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

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

Post by Maria »

Despotovac wrote:

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?

I just looked at the letter from Bishop Akakije to Met. Photios of the GOC-K, and frankly I find it confusing.

#1: How can Bishop Akakije expect the GOC-K Synod to denounce and bring to repentance a hierarch in communion with them, Archbishop Agafangel, when Bishop Akakije is neither in communion with the GOC-K, nor a sister church of the GOC-K? How can Bishop Akakije expect to be in the good graces of the GOC-K by doing this?

#2: Bishop Akakije mentions the open and hostile conflict between Dr. Auxentios (formerly with the SiR, now a GOC-K hierarch) and Dr. Vladimir Moss (currently a highly educated and respected lay member of the RTOC, but also formerly a member of the STOC-GOC-K laity) over the Cyprianite teachings espoused by Dr. Auxentios. [See especially the parts which I have bolded and even colored in red font.] Why does Bishop Akakije want to silence both men since neither belong to his jurisdiction?

Unity between the RTOC and the ROAC is not impossible – that is, for its establishment there are no serious obstacles – but as far as I can see there is no decisive initiative for this to happen from either side. The more serious problem is with Agathangel’s synod, with whom the other two jurisdictions have nothing to talk about. Their reasons are not small ones. In the first place is the way in which the Agathangel synod was created with the help of the Greek (Cyprianite) bishops, avoiding the already-existing Russian bishops. They consider that Agathangel in this fashion fell away from the inheritance of the Russian Church. More importantly, they consider that the main reason for his independence was Cyprianism, because he claimed that the other Russian hierarchs had an “extreme” confession of faith, while he with the help of the Cyprianite bishops created a Synod with the “correct,” “traditional” ie Cyprianite confession of faith. Secondly, from the people that he collected around himself and made into bishops, he made his own personal Synod which quickly voted for him as Metropolitan (white klobuk), which for the Russians means the first hierarch, over everyone, as were Philaret and Vitaly. Third, the whole time Met. Agathangel has been treating the other Russian hierarchs very arrogantly and insultingly, declaring all of them schismatics, and until only recently, extremists. The irony is that with the union of March 2014, Agathangel was forced to accept what he had until only recently called an “extreme” confession of faith and thus invalidated his main accusation against the other Russian hierarchs of “extremism.” The RTOC and ROAC do not have a good opinion of Agathangel and think that it was a serious mistake that you (the GOC) accepted him into communion and thus gave him an appearance of canonicity and legitimacy. This even further confirmed him in his self-deception that he is some bishop in authority over others who during the period of the collapse of the Russian Church Abroad behaved the most canonically and correctly in comparison to the other Russian bishops who opposed the union with the Moscow Patriarchate. With this idea he gives himself the right to consider the other Russian hierarchs schismatics and uncanonical bishops because they ceased communion with the Russian Church Abroad “before they should have” while it was under “Metropolitan” Laurus, which is entirely unreasonable, as he (Agathangel) in following Laurus “to the end” participated in the complete betrayal of the principles of True Orthodoxy, culminating in the official concelebration with Metropolitan Amphilochius of the Serbian Patriarchate.

For our STOC Metropolitan Agathangel is a serious and nearly insurmountable problem. An eventual entry into communion with the GOC would mean entry into communion with Met. Agathangel, which would mean recognizing him as a canonical part of the Russian Church, which he certainly is not, and entry with him into communion would be an openly unfriendly act towards the other parts of the Russian Church, which we wish to avoid if this is at all possible. Thus we ask you from the perspective of the GOC (not from the perspective of the Synod in Resistance) to look into the entry into communion with Met. Agathangel or at least to put pressure on him to humble himself, admit and correct his mistakes towards the other Russian Hierarchs, the first and essential one of which was the way he created his Synod, by rejecting the brotherly help offered by the Russian bishops who were then and now canonical, and seeking help from the Greek Cyprianite bishops who at the time were neither canonical nor Orthodox.

