PAN-ORTHODOXY IS ALIVE AND KICKING ?????
On December 16, 2000, Father Michael Conrad wrote a scathing letter critical of "hyper-nationalistic ukrainian (sic) autocephalers". This letter was posted on the Orthodox Christian News Service web site www.orthodoxnews.com
In his obnoxious tirade Father Michael makes numerous errors in
historical facts, such as Orthodox Christianity was brought to Kyiv by Greek
missionaries and errors in current ecclesiastical boundaries by calling
Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate an "independent church"
in Ukraine.
In his letter Father Michael further states that he is "weary of all
this struggle, lawsuits, etc." but completely disregards the fact that the
Bishops of Bound Brook initiated legal action against Holy Ascension in
Clifton, NJ and supported similar actions in Uniondale, LI and Rochester, NY.
Father Michael's call for the hyper-nationalists to "carry on this 'good'
fight in Ukraine rather then in Rochester, New York City or where have
you" parrots Rev. Frank Estocin, Consistory Secretary of UOC-USA, comment
written in June of 1997 to Dr. A. Lysyj…."Putting
it bluntly, the ship sails with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. If that seems not
to fit the agenda of some, then those who feel bound in conscience should
extricate themselves."
In conclusion Father Michael "demands an end to nationalistic"
absurdities of "hyper-nationalistic jingoism of the ukrainian
autocephalers" for it adds "nothing for the promotion of Orthodoxy in
this country" other than provide "colorful festivals and interesting
foods."
Following is the response
written by Mr. Simon T. Nahnybida which was posted on the web site of Orthodox
Christian News Service on December 27, 2000:
To Editor, Orthodox Christian News Service
Dear Sir:
Father Michael Conrad’s letter of December 16, 2000 to the Orthodox News
decrying the "hyper-nationalistic jingoism of the ukrainian (sic)
autocephalers" calls for a response, not only because of its insulting and
condescending rhetoric, but also because of the writer's disregard or ignorance
of history.
First and foremost, if Father Michael familiarized himself with the
constitution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, he would read in
Section 1 that this Church is "…Autocephalous (independent) in all matters
of its life and government, and its rights are equal with those of the other
Autocephalous Orthodox Churches." The reason this statement was placed at
the beginning is because it was the founding principle for the establishment of
this Church. In case Father Michael is unaware, when the UOC of the USA was
established, there was already in existence a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (of
America) that was under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Most Ukrainians
did not choose to belong to this Church because they wanted to belong, to
support and to nurture their own independent, Ukrainian Orthodox Church. So
"subordination to Hellenism" (Father Michael’s term) is against the
by-laws of our Church.
I am curious if Father Michael reserves the expression ‘nationalistic
jingoism’ strictly for Ukrainians, or does he apply this terminology to other
ethnic Orthodox Churches. After all, these churches also retain their national
identities. And this question leads to the second point. In what way are the
Ukrainian Orthodox inferior to other Orthodox? Everyone knows that only the
Greek Orthodox outside of Greece are under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical
Patriarch, all of the other Orthodox nationalities, such as the Russians,
Serbians, Bulgarians, etc., have their own independent churches. Father Michael
states that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate is Ukraine’s
independent and canonical church. How absurd! Its very name dispels that myth.
This is the same church which for centuries supported and worked with whatever
government was in power in Russia to subjugate and eradicate the Ukrainian
national identity. The truth of the matter is this church is neither
independent nor canonical, nor Ukrainian. We "nationalists", hyper or
otherwise, are fighting for and desire no more and no less than what our
Orthodox brothers and sisters have throughout the world: 1) an independent
Church in our native country equal to the other Orthodox Churches, and 2) for
the UOC of the USA to continue to be part of its mother Church in Ukraine.
Father Michael further states that "Kyiv was brought Orthodox
Christianity by missionaries from Constantinople: Greeks to be precise and not
displaced Ukrainians". But, his recall of history is simply wrong. It was emissaries
from Kievan-Rus that brought Orthodoxy to Ukraine from
Constantinople. The implication that Father Michael suggests based on his
erroneous historic fact is that the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful should remain under
the jurisdiction of Constantinople. If our knowledge of history is correct, the
Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians also received the Orthodox faith from
Constantinople, but they are not under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical
Patriarch, they all have independent churches, most headed by their own
Patriarchs. And what is now Russia received the Orthodox faith from Kievan-Rus,
therefore shouldn't the Russian Church then be under the jurisdiction of the
Ukrainian Church? I guess Father Michael must believe that there are different
rules or canons for everyone else, and different rules for the Ukrainians.
Those of us who are opposed to the subordination of the UOC of the USA
under the Ecumenical Patriarch are for the most part US citizens of Ukrainian
decent. Because of the way we were raised, we do not and cannot separate
"Ukrainian" from Ukrainian Orthodox. If we could, we would belong to
any Orthodox Church that was the most convenient, without any regard to its
jurisdiction. For someone to tell us to leave America to defend and fight for
what we believe is insulting. One wonders if Father Michael would dare to make
this kind of statement to any other ethnic group. I doubt that he would, but
again he probably has different rules for Ukrainians.
So who is responsible for tearing asunder the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
in this country? We ask Father Michael to look at this same Church prior to
March 13, 1995, the date Metropolitan Constantine and Archbishops Anthony
became respectively, titular bishops of Eirenopolis and Hierapolis. Before that
date there was no "pitting of brother against brother, family against
family, and church against church." The tearing asunder was caused by
these same hierarchs and unfortunately will probably continue. In addition,
Father Michael should examine the court documents to see that the plaintiffs
are these same hierarchs of UOC of USA that brought these issues to the secular
courts and the defendants are the numerous parishes fighting to remain true to
Section 1 of the UOC of USA constitution.
We "ukrainophiles" are tired and weary of half-truths, lies,
convenient selective canons, "pan-orthodox jingoism", and the
constant demand for us to be "under" someone’s jurisdiction be it
Constantinople or Moscow. If Father Michael does not like the nationalism
associated with the Ukrainian Church, he is free go to the Russian, Greek,
Serbian, etc. Churches – after all religious freedom is guaranteed in this
country, and so is the freedom to express different views, and the freedom to
fight for one’s beliefs. However, he probably will find the same type of
"hyper-nationalism" associated with those respective ethnic Churches.
They are proud of their heritage and roots, and so they should be. But again,
somehow it is OK to feel that way if you are not Ukrainian, but don’t try to do
it if you are.
Surely Father Michael knows about the Orthodox Church of America, the
church that was created to become the spiritual home for Orthodox believers in
America that have no strong ethnic ties. There is little doubt that Father
Michael is fully aware how and why this Church was established, but the
questions raised regarding it being "fully independent and canonical"
are somehow conveniently overlooked. Maybe that is where he should try to find the
real meaning and purpose of "wormwood".
Simon T. Nahnybida