Posted on 12/18/2020 5:47:47 PM PST by marshmallow
His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou explained in his Sunday sermon why he is unwilling to close the churches in his Metropolis despite the latest order from the state that all churches throughout the country be closed.
“The law of God is above the law of the state,” he said. According to the latest order, all Church services are to be held without any of the faithful until December 31.
Met. Neophytos announced to his flock last week: “In the metropolitan area of Morphou, we inform, as the local Metropolitan, that our holy churches will continue their operation and will not be closed in any way.” The police announced that for the time being, the Metropolitan does not seem to have broken the law with his encyclical.
“There is the law of the state that says that services should be held but without believers. I am breaking the law because I take on your responsibility. I said it, I wrote it and I repeat it. Why am I doing this? Not for bravado and pseudo-heroism, as one of our respected people said” the Metropolitan said in his homily on Sunday, referring to Archbishop Chrysostomos, the primate of the Cypriot Church.
The Archbishop said over the weekend that the Church is not above the state and he expects all hierarchs to obey the government’s order until the Holy Synod is able to formulate an official response. The Holy Synod will meet tomorrow to discuss the matter.
However, “We are doing this because above the law of the state there is the law of the Holy Gospel,” Met. Neophytos emphasized.
“The Gospel, that is, the law of God, is above the law of the state and all throughout these months, I have felt that there is a conflict of......
(Excerpt) Read more at orthochristian.com ...
In other words GFY!
His position ought to be a no brainer for all real God-fearing Christians. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and challenges this out of fear of the state is NOT truly Christian. There are so many who are calling for civil disobedience to the shutdowns of bars and restaurants. While I wholeheartedly agree with that, the God-Fearing Christians and Jews should be at the tip of the spear.
What Neophytus said has long been the Christian law. There is a story in the book of Acts after the ascension, that Peter and others were arrested and flogged for preaching Christ Jesus in public. After the flogging and prison, they were released to appease the near riotous crowds. They were told not to preach that gospel again. In Acts 5:29 “Peter and the other apostles replied ‘We must obey God instead of human beings.’”
Gwjack
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