Another important matter is the opinion of the RTOC under Archbishop Tikhon about the union of the GOC and the SiR: they believe that an overly-large compromise was made which is unacceptable when the confession of faith is in question. They especially point out the recent letter of Bishop Auxentius of Etna as a confirmation that Cyprianism continues freely to act, and that a public denunciation of the Cyprianite teaching by the former member bishops of the Cyprianite synod is urgently necessary in order to defeat this false teaching and end any confusion about the question. In my opinion, the Russian Hierarchs’ desire is not ill-intentioned and judgmental towards the GOC – on the contrary, I think it is honest and well-intentioned.

I think that you should speak with them and explain the stances of the GOC about these matters, and not let the RTOC form its stance according to the writings of Vladimir Moss and the stances which Fr. Victor Melehov is pushing. You must keep in mind they consider your (the GOC)’s acceptance of Met. Agathangel into communion uncanonical, incorrect and unfriendly, and thus any initiative from their side for a conversation is nearly impossible.

I made protest before the RTOC hierarchs because of their acceptance of the defrocked Greek clergymen into the RTOC jurisdiction, and they said that they would re-examine that case. They responded in the negative to my question about the rumor that the RTOC is planning to establish bishops for the Greek Church, and said that this rumor is slander. On the contrary, they say that they never planned on establishing bishops for the Greek Church.

That is basically my short report on my trip to Russia and visit to the hierarchs of the RTOC and ROAC, to which I have also added some of my personal opinions.

I also wanted to let you know that in Serbia we already are having some problems because of our initiative to be closer with the GOC. Ten people are already very close to ceasing communion with us. They think that our coming closer to the GOC is a betrayal of the faith because of the Cyprianite bishops who have not repented of that false teaching and are now in the GOC Synod.

In summary, I can see why ten people from the STOC are upset about this dialog with GOC-K due to the Cyprianist leanings of its two hierarchs: Dr. Auxentios who is the bishop of Etna and Portland of the GOC-K and Archbishop Agafangel of Moscow who is in communion with the GOC-K.

Has Bishop Akakije just shot himself in the foot? No doubt, neither the GOC-K nor the RTOC are going to be pleased with his attempts. However, he is being sincere. There is a huge purple elephant in the room.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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

Post by Barbara »

I find this letter, as much of it as I have read [ Maria's excerpts ], to be much better. It is far more reassuring than Bishop Akakje's appeal to the GOC-K hierarchs to be accepted into communion as an equal, independent jurisdiction.

What the Serbian Bp says here is in line with RTOC's attitudes. Thus I felt some relief reading through it. I was beginning to worry that he was pursuing some other agenda with GOC-K and a grand union.

Yes, by the way, Despotovoc, we do very much want that goal in order to further the TOC cause. But not indiscriminate union with jurisdictions who compromised their confession of the faith by allying with Cyprianites, and showing not a shred of repentance for that error.

I was quite glad about the way Bp Akakje exposed the truth [ from the point of view of many non-Cyprianites ] about Met Agafangel. Remember how he outrageously slandered Archbishop Andrei [Maklakov] of ROAC ? Considering how completely the accusations were, that was a low blow on the part of Met Agafangel. Not becoming behavior for a self-created First Hierarch. I liked how Bp Akakje brought that fact out.

Maria, I don't think Bp Akakje expects GOC-K to succeed in gaining an apology from Met Agafangel or take any other concrete measure against the ROCA head. I believe the STOC hierarch is trying to explain how the 2 Russian jurisdictions view the situation ; apparently he agrees with their skepticism of Met Agafangel's credentials and eyebrow-raising leap from a minor Bishop of then-free Rocor to a grand Metropolitan within barely a few years. Bp Agafangel did not have much experience behind him and one may well question why he allowed himself to be made into such a high-ranking prelate. There was not even a show of humility or protestations on his part.

Probably Bp Akakje expects little action to be taken, but wants to register the coolness of "the Russian hierarchs" for any dealings with the tripartite unity of Cyprianite-accepting jurisdictions.

That is interesting indeed that 10 people have already considered walking out due to displeasure at the GOC-K's evident tolerance for Cyprianite ecclesiology. Sounds like there are some staunch TOC members in Serbia !

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