OCA Chancery
Syosset, New York
To the Venerable Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America
Dearly beloved,
On the verge of the new millennium, it is clear that our society is dreadfully confused regarding the matter of the sanctity of life. Truly, we must be grateful for the defense of human freedom in this society that allows us to freely exercise our Orthodox faith. Yet, we must also recognize that this defense of human freedom, when exercised outside of a proper understanding of the source and goal of human life, has led to certain unacceptable results and conclusions.
Our society—in the name of a freedom, namely the freedom of choice—has enshrined in law the premise that abortion is acceptable, and seems to be approaching the conclusion that suicide and even euthanasia may also be acceptable. Additionally, our society has mistakenly engaged in the self-indulgent glorification of human existence in this world, while at the same time cynically questioning whether human life has any ultimate value at all.
While our society may be confused about these issues, the Church is not. The source and goal of human life in this world has been revealed to us by God. We are blessed to know that life in this world is not an end in itself. We are also blessed to know that life in this world is only a beginning. The true value of life, the reason we call it holy, is that each and every person in his or her life is called to participate in the very existence of God. We strongly affirm that this participation begins from the very start of life in the mother’s womb and continues through earthly life into eternal life. Human life is created by God, and has its beginning and end in God. The sanctity of life is discovered in that truth.
We must ceaselessly witness to the true value and place of human life. We must oppose the untimely termination of human life as being tragically contrary to our true calling. We must also oppose both the hedonistic glorification and the cynical reduction of life in this world. We must advocate and demonstrate the truly balanced approach to life that is witnessed to and manifested by the authentic Christian tradition in all its fullness.
As we strive to do this, we must be mindful of the reality of sin. Realizing our own sinfulness, we must, in Christ Jesus, offer the possibility of repentance and redemption to all: not only to those who have been wronged, but even more so to those who have acted wrongly. This is especially true of those who have been involved, in any way, with the sinful act of the untimely termination of a human life.
Let us then, dearly beloved, “exhort one another every day…[that none] may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end” (Heb. 3:13).
With love in Christ,
+ THEODOSIUS
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada