September 7 1998

ARTICLE TOOLS

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Is there a genuine crisis in the Greek Orthodox Church of America or is a small band of well-financed dissidents stirring up trouble in an otherwise stable archdiocese?

Opinions vary dramatically, but one thing is certain: the chasm is widening between the top leadership of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, which has 1 million U.S. members, and the newly formed dissident coalition Greek Orthodox American Leaders (GOAL). The intensifying conflict became evident at July's biennial clergy-laity congress in Orlando.

The Greek Orthodox Church's internal dispute over the role of their highest leader in America reached a new level in March, as GOAL leaders called for the resignation or reassignment of Archbishop Spyridon if he did not respond to their concerns by May 1 (CT, June 15, 1998, p. 13). So far, no resolution is in sight. GOAL members, many of whom hold prominent church and community positions, lament what they consider Spyridon's autocratic leadership, a "pay-and-obey" mentality, and questionable financial dealings by the archbishop.

GOAL came together after the June 1997 firings of four priests by the archbishop at the Hellenic College/Holy Cross Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts. Many members believe the firings are related to a sexual harassment cover-up at the seminary.

According to Mark Arey, executive director of communications for the Greek Orthodox Church in America, school officials have promised to work with two accrediting agencies to correct any defects in their current policies.

VOTE INDICATES DIVISION: In an emotional vote at the congress that illustrates the deepening rift within the church, members of the clergy-laity congress voted 260 to 255 to recommend reinstating the four priests who had been dismissed ...