Greek Orthodox in U.S. face financial revolt

Christian Century, April 21, 1999

A Houston church has become the largest Greek Orthodox parish in the nation to side with dissidents who hope financial pressure will drive the denomination's embattled spiritual leader from office. Annunciation Cathedral, whose more than 3,000 members make it the fourth largest of the nation's more than 500 Greek Orthodox churches, voted in March to stop sending donations to the New York-based Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's national stewardship fund.

Dean Popps, a spokesman for Greek Orthodox American Leaders (GOAL), which has led the effort to oust Archbishop Spyridon, arguing that his actions have harmed the church, called Annunciation's move "very significant because it was a firm action by one of our largest parishes. This will have an important ripple effect." GOAL hopes financial pressure will persuade Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos to remove Spyridon. Bartholomeos, who appointed Spyridon, is the Istanbul-based Eastern Orthodox leader with final authority over the American church. So far, Bartholomeos has backed the archbishop in his dispute with GOAL. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which claims about 1.5 million baptized members, is the wealthiest of the national Orthodox churches under Bartholomeos's authority.

Mark Arey, Spyridon's chief spokesman, criticized GOAL's effort as "contrary to the bylaws of the church and the traditions of the church." Asserting that the "overwhelming majority of our parishes continue to support the archdiocese," Arey also dismissed the notion that GOAL'S effort will gain the support of a growing number of congregations.

Annunciation's annual commitment to the $9 million stewardship fund, the denomination's primary source for financing national programs, is just shy of $100,000, according to its pastor, Andrew Eugenis. Annunciation parishioners voted more than 3-to-1 to suspend sending money to the archdiocese, despite Eugenis's opposition to the move. Until now, just two small congregations in Rutland, Vermont, and Lewiston, Maine, had moved to cut off stewardship fund payments, although others have said they are considering doing so. In addition, Oakland's 1,200-member Ascension Cathedral has reduced its annual fund contribution from $73,000 to $12,000. Thomas J. Paris, pastor of the California congregation, said the action was taken "to get the attention that might lead to change."

Almost since his installation as archbishop in 1996, Spyridon, 54, has been engulfed in controversy. Critics in the church say his autocratic management style is out of step with the needs and expectations of Greek Orthodox Americans, who are more independent-minded than European Orthodox Christians. Although born in Ohio, Spyridon has spent most of his life in Europe. Critics have also accused him of financial mismanagement, attempting to cover up a sex scandal at the denomination's Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and summarily dismissing or demoting church officials who question his actions.

Five Greek Orthodox bishops, known as metropolitans, and more than 100 priests around the nation have also criticized Spyridon publicly--a major step in a denomination that places great emphasis on hierarchical authority.