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SCOBA - The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
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New York, NY 10021

August 27, 2003

SCOBA STATEMENT ON MORAL CRISIS IN OUR NATION

As members of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), representing more than 5 million Orthodox Christians in the United States, Canada and Mexico, we are deeply concerned about recent developments regarding "same sex unions."

The Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, 2000 years of church tradition, and canon law, holds that marriage consists in the conjugal union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage is blessed by God as a sacrament of the Church. Neither Scripture nor Holy Tradition blesses or sanctions such a union between persons of the same sex.

Holy Scripture attests that God creates man and woman in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27-31), that those called to do so might enjoy a conjugal union that ideally leads to procreation. While not every marriage is blessed with the birth of children, every such union exists to create of a man and a woman a new reality of "one flesh." This can only involve a relationship based on gender complementarity. "God made them male and female... So they are no longer two but one flesh" (Mark 10:6-8).

The union between a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Marriage reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). As such, marriage is necessarily monogamous and heterosexual. Within this union, sexual relations between a husband and wife are to be cherished and protected as a sacred expression of their love that has been blessed by God. Such was God's plan for His human creatures from the very beginning. Today, however, this divine purpose is increasingly questioned, challenged or denied, even within some faith communities, as social and political pressures work to normalize, legalize and even sanctify same-sex unions.

The Orthodox Church cannot and will not bless same-sex unions. Whereas marriage between a man and a woman is a sacred institution ordained by God, homosexual union is not. Like adultery and fornication, homosexual acts are condemned by Scripture (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Timothy 1:10). This being said, however, we must stress that persons with a homosexual orientation are to be cared for with the same mercy and love that is bestowed by our Lord Jesus Christ upon all of humanity. All persons are called by God to grow spiritually and morally toward holiness.

As heads of the Orthodox Churches in America and members of SCOBA, we speak with one voice in expressing our deep concern over recent developments.

And we pray fervently that our nation will honor and preserve the traditional form of marriage as an enduring and committed union only between a man and a woman.

+Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

+Metropolitan HERMAN Orthodox Church in America

+Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

+Archbishop NICOLAE Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada

+Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Secretary Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada

+Metropolitan JOSEPH Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church

+Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos, American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA

+Metropolitan CONSTANTINE Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA

+Bishop ILIA of Philomelion Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

Eis Polla Eti, Despota to each of the hierarchs for their courage in taking this stance.

Shall we look forward to a similar statement from all the Eastern Catholic heirarchs in the near future?

Maybe after the Latin bishops do something like this.

Dear Administrator,

Thankyou for posting this.

Respectfully in Christ,
Alice

The union between a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Marriage reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). As such, marriage is necessarily monogamous and heterosexual. Within this union, sexual relations between a husband and wife are to be cherished and protected as a sacred expression of their love that has been blessed by God. Such was God's plan for His human creatures from the very beginning. Today, however, this divine purpose is increasingly questioned, challenged or denied, even within some faith communities, as social and political pressures work to normalize, legalize and even sanctify same-sex unions.

I just read an article on Zenit "PREGNANT WOMEN "INHERIT" SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR CHILDREN
Researchers to Present Amazing Discovery," before I read this, and I was really struck by this statement in it: MILAN, SEP 5 (ZENIT.org). - Mothers undergo permanent changes during pregnancy, in which they "inherit" some characteristics of the child they carry and, through the child, also receive some characteristics of the father. So the phrase two shall become one, takes on a lot more meaning.
Matthew 19: 3-6
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female, 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?
6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

To read that whole article http://www.zenit.org/english/ use this date in their search engine September 7, 2000 or the title of the article.

Could somebody please refer me to SCOBA's most recent letter on:

Abortion
Divorce
Racism
Secularism

Thanks!

SCOBA has only recently begun to present common statements on the evils of this world. The various jurisdictions of Orthodoxy, however, have not been silent on these issues. A quick search of www.oca.org [oca.org] returned 91 statements and articles dealing with abortion, 100 on divorce, 4 on racism, 17 on secularism and 9 on homosexuality. A similar search at www.goarch.org [goarch.org] returned 57 statements and teachings on abortion, 77 on divorce, 26 on racism, 20 on secularism and 10 on homosexuality. I am unaware that there is a website that has all of the SCOBA statements on each of these topics. Even if SCOBA has not issued specific statements on each of these evils it does not mean that they do not uphold Christian morality on these issues. Nor does it mean that they have no right to teach on any of these topics. I have witnessed many of the Orthodox bishops who are part of SCOBA at the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. Such action speaks louder than words.

It seems to me that nothing more need be said.

Where is the "crisis"?

If you need to ask about how homosexual unions negatively impact society then you either have not prayerfully studied the issue or are purposely lying to yourself about it.

