Laurie4b Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 I am wondering how what is going on with regard to Russian, Ukraine, and Constantinople will affect the Orthodox branches in the US. From being on this board a couple years ago, my understanding was that it's been the practice of the Orthodox Church to allow a national expression of Orthodoxy that may differ culturally in the nonessentials, but which is united in the essentials. I recall that the US was an exception of sorts in that most Orthodox congregations in the US were a result of immigrants sticking to the church identify of their former country, but that there was also some movement to establish a branch of the Orthodox Church that was specifically for the US. IIRC, the Russian Orthodox church was overseeing that process and deciding. Please correct me wherever I am wrong. I am reading not only that the Ukainians were allowed to have their own Orthodox Church separate from Russia (which I would have thought would go along with the "Orthodoxy in each culture/country" approach) but that the Russian Orthodox Church is threatening to break from Constantinople. How is what is happening affecting Orthodox believers in the US? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 Why are the Ukrainians called schismatics? Is the " schismatic “Kiev Patriarchate" another name for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church? Why was it not okay for the Ukraine to have its own --not sure the right word here---enculturation of the Orthodox Church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Ann Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Yes, The Ukranian Orthodox Church does have it's own under the Russian Patriach. So, it really does feel like political reasons the Constantinople Patriarch did this. But, he is also in a very precarious situation there in Turkey and some say that he is trying to please the western world which wants Ukraine to be separated from Russia. The force in Ukraine is that part of them feel they are connected to Russia and others want to be separated from Russia. Not all Ukraines want out like our western media and information want to let us believe. It is most certainly a political and culture issue that they are dealing with and the rest of the world has their opinion and stakes in it as well. So the church has gotten messed up in it as well. Which is sad and unfortunate. We don't know the hearts and minds of many of these people who are making decisions and so I try to refrain from harsh judgement on the people involved, but it does seem to not have been handled well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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