Primacy PDF

Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 48:1, Winter 2013
PRIMACY, SYNODALITY, AND COLLEGIALITY IN

ORTHODOXY: A LITURGICAL MODEL
Nicholas E. Denysenko
PRECIS
This essay presents the Orthodox theology of primacy, synodality, and collegial-
ity, based on the liturgical theology of the ordination of a bishop. It begins by sum-
marizing the ecclesiological perspectives of such Orthodox theologians as Kallistos
Ware and Nicholas Afanasiev. A detailed theological analysis of the rite of the ordi-
nation of a bishop further develops these ecclesiological foundations by expounding
the particular Orthodox notions of primacy and synodality and establishing colle-
giality as including the contributions of the laity. The essay concludes by discussing
the potential contributions that these Orthodox ecclesiological foundations might
offer to Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, as well as suggesting reforms for Orthodox in
the process of electing bishops and in the exercise of pastoral ministry, in order that
practice would reflect this liturgically grounded ecclesiology.
Catholic and Orthodox Christians continue to meet on the national and in-
ternational levels to work toward the reconciliation of the churches, which will
be realized when Catholic and Orthodox are again able to share eucharistic
communion.1 Collaboration between the two churches toward reunion is a result
of the positive results of the twentieth-century ecumenical movement. In Ut un-
um sint, his renowned encyclical seeking universal Christian reconciliation,
Pope John Paul II affirmed the Catholic Church‘s strong commitment to ecu-
menical dialogue and acknowledged the ―remarkable progress‖ in ecumenical
dialogue evidenced by the statements of bilateral dialogues. 2 A staple of John
Paul II‘s vision for unity is his encouragement of all communities to ―help one
another to look at themselves together in the light of the Apostolic Tradition,‖ 3
an authentically dialogical approach to working toward reconciliation. In Ut un-
um sint, he referenced his apostolic letter commemorating the millennium of the
Baptism of Rus‘, Euntes in mundum, in which he called upon Orthodox and
Catholics to follow the examples of their Fathers and seek eucharistic union, al-
so affirming the Eastern churches‘ canonical right to govern themselves. 4 John
Paul II‘s invitation to Church leaders and theologians to engage him in a dialo-
______________
1
For clarity, all references to ―Orthodox‖ in this essay pertain to Eastern Orthodox churches
adhering to the Byzantine tradition. This analysis does not include Oriental Orthodox, such as Ar-
menians, Copts, and Ethiopians.
2
Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ut unum sint (May 25, 1995), in Acta Apostolicae Sedis
87 (November 10, 1995): 921–982; available at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/
encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25051995_ut-unum-sint_en.html.
3
Ibid., no. 16.
4
Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Euntes in mundum (January 25, 1988), in Acta Apostolicae
Sedis 80 (July 25, 1988): 935–956; available at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/
apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_25011988_euntes-in-mundum-universum_it.html.
20
Primacy, Synodality, and Collegiality in Orthodoxy 21
gue to articulate the function of the Petrine ministry in a ―new situation‖ was
another step in attempting to reconcile the separated churches of Christianity. In
his recent monograph on Orthodoxy and the papacy, Adam DeVille stated that
John Paul II‘s willingness to invite other Christians to help him recast the papa-
cy for a new situation is ―the central and most important part of the encyclical.‖ 5
Unfortunately, few Orthodox have responded to Ut unum sint. DeVille has
explained the background underpinning the paucity of Orthodox responses to
John Paul II‘s invitation.6 Among the many explanations for the absence of an
Orthodox response, two of DeVille‘s assertions are particularly notable: that Or-
thodoxy lacks an internal mechanism that would create a unified response, and
that many Orthodox have a deep ―mistrust of ecumenism in general and of
Rome in particular.‖7 Orthodox mistrust of the papacy largely centers on the ex-
ercise of primacy, as honestly stated by the North American Orthodox-Catholic
Theological Consultation at Georgetown University in 2010.8 Primacy has sev-
eral derivative issues, three of which are particularly pertinent to the future tra-
jectory of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue: synodality, collegiality, and reception of
teaching by the laity.9
In this essay, I engage John Paul II‘s invitation to look at the Orthodox tra-
dition on primacy, synodality, collegiality, and reception by the laity in dialogue
with Roman Catholics. In the sections below, I demonstrate how select Ortho-
dox theologians have focused on the eucharist as the locus for articulating Or-
thodox ecclesiology, particularly concerning primacy, synodality, collegiality,
and reception, with special attention to authority in teaching. A close examina-
tion of the rite of ordination of a bishop at the eucharist follows. The analysis
______________
5
Adam A. J. DeVille, Orthodoxy and the Roman Papacy: Ut Unum Sint and the Prospects of
East-West Unity (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2011), p. 11.
6
Ibid., pp. 12–16.
7
Ibid., p. 14.
8
―At the heart of our differences stands the way each of our traditions understands the proper
exercise of primacy in the leadership of the Church, both within the various regions of the Christian
world and within Christianity as a whole. In order to be the Body of Christ in its fullness—to be both
‗Orthodox‘ and ‗Catholic‘—does a local community, gathered to celebrate the Eucharist[,] have to
be united with the other Churches that share the Apostolic faith, not only through Scripture, doctrine,
and tradition, but also through common worldwide structures of authority—particularly through the
practice of a universal synodality in union with the bishop of Rome?‖ (The North American Ortho-
dox-Catholic Theological Consultation, ―Steps towards a Reunited Church: A Sketch of an Ortho-
dox-Catholic Vision for the Future‖ [October 2, 2010], no. 2); available at http://www.usccb.org/
beliefs-and-teachings/ecumenical-and-interreligious/ecumenical/orthodox/steps-towards-reunited-
church.cfm). Also see a 1989 statement on conciliarity and primacy by the U.S. Orthodox-Catholic
Consultation: ―An Agreed Statement on Conciliarity and Primacy in the Church,‖ in John Borelli
and John H. Erickson, eds., The Quest for Unity: Orthodox and Catholics in Dialogue—Documents
of the Joint International Commission and Official Dialogues in the United States, 1965–1995
(Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir‘s Seminary Press; and Washington, DC: United States Catholic Con-
ference, 1996), p. 154.
9
In Roman Catholic doctrine, the responsibility for preaching and teaching the faith belongs to
bishops, who exercise this charismatic ministry in communion with the Roman pontiff, especially
when they are gathered together in council. See the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen
gentium (November 21, 1964), no. 25, in Acta Apostolicae Sedis 57 (January 30, 1965): 1–67; avail-
able at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_1964
1121_lumen-gentium_en.html.
22 Journal of Ecumenical Studies
will explain how the Orthodox liturgies of ordination and eucharist offer a theo-
logical model for primacy, synodality, collegiality, and reception. As conflicts
frequently arise on authority in proclaiming and verifying teaching, the analysis
will often refer to this central ministry. 10 In the conclusion, I will reflect on how
an Orthodox ecclesiological model rooted in liturgical theology can contribute to
the advancement of progress in Catholic-Orthodox ecumenical dialogue. I will
also demonstrate the need for an innovative model that has the capacity to im-
pact significantly the dynamics of ecclesiological authority in both Orthodoxy
and Catholicism by allowing diocesan bishops, presbyters, deacons, and laity to
take their rightful places in every aspect of Church life.
I. Orthodox Ecclesiology
Several Orthodox theologians have attempted to articulate how Orthodox

