HOLY CROSS DEAN SPEAKS AT PARIS CONFERENCE
Fr. Thomas FitzGerald, Dean of Holy Cross, was invited to speak at an international conference on the "The Legacy of Fr. Alexander Schmemann" held at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris on December 11-14, 2008. The conference observed the 25th anniversary of the death of Fr. Schmemann.
Fr. Thomas participated in the conference with the blessing of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The conference examined various aspects of the life and writings of Fr. Schmemann especially dealing with ecclesiology, liturgics, and literature. Over twenty-five scholars from America, Western Europe and Russia presented papers. More than 200 clergy and laity attended the conference. His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Comana, the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Russian Orthodox parishes in Western Europe, presided at the conference.
Fr. Thomas was invited to address from the perspective of the Ecumenical Patriarchate the establishment in 1970 of the Orthodox Church in America, formally known as the Russian Orthodox Metropolia. The Church of Russia granted autocephalous status to the Metropolia in 1970. Fr. Alexander Schmemann was one of the leading proponents of this action.
In his presentation, Fr. Thomas stated that Patriarch Athenagoras refused to recognize the actions of the Church of Russia and the autocephalous status of the OCA. The Patriarch declared in two significant letters written in 1970 that the each autocephalous Church does not have the right to offer autocephalous status. Moreover, Patriarch Athenagoras declared that the action of the Church of Russia intervened in a region which was beyond its jurisdiction especially after 1867.
Fr. Thomas stated: "As a former Archbishop in America, Patriarch Athenagoras was well aware of the difficulties in the so called Diaspora. However, he consistently advocated for a pan-Orthodox solution guided by the Ecumenical Patriarchate."
Since 1970, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and most of the other autocephalous churches have not recognized the autocephalous status of the OCA. However, the Patriarchate has not formally broken communion with this jurisdiction with the hope that a comprehensive and pan-Orthodox solution can be achieved with its leadership.
In concluding his presentation, Fr. Thomas reminded the audience that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholmew, at the recent meeting of the Heads of Orthodox Churches, called upon the primates to "activate the 1993 agreement of the Inter-Orthodox Consultation of the Holy and Great Council in order to resolve the pending matter of the Orthodox Diaspora." In their own statement, the primates affirmed their "desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements, such as in the so-called Orthodox Diaspora, with a view to overcoming every possible influence that is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology. In this respect we welcome the proposal by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to convene Pan- Orthodox Consultations within the coming year 2009 on this subject, as well as for the continuation of preparations for the Holy and Great Council."
The Faculty of St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute and Syndesmos, the international association of Orthodox youth, organized the Paris conference.
Here is a list of upcoming events at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. For a complete list, see our calendar of events.
Tuesday, May, 22nd, 2012
Monday, May, 28th, 2012
Tuesday, June, 5th, 2012
Friday, June, 8th, 2012
