The Origins of the ‘Barbarian Lands’ Theory

The Greek Archdiocese of America and the Interpretation of Canon 28 of Chalcedon

Matthew Namee

Source: Orthodox History

October 12, 2022

    

In 1924, the future Patriarch Christophoros of Alexandria, then Metropolitan of Leontopolis, published an article called “The Position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Orthodox Church.” Christophoros opens by explaining the reason for his study: “the tendency that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has had over the past two years to desire to extend its spiritual jurisdiction over every ecclesiastical territory or every community which, for one reason or another, was or appeared to be deprived of regular spiritual government and oversight, which one describes as ‘Churches of the Diaspora.’” Christophoros presents this as something novel, something that has emerged “over the past two years” – that is, since 1922.

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One of the keystone prerogatives claimed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate is its jurisdiction over the so-called “diaspora” – regions not included within the geographic boundaries of the other Autocephalous Churches. Many Churches don’t accept this claim, evidenced by the presence of Antiochian, Russian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Georgian jurisdictions here in the United States and elsewhere in the diaspora. But the Ecumenical Patriarchate insists that this exclusive extraterritorial jurisdiction is in fact ancient, rooted in Canon 28 of Chalcedon, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, in the year 451.

... Read the rest at Orthodox History.

Matthew Namee

10/14/2022

See also
The “Tomosology” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Part 1 The “Tomosology” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Part 1
Pavel Darovsky The “Tomosology” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Part 1 The “Tomosology” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Part 1
Pavel Darovsky
We can trace the genesis of the formation of new doctrines on the Church, which at first filled “gaps” in canon law, then began to supplant it and ultimately came into conflict with it. A Canonical Crisis in the Orthodox Church A Canonical Crisis in the Orthodox Church
Met. Jonah (Paffhausen) A Canonical Crisis in the Orthodox Church A Canonical Crisis in the Orthodox Church
Primacy, Conciliarity and the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen)
The actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (EP) in its process of granting a Tomos of autocephaly to the schismatic groups in Ukraine have created a canonical crisis. To whom should the Orthodox diaspora answer?—discussion at Crete Council To whom should the Orthodox diaspora answer?—discussion at Crete Council To whom should the Orthodox diaspora answer?—discussion at Crete Council To whom should the Orthodox diaspora answer?—discussion at Crete Council
The problem of the Church diaspora will be discussed with great difficulty at the Crete Synaxis due to the absence of the delegations of the Russian and Antiochian Orthodox Churches. Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church noted during the discussion that in the absence of Local Churches “with great dispersions” it is impossible to make decisions which affect their interests.
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