Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform Launches Website
MJS
Launches Website
Date Published: 11/4/2009
Publication: Greek Orthodox Truth and Reform website
Links:
http://gotruthreform.org/press-releases/
http://pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Article&id=1151
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago, IL (November 4, 2009): Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago
for Truth and Reform officially launched the GOTRUTHREFORM.ORG
website, a resource for individuals, especially the laity of the Greek
Orthodox Church in America. The genesis of this organization was set
in motion due to concerns surrounding the establishment of Monasteries
by Elder Ephraim in the Metropolis of Chicago. However, through our
investigation, we soon discovered that these concerns are not limited
to the Metropolis of Chicago but affect every Orthodox Christian
worldwide. The launch was held on November 4, 2009 in the Chicago land
area. Attending the launch were many prominent members of the Greek
Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago and other Metropolises.
The website located at www.gotruthreform.org, was designed in Chicago
with the support of many volunteers. The website’s resources provide
information and commentary for individuals and organizations,
including research, newsgathering and opinion editorials, and will
address issues and matters of public controversy that involve the
current status and future of the Greek Orthodox faith and the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese in America.
The website’s mission is to educate people, especially the Greek
Orthodox Laity on the issues raised by Elder Ephraim and his followers
that confront the institution of the Greek Orthodox Church in America.
The website will monitor and publish the activities and teachings of
Elder Ephraim and his Monasteries, and to expose their effect upon the
institution of the Greek Orthodox Church and its laity. The website
provides an opportunity for the many victims of Elder Ephraim’s
“theology” to speak out through the email link which was activated to
gather information and communicate our findings that concern Elder
Ephraim and his followers.
The mission statement for this organization is:
We Greek Orthodox Christians of the Metropolis of Chicago will no
longer accept the conditions that have spread and caused irreparable
harm to our faith. We are of the opinion that our current Hierarchs of
the Metropolis of Chicago are complicit in allowing a cancerous cult
to permeate the theology of our Church. Therefore, we will focus the
efforts and attention of our members to expose inappropriate
teachings, practices and customs as they concern our Faith.
Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform is
exercising its rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion
under the Constitution of the United States by speaking out and
publishing information concerning a grave matter of public
controversy. The founders of this website understand that this
controversy ranges around sensitive issues but they believe that they
are exercising their right to report something of vital public
interest. Greek Orthodox Christians for Truth and Reform is a tax-
exempt organization under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
Contact: Email at edi...@gotruthreform.org
Charles Hohenstein
(in article
<4ccb77c0-228d-44ab...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com>):
> Title: Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform
> Launches Website
What, in a sentence or two, is Elder Ephraim accused of doing?
--
Charles Hohenstein (to reply, remove Gene Robinson)
"The sad huddle of affluent bedwetters, thumbsuckers,
treehuggers, socialï¿œclimbers, homophiles, quavery ladies,
and chronic petition signers thatï¿œmakes up the current
Episcopal Church . . ." -ï¿œThomas Lipscomb
John Galt
> On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:32:46 -0500, MJS wrote
> (in article
> <4ccb77c0-228d-44ab...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com>):
>
>> Title: Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform
>> Launches Website
>
> What, in a sentence or two, is Elder Ephraim accused of doing?
>
Sunday, thus funneling money away from the Chicago local churches.
The Chicago Greeks have had it in for Elder Eprhraim since he first
founded that monastery. Pity, too, as Gerontissa Melanie is quite a
wonderful person and the church that's been built there is a bit of a
marvel.
JG
~AGG~
"Charles Hohenstein" <chohensteG...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C71AE5FA...@news.giganews.com...
> On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:32:46 -0500, MJS wrote
> (in article
> <4ccb77c0-228d-44ab...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com>):
>
>> Title: Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform
>> Launches Website
>
> What, in a sentence or two, is Elder Ephraim accused of doing?
***Check out:
http://pseudo-prophet.tripod.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZLXa7zLMk4
http://www.athosinamerica.org/
http://www.rickross.com/groups/ephraim.html
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Ephrem_of_Philotheou
http://barthsnotes.wordpress.com/2006/02/16/greek-monastery-in-arizona-desert-accused-of-brainwashing-anti-semitism/
http://news.opb.org/article/2198-greek-orthodox-nuns-live-life-prayer-mountains-washington/
***The Elder's monasteries are part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America and are among the strictest monasteries outside of Mt. Athos. The
extreme strictness is probably why some call Athonite monasticism a "cult".
Al
Alexander Arnakis
wrote:
>Charles Hohenstein wrote:
>> On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:32:46 -0500, MJS wrote
>> (in article
>> <4ccb77c0-228d-44ab...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com>):
>>
>>> Title: Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform
>>> Launches Website
>>
>> What, in a sentence or two, is Elder Ephraim accused of doing?
>>
>Founding a monastery in Kenosha that draws about 400-500 people on
>Sunday, thus funneling money away from the Chicago local churches.
