Dear all,
I am not commenting on the Da Vinci code itself as I have neither read the book,
nor seen the film, and I do not have any intention of doing so in the near
future. But a point that caught my attention in this ongoing debate on ICON was
-- "Why is our church silent?"
I would like to bring the attention of our readers to an article by
Paulose Mar Gregorios:
"ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY OPTIONS AND PATTERNS IN THE INDIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH"
http://www.paulosmargregorios.info/English%20Articles/Eccleastical.htm
where PMG deals with the questions on why the Indian orthodox Church
is traditionally silent on several issues. It is heartening to note
that even after several years after the passing away of this great
Guru, we find great relevance in the words and thoughts of this
master thinker and he continues to enlighten us like no else did
before him.
read section --"Present Practice in the Indian Church" -- second
para onwards....
"Very rarely, however, does the Synod of bishops so declare
their minds. It may sometimes issue a statement on famine in Africa or
alcoholism and temperance in India. It may even pronounce itself on property
related questions like theChristian Succession
Act or the Dowry System. But on burning social issues like growing
injustice in society, persistent poverty, and the stench of
corruption in Government the Synod seldom speaks.
Technologically there should be no objection to such
speaking. One may be afraid to antagonize some Christian vested
interests by speaking up too analytically about the structures of injustice,
oppression and exploitation in society. Generally the bishops prefer to remain
on a plane of general piety than to risk controversial pronouncements.
Behind such reluctance to make analytical social pronouncements there may be
also some diffidence on the part of the bishops about their own competence in
such matters.
Perhaps this pattern may change soon. Perhaps the bishops
will acquire sufficient self-confidence to speak on such
issues. The bishops are all fairly well educated people,
move at home in the modern world than most other Orthodox
bishops elsewhere.
Another reason for such reticence on important human issues
is the characteristically Orthodox desire for unanimity in
the Holy Episcopal Synod. Some of these social issues can generate
controversy and divide the bishops. Most bishops would like
to avoid that."
-----------------------------------------------------
Even though PMG is not dealing here with an issue like the Da vinci
code, which may be seen as an attack on the faith by some, we can
get good insights into why the church has been traditionally silent
on several burning socio-economic issues in the past, and also why
the Western Churches have been more vocal in the past.
-----------------------------------------------------
Read from the link above -- section --"Is the present pattern
adequate?" [6th para in this section]
"In the West, however, when the Church speaks, it is not
doing so as a Christian lobby. It has had a traditional role as
the Conscience-keeper of Society. This role is no longer recognized
either by the modern state or by Christians themselves
in many cases. Yet many people in the West expect the Church to
speak on moral issues, though they may not commit themselves in
advance to follow the lines laid down by the Church. European,
American and Australasian societies have possibilities
here which do not apply to other societies where Churches have not
traditionally played the role of Conscience-keeper."
----------------------------------------------------
Did PMG feel things needed to change and that the Indian Church
needed to be more vocal?
Read the section -- "Is the Present Pattern Adequate?" from the above
link --
"The present writer is fully convinced that there are three
issues at least on which the Church must today speak out-so that
its members as well as others may find moral guidance. These three
issues are, as the World Council of Churches has shown, Justice,
Peace, and Integrity of Creation."
Regards,
Mathew Samuel,
Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/13018
I am not commenting on the Da Vinci code itself as I have neither read the book,
nor seen the film, and I do not have any intention of doing so in the near
future. But a point that caught my attention in this ongoing debate on ICON was
-- "Why is our church silent?"
I would like to bring the attention of our readers to an article by
Paulose Mar Gregorios:
"ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY OPTIONS AND PATTERNS IN THE INDIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH"
http://www.paulosmargregorios.info/English%20Articles/Eccleastical.htm
where PMG deals with the questions on why the Indian orthodox Church
is traditionally silent on several issues. It is heartening to note
that even after several years after the passing away of this great
Guru, we find great relevance in the words and thoughts of this
master thinker and he continues to enlighten us like no else did
before him.
read section --"Present Practice in the Indian Church" -- second
para onwards....
"Very rarely, however, does the Synod of bishops so declare
their minds. It may sometimes issue a statement on famine in Africa or
alcoholism and temperance in India. It may even pronounce itself on property
related questions like theChristian Succession
Act or the Dowry System. But on burning social issues like growing
injustice in society, persistent poverty, and the stench of
corruption in Government the Synod seldom speaks.
Technologically there should be no objection to such
speaking. One may be afraid to antagonize some Christian vested
interests by speaking up too analytically about the structures of injustice,
oppression and exploitation in society. Generally the bishops prefer to remain
on a plane of general piety than to risk controversial pronouncements.
Behind such reluctance to make analytical social pronouncements there may be
also some diffidence on the part of the bishops about their own competence in
such matters.
Perhaps this pattern may change soon. Perhaps the bishops
will acquire sufficient self-confidence to speak on such
issues. The bishops are all fairly well educated people,
move at home in the modern world than most other Orthodox
bishops elsewhere.
Another reason for such reticence on important human issues
is the characteristically Orthodox desire for unanimity in
the Holy Episcopal Synod. Some of these social issues can generate
controversy and divide the bishops. Most bishops would like
to avoid that."
-----------------------------------------------------
Even though PMG is not dealing here with an issue like the Da vinci
code, which may be seen as an attack on the faith by some, we can
get good insights into why the church has been traditionally silent
on several burning socio-economic issues in the past, and also why
the Western Churches have been more vocal in the past.
-----------------------------------------------------
Read from the link above -- section --"Is the present pattern
adequate?" [6th para in this section]
"In the West, however, when the Church speaks, it is not
doing so as a Christian lobby. It has had a traditional role as
the Conscience-keeper of Society. This role is no longer recognized
either by the modern state or by Christians themselves
in many cases. Yet many people in the West expect the Church to
speak on moral issues, though they may not commit themselves in
advance to follow the lines laid down by the Church. European,
American and Australasian societies have possibilities
here which do not apply to other societies where Churches have not
traditionally played the role of Conscience-keeper."
----------------------------------------------------
Did PMG feel things needed to change and that the Indian Church
needed to be more vocal?
Read the section -- "Is the Present Pattern Adequate?" from the above
link --
"The present writer is fully convinced that there are three
issues at least on which the Church must today speak out-so that
its members as well as others may find moral guidance. These three
issues are, as the World Council of Churches has shown, Justice,
Peace, and Integrity of Creation."
Regards,
Mathew Samuel,
Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/13018
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