I have been interested in this group for some time, and I have one of their older publications. I very much support their aims and objectives and I was thinking about becoming involved. They seem like the sort of reasonable group that I could get involved with, that may help any transition from Anglicanism to Orthodoxy that I may make, and be a 'way in' for me to meet some more Orthodox Christians and grasp an understanding of Orthodox Faith and culture, while avoiding extremism. However, I have some reservations.
I have had some experience in identifying the nature of groups by their websites, and this site has some attributes that I recognise. From the website of this group, it appears that it is the remnant of a once great society, which has now been reduced to a handful of members, perhaps almost exclusively academics (of high rank, judging by some of the more prominent membership). There is no information about local groups or events. The links across the top of the page only work from some of the pages, and as this has been the case for some time, it indicates that the website is not regularly maintained. The most recent article on their 'news' section dates from over a year ago and although they have an 'information service', they have replied to neither of the information requests that I submitted over two weeks ago.
Has anybody ever heard of them? Are they still active? Is it worth my effort?
I would be grateful to hear comments. Thank you.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
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12 comments:
Michael,
Have you already swum the Bosphorus, or are you merely contemplating it?
I had some contact with the fellowship during the early eighties while I was in seminary. In the Washington DC area they were quite lively then. You may well be right, all of that may have cooled, considerably. I suspect the CofE's embrace of women's ordination in the early 90's may well have done it in.
Thanks for your visits to my blog Apostolicity. How about a link on yours?
I spoke too soon - thanks for the link!
Dear Fr Christopher,
You're very welcome. Many thanks as well for your comments and the information. I only came across your blog this afternoon, but I hope to visit more frequently.
I am still in the early stages of contemplation, having just popped my big toe into the river to test the temperature, but not having begun the swim yet.
Do have a look around my blog.
Pax tecum,
Michael.
Michael,
I am the rector of a parish that was horribly divided over the decision of my predescessor to join the Antiochian Orthodox Church. The parish was badly split and a fight ensued over the property. About 2/3 of the congregation went to the Orthodox. I have been the rector here since 1996, when the building was relinquished back to the Episcopal Church.
All of that said, I have a great love for Orthodoxy. I was profoundly influenced by the writings of Georges Florovsky while I was a student at Nashotah House in the early 1980s.
Coincidentally - I will be in the UK next week for the Stand Up For Jesus SSC Conference. I am told the Royal Albert Hall is sold out for the great celebration on Saturday the 9th. Are you going?
Thank you, Father.
I have replied to you via the e-mail address on your church's website.
Has anybody else heard of this society on this side of the pond?
Yes, I receive their periodical "Sobornost" for a number of years so I guess I'm a member. I do, however, think it's sort of a boring periodical (featuring articles mostly on obscure Eastern Christian topics), and I'm not sure that I will re-subscribe...
That being said, they have published in the past some wonderful things, such as H. A. Hodges' very interesting essay "Orthodoxy and Anglicanism: A Study in Dialectical Churchmanship."
It was either them, or another similar organisation, which effectively closed down in the early 90s (presumably relating to General Synod's "blip").
You might try e-mailing +Ricardus Londin: - he's very into Orthodoxy.
Richard
Michael,
Writing from across the pond, I have no in person contact with the Orthodox in GB. Fr. Andrew Phillips is one of my favorite writers (although sometimes he seems to go a little hard on all the Normans) and I frequently go to his site and know several American families who have visited his parish and hope to return. His site is http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/
I ask the prayers of St. Edward the Confessor for my family (non-Orthodox) and have found his brotherhood's site to be very useful.
http://www.saintedwardbrotherhood.org/
Another site that may help you find contacts is
http://www.orthodoxresurgence.co.uk/
although I know nothing about them beyond what is posted on their site.
As a former Methodist who converted to Orthodoxy, I encourage you to keep swimming til you reach the Ark. May God bless you and guide you and have mercy on us all.
Melissa
Thank you, everyone, for your replies.
Thank you as well, Melissa, for those links. I had come across the Orthodox Resurgence site before, but not the other two. I have added them to my links.
My supplier actually gets our frankincense from the S. Edward Brotherhood, but I had never known much about them apart from the fact that they sell incense. I am pleased to learn of their bookbinding service.
How wonderful! I shall look at the links from the Orthodox England site later today.
Hellop Michael.
I am the general secretary of the Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius. I am sorry you have had problems with our website, which we have had difficulty keeping up-to-date. We are still very much around and active, with about 1200 members and branches active in various countries. We have an office in Oxford, 2 (part-time staff) and very many projects we are involved in, including a journal, conferences and international meetings, not to mention an extensive grant-making programme to fund projects which promote Easter-Ewstern Christian contact. Hopefully not just a 'once great society'...
Oops... should be 'Easter-Western Christian contact'. But i'm sure you worked that one out already.
or even 'Eastern-Western Christian contact'. Third time lucky...
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