15th All-American Council Proposed Resolutions now published online
SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications]—The Resolution Committee of the Orthodox Church in America received four proposed resolutions to be considered at 15th All-American Council. These have been approved by the bishops from the dioceses from which they were submitted. Other resolutions may be proposed from the floor during All-American Council plenary sessions.
The proposed resolutions are as follows.
Resolution #1
Subject of Resolution: Admission of Responsibility
Submitted To: Preconciliar Commission Resolutions Committee
Submitted By: Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania
THE DIOCESE OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA,
BELIEVING that humility remains part-and-parcel of our salvation,
AFFIRMING that there remains a lack of trust between some of the Orthodox Church in America’s (OCA) faithful and the Synod of Bishops,
EXPRESSES ITS HOPE that the Holy Synod of Bishops, Clergy and Lay Leaders accept their own proper responsibility for the OCA’s woes,
ASKS that the Holy Synod of Bishops increase the timeliness and forthrightness of its communication with the faithful to reestablish some measure of trust, and in turn requests that the faithful continue to pray for the Holy Synod and express their opinions in public forums, e.g. the internet, in language and sentiments that are civil and dignified and befit the substance and subjects of the discussion.
Resolution #2
Subject of Resolutions: Revision of Statutes
Submitted To: Preconciliar Commission Resolutions Committee
Submitted By: Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania
THE DIOCESE OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA,
ACUTELY AWARE that for the past three years, the Orthodox Church in America has been undergoing a period of great suffering and confusion on all levels of Church life,
ACKOWLEDGING that our present situation is the result of a multitude of interrelated historical, administrative and personal causes and failures therein,
SUBMITTING that one of the causes of the present crisis is the result of confusions arising from both the content and the interpretation of the Statutes of the Orthodox Church in America,
REQUESTS that the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, through its own deliberations and by means of the previously constituted Committee on Statutes Revisions, provide the guidance to the Church for the next triennium in the area of Statutes Revision,
And further REQUESTS that particular attention be given to the relationship of the Dioceses to the Central Church Administration, and to the definitions and responsibilities of specific offices, e.g.: the Metropolitan, the Central Church Administration, the Metropolitan Council and the All American Council,
And further REQUESTS that, under the guidance of the Holy Synod, appropriate experts in canon law, church history and legal matters be brought in to offer recommendations in this process and that consideration be given to seeking such help from experts from other local churches.
Resolution #3
Subject of Resolution: Renewal of Church Life
Submitted To: Preconciliar Commission Resolutions Committee
Submitted By: Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania
THE DIOCESE OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA,
RECALLING that our Lord Jesus Christ desires all Christians to attain perfection through a life of repentance, asceticism and virtue,
RECOGNIZING that the Holy Orthodox Church has always expected this Christ-like perfection in particular from her leaders (Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Lay leaders),
AND FURTHER RECOGNIZING that, although certain earthly leadership qualities may have been bestowed upon individuals as a natural gift at birth, Christ-like leadership qualities (such as obedience, humility and love) are more particularly acquired within a community setting,
RECOMMENDS that the Orthodox Church in America, gathered at the All American Council in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, renew her commitment and support to the following communal institutions of the Church for the fostering of Christ-like leadership:
1) Monasteries – because the health of a local church has always been equated with the health of her monastic life;
2) Seminaries – because it is in our seminaries that mortal men are trained and guided into the awesome life of the priesthood, whose work, according to St John Chrysostom, “is ranked among the heavenly ordinances;”
3) Diocesan, Deanery and Parish life – because the work of our leaders is offered for the life of the faithful which itself is lived within the beauty of our liturgical life, through community outreach and missionary work and through education and service;
4) Family life – because the patristic witness is that the family is a little Church within which we can work out our salvation,
and FURTHER RECOMMENDS that this commitment and support be offered by every member of the Orthodox Church in America, not simply through a verbal acknowledgement, but through the concrete and sacrificial offering of their lives, their time, their effort and their financial support for the health of these communal institutions of the Church.
Resolution #4
Subject of Resolutions: Assessments (Fair Share) Reduction
Submitted To: Preconciliar Commission Resolutions Committee
Submitted By: Diocese of Western Pennsylvania
WHEREAS the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America gives to the All-American Councils, the authority to set the rate of assessments to fund the Church:
BE IT RESOLVED that the 15th All-American Council fix the fair share amount of each of the participating dioceses at an amount not to exceed $50.00 per capita of the 2009 census of the participating dioceses for the next triennium.
And BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Metropolitan Council shall develop and prepare its budgets for the next triennium (2009-201 1) at a level which is equal to no more than $50.00 per capita of the 2009 census of the participating dioceses.
In addition to the above proposed resolutions, proposed Statute amendments to be discussed at the 15th All-American Council may be read here.