understand the perichoretic ministries of primacy, synodality, collegiality, and
reception. Ecclesiologists tend to converge on the eucharist as the source for ex-
pressing this theology. The following section summarizes the contributions of
key Orthodox theologians to the eucharistic ecclesiological model.
A. Nicholas Afanasiev
Nicholas Afanasiev taught church history and canon law at St. Sergius
Theological Institute in Paris, beginning in 1930.11 His study on the eucharistic
assembly in the Second Testament period and the early church yielded an intri-
guing assertion that the presider‘s authentic concelebrant is the laity. 12 In Afana-
siev‘s model, laity and bishop are always together, since the bishop is not out-
side of the Church, and the laity have always had the bishop as the presider over
the assembly. At the eucharist, the bishop presides and offers thanksgiving with
and in the presence of the assembled laity. Afanasiev noted a distinction in de-
gree between presider and people in the assigned seating at the meal, which af-
firms the dignity of the laity. 13 In summary, for Afanasiev, the whole assembly
______________
10
Canon 64 of the Council in Trullo (692 C.E.) is often invoked as authoritative: ―That no lay-
man is to pursue the office of teacher. [That] no layman is to hold a public lecture on dogma, nor to
teach, thus arrogating to himself the office of teacher, but is to follow the order handed down by the
Lord, and to lend an ear to those who have received the grace of teaching‖ (quoted in George Ne-
dungatt and Michael Featherstone, eds., The Council in Trullo Revisited, Kanonika 6 [Rome: Ponti-
ficio Istituto Orientale, 1995], p. 145).
11
Michael Plekon, Living Icons: Persons of Faith in the Eastern Church (Notre Dame, IN:
University of Notre Dame Press, 2002), pp. 152–156.
12
―The concelebration by the laity is effective and real, not ceremonial. In the liturgy the laity
are not passive—for those whom God has appointed to the ministry of the royal priesthood cannot be
passive. On the contrary, they participate actively; the liturgical acts are performed by the head of
the Church with the con-celebration of the laity‖ (Nicholas Afanasiev, ―The Ministry of Laity in the
Church,‖ in William C. Mills, ed., Called to Serve: Readings on Ministry from the Orthodox Church
[Rollinsford, NH: Orthodox Research Institute, 2010], pp. 8–9). Also see Nicholas Afanasiev, Tra-
peza Gospodnia (Kiev: Khram Prepodobnogo Agapita Pecherskogo, 2003).
13
Afanasiev, Trapeza Gospodnia, pp. 76–78.
offers the eucharist, led by the bishop-presider, with the laity concelebrating.
One cannot speak of degree concerning this celebration, as the offering comes
from the whole Church as a community of apostles, including the laity.
Afanasiev further developed the role of the laity in describing a reciprocity
of charisms between laity and bishops, wherein the laity receive Church teach-
ing. Having established the office of teaching as belonging to bishops, Afana-
siev asserted that the laity are active, not passive, in receiving and clarifying Or-
thodox teaching:
The people listen to the teachers and receive instruction from their di-
daskaloi, but at the same time they listen as the bearers of their royal and
priestly dignity. That they listen to the teachers does not mean that they re-
main passive in the process of instruction. Just as in the area of administra-
tion, the people possess the right of examination and witness with respect to
the instruction which is being offered to them. . . . [T]he people of the Church
who bear the charism of examination also must witness whether the teaching
expounded by the didaskaloi agrees with that of the Church. The testimony of
the people is the judgment of the Church rather than a judgment of some of
its members.14
Afanasiev‘s summary on the laity‘s role in receiving teaching upholds the

