Certain churches (as in denominations) attract my attention as an observer. What I suppose each of them has in common in marginality: being on the edge of culture, the edge of a theological spectrum, the edge of extinction or the like. But that’s not to treat them like playthings. Something can be learned from people “on the edge” and particularly if their faith keeps them, not marginalized, but in the middle of things.
I put the British Orthodox Church, a small autonomous Oriental Orthodox jurisdiction under the Coptic OrthodoxPatriarch, of Alexandria, in parallel to the Coptic jurisdiciton in the UK. In its own words,
Our mission is to the people of the British Isles, and whilst being Orthodox in our faith and practice we remain British in our ethos with a deep appreciation of the Orthodox heritage of these islands.
I’m more interested in how they operate, and the ethos they bring to their work, than the specifics of their theology or liturgy. I wrote a bit about them in 2012:
- The British Orthodox Church background (July 24, 2012)
- A Coptic fellowship resource: review (July 30, 2012)
- Those Orthodox books: an unlikely feature (August 21, 2012)
- Starting a church with how many? (October 11, 2012)
- Another thought about missions (October 13, 2012)
And good news: the Windsor mission I wrote about then in ongoing with prayers once a month.
Hi Scott,
It is interesting to see your ongoing research into the BOC. I myself am a Deacon serving under Metropolitan Seraphim at the BOC London Mission.
If you have any questions that need answering during your study into the Theology, Liturgy and Ecclesiology of the BOC please feel welcome to ask me. Or if you would live, I could get you in contact with Met. Seraphim who would probably be willing to answer any questions you have.
In Christ,
Dcn. Daniel