St. Tikhon of Moscow’s Recommendations for Church Reform

Submitted to the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia in 1905, 
in Preparation for the Great Council of Moscow
Eventually held in 1917-1918
 
English translation from the Russian by Alex Maximov,
with editing by Dr. David C. Ford 
St. Tikhon’s Seminary and Monastery Church
S. Canaan, PA
 
This translation is of the text as it appears in the Russian-American Messenger.
 
 
Opinions on the [...]

St. Tikhon of Moscow’s Last Sermon

During His Years of Ministry  as the Archbishop  of the American Missionary Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (1898 to 1907)

Given on the Sunday of Orthodoxy (the First Sunday of Great Lent) in 1907

English translation from the Russian by Alex Maximov, 
with editing by Dr. David C. Ford 
St. Tikhon’s Seminary and Monastery Church
S. Canaan, PA
 
This translation is of [...]

A Spiritual Springtime for American Orthodoxy: Reflections on the last 40 Years

– Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko
Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
September 27, 2008
Membership in the Orthodox churches in North America in the past forty years has radically decreased. There are probably about half as many people in the churches today as there were four decades ago.   It also seems that most adults who attend services [...]

“And then what?” A reflection on the proposed resolution to reduce the central Church assessment to $50.00

– Archpriest Andrew Jarmus, OCA Director of Ministries and Communications
One of the hot topics of discussion in the OCA as we approach our 15th All-American Council is the proposed resolution submitted by the Diocese of Western Pennsylvania that would “fix the fair share amount of each of the participating dioceses at an amount not to [...]

“The Church is Hierarchal,” Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann

 
Nearly 50 years ago Fr. Alexander Schmemann wrote an essay with the title “The Church is Hierarchal.” The text speaks for itself. It should be read by every person who is concerned about the current condition of the Orthodox Church in America and who is thinking about the vision and mission of our Church. The [...]

Lessons from the Council of 1917: A response to Professor Meyendorff’s proposal…

I decided to write this letter as a response to some suggestions that were recently made as to how our Orthodox Church in America should handle the recent scandal that engulfed us.  We all know that many faithful of our Church are concerned with the current state of affairs in the OCA and would like [...]

Lessons from the Council of 1917: A proposal from Professor Paul Meyendorff…

As a member of the last six pre-conciliar commissions, I sympathize with your current dilemma – you face the nearly impossible task of restoring peace and order within the Church. Trust on all levels has broken down, and restoring trust must be at the top of the church’s agenda at the present time.
I have been [...]