bishops as teachers while broadening the paradigm to include the crucial lay
ministry of examining, judging, and confirming. The dialogical quality of ex-
pressing and receiving teaching exchanged between the bishop and the laity fol-
lows the pattern of eucharistic concelebration, where the laity offer the eucharist
with the presiding bishop. In Afanasiev‘s eucharistic ecclesiology, concelebra-
tion reveals an Orthodox notion of collegiality, and the laity are the bishops‘ col-
leagues in pastoral ministry.
B. Kallistos Ware
Like Afanasiev, Kallistos Ware also refers to the eucharist as the locus of
articulating Orthodox ecclesiology, especially when an ordination is also cele-
brated. In the eucharistic/eschatological paradigm, the bishop‘s authority is a gift
that comes directly from Christ at ordination, along with the gifts of casting out
evil spirits, teaching, and forgiving sins. 15 When the Church accepts Christ as
the source and giver of authority in the Church, the bishop cannot be viewed as a
feudal lord or representative of parliament. 16 Concerning authority in teaching,
Ware asserted that the gift of discernment does not belong to any particular in-
dividual but to the entire royal priesthood by virtue of sacramental character re-
______________
14
Nicholas Afanasiev, The Church of the Holy Spirit, ed. and intro. Michael Plekon, tr. Vitaly
Permiakov (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2007 [orig. Tserkov Dukha Sviatogo
[Paris: YMCA Press, 1971]), p. 75.
15
Kallistos Ware, ―L‘exercice de l‘autorité dans l‘Église orthodoxe,‖ Irénikon 54 (December,
1981): 452–453.
16
Ibid., pp. 451–454.
ceived at Chrismation.17 The Church as the assembly of believers possesses the

