Courage and the Church

Recently, a bishop in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America waxed eloquently about the election of Barack Obama. Malign intentions were imputed to those who voted for McCain. This is sad on so many levels and a few have already commented on the speciousness of some of his arguments. (A hint: there is NO WAY IN TARNATION that anybody with half a brain could call Bush and the GOP "social Darwinists." That's like calling Hitler a closet Zionist.)

Upon reflection, I can't decide what the saddest part of this enconium is: whether it's the uncritical acceptance of the totalitarian governmental intrusion into all aspects of charity, or the apparent apathy for the protection of the unborn. Let's be honest: there are many reasons why I could not vote for Obama (even though this country desparately needs to get beyond race) but when all is said and done, it was his unstinting support for abortion at all costs --even up to and including post-birth--that sealed it for me.

Although I trend definately towards the free-market, libertarian, small government, NRA side of the spectrum, I would have voted the other way had the GOP candidate been 100% libertarian but pro-abortion, while the Dem candidate was 100% socialist but pro-life. At the end of the day, I'm a Christian, not a conservative, libertarian, Republican, or whatever. At the dread judgment seat of Christ, I'm not going to quizzed on who was the better candidate for president in 1912, but whether I aided and abetted evil. Whether I was like Christ or like Genghis.

Where am I going with this? Basically here: where was the Orthodox Church during the recent election? It took a dive, especially the GOAA. I'm tired of hearing people justify the inaction and apathy of our bishops by saying "well, the vast majority of the Bulbanian/Lutonians/whatever are Democrats." That's absolute BS. The Catholic bishops took a principled stand against abortion, calling out buffoons such as Biden and Pelosi when they started pontificating on what they believed the historical Church taught. Good for them. Archbishop Daniel Chaput of Denver and others like him is a hero in my book.

But you know what? 56% of Democrats voted for Obama, and it didn't matter a whit to the Catholic bishops. Some of the bishops have courageously called for the excommunication of politicians and voters who enable this great evil to continue. One priest in South Carolina has told his parishioners that anybody in his congregation who voted for Obama needs to repent before they take Communion. And it's not because he's a Republican --he said if the positions were reversed, he'd still condemn those who voted for the pro-abortion candidate--but because as St Paul says in First Corinthians, those who partake of the Eucharist not discerning the Lord's body and blood, invite condemnation upon themselves.

And guess what? 90% of his congregation agree with him.

I guess here's ultimately where I'm going with this: as long as Orthodox bishops continue to play their byzantine bootlicking games, they're never going to be taken seriously in America. I pray that with the election of Metropolitan Jonah the OCA will have turned this corner, but as long as the GOAA doesn't get on the principled Christian bandwagon, it's always going to act as a drag on Orthodoxy in America. Better to have resolute bishops with no congregations than congregations led by irresolute bishops.