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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
October 2005 |
NCC has concerns about Orthodox withdrawal, bishop says
NEW YORK (UMNS) - The president of the National Council of Churches USA has reassured United Methodists that the ecumenical organization is concerned about its Orthodox members.
Bishop Thomas Hoyt was responding to a letter from the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns that expressed sadness about the recent withdrawal of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America from the council. The letter also implored NCC leadership "to take immediate steps to understand this action and reach out to leadership" in the archdiocese.
Hoyt, a bishop in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, said he also had been saddened by the unexpected decision of the archdiocese, which has only modestly participated in council activities.
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"We were dismayed … when the Antiochians took the decision to withdraw their membership." - Bishop Ann Sherer |
"Indeed, in June, when the Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary, received from Metropolitan Philip a congratulatory letter about the NCC statement concerning the war in Iraq, we dared to hope a new level of participation might be forthcoming,"
Hoyt wrote in a Sept. 26 letter to United Methodist Bishop Ann Sherer (Nebraska), GCCUIC's president. "We were dismayed, therefore, when, without consultation apparently, the Antiochians took the decision to withdraw their membership."
When the letter from Metropolitan Philip arrived, NCC officials sought a meeting with him, but no response came, according to Hoyt. After further discussion and with counsel from former NCC president Leonid Kishkovsky, it was decided to schedule meetings with several Orthodox leaders and convene a meeting with the ecumenical officers, membership, and ecclesial relations committee.
Hoyt also mentioned a NCC fundraising letter that GCCUIC expressed concern over because of its "partisan political tone." He said Edgar "has acknowledged that the letter was sent from the development office without proper review." Procedures have been put in place to remedy that, he added. "We are unaware how, if at all, this letter relates to the Antiochian withdrawal," Hoyt said.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008