The crisis is that there are those in our society � including some who call themselves Christian � who are actively seeking societal blessing and approval for activity that God has told us is immoral. These bishops are teaching their flocks � and America � about what the Laws that God has given us and why they are important for us to keep. People need to be taught why homosexual unions are evil, why they should be opposed, and the proper Christian response to the homosexual individual. Too many Christians have translated the command not to judge others as keeping one�s mouth shut in the face of evil. These Orthodox bishops are to be commended for their actions.

Yesterday, at the Anchorage airport (yes, I'm back in Alaska again) I noticed an Orthodox priest, replete with riason, huge pectoral cross, and blue skoufya, in the line along with a young native woman. When the security stuff had been completed, the priest lifted up a small bag (looked like a hat box) and moved on while the woman lifted two other bags and followed behind. Being "of a certain age" when men were taught to be 'gentlemanly' towards ladies, I was taken aback at the scene and became rather angry. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do (i.e., ask the lady if I could help her with the luggage). But it seemed to me that I was witnessing a socio-cultural attitude that either the "man" or the "priest" or the "whitey" or whatever, should expect that a native woman should carry the luggage. If this is the "way it is", do I not have an obligation to say: "All God's children should be considered equally God's children and NO Christian should be the valet for another"?

At a union meeting today, I learned that the Anchorage police seem to be on a protocol to 'round up' native-nation people for any type of infraction and to take them to central booking, while 'not seeing' the infractions committed by Euro-Americans.

I'm in Fairbanks now, but when I return to Anchorage on Friday, I'm going to call the local OCA cathedral and ask them if they have any ongoing effort to protect the Native Athabascan folks (some of whom are our Orthodox brethren) from persecution by the authorities; and if they do not, I will ask them why not.

It seems that some folks are deserving of solicitous protection, while others are left hanging out to dry. Who is considered a "sheep" and who is considered a "goat" seems to me to be currently the result of socio-political correctness.

His Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos (Many Years!!) marched with Martin Luther King to signify that blacks are as equal humans as anyone else; and he caught lots of crap as a result of his moral stance to remind the nation (and the world) that ALL human beings are God's children, the color of skin being irrelevant. When I saw that Life Magazine cover in 1963(?), I was a dumbstruck adolescent. But I saw the moral leadership that His Eminence demonstrated, and I vowed that his witness to the Gospel would be mine -- ALL God's children -- regardless of what the "majority" would say.

I would suggest that we Christians, regardless of jurisdiction, be always mindful that we are servants of all other human beings and that we must constantly protect every human being from persecution and harassment despite what we might consider their 'sins', great or small. Even being Athabascan, Inuit, black, female, sexual or handicapped.

Statements are fine, as far as they go; but it is in the living of the Gospel that we are judged. May the Lord be merciful to us when we use our judgements to denigrate any other soul. Our Holy Father, John Paul II, (Many, Many Years upon him and his episcopal see!!), kissed the Koran to show "not-disrespect" to his Moslem hosts - and he caught hell for it. But his modeling made it clear (to me at at least!) that it's the loving of our fellow humans that is primary. I believe that both his personal faith and spirituality, as well as the extraordinary graces granted to the First Bishop of the Christian community, have provided us with a model.

The "bible-believers" in heretical organizations focus upon the individual and his/her failings, and the need to pull one's self up by the boot-straps and 'get it right with Jay-susss'. The true Catholic and Orthodox churches indeed uphold moral standards as being in conformity with the will of God. But the approach is from 180 degrees on the other side: it is not "do this" and be saved, but rather 'we are on a pilgrimage to the Father, and we constantly invoke the Holy Spirit to guide us on the next baby-step towards our salvation'. If we're not 'there' yet, so be it; but we need to keep moving. We have the Sacrament of Penance to aid us, as well as the oft-overlooked Holy Spirit's graces. That's what distinguishes Catholic/Orthodox moral theology from that of the heretical fundamentalists.

They "convert" and get saved; we pray for grace on the journey.

Blessings!

PS: If you ever get the chance to come to Alaska, do so. Take a second mortgage; sell your children into slavery (just kidding!) and come for a non-cruise visit. See the landscape and nature - a sure sign of the power of God! - and meet the people. Visit the Russian churches, see Eklutna and the Athabascan spirit-houses to protect the souls of the ancestors, and see how Constantinopolitan Christianity can be melded with the cultures of other peoples. It will shake your soul.

//... it seemed to me that I was witnessing a socio-cultural attitude that either the "man" or the "priest" or the "whitey" or whatever, should expect that a native woman should carry the luggage.//

Do you think you are interpreting too much into what you thought you saw?

