r/OrthodoxChristianity Reddit 17 hours ago

ROCOR Mid-America requires written blessing for online ministry

ROCOR Mid-America has issued a policy for clergy and online ministry requiring a written blessing. I am not part of ROCOR, but I think this is probably a good step. It could get messy, though. I am wondering if other jurisdictions will follow. No need to offer names here.

Main points

ROCOR Mid-America now requires written blessing for clergy online ministry
Author thinks it is a good step but could get messy
Author wonders if other jurisdictions will follow suit

8 opinions in the discussion 7 participants, 3 replies to each other The opinion with the most support Every priest in that diocese with a "channel" or some personal platform is going to have his plans, agendas and content reviewed. Which was already the situation, but Vladyka Peter was old, sick, and not online. The new bishop might actually listen to his… Read the discussion

21 comments at the source Original on Reddit

Discussion · 8

Opinions are anonymous retellings of real comments from the original discussion. The same colour marks the same participant.

opinion#1949 1 likes at the source

Every priest in that diocese with a "channel" or some personal platform is going to have his plans, agendas and content reviewed. Which was already the situation, but Vladyka Peter was old, sick, and not online. The new bishop might actually listen to his senior clergy about these online personalities, so some priests could end up with specific, personal obediences on the subject.
opinion#1950 1 likes at the source

Yes, this means without a written blessing they'll have to delete their accounts now. As for who might get deplatformed: Fr. Moses is in that diocese and he's a well known figure. Whether he actually has a blessing, we don't know yet.
opinion#1951 1 likes at the source
Does anyone have a link to the actual text of this agreement?
- opinion#1954 1 likes at the source
  It's not finished or published yet. Vladyka Spyridon is still going over the draft. And as usual, the site publishing it is acting without a blessing and putting out a text no one has approved. That said, it's a sensible policy overall. Priests are ordained to serve a particular parish, and anything else has to come second to that. If you're a priest under strict obedience to your bishop, you don't have your own public identity; every project needs the hierarch's blessing and everything you put out can be reviewed.
  - opinion#1956 1 likes at the source
    
    Going by what's posted here, it might cover online ministries run by laymen too. I hope it does, because lay people can have more influence online than clergy do.
opinion#1952 1 likes at the source

A bishop can already order any priest under his Omophorion to stop whatever he wants. He doesn't need a special policy for it. I don't think this is aimed at any particular priest, more likely just an effort to bring some order to the mess. I doubt many bishops will formally adopt policies like this; it's an unnecessary step and internet priests are still fairly few. Most of them already have their bishop's blessing anyway, it's not like they're all doing it behind his back.
opinion#1953 1 likes at the source
That's really interesting. The online personalities I know of are all Greek or Antiochian, but this could spread further. I'm curious how they'll draw the line between an "online ministry" and just being a priest who's online. Maybe priests will need disclaimers like doctors or lawyers use - something like "I'm a priest; I'm not your priest."
- opinion#1955 1 likes at the source
  
  Same re Antiochian, and I'd be shocked if Met Saba put out a similar rule.