www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Why do so few BC Priests wear beards?

You know the picture of Bishop Basil's enthronement that was posted on the front of the BCW. Well the man in the back in the center of the picture, that looks like santa is my husband, and that was a trimmed beared.

Rose

[ 08-19-2002: Message edited by: Rose ]

Rose, perhaps you can offer a link so we don't have to sort thru those pics?

Good idea here is the link. He is one of the deacon canidates.

Rose

https://www.byzcath.org/news/2002/met-basil/2002-0709-Enthronment-Basil.htm

Rose
He really does look like Santa. Too funny.
Does he work at the mall at Christmas time
with the kids?
denise

Rose,

Very distinguished. My beard is less distinctive than his. I think I've been inspired to let mine grow.

Dan Lauffer

Well, there have been more than a few of our bishops, you know.

Beards.....

http://home.nyc.rr.com/demojr/ATHENAG.HTM

Beautiful soul...Memory Eternal.

Abdur

A most beautiful post and much appreciated.

Eternal memory!

Dan lauffer

StuartK:

I used present tense deliberately, to avoid agenda-driven rehashing of past actions. In the present we can test the idea: we could invite BC priests who shave to tell us if they do so because they are intimidated by RC's. Then again, maybe we should refrain from such a ludicrous insult.

As to the past: I am ignorant of insider gossip that may give credence to your charge. In the absence of objective evidence, I think the charge is, to say the least, uncharitable. But there seems to be no end to enjoyment people have in contemplating the horrible flaws of their Bishops.

Our situation, as a minority people, and as a church, has never been simple. We lived on the knife-edge of assimilation, and resisting that, been separated to disadvantaged conditions. You will understand this as well or better than anyone else. I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt to our Bishops - each of whom, I think, sought to best-serve his people. No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourished it and cherished it. Now, some may have prescribed bad diets - but that judgment requires a prior judgement on that crucial broader question that always has faced our people.

We have had Bishops who fought for our interests, but remained obedient to legitimate authority even when ulimate decisions were not entirely in our interests. If this is what you call intimidation, then so be it. I prefer a less jaded outlook that does not see relationships solely interms of power-struggles, but sees positive virtue in acts of deference, obedience, acceptance.

We have had Bishops who had a westernizing orientations. Their vision may have been flawed, but I think it was authentically theirs and not one adopted because of intimidation by the RC's.

I don't think that every thing that was done over the was brilliant, or even the best possible under tough circumstances, but I do not view our clergy or our people as cowardly and susceptible to intimidation.

djs

[QUOTE]Originally posted by djs:
[QB]StuartK:

I used present tense deliberately, to avoid agenda-driven rehashing of past actions. In the present we can test the idea: we could invite BC priests who shave to tell us if they do so because they are intimidated by RC's. Then again, maybe we should refrain from such a ludicrous insult.

Apparently, then, you missed Fr. Taft's eloquent dressing down of the assembled hierarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches in North America and Australia, a toned down version of which can be found in his essay "Liturgy in the Life of the Church".

Sorry, I haven't read this essay, nor could I find it on-line; do you know a URL for it? Otherwise it will take a while to get Logos( v 40). Did he really provide evidence that ill-advised actions (like shaving) were being taken because of RC intimidation?

djs

Well, Metropolitan Theodosius from the Orthodox Church in America doesn't have a beard (well, not a long one). His Beatitude Stephanous from Tallinn doesn't wear a beard, there are many Orthodox priests without long beards.

IMHO, to have a beard or to not have a beard is not important, more important is what is on the inside. A beard is external.

There are many reasons, in society today, not to have a beard.

I am still waiting for a good argument why one should have a beard.

I think it was something of the culture that became ingrained in the Church. Just as the Byzantine Church today is becoming less of an ethnic place, so should some of the cultural practices be viewed as just that, a part of the culture that is neither required nor discouraged.


David

[ 08-19-2002: Message edited by: DavidB ]

djs,

I thought you were being sarcastic with your post earlier so I did not respond. Now, me thinks you are unrealistic. Nevertheless, I'm sorry that my post offended you.

Dan Lauffer

Dear Dan,

Thanks. I was indeed being sarcastic in the remark about nothing better to do. But the latter point was not meant as irony. And I don't see a lack of realism.

I think that grousing, on a personal level, about the shortcomings (not limited of course to trivialities such as beard length) of our bishops and clergy is unhealthy, is often conducted with a deficit of facts, and is really something of a scandal. Decisions, actions, and inactions, that are disagreed with are presented as evidence of cowardice, with little thought to alternative explanations, or other considerations. And most annoyingly, the discussions involve transparent special-pleading(i.e., the bishop is spineless for not undertaking an action that I want for myself).

I certainly see the point of discussion on issues confronting us. I think the discussion, for example, on the new liturgy is great. (And watch out when there is enough familiarity to start talking about the music.)

I am certainly realistic enough to understand that these our Bishops and clergy can be wrong in their judgements and policies (What about Bishop Papp?!). But it is uncharitable at the very least to assume that misjudgements are the result of stupidity, evil aims, or cowardice. I don't see the point of episcopal or clerical character assasination. I am especially upset when I see posts from young people who, having been exposed so much smug cynicism, find it hard to be as proud as they should easily be of this church, which is replete - in the last century, in particular, with courageous heroes and martyrs.

I am comforatble in the view that over history our bishops have been working in what they saw as our best interests, but that the right course, at critical junctures, was often extremely difficult to discern. With 20-20 hindsight, I am still uncertain about the right course at many of those historical junctures. And of course, I am equally comfortable to eat those words, should the facts mandate it.

djs