Orthodoxy in Dialogue occasionally publishes anonymous guest articles when the author presents a compelling reason to do so. Today’s author writes: “The choice to contribute this reflection anonymously is simply to share my personal experience, not to engage in dialogue about specific jurisdictions, places, or people. I hope that my narrative might inspire clergy and faithful alike to allow the Holy Spirit to guide an honest, open, and Christ-centered conversation in the Church on this issue.”

The lenten period for the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was always somewhat unwelcome to me. As a child, it meant the winding down of summer and the return to school which I so hated. As an adult and a teacher, those emotions did not change all that much. This was a time to treasure those precious remaining days of summer. Somehow, eating just the salad at a barbecue or going to church every night for Paraclesis felt like a letdown, or maybe something to blame for all the unfulfilled expectations I had hoped for during summer break. It wasn’t until much later in life that I was able to appreciate the blessings that this holy time offered.

Metropolitan Alexander of Nigeria

May 15, 1960 ~ June 30, 2023

Memory Eternal ~ Αἰωνία ἡ Μνήμη

The Church of Alexandria has truly lost one of her stalwarts—a man of stature, not only because he was a tall man, but because of his vision, his intellect, and his theological thought that pushed boundaries and challenged what some accept unquestioningly as “sacred cows.” He was also an outspoken critic of the Russian Church’s uncanonical encroachment into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Metropolitan Alexander of Nigeria was a true Bishop, “rightly defining the word of truth,” a spokesman for an Orthodoxy that was not afraid to enter into dialogue with the world.

Note that a number of Orthodox theological schools participate in this initiative. Click here to access the application form and other links relative to this call for applications. Share widely with your colleagues in religious studies well before the deadline of July 1, 2023.

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The following communiqué appeared on April 20, 2023 on the website of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops  of the United States of America. For context see Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) Issues Warning against Father Peter Heers’ “Orthodox Ethos” Website and Father Peter Heers: Priest of Nowhere? 

“Archpriest” Peter Heers

Unaffiliated with any canonical Orthodox jurisdiction

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is made up of all the active, canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States of America, from every universally-recognized canonical Orthodox jurisdiction, including the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (“ROCOR”), despite the decision of its Bishops to suspend their participation in the Assembly. On November 18, 2022, the Orthodox Bishops of the Assembly received a communication from the ROCOR Eastern American Diocese regarding Archpriest Peter Heers. This communication stated “that the Very Reverend Archpriest Peter Heers is not a clergyman of the Eastern American Diocese or of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, nor is there any pending consideration of his reception.” [Scroll to the bottom here to see ROCOR’s letter.]
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