I read this before, Qawe.
Could you please point out (7'udni 3ala 2ad 3a2li) where in these passages is the condemnation of heretical teachings and practices are implied? Is the author using culture as a decoy to divert attention from the heresies of these mission dung holes? This is the only thing that can be inferred from the passages you quoted.
I think you also missed the true implications of the vague parts, such as:
However, many congregations in the West have begun to turn to non-liturgical formats, claiming, “that liturgical worship has become ineffective at conveying the faith...One is perhaps tempted to conclude that they must therefore be changed. But such a conclusion without further qualification is open to debate.
It is not open for debate. It is condemned. Full stop. The role of the Orthodox Church is not to debate with satanic opinions that undermine the role of the liturgy and open up the door for heretical interpretation. It is to define and teach according to the Apostolic Faith.
The fact that such perverse opinions were entertained in a high clerical council in North America ( I assume that in addition to NY / NE religious leader, his uncle of LA and Anba Youssef were present) is very troubling.
Albeit that the liturgy ought to remain as the central act of worship within the Orthodox Church, this does not take away from the challenge that the Coptic diaspora has in transmitting the gospel message in a fashion that is consistent within the local culture. .
The author is ignorant about the foundation of the local culture he lives in, one that is based on protestantism and atheism. In being consistent with the local culture to fullfill his "incarnational" model, the ignorant author is inviting us to embrace the elements of the culture that will destroy the Orthodox faith.
There was one key recommendation made during the conference — maintaining the centrality of the Liturgy in the life of the Church — pertaining to that which should not be adapted within the new environment. It is my contention that this is an essential element in preserving the experience of the Coptic Orthodox Church. For the Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is the greatest expression of the incarnation revealed in the life of the Church. It is what makes the church Christocentric and manifests the people into the body of Christ through a living communion with God, as implied in Athanasian incarnational theology.
The liturgical prayers is the totality of worship, and not just its center as this author want us to believe. Even a prayer behind the closed door of your bedroom is liturgical and communal in nature.
The definition of heresy is not just the perversion of the truth. It is to have false gods represented and worshipped side by side with the true God.
To qualify this statement, we have to look at its "incarnation" in the mission holes. The pastors of the holes are the attendees of this conference and they are the relatives and friends of the Charmian of the committee. They do have one liturgy a week. It is "central" to their worship. On the left and right of their imaginary "liturgical center", they have Rick Warren sermons, plagiarized by the mission pastors, Protestant songs, protestant worship and they teach heresy.
I do not particularly dislike the author. Unlike SMSV and STSA pastors, he seems to be aware that there is something called liturgy, Eucharist, etc. It is surprising that he even knows that a guy called Athanasius existed. But then, the bar is very low. I just hate when priests who know the truth decide to be political for job security reasons.
olice: