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Can anyone tell me why Orthodox patriarchs and heads of the various Orthodox Churches seldom write much that's impressive...compared to the Apostolic Letters, Encyclicals, and Instructions of the Roman See? When I read papal writings, they are so clear and relevant...and usually always speak to 'the now' in people's lives. We rarely hear anything even close to this in the Orthodox Churches...and often when we DO get something, it is steeped in quotes from the Fathers that is, well, what I would consider a 'stretch' at best. Maybe I'm just not a well educated priest, but I have a problem with this whole thing.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Your poor brother in the Lord,
+Fr. Gregory, who is wavering after all these years.

Dear Fr. Gregory:

This is one of the questions that has been lingering in my mind for so long now but was reluctant to ask.

Not only do Papal encyclicals, constitutions, instructions, letters, and the like speak of the "now," but seem to address uncannily the "concerns" of humanity "universally."

Many may disagree but the Pope is unquestionably the "spokesperson" of all Christendom as Christianity tries hard to be relevant in our everyday lives. He is, indeed, the visible sign of Christian unity!

I envy you, Father, for having traversed the whole nine yards thus bridging the gap between the Christian East and the Christian West, and for that unique opportunity of being able to bask under the Truth of Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

May your ministry flower under, and bear fruit of, Pope John Paul II's exhortation: "Ut Unum Sint!"

Amado

Father, bless! There have been some incredible letters written by Orthodox bishops. Bishops Kallistos, Alexis van Mensbrugghe, etc. etc.

Perhaps they just don't get the same circulation, as the Pope has a pretty well managed circulation office...

But it does seem hard to beat the likes of Orientlae Lumen, Ut Unum Sint, and Slavorum Apostoli. And perhaps I am just a bit biased...

Diak, I agree that some BISHOPS have written good things (like those you mentioned)---but they were/are not ruling bishops (for the most part). My question I guess...so why don't we hear more from patriarchs and primates (Gosh, I hate that word!)...and presidents of synods of local Orthodox Churches about important issues...on the same par with the papal teachings that you mentioned. Ya know? Thanks for your response Diak...I appreciate it.

Your poor brother in the Lord,
+Fr. Gregory

I think that some of the encyclicals of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America are outstanding. One in particular, on " Spiritual Life [oca.org] ," is highly recommended (by me, anyway).

Priest Thomas

Dear Father, BLESS! I agree...if there ANY teaching documents that are worthy of reading, the OCA probably has the most and there are even some good Pastoral letters on Social Teachings. Thank you Father for your words.

Kissing your holy right hand,
Your poor brother,
+Gregory, priestmonk

Bless, Father Gregory,

I do think the Russian Patriarchate does issue some excellent, relevant statements that can be universal in their application to Christian issues.

I also believe that the current Pope of Rome is just good at what he issues.

There simply were not the same kind of admirers of the writings of Pope Paul VI et al.

The current Pope's letter on the Rosary BY FAR outclasses anything any pope has ever written on the subject.

He is just that good a theologian and communicator - two things that often are hard to find in one person.

Alex

I think many Patriarchs and Primates write in languages other than English. Many of us don't read those other languages, assuming we could even have access to the texts. The Pope has a larger flock and commands a larger audience, so translations of his writings are widely translated and disseminated. The Patriarch of Outer Slobovia might be big news there, but American journalists probably don't even know he exists.

ByzanTN, My problem is I guess, that in Outer Slobovia they haven't seen anything the Their Patriarch has written either...and the people there DO speak and read Slobovian---and still little or nothing...except a brief news item about the Annual Festival of Outer Slobovia or the Yearly Slobovian Essay Contest For Young People of Slobovian Decent...and OCCASIONALLY, there will be a few words from Metropolitan Dismalos of the Holy Slobovian Church in Exile about how dangerous associating with 'non-Slobovians' is...and how they're loosing their Slobovian language in America. You get my point???

Your brother,
A former priest of the Slobovian Eparchy in Exile,
+Fr. Gregory

I understand your point, but I have read English translations of letters by some Russian Orthodox bishops that were worthwhile and uplifting. I don't know of any Orthodox Church abroad with the press capabilities of the Vatican. Now if you are implying that some bishops occupy their thrones and say little of any substance, we have plenty of evidence of the same from American bishops. Have you ever looked at some of the 12,000 page rambles put out by the U.S. RC Bishops Conference?

Charles,

That's a tooche(I think that is how you spell it) on your last sentence.

Pax tecum,
Michael

Dear Father Gregory,

The relevant writings by Orthodox, have been by Saints. For one: Saint Nektarios of Aegina, which, as far as I know, his works have not all been translated.

The other is 'My Life In Christ" by Saint John Kronstadt. Can any writing be as profound and complete as his.

