October 21, 2005
To the editor (www.orthodoxnews.com) :
Glory to God for all things!
The Concerned Orthodox Christian Alliance was started in July 2005 by a group of 55 Orthodox Christians who resigned
from the Antiochian Archdiocese as a matter of conscience over the treatment of clergy.
Since that time, our group has functioned as a legal not-for-profit charity dedicated to a mission of Orthodox clergy
beneficence. We currently are working with 4 Orthodox priests from various jurisdictions,
and the number is growing.
Our original members have now joined other Orthodox churches and are now being joined by concerned laity and clergy
from around the U.S.
from all jurisdictions with the common goal of improving the lot of all Orthodox priests in the U.S., but especially those who find themselves treated in an uncanonical or capricious manner by anyone: laity or hierarchy. One example of this type of activity is indefinite suspensions of clergy without an honest, impartial hearing
or spiritual court as provided for by the canons.
Our efforts are supported by priests, monastics and hierarchs from many Orthodox jurisdictions who recognize that justice
must be tempered with mercy, and that we must all be guided by the love of Christ.
Earlier this month our group submitted a letter to all SCOBA hierarchs urging study, consideration and adoption of
4 measures regarding treatment of clergy in the U.S.:
http://mysite.verizon.net/concernedorthodox/scobaletter.html
Our membership is not interested in politics or the “politics of power”, but rather following Christ’s
direction:
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly,
I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these
things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:12-17
On judgment day we must each answer for our actions in this life. We are
the body of Christ, so those of us who take our faith seriously will gladly suffer any temporal consequences as we strive
to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the
law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2
We pray for all Orthodox: including both the oppressed as well as the afflicted, including His Grace Bishop Mark and
His Eminence Metropolitan Philip; may they return to full health soon. We urge all to support the COCA clergy initiative currently before SCOBA.
Yours in Christ,
John Pappas
Chairman
Concerned Orthodox Christian Alliance