>The Chicago Greeks have had it in for Elder Ephraim since he first
>founded that monastery. Pity, too, as Gerontissa Melanie is quite a
>wonderful person and the church that's been built there is a bit of a
>marvel.
>
It's not just the funneling of money that's the issue. As I've been
saying all along, the Greek-American parents are worried that their
children are being drawn into the Ephraimite cult, which takes them
out of the normal, larger society and into celibate monasticism.
Regardless of whether this is "Orthodox" or not, monasticism among the
young frustrates the dreams of parents to have "successful" children
with families of their own, who will provide them with grandchildren
and carry on the family name and tradition. This is a "bright line"
which Orthodoxy in America dare not cross. As a matter of fact, the
Ephraimite movement has the potential for destroying the Greek
Orthodox Church in America, because if the movement grows much
stronger, the mainstream members will start leaving in droves.
John Galt
> On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:56:22 -0600, John Galt <kad...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Charles Hohenstein wrote:
>>> On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:32:46 -0500, MJS wrote
>>> (in article
>>> <4ccb77c0-228d-44ab...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com>):
>>>
>>>> Title: Greek Orthodox Christians of Chicago for Truth and Reform
>>>> Launches Website
>>> What, in a sentence or two, is Elder Ephraim accused of doing?
>>>
>> Founding a monastery in Kenosha that draws about 400-500 people on
>> Sunday, thus funneling money away from the Chicago local churches.
>> The Chicago Greeks have had it in for Elder Ephraim since he first
>> founded that monastery. Pity, too, as Gerontissa Melanie is quite a
>> wonderful person and the church that's been built there is a bit of a
>> marvel.
>>
> It's not just the funneling of money that's the issue. As I've been
> saying all along, the Greek-American parents are worried that their
> children are being drawn into the Ephraimite cult, which takes them
> out of the normal, larger society and into celibate monasticism.
Yes, and this is occurring, by my observation, by the dozen or so. :-)
As far as I am aware, the only monastery of the group that has more than
five or six monastics are Kenosha (about 15 nuns) and St. Anthony's. The
rest are extremly small and when they do attract novices, they tend NOT
to be Greek.
The contingent in San Antonio, for example, consists of one Greek
American, one Greek Canadian. one Greek South African, and three to five
American converts. This is a rather typical mix. If there are more
Greeks in the monastic contingent, they were likely recruted from Greek
monasteries by Elder Ephraim himself (the Houston convent consists of
three Greek/Greeks, and has been on that number for four to five years.)
IOW, this is a bullshit reason. There are maybe, in the decade and half
of the Ephraimite movement, perhaps a dozen or two Greek kids that have
taken this path.
This is about money, nothing more, nothing less, and it's no surprise
that it's coming out of Chicago (again, if you will recall, the last
time this issue swelled up it was the Chicago contingent that was
pissed). Anyway, the Kenosha monastery is rather unique because it's
located in what is (for all intents and purposes) a suburb of Chicago
rather than a rural area, and has in many respects become an alternative
church location on Sundays for Greeks who are a little tired of going to
churches where there are perhaps a dozen people at the start of liturgy
and 400 by communion.
The GO's have to acknowledge that despite their best efforts to water
down the religion, there are still (and always going to be) a minority
who is looking for a deeper religious/ascetic experience than the
typical GO parish cares to provide. That's why there's Greeks at
Antiochian and Russian churches --- both our Deacon and Parish Council
president are Greek, for that matter. As long as they deliver
"Orthodoxy-Lite", they're going to get people who leave to find a better
experience.
> Regardless of whether this is "Orthodox" or not, monasticism among the
> young frustrates the dreams of parents to have "successful" children
> with families of their own, who will provide them with grandchildren
> and carry on the family name and tradition.
Yes, they really ought to grow up and stop putting their selfish
ambitions ahead of their kids.
This is a "bright line"
> which Orthodoxy in America dare not cross. As a matter of fact, the
> Ephraimite movement has the potential for destroying the Greek
> Orthodox Church in America, because if the movement grows much
> stronger, the mainstream members will start leaving in droves.
There is far more chance that your friend Michelle Bachmann becomes the
next President of the United States. The vast majority of these
monasteries are tiny, strapped for money, and in most cases of which I
am aware, have as many Middle Easterners and Russians who are "close" to
the monastery as Greeks. Also, the gerondas of the monasteries are by
their own admission under obedience to the local bishops, not Elder
Ephraim (who, btw, is in his 80's and is frail).
(I'm in San Antonio today for the feast of the Monastery there, so the
Elder will be here AS WILL Bishop ISAIAH. (If the Chicago Greeks are
going to form an anti-monastic insurgency movement, they might consider
getting their Bishops to agree with them.)
I'll wager that 95% of the Greeks who express concern about these
monasteries have never been to one, or went once, sniffed out something
that gives them reason to hold their concerns, and never bothered to do
any serious analysis.
