Greek Orthodox Suspend National Council Ties

Upset over women clergy, controversies over homosexuals and the liberal views of some mainline denominations, the largest Eastern Orthodox Church took a big step back from the ecumenical movement Wednesday, announcing that it has suspended relations with the National Council of Churches and the Episcopal Church.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, which has an estimated 2 million U.S. members, has withdrawn from participation in the 32-denomination National Council and will decide this fall whether it wants to keep its affiliation.

The “extreme liberties” taken by the National Council, “which identifies itself with the most liberal Protestant denominations, makes our association and membership impossible,” wrote Archbishop Iakovos, the primate of Greek Orthodoxy in the Western Hemisphere, in a letter to the National Council.

The New York-based archdiocese also temporarily pulled out of formal international talks with Episcopal and Anglican theologians. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. wing of the Anglican Church.

The breaking off of Episcopal contacts was prompted by Orthodox objections to women priests and bishops, the recent ordination of an openly lesbian priest in Washington, D.C., and a book by Episcopal Bishop John Spong claiming that St. Paul was a closet homosexual, said Father Milton Efthimiou, ecumenical officer for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

Efthimiou said homosexual issues and the National Council’s past liberal political statements were most disturbing to the Orthodox bishops, who decided on the actions June 6.

In 1983, Greek Orthodox leaders threatened to leave the National Council when the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Churches, based in Hollywood, sought membership. But the crisis was averted when the issue was tabled. However, last fall the council’s governing board voted to resume talks.

The results of the Greek Orthodox review will be presented to the fall meeting of bishops from 10 Eastern Orthodox church bodies. “Bishops of other (Orthodox) churches are anxious to see the outcome,” Efthimiou said.

The Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, National Council general secretary, and Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning of the Episcopal Church said they hope to meet with Archbishop Iakovos in late July, when the Orthodox prelate returns from an overseas trip.