//At a union meeting today, I learned that the Anchorage police seem to be on a protocol to 'round up' native-nation people for any type of infraction and to take them to central booking, while 'not seeing' the infractions committed by Euro-Americans.//

This is pretty serious charges your union buddies were making. But "seem to be" seems to qualify it as only a gut feeling rather than what actually was going on, eh? I can look at anyone's actions and declare what I think "seems to be" happening, whether that person being observed knew it or not.

//I'm going to call the local OCA cathedral and ask them if they have any ongoing effort to protect the Native Athabascan folks (some of whom are our Orthodox brethren) from persecution by the authorities; and if they do not, I will ask them why not.//

Now it is "persecution" that is happening. This is really serious. Maybe the federal government or miltary should be notified.

//It seems that some folks are deserving of solicitous protection, while others are left hanging out to dry. Who is considered a "sheep" and who is considered a "goat" seems to me to be currently the result of socio-political correctness.//

Or just a liberal take on things.

//I would suggest that we Christians, regardless of jurisdiction, be always mindful that we are servants of all other human beings and that we must constantly protect every human being from persecution and harassment despite what we might consider their 'sins', great or small. Even being Athabascan, Inuit, black, female, sexual or handicapped.//

Do you consider the SCOBA statement a form of harassment since it addresses a particular sin? If so, who will you complain to about persecution?

As for the rest of your commentary, I couldn't make any sense of what you were driving at.

Joe

Sorry, Joe, for confusing you so.

All I know is what I see as I travel about. Since your location is ".", perhaps it is different there in your unidentified reality. But, I saw what I saw. It is not "liberal" or "conservative" or whatever, it's just "what I saw".

I don't consider the statement of the OCA bishops to be 'harassment' or anything of the sort. But I am saying, if the statements address one or another issue, when ignoring another that is right under their noses, then what am I supposed to think? That they're blind or unaware? Or that they're being selective?

Whatever the cause, when there is oppression, especially of Orthodox Christians, then the Orthodox Church is supposed to be a witness for justice? No? Or is the Orthodox (or Catholic) Church just supposed to follow some particular line of thought, regardless of the moral implications?

The Catholic Church is quite clear that the Church will never condone the persecution of anyone, ever, at any time -- perhaps because the Church has been implicated in the oppression of one or another group without demanding theological justice.

Our Holy Father is quite clear on this as evidenced by his dealings with other Christian communities as well as non-Christian groups. Do American conservative political views as held by one or another override the example of the Holy Father? Is one's "Pope" Pat Robertson or James Dotson or John Paul II? I suspect that many American Catholics of the more 'conservative' persuasion (bad terminology) seek and find support in the Americanist Christianity of the heretical fundamentalist groups rather than in the "catholic" world-view of the Catholic Church.

Our Holy Father has embraced His Beatitude Bartholomew in order to re-establish the catholicity of the Catholic Church. While Orthodoxy as a Church reinforces a number of issues that are disquieting to traditionalist Roman Catholics (divorce 'economia', married clergy, infants as full members of the community, etc.), are we Catholics to eschew and condemn these Orthodox perspectives as 'sinful', and in direct contravention to the signified will of the Holy Father? With all due respect, who the hell are we to contravene what the Successor of Peter has modeled to us?

I suspect strongly that some folks are willing to use our Church as a validation for their socio-political agendas, while completely ignoring the current realities that, through grace, are clear to the Holy Father and the Holy See.

If this is the case, then I feel that those who contravene what the Holy Father does and says are indeed outside the parameters of the "Catholic Church" and should withdraw themselves from communion. If one does not "like" what the Catholic Church does in terms of liturgy or pastoral actions, fine. No problem.

If one's "dislike" moves one to condemn what the Church is doing, then it is tantamount to severing relations with the Church. One should seek one's salvation elsewhere.

We have the bishops and the hierarchy to guide the whole community in its pathway home to the Father. If one doesn't "like" what the Church is doing, then one can make representation to the bishop or to the synod. But if the official perspective includes things that one does not agree with, then it is time to move on, and admit, freely, that one is no longer in unity with the Catholic Church. Profess freely that one is a schismatic - or in appropriate cases - a heretic. The Church will still love the individual as a sinner, but decline to admit that the individual is still a canonical member.

It is not the Church that closes the door on an individual, but rather the individual who closes the door on his/her relationship with the Church because of his/her own personal beliefs that he/she believes in more strongly than those of the Church. It's the individual's choice to sin or not-sin.

Blessings and prayers!

Rose,
my husband read something like this a few years ago....something of the child and the father are 'deposited' in the medulla of the mother...we thought it was pretty cool when he told me about it...we have three children and I carry a part of them and of him inside me!

Ain't God awesome...

Vie

Cool,

I think that is pretty neat. It really lends a greater understanding to that Scripture that two shall become as one. Also, in a way it explains how husbands and wives become so much like one another.