The "Council" of Crete and the New Emerging Ecclesiology: An Orthodox Examination

By Protopresbyter Peter Heers,

Professor of Old and New Testament, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary,

Jordanville, NY

Lecture delivered at the Clergy Retreat

of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

For a full written and photo report of the retreat, go to the Eastern American Diocese of ROCOR.

Audio and video versions of this lecture will be forthcoming; please check back to orthodoxethos.com for these.

Howell, New Jersey

Tuesday, March 21st, 2017

Your Eminence, Metropolitan HILARION

Your Eminence, Metropolitan JONAH

Your Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS,

Your Grace, Bishop IRENEI,

Venerable fathers and brothers in Christ,

Christ is in Our Midst!

I consider it an honor to stand before you today, to speak to the Shepherds and Pastors of Christ's rational flock, and in particular to the successors of the great work begun in the Russian Diaspora by such holy ones as St. John the Wonderworker and Metropolitans Anthony, Anastasi, Philaret, and Vitaly, Archbishop Averky and Metropolitan Laurus and many others, who are revered fathers not only of the Russian Church Abroad, but indeed of the Church Catholic.

The witness given by the Fathers of the Russian Church Outside of Russia with regard to the Holy Tradition, the monastic and ascetic ideal and in particular the ecclesiology of the Church, continues to inspire and guide Orthodox throughout the world.