Alexander G . Dragas | Université de Genève (original) (raw)
Papers by Alexander G . Dragas
Greek Orthodox Theological Review, 2016
The Orthodox Church in America is one of many Orthodox jurisdictions that currently exists among ... more The Orthodox Church in America is one of many Orthodox jurisdictions that currently exists among the Orthodox faithful in the American diaspora. The fact that there are currently multiple “ethnic” Orthodox jurisdictions within the same geographical area is legally unacceptable within the legal framework of the Orthodox Church as its canon law specifically dictates that every individual ecclesiastical jurisdiction must exist in one specific geographical location. This problem was further exacerbated after the Moscow Patriarchate, along with a small number of independent Churches in Soviet satellite states, granted the OCA a disputed and controversial autocephaly in 1970.
In order to better grasp the events that led up to this autocephaly, as well as the conflict that would occur in the aftermath, the subject will be broken down into four sections for greater clarity. The first section will begin with a brief historical account of the Metropolia (the former OCA) and the events leading up to its autocephaly; the second will focus on the historical documents of the autocephaly and give a summary of their content; the third section will comprise of two rival theological viewpoints from Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Professor Panagiotes Trempelas; and the final section will give an account of the actions of the OCA, the controversial jurisdictions under it, and its current standing today.
Theologia, 2017
The Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow have been at loggerheads throughout much of the 20... more The Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow have been at loggerheads throughout much of the 20th and 21st century without any reconciliation in sight. This might not be readily noticeable to a casual observer since both Churches are in communion with each other as part of a canonical federation of Orthodox Churches. If one, however, were to inspect the issue a little closer, one would see a subtle but complex historical and scholarly narrative which developed in such a way that it has led to an escalation of tensions between the two. This paper seeks to give a succinct historical analysis of the conflict between the two Patriarchates in order to focus more specifically on the scholarly and ideological aspect of the dispute. This will entail an analysis, i) of the historical background and polemical discourse of the Russian nationalist and canon law professor S. V. Troitsky (1878-1972); ii) of Troitsky’s major article against the extra-jurisdictional rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which was adopted by the Moscow Patriarchate; and iii) of the “Greek” response of Professor Photiades of the Chalki School of Theology, who defended the rights of Constantinople through a historico-canonical narrative.
Books by Alexander G . Dragas
Table of Contents of my doctoral dissertation on the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox in the USA... more Table of Contents of my doctoral dissertation on the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox in the USA, Canada and Australia that includes:
1. The main history of the Bulgarian Diocese in North America and Australia from its foundation in 1907 to its reunification in 1990 in reference to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
2. The Conflict between the Bulgarian Diocese under the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the rival Bulgarian Diocese under Archbishop Kyril Yonchev in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
3. The Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian relations of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and its Diocese in North America and Australia, and the decisions and proposed solutions to the problem of the Diaspora in the aftermath of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church (2016).
4. The individual parish histories of the parishes of the Bulgarian Diocese in North America and Australia from 1907 to 1990
Greek Orthodox Theological Review, 2016
The Orthodox Church in America is one of many Orthodox jurisdictions that currently exists among ... more The Orthodox Church in America is one of many Orthodox jurisdictions that currently exists among the Orthodox faithful in the American diaspora. The fact that there are currently multiple “ethnic” Orthodox jurisdictions within the same geographical area is legally unacceptable within the legal framework of the Orthodox Church as its canon law specifically dictates that every individual ecclesiastical jurisdiction must exist in one specific geographical location. This problem was further exacerbated after the Moscow Patriarchate, along with a small number of independent Churches in Soviet satellite states, granted the OCA a disputed and controversial autocephaly in 1970.
In order to better grasp the events that led up to this autocephaly, as well as the conflict that would occur in the aftermath, the subject will be broken down into four sections for greater clarity. The first section will begin with a brief historical account of the Metropolia (the former OCA) and the events leading up to its autocephaly; the second will focus on the historical documents of the autocephaly and give a summary of their content; the third section will comprise of two rival theological viewpoints from Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Professor Panagiotes Trempelas; and the final section will give an account of the actions of the OCA, the controversial jurisdictions under it, and its current standing today.
Theologia, 2017
The Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow have been at loggerheads throughout much of the 20... more The Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow have been at loggerheads throughout much of the 20th and 21st century without any reconciliation in sight. This might not be readily noticeable to a casual observer since both Churches are in communion with each other as part of a canonical federation of Orthodox Churches. If one, however, were to inspect the issue a little closer, one would see a subtle but complex historical and scholarly narrative which developed in such a way that it has led to an escalation of tensions between the two. This paper seeks to give a succinct historical analysis of the conflict between the two Patriarchates in order to focus more specifically on the scholarly and ideological aspect of the dispute. This will entail an analysis, i) of the historical background and polemical discourse of the Russian nationalist and canon law professor S. V. Troitsky (1878-1972); ii) of Troitsky’s major article against the extra-jurisdictional rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which was adopted by the Moscow Patriarchate; and iii) of the “Greek” response of Professor Photiades of the Chalki School of Theology, who defended the rights of Constantinople through a historico-canonical narrative.
Table of Contents of my doctoral dissertation on the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox in the USA... more Table of Contents of my doctoral dissertation on the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox in the USA, Canada and Australia that includes:
1. The main history of the Bulgarian Diocese in North America and Australia from its foundation in 1907 to its reunification in 1990 in reference to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
2. The Conflict between the Bulgarian Diocese under the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the rival Bulgarian Diocese under Archbishop Kyril Yonchev in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
3. The Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian relations of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and its Diocese in North America and Australia, and the decisions and proposed solutions to the problem of the Diaspora in the aftermath of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church (2016).
4. The individual parish histories of the parishes of the Bulgarian Diocese in North America and Australia from 1907 to 1990