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This article by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, while he was still a priest, offers a historical, theological, and ecclesiological reflection on the meaning of “Greek Orthodoxy,” the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the development of Orthodoxy in the United States. Situated within a broader historical vision, it emphasizes that Orthodoxy is fundamentally transnational, grounded not in ethnicity, but in a universal ecclesial identity shaped by geography, tradition, and canonical order.
At the outset, the author recalls that the Church, from its earliest centuries, developed within the context of the Roman Empire, whose multicultural and multi-ethnic character profoundly influenced ecclesiastical organization. He explains:
The Roman Christian could—at least ethnically—belong to any race and have any native language. Yet, in spite of this, the Roman Christian would be a member of the Church under the one bishop of a particular city that served as either temporary or permanent residence, just as he or she would be subjected to the Roman administrator or governor of the region. The identity of the Roman Christian as citizen of the Kingdom of God bore—analogically speaking—the same characteristics of identity enjoyed by every citizen of the Roman Empire, irrespective of race, language, or origin.
This principle established geography—not ethnicity—as the organizing principle of Church life. The Church’s identity mirrored the universality of the Empire, while transcending it through the unity of faith. This foundational principle was codified in the tradition and reaffirmed by the Ecumenical Councils. As the author notes,
the basis and criterion of organization was always geographical, with one bishop elected for every city, to whom all inhabitants of the region were submitted without any discrimination (linguistic or other), in accordance with the apostolic instruction: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male nor female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3.28).
A central argument of the article concerns the meaning of the term “Greek Orthodoxy.” The author insists that its contemporary ethnic connotation is historically inaccurate:
Problems arose when, with the rise of nationalism in the Balkans during the 19th century, the term “Rum” was translated as “Greek” in order also to determine the principle of reorganization and independence of the various Orthodox peoples from an ecclesiastical viewpoint. Meanwhile, of course, the Greek state had been established and every concept of Hellenism was understood in nationalistic terms, thereby attributing an entirely different content to the original term “Rum.”
This clarification is crucial for understanding the mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which historically functioned as a unifying center for diverse peoples. As the author emphasizes, it “never endeavored to Hellenize them… this was contrary to its principles and very identity as Ecumenical.” Its vocation has been to preserve unity in faith and canonical order while respecting cultural plurality.
However, the rise of nationalism in the 19th century altered this landscape. The transformation of ecclesiastical terminology along ethnic lines introduced “ethnophyletism,” a distortion that “divid[es] the flock… on the basis of ethnic origin”, into discussions surrounding the Church’s identity. This development shaped the later experience of Orthodoxy in America.
The later development of Orthodox Christianity in the United States around the end of the 19th and during the 20th centuries bears all the characteristics of the Orthodox diaspora throughout the world. Accordingly, Orthodox Christians organized themselves ecclesiastically on the basis primarily of ethnicity and their churches of origin.
Yet the missionary and immigrant beginnings of Orthodoxy in America also raised important ecclesiological questions: “Does the territorial expansion of a state comprise a self-evident extension of the jurisdiction of that church…?” The author cautions that such claims may reflect “a mentality of colonialism” rather than canonical principles.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate organized its own jurisdictional presence in the United States following the migration there of faithful from the regions of Thrace, Pontus, and Asia Minor after the great destruction. This was a natural historical development with a specific historical significance. Therefore, it founded the “Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America,” without implying that this was created solely for Greeks. Proof of this lies in the fact that the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate includes Albanians, Ukrainians, Carpatho-Russians, and Palestinians, without any of these ever feeling that they have as a result been either Hellenized or in any way slighted.
The author stresses that this presence was never ethnic in intention: “It did not come to this land as an ethnic Church… The Archdiocese is ‘Greek’… without… the abolition or oppression of the ethnic origin, language and culture of the faithful.” Even liturgical practice reflects this diversity, with communities using Greek, English, or both.
Over time, Orthodoxy in America has taken root more deeply. Today, the faithful are no longer simply immigrants but “native, established Christians, who have spread roots and borne fruits in this land.” This maturation calls for a renewed vision of unity grounded in canonical tradition rather than ethnic division.
The American context itself offers a powerful analogy as “[…] former US President Jimmy Carter [noted]: ‘We become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.’” This vision resonates with the Orthodox understanding of unity in diversity.
In conclusion, the article presents a compelling vision for Orthodoxy in America: one that transcends nationalism and recovers the Church’s original ecclesiological foundations. Faithfulness to the canonical tradition remainsessential, for “Respect for the decisions of the ecumenical councils… constitutes the only sure way toward unity and progress in Christ.” Within the broader narrative of American history, Orthodoxy thus emerges as a witness to a deeper unity—one that embraces diversity while remaining rooted in a shared faith and common life.
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