Bastions of Ethnic Heritage

The problem of ethnic purity in the life of the Church

We Orthodox Christians, as a whole, are guilty of abandoning our Christ directed mission of making disciples of every nation by preserving the needs of ethic groups (Russians, Greeks, Arabs, Serbs), often at the expense of welcoming our non-Orthodox neighbors. Although we can lay claim to having our doors wide open, we often make no effort whatsoever to actually reach out with a welcoming smile, inviting others to “taste and see”. We fear the influx of non-ethnics, lest they change the parish, taking over as it were.

I personally understand this mentality, for I grew up in a time when Lutherans were divided in much the same way. My home town had Swedish, Norwegian, German, Danish, and Finish, Lutheran churches. Never did they interact with one another, nor share joint services. If you were not a member of one of these traditional ethnic groups, you would be hard pressed to find a church where you’d be able to understand the sermon, or sing the hymns. The Lutherans eventually adopted English as the language of their worship, and the ethnic divisions between their churches disappeared.

The problem of ethnic purity within parish life can be found in the drastic loss of our youth. When young people start dating, they are unlikely to choose someone from within the parish, since most of the social networking takes place within their high schools or colleges. Bringing a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, for a Sunday Liturgy, where the service (and sometimes homily) are in a language that is often not even understood by the young Orthodox Christian, can leave the visitor feeling like an alien. If Russian or Greek are spoken in trapeza, a return visit is highly unlikely.

In a nation where recent polls have found that ninety-five percent of youth do not remain in their churches once they’ve left their parents home, we Orthodox have an even poorer record. One jurisdiction has even reported a retention of their youth into adulthood at an astonishingly low two and a half percent. This translates into the eventual disappearance of whole parishes.

Many protestant denominations have already awakened to the fact that “youth programs” do not work. Young people, whose church experience has been within such programs, do not stay once out on their own. A Greek priest friend told me the same has been experienced within many Greek parishes, where Ethnic dance groups and Greek language classes have ultimately failed to keep their youth in church.

Faith, if it is to become a permanent part of a person’s life, must take root in the heart, becoming an integral part of one’s whole experience, and integrated into everyday life. We must not allow our Orthodox Christian faith to be compartmentalized in the lives of our children, but to become part of an integrated whole. There can not be a Russian, Greek, or Arab self on Sundays, with the American self relegated to the weekdays. As long as we continue to treat our parishes as preservation societies, and bastions of ethnic heritage, we will lose our youth.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Sunday May 31, 2020 / May 18, 2020
Seventh Sunday of Pascha: The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. Tone six.
“Chelnsk” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos named “Tenderness”(movable holiday on the 7th Sunday of Pascha).
Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of Seven Ecumenical Councils.
Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and seven virgin-martyrs: Alexandra, Tecusa, Claudia, Phaine, Euphraisa, Matrona, and Julia (303).
Martyrs Peter of Lampsacus, and Andrew, Paul, and Dionysia, at Euridinos (249-251).
St. Macarius (Glukharev) of Altai, Siberia (1847).
Righteous John (Gashkevich), archpriest of Korma (1917).
New Hieromartyr Michael, priest (1932).
New Hieromartyr Damjan (Damian) Strbac, Jr. of Grahovo, Serbia (1940s).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1942).
Martyrs Symeon, Isaac, and Bachtisius of Persia (339).
Martyrs Heraclius, Paulinus, Benedimus of Athenas (250).
Holy Martyrs Davit and Tarichan (693) (Georgia).
Martyr Euphrasia of Nicaea (Greek).
St. Stephen the New, patriarch of Constantinople (Greek).
Hieromartyr Theodore, pope of Rome (Greek).
St. Anastaso of Lukada (Greek).
Venerable Martinian of Areovinthus, monk (Greek).
Martyr Julian (Greek).
Hieromartyr Potamon, bishop of Heraclea (341) (Greek).
St. Elgiva, Queen of England.

The Scripture Readings

John 21:1-14

Breakfast by the Sea

21 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Acts 20:16-18

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.

The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,

Acts 20:28-36

28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

John 17:1-13

Jesus Prays for Himself

17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.