Did the Serbian TOC Come to the GOC in Repentance because of Schism?

[Despotovac]

Did the Serbian TOC Come to the GOC in Repentance because of Schism and Did the Serbian TOC with this Repentance Seek that the Greek TOC Receive Her into Their Jurisdiction?

Due to some erroneous interpretations of the document from the Serbian Hierarchs to the Holy Synod of the Greek GOC in October of last year (1/16 October 2015) (http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.fr/ ... nical.html) , we consider it needful to clarify the Petition itself along with our position in regards to this entire matter. Namely, among certain circles both here in Serbia and abroad some assert that we Serbian hierarchs came to the Greek GOC in repentance for causing a schism and supposedly asked that the Greek GOC receive us back into their jurisdiction. The very title of our petition, however, should answer the two questions which are posed in the title of this text. From the title of the petition it is clear that one Local Church is initiating entry into communion with another Local Church. Furthermore, in the text of the Petition itself the word schism is never used.

Read more: http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.rs/ ... oc-in.html

[Barbara]

Despotovac,
Thank you for posting this.

Then why did STOC rejoin the GOC ? Was it a self-promoting move on the political chessboard as some here have charged ?

[Maria]

Is the Serbian TOC in the GOC-K? If so, they do not sound like happy campers.

[Barbara]

No, they aren't : I didn't read that article because I was waiting for an opportunity.
Now I HAVE read it and am relieved that the situation is not as dire as it has been depicted or assumed by many.

It was a wise move of Bp Akakije to clarify his position. In doing so, he went over the history of this thorny relationship with GOC-K.
While we who observed the situation remember much of that difficult road the STOC traveled in dealing with an 'uppity' GOC-K in this particular instance, some parts of the saga inevitably have faded. Or never were known, such as the actual beginning section [ for me ].

You are right Maria, STOC does sound like they are reeling in shock over the ridiculous obstinacy of some of the GOC-K hierarchs :

"Yet despite all of our efforts to reach canonical unity between our Churches, the reply from the Greek Church to our petition of December 1, 2015 was devastating to us. The Greek TOC, after all the debates, polemics, initiatives and petitions from us again sought that we should submit to some kind of Greek Belgrade Metropolis and a Greek guardian of St. Sava’s patriarchal seat. Of course, such a suggestion was not even taken up for official consideration. All who read this suggestion were extremely insulted by the Greek Church’s unscrupulous stubbornness in trying to keep power over Serbia at any price. Our last initiative thus only received an echo of similar responses, where we found ourselves again coming up against a wall of a complete lack of understanding or sympathy."

http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.rs/ ... oc-in.html

[Barbara]

Nonetheless, in the Petition for the Establishment of Canonical Communion between the STOC and the Greek GOC,
Bishop Akakije advocates union of the STOC with the GOC-K, SiR and Rocora of Met Agafangel. He says nothing about the RTOC who sheltered him for all this time during the tossing about on stormy seas of the fledgling STOC. Nor does he seem to care that they are not part of this 'grand union'.

Neither is he above a little flattery regarding that tripartite unity of 'moderate TOC's' :

"We admire your supremely God-pleasing work towards the establishment of unity among the True Orthodox which magnificently bore fruit with the great union made in March of 2014. Our wish is that the Serbian TOC unite with the newly-established front of the True Orthodox Churches so that the battle against heresy and for the Truth of the patristic faith be strengthened to the joy of the faithful, the strengthening of the weak, and the shame of the ecumenists. "

http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.rs/ ... nical.html

[Despotovac]

Dear in Christ Sisters and all who are following this thread -

In response to some of your comments:

"Nonetheless, in the Petition for the Establishment of Canonic Communion between the STOC and the Greek GOC,
Bishop Akakije advocates union of the STOC with the GOC-K, SiR and Rocora of Met Agafangel. He says nothing about the RTOC who sheltered him for all this time during the tossing about on stormy seas of the fledgling STOC..

Since the original petition in question is addressed to the Greek hierarchs and the point of it is to make peace with them, I don't see why in this particular letter the Serbian bishops would express gratitude to the RTOC; that would be just touching on the sensitive matter in question. I think it should be pretty obvious that they are grateful to them while they are quite critical of the Greek bishops. (and this IS expressed in other texts on the serbiantrueothorthodox, for example).

Nor does he seem to care that they are not part of this 'grand union'.

Not correct. The Serbian bishops are concerned about the unity of all the True Orthodox and Bishop Akakije made a trip to Russia just a few months ago to talk with the hierarchs of both the RTOC and ROAC about this very question and then related what they talked about to Met. Photius of the GOC, again, in an effort to get these groups aware of their objections to each other and to try to get them to start talking.
You should really see this letter here: http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.fr/ ... ishop.html

As for the comment,

Neither is he above a little flattery regarding that tripartite unity of 'moderate TOC's' :

"We admire your supremely God-pleasing work towards the establishment of unity among the True Orthodox which magnificently bore fruit with the great union made in March of 2014. Our wish is that the Serbian TOC unite with the newly-established front of the True Orthodox Churches so that the battle against heresy and for the Truth of the patristic faith be strengthened to the joy of the faithful, the strengthening of the weak, and the shame of the ecumenists. "

I don't see why this should be qualified as flattery, even if it is in slightly more flowery language - this is a formal church letter after all - I think it is very sincere, and do we not agree that we True Orthodox SHOULD unite and form a stronger front against the ecumenists?

[Maria]

Without getting into polemics, we cannot have true unity if said unity compromises the faith.

This is why the RTOC and the ROAC are not in unity with the GOC-K. There are still some serious issues involved with the former SiR, and that is why some GOC-K priests and laity have left the GOC-K since the March 2014 GOC-K - SiR unity was realized.

At this point, we shall probably have to continue these discussions in the private Intra-TOC Polemics forum.