America and in conjunction with the 15th anniversary of the glorification of Saint John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, a new film (in English) about this ascetic and great God-pleaser has been released. The concept of the film was developed by Priest Peter Shashkoff, the Rector of the Dormition Mission in Los Angeles. The new DVD contains rare footage of St. John, the glorification services and first hand accounts by people who personally knew Vladika John and can attest to his love, service and ascetic feats.

To order the new DVD, please send a check in US funds ($25.00 for US and Canada orders including shipping; $30.00 for all other orders) made out to Holy Dormition Church and mail it to: Holy Dormition Church16350 Kinzie Street North Hills, CA 91343 U.S.A."

Regional Episcopal Assemblies in the Diaspora

According to a report listed on the Orthodox Christianity List (Indiana List), the Polish Orthodox Church has revealed how the Regional Episcopal Assemblies for the Diaspora approved by the Orthodox Churches two weeks agoat Chambesy will be apportioned.

See in Polish:
http://www.orthodox.pl/Aktualnosci/kraj-gen.htm#ttt

There will be 12 areas for the Regional Episcopal Assemblies:

1. North and Middle America
2. South America,
3. Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
4. Great Britain and Ireland
5. France
6. Benelux countries
7. Austria
8. Italy and Malta
9. Switzerland and Liechtenstein
10. Germany
11. Scandinavian countries (apart from Finland)
12. Spain and Portugal

The assemblies must commence their work before the Pan-Orthodox Council.
All bishops from all Churches in communion with mainstream Eastern Orthodoxwill be members. Retired and guest hierarch can be allowed to participate, without the rightto vote.
The main goals are to promote unity between Churches and to formulate jointstatements re non-Orthodox Churches. The Assemblies will also discuss issues and relationships with Churches outside canonical Orthodoxy. There must be at least one assembly a year.