By now Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s rock solid commitment to Black Lives Matter has become clear to our supporters and naysayers around the planet.

While recognizing the urgent need for immediate, substantive police reform in the United States and elsewhere, we have not taken a position on the Defund the Police movement. We offer the following for reflection, dialogue, and action as each of our readers deems best. The question that we must each ask ourselves is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ requires of us as Church and as individual Orthodox Christian men, women, and young people.

Allen Morris IV

A few days ago, I participated in the Rally for George Floyd in Houston, Texas. Years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Floyd through his extended family.

As a Black American, it made me proud to feel so much love coming from every direction. My people have suffered at the hands of police and white supremacy for centuries.

The world witnessed the killing of George Floyd – we all heard his cries for help. Mr. Floyd’s cries are embedded in the history of the United States, along with many of my brothers and sisters who have cried for help while they were killed without cause.

We were brought here in chains against our will. We built this country up, along with a variety of immigrant cultures, but yet we are the ones single-handedly being killed at the hands of police because of racial bias. Read More

Archbishop Alexander of Dallas

June 5, 2020
The Leavetaking of Ascension

To the Clergy and Monastics of the Diocese of the South,

The blessing of the Lord!

It is with great sadness that I have learned about the continued detrimental impact that the the so-called “Orthodox Ethos” website [here], which is sanctioned by no canonical jurisdiction to my knowledge, is having upon the spiritual wellbeing of the flock entrusted to my care. I am reminded of the words of our Lord, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Mt. 7:15) It takes so little effort to devour and destroy, while it is so very difficult to heal deep wounds of the soul. God forbid I stand by in silence!

I would never encourage censorship – we may read what we will. The articles on the “Orthodox Ethos” site are written by people that do no answer to me (though they will certainly answer to God). On balance, I offer to you not my words, but the letter of a “wise priest in the diocese” [here] who is unfortunately facing the scandal of doubt, fear and anger provoked by “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Please use all or parts of this as you see fit in the care of your flock. Read More

Crowds bearing placards gathered at Sydney Town Hall (ABC News: Jack Fisher)

I write these words as one who is deeply conscious of my own white privilege, a legacy of societal attitudes resulting from the infamous and now dismantled White Australia Policy.

The repercussions of the slaying of George Floyd were evident in the large rallies witnessed around Australia’s major cities last weekend, many in defiance of the COVID-19 restrictions. The victim’s final words—I can’t breathe—were exactly those uttered six years ago and twelve times by David Dungay, an Aboriginal man who died while five prison guards were restraining him.   Read More

The following archive of Orthodox synodal and individual episcopal statements will be updated as Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s readers bring them to our attention. Send links for inclusion to editors@orthodoxyindialogue.com.

We invite our readers to evaluate each statement carefully to discern which ones adequately address the current crisis gripping the United States, which are found lacking, and which are egregiously bad.

Reach out to us at our email address if you would like to write an article or letter to the editors in response to one or more of these statements.

Given the multiple, overlapping Orthodox jurisdictions in America, we have listed individual hierarchs in alphabetical order irrespective of rank or seniority. 

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