Bishop Nikolai, one of nine diocesan bishops in North America, finds himself under
fire from members of his diocese.
Posted on 03/06/2008 9:39:02 AM PST by Titanites
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX: Pastor challenged boss's authority in Daily News interview.
National leaders of the Russian Orthodox church were meeting this week in New York, wrestling with chaos in their Alaska diocese as the man in the middle of the turmoil defended his leadership.
Among the grumblings about Alaska Bishop Nikolai Soraich is that he fired a popular priest from a teaching post after the priest criticized him in a newspaper story published Friday.
Priests and parishioners from around the state petitioned church leaders to remove Bishop Nikolai in a series of letters and e-mails over the past several weeks. They accuse the bishop, who has served in Alaska for seven years, of abuse, intimidation and disrespect for Native culture.
The Lesser Synod of the Orthodox Church in America met on Tuesday on Long Island in New York to consider the complaints but has not announced any planned action.
Last week, Alaska's best-known Orthodox pastor, the Rev. Michael Oleksa of Anchorage, spoke to the Daily News about the clerical revolt against the bishop, saying the clergy "and probably a large percentage of the laity" in the church are at a point where they can no longer serve under him.
Oleksa, archpriest at St. Alexis in Anchorage, confirmed this week that the day the Daily News article ran, Bishop Nikolai dismissed him from his temporary teaching post at the Saint Herman Theological Seminary in Kodiak.
Bishop Nikolai could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.
He has posted an open letter, dated Tuesday, along with a chronology of events, defending his leadership on the Alaska diocese Web site.
(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...
Some Russian Orthodox news in today’s Anchorage paper.
Which can be found here.
“Some Russian Orthodox news in today’s Anchorage paper.”
I think I’d rather be in the laity or among the lower clergy than this bishop. There’s no way of knowing what the Eparchial Synod will do, but if I had to bet I’d say that with some sort of cover he’ll be removed.
Gads! I read the newspaper reports - it does sound as if the bishop is more than a little on the clueless side. I knew Fr. Michael many, many years ago, when he was just thinking of going into the priesthood. He was a very sincere and dedicated person, and I think he probably still is.
He does, or at least not very tactful. The problems have been brewing for a while.
Here is the link to the article from last week which I believe you were referencing. It is the article for which Fr. Oleksa was dismissed from his teaching duties.
Is the Eparchial Synod the body with the aurhority to remove a bishop? I'm also curious if the Orthodox have a set of canon law to reference for this sort of thing.
” Is the Eparchial Synod the body with the aurhority to remove a bishop?”
I don;t know about the Russian Synod here. I think it runs with greater autonomy than one might see say with the GOA. The GOA Synod cannot, as I remember it, remove a bishop but can make a recommendation to the Synod in Constantinople which does have the power.
“I’m also curious if the Orthodox have a set of canon law to reference for this sort of thing.”
Not in the Roman sense of the term, no; at least so far as I know. Again, I am not Russian Orthodox. They tend to be more Westernized than many other Orthodox Churches so they might have such a thing.
The OCA already has a shortage of bishops, so I don’t see Bishop Nikolai being removed any time soon. Archbishop Kyrill (Bishop of Western Pennsylvania) reposed in the Lord last summer, and the Synod is waiting until after Pascha to elect a new Bishop for us. It’s a long process.
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