Remember, the Pope is also a Saint, but one with a certain authority. He is the world's formost Christian leader, and as such, every word he writes is studied, especially by those in a position to do so.

What he writes might be specifically geared to our day and age, but what all Saints write, (especially the great ones), are relevant to all days and ages.

Zenovia

Zenovia, Thank you for your words...they are certainly very true. I guess what I'm really concerned about here though is what is called the 'Magisterium' of the Eastern Church---or the special official 'teaching office of the Church' that is the special duty of bishops TOGETHER in 'Concilior power' to teach the whole Church as one. For example: the Seven Ecumenical Councils taught officially in this EXACT manner...and those writings were the definded faith of the ancient Eastern Church, but the Church (perhaps because she has not met in the East in this way since 787...the date of the 7th and final Ecumenical Council...according to our counting) has not taught TOGETHER as a unified body about anything for some 1300 years. Because we have not met in Council, we have no official teaching (in the East) on any of the issues of the modern world. Meanwhile in the West, they have continued to meet in concilior form and in national assemblies of bishops and publish official teaching material, which we lack. THIS is my principal concern here...not with the teaching of individual bishops...saintly thought they be. If the Holy Spirit dwells within the midst of the Church...then the body of bishops (as the principal teachers of the faith) have a responsibility to teach as ONE. Where is this teaching in the East??? That's my actual question. Where do we find (except to look back at the universal teaching of the first 7 Councils) the guidance about social teaching for, say, modern issues like birth control? Stem cell research? Genetics? etc. etc. In the West, in the Roman Catholic Church it is easy to find guidance about such issues...because they come from the 'Patriarch of the West' the Holy Father in the form of Encyclicals, Apostolic Letters and Pastoral Instructions...but in the East, we have not the unity and hence not the same universal (complete maybe a better word?) 'Magisterium' (teaching office). That's actually my concern...and it is I believe an important one...because without THIS Official Teaching in the East---it's every patriarch for himself...every separate local/national Church for itself. As much as Orthodox bishops and people go on and on about the Office of the Pope...it seems to me (humbly) that this is exactly what we often need to gather the whole Church together and be the source of UNITY; act as unifier for the whole Body of Christ.

No one has yet addressed my question. Perhaps a Roman/Greek/Eastern Catholic priest or layman/woman could add something here???

Thanks.

In Christ Jesus, Who is Lord and Master,
+Fr. Gregory

Fr. Gregory,

I think your question is posed in such a way that there is no answer that will be sufficient. Of course, there is no "magisterium" in Orthodoxy, at least not the the formal way that Catholicism has codified it. Instead, it is the Tradition, which guided by the Holy Spirit, which directs and guides us as Orthodox Christians, including the bishops. This Tradition is made up of so many elements, from iconography to the dogmas to the hymnography to the liturgy, that it all expresses the Faith in one way or another.

Regarding there being no pronouncemnts since the 7th Ecumenical Council, there were several useful local councils and letters from bishops which have much of the same weight and influence even as the Ecumenical Councils. Regarding more immediate social issues, several national Synods have written eloquently. For instance, the Russian Church recently released a document on the Social Dogma of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is an outstanding document. I also previously mentioned several encyclicals released by the OCA.

Now, you must also know that there have been many Orthodox theologians who have written on moral and spiritual topics, everything from birth control to genetic engineering. Frs. Breck and Harakas come to mind. Certainly, when the Vatican releases a document on such a topic, it's not like the Pope actually wrote every one of them. There is undoubtedly a cadre of theologians and advisors which creates and pours over such documents which the Pope finally gives his approval and signature to. It is no different in Orthodoxy, except that there is no Vatican - and some see this as a weakness in Orthodoxy. That topic has been beat to death on this board, and I do not wish to comment on it further.

If your frustration is that Orthodoxy does not always speak with one voice on every single moral topic, this is a "glass half full - glass half empty" topic. Please remember that the majority of Orthodoxy is just getting their footing back after 70 some years of brutal oppression. Yes, there are internal squabbles between some of the Orthodox Churches - I think this is likely to happen after such a century as the 20th. And with all humility, it's not like the Catholic Church doesn't have it's internal squabbles. It just doesn't have a Vatican to suppress the them.

Priest Thomas

Dear Father, BLESS! Thank you. Probably what I'm frustrated by (down deep) is a unified Orthodox Church in this land...that would speak clearly with one voice about modern social issues and problems? It is clear after twenty-five years as an Orthodox priest that some of the Mother Churches (and one in particular) stand in the way of this for purely $$$ economic reasons and others that are even more selfish (power & prestige)...and I find that so frustrating. The Church is the poorer for it, to be certain.

Kissing your holy right hand,
Your brother in the Lord,
+Gregory, priestmonk