In our editorial of April 20 entitled “Preliminary Thoughts on the Female Diaconate,” our two editors at the time stated the following points of agreement between us:

• We do not support the ordination of women to the priesthood or the episcopate.
• We fail to see how a restored female diaconate constitutes a slippery slope to a female presbyterate or episcopate. We have no apprehensions at all in this regard.
• Yet we do not wish to foreclose the discussion of a female presbyterate or episcopate, because one of two things will result: either we as the Church will come to a better understanding and articulation of why we do not ordain women priests and bishops, or we will conclude that no doctrinal reasons forbid it. (Cf. Acts 5:38-39.) 

To the third point we might add that we may discern, as Church, that doctrinal reasons not only do not forbid it, but require it.

Arguments for and against the ordination of women are scattered around the internet on websites and blogs and in free-standing statements. Some of them have more widespread, and others more limited, exposure. For this reason Orthodoxy in Dialogue proposes to provide a space where all sides of the question can come together for respectful discussion among brothers and sisters. 

In addition to our Submission Guidelines, please note the following for this series: Read More

With joy we share Metropolitan Nicolae’s response to the topic of our Open Letter to the Church: The Humanitarian Crisis at the US-Mexico Border. (We continue to accept signatures for the Open Letter.)

Întru mulţi ani, Stăpâne! Many Years, Master!

MITROPOLIA ORTODOXĂ ROMÂNĂ A CELOR DOUĂ AMERICI
THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX METROPOLIA OF THE AMERICAS
Most Reverend Dr. NICOLAE CONDREA
Archbishop and Metropolitan
5410 N. Newland Ave. Chicago IL 60656
tel: 773.774.1677; fax: 773.774.1805;
http://www.mitropolia.us; email: contact@mitropolia.us

June 20, 2018

Mr. Donald J. Trump
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

The issue of immigration policy has been a central discussion point in our nation for many years. The proper balance and compromises necessary have eluded us. Previous Presidential Administrations have found ways, some more satisfactory than others, to execute policies that have kept the difficult but necessary decisions at bay, at least for a time, but without resolving them. However, in these past months Attorney General Sessions announced that the immigration policy would change to zero tolerance. Without entering into a discussion about the nuances of this policy, suffice it to say many opinions have been advanced as to the soundness of his, and your, decision. On June 14, 2018 Mr. Sessions reinforced this position of your Administration by citing the Holy Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans. This misuse of the Holy Scriptures has compelled us to respond. Read More

We share with gratitude Metropolitan Nathanael’s statement addressing the issues raised in our Open Letter to the Church: The Humanitarian Crisis at the US-Mexico Border.

Εις πολλά έτη, Δέσποτα! Many Years, Master!

Statement Regarding the U.S. “Zero Tolerance” Policy on Unlawful Immigration

+ His Eminence Metropolitan NATHANAEL

 Presiding Hierarch of the Holy Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago

Recent reports regarding the brutal treatment of families who have arrived at U.S. borders without prior authorization have prompted sharp criticisms by faith leaders and people of good will across our nation. As we learn more and more details about these practices and reflect on their impact upon both those who are directly involved and upon all of us as citizens, my heart aches and my conscience is restless.

The current “zero tolerance” policy on unlawful immigration being enforced by our federal government, which separates children from their parent(s), violates moral norms that we, as Orthodox Christians, hold sacred. It represents a practice that goes beyond differences between political ideologies, and transgresses basic human rights and foundational Christian convictions. Thus, remaining silent is, I believe, an unacceptable response for those of us entrusted with bearing witness to the Christian Gospel.

Affirming that every person is created “in the divine image” (cf. Gen 1:26), and that all of us are children of God (cf. 1 Jn 3:1-2), our tradition unequivocally teaches that every human being should be treated with respect, recognizing his or her inherent dignity regardless of age, race, ethnicity or gender, and regardless of any transgressions they or their family members may have committed. Read More

On June 18 we wrote to Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), as well as to many other Orthodox hierarchs and clergy, to bring to their attention our Open Letter of the day before. To the best of our knowledge, His Beatitude is the first Orthodox hierarch—writing on behalf of the entire Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA—to take up the subject of our letter with President Trump. You may view the PDF of the original here.

We especially applaud His Beatitude’s emphasis on what it means to be truly pro-life:

As Christians, we are called to defend all life, be it the life of a fetus in the womb, the life of a child at the border, or the life of a mother fleeing violence and seeking a better life.  Every one of these immigrants is a child of God.

Eis polla eti, Despota! Many Years, Master!

Letter of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon to US President Donald Trump
Concerning the Separation of Families
June 19, 2018

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I write to you asking compassion for the children and their parents now being separated and confined in detention centers as a result of the Administration’s zero tolerance policy.  On behalf of these children—some of them infants and toddlers—and together with all the bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, I ask that you reconsider this policy and allow families to be kept together while the immigration courts are considering their cases.

This past January you proved to be a champion of life when, addressing those gathered in Washington D.C. to proclaim the sanctity of life, you offered the following words: “Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independence, and that is the right to life.” As Christians, we are called to defend all life, be it the life of a fetus in the womb, the life of a child at the border, or the life of a mother fleeing violence and seeking a better life.  Every one of these immigrants is a child of God. Read More