JG
Alexander Arnakis
wrote:
>
>The GO's have to acknowledge that despite their best efforts to water
>down the religion, there are still (and always going to be) a minority
>who is looking for a deeper religious/ascetic experience than the
>typical GO parish cares to provide. That's why there's Greeks at
>Antiochian and Russian churches --- both our Deacon and Parish Council
>president are Greek, for that matter. As long as they deliver
>"Orthodoxy-Lite", they're going to get people who leave to find a better
>experience.
>
themselves as Orthodox, only some 20% attend church at any time other
than the major holidays. Greece is *not* a very religious country.
As can be expected, when immigrants come to the U.S., they bring their
religious attitudes with them. But, historically, the new arrivals
have gravitated to the churches, for the simple reason that the
churches were the hubs of the local Greek communities. People who
never darkened the church door with their presence, in Greece, became
fairly regular churchgoers in the U.S. because the parish was their
main social networking connection.
Now, something interesting happened. Through mere proximity to the
church, many of the immigrants gradually became more religious.
The next development, which took place more slowly, was cultural
assimilation into the American landscape. As the next generations
became more "American" and lost their Greek identity, they didn't
necessarily become less religious, but they often found their
religious expression outside of Greek Orthodoxy -- sometimes even
including shifting to Orthodox churches that weren't Greek.
There seems to be a "sweet spot" among Greek Americans, so that the
partially assimilated (that is, those that still retain a Greek
identity while outwardly conforming to the American culture) are more
likely to take part in the religious life of Greek parishes than
either the totally unassimilated (who have the Greek secular outlook)
or the totally assimilated, who are as likely as not to migrate to
other churches.
That's why I've been saying that to survive and prosper, the GOA has
to prolong this "sweet spot" as long as possible, by promoting the
Greek cultural identity. That's why the Greek language classes,
dances, festivals, sponsored trips to Greece, etc., are so important.
The Greek culture and religion mutually reinforce each other in
America.
John Galt
> On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:23:24 -0600, John Galt <kad...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> The GO's have to acknowledge that despite their best efforts to water
>> down the religion, there are still (and always going to be) a minority
>> who is looking for a deeper religious/ascetic experience than the
>> typical GO parish cares to provide. That's why there's Greeks at
>> Antiochian and Russian churches --- both our Deacon and Parish Council
>> president are Greek, for that matter. As long as they deliver
>> "Orthodoxy-Lite", they're going to get people who leave to find a better
>> experience.
>>
> In Greece itself, although 98% of the people nominally identify
> themselves as Orthodox, only some 20% attend church at any time other
> than the major holidays. Greece is *not* a very religious country.
Yea, I get that part. America *is* a very religious country, and there
are large numbers of people who will challenge them on religion. This
brings some to look for a deeper experience. Some leave Orthodoxy, some
look for a deeper experieece within.
All that aside, the GO monasteries don't threaten that POV.
JG
Percival P. Cassidy
There's a difference between, on the one hand, promoting Greek culture
and language by having language classes and festivals and trips "home"
and, on the other hand, insisting on having half the liturgy in Greek.
The latter is likely to be unattractive to potential converts and may
not be understood well even by those of Greek ancestry.
I have attended a few Greek churches in different areas of the US. On
the one hand most have much of the liturgy in Greek, but on the other
hand they seem the most likely to have assimilated in other ways: pews,
robed choirs, musical instruments, and shorter services than at the
Antiochian and OCA churches I have attended.
Perce
Alexander Arnakis
<Nob...@NotMyISP.net> wrote:
>
>There's a difference between, on the one hand, promoting Greek culture
>and language by having language classes and festivals and trips "home"
>and, on the other hand, insisting on having half the liturgy in Greek.
>The latter is likely to be unattractive to potential converts and may
>not be understood well even by those of Greek ancestry.
>
Greek parishes. (The attitude is that the church is a cosa nostra
("our thing").) They'll grudgingly accept converts, but with
suspicions as to their motives (unless they're spouses of cradle
Orthodox). Perhaps the use of Greek in the liturgy is just another
defense mechanism to keep converts away! As for the cradle Orthodox,
understanding the words of the liturgy isn't that important to them.
Heck, even in Greece, if the truth be told, most people don't have a
perfect grasp of ecclesiastical Greek. The liturgy is appreciated more
for its general atmospherics than for specific content. If the priest
just mumbled his way through the whole thing (and some do), it would
all be the same to the people witnessing the event. As a matter of
fact, this attitude among the Orthodox is the main impetus for the
growing pentacostal and evangelical Protestant movements in Greece.
v1_0
This is not limited to Greek churches, many slavic nationality
churches insist on using Slavonic for service in the USA. Not only
does this present a barrier to converts, it also served to alienate
many in the (then) younger generation. I would say that where all of
my uncles/aunts went to church, now 10% of my generation (ie: their
children) regularly attends an Orthodox church. Many attend no
church at all - some have gone evangelical, or whatever.
The Greeks have, admirably, had a better track record - but it cannot
last. When I last attended a Greek Orthodox Church, it seemed to me
that there were a growing number of people that attended more out of a
social obligation than as a religious one.
-V