power of discernment and interpretation and shares this authority with the epi-
scopate, to the extent that the Church as a whole can be considered infallible.18
Ware has emphasized an interdependence of lay and clerical charisms, hesitating
to attribute infallibility to an individual or group of bishops. 19 He has presented
the laity as defending the faith, while the episcopate speaks for the Church, the
organ by which the Church‘s infallibility is manifested. 20 His insistence on reci-
procity of charisms in the Church characterizes his ecclesial paradigm; the bi-
shop is a divinely ordained teacher, and the laity are the guardians of the
Church‘s faith. Most importantly, Ware explained how the Orthodox mechanism
for expressing and receiving faith operates: ―[T]he bishops recognize what the
truth is and proclaim it; this proclamation is then verified by the assent of the
whole Christian people, an assent which is not, as a rule, expressed formally and
explicitly, but lived.‖21 Implicit in Ware‘s noble attempt to demonstrate how re-
ception works is the living quality of Orthodox theology, manifested by the eu-
charistic assembly, the visible presence of the whole Church, bishops and laity
included.
C. John Zizioulas
John Zizioulas is often mentioned together with Afanasiev as one of the two
Orthodox pioneers of eucharistic ecclesiology. Zizioulas has interpreted the de-
velopment of the episcopacy in the early church as a ministry of representation
of the community‘s faith. In this paradigm, Zizioulas refused to separate the bi-
shop from the ecclesial community22 but asserted that the bishop represents the
whole community in offering the eucharist to God:
A fundamental function of this ―one bishop‖ was to express in himself

the ―multitude‖ . . . of the faithful in that place. He was the one who would
offer the Eucharist to God in the name of the Church, thus bringing up to the
throne of God the whole body of Christ. He was the one in whom the ―many‖
united would become ―one,‖ being brought back to him who had made them .
. . Thus the bishop would become the one through whose hands the whole
community would have to pass in its being offered up to God in Christ, i.e. in
the highest moment of the Church‘s unity. 23
______________
17
Ibid., pp. 457–460.
18
Ibid., p. 460.
19
Ibid., p. 461.
20
Ibid. Ware explicitly stated this in his dated work on the Orthodox Church: ―infallibility be-
longs to the whole Church, not just to the episcopate in isolation‖ (Timothy Ware [Bishop Kallistos
of Diokleia], The Orthodox Church [London: Penguin Books, 1963; rev., 1993], p. 251).
21
Ware, The Orthodox Church, p. 253; emphasis in original.
22
See also John D. Zizioulas, Being as Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church,
Contemporary Greek Theologians 4 (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir‘s Seminary Press, 1985), pp.
209–214.
23
Ibid., p. 153; emphasis in original. Benjamin Durheim has recently applied Zizioulas‘s eucha-
ristic ecclesiology to argue for eucharistic sharing between Christian denominations, drawing upon
Zizioulas‘s emphasis on the eucharist as an eschatological event that constitutes communion (see
Like Ware‘s and Afanasiev‘s, Zizioulas‘s eucharistic ecclesiology is based on

the inseparable episcopal and lay ministries. Zizioulas also has asserted that
apostolic continuity occurs not in bishops but in apostolic communities, where
the bishop carries the same succession inherent in the community over which he
presides.24
Zizioulas explained his understanding of an Orthodox notion of primacy in
an essay addressing the role of the Petrine ministry,25 in which he again referred
to the reciprocal relationship between bishop and laity as the ―one‖ and the
―many.‖26 He stated that, while the bishop exercises primacy within the local
Church, his ministry requires the participation of the laity by necessity. Ziziou-
las used a liturgical reference to illustrate his point: ―Just as he (the bishop) can-
not perform the Eucharist without the synaxis of the people, his entire ministry
requires the consensus fidelium, the ‗Amen‘ of the community.‖27 His explica-
tion of the bishop‘s ―entire‖ ministry is revealing: The laity must receive it in
each pastoral application, so if the liturgical ―Amen‖ establishes reception, such
lay reception must be present in every aspect of ecclesial life. Zizioulas also in-
sisted on the absolute necessity of synodality in the Church, defining ―primacy‖
as belonging to the local bishop in various defined regions, with the bishop as
primus at the local level, the metropolitan as primus at the regional level, and a
special primacy extended to a patriarch.28 Zizioulas‘s model attempts to hold
together the necessary dialogical character of the one (bishop) and the many (lai-
ty) rooted in the eucharist and the Trinity, while insisting on synodality and var-
ious levels of primacy exercised by local bishops in communion with one anoth-
er.29
In summary, Afanasiev, Ware, and Zizioulas have all referred to the local
eucharistic assembly as the locus for exercising Church ministries, with some
divergences in the interpretation of the roles of the specific offices, with Ware
and Afanasiev seeing the bishop undertaking this task with the participation of
the laity—a group of people united in their priestly mission of serving God who
share the responsibility for ecclesial communion together with the bishop and
the other ordained officers of the Church. The most notable implication from
______________
Benjamin Durheim, ―The Possibility of Eucharistic Sharing: An Application of John Zizioulas‘s
Theology,‖ Worship 85 [July, 2011]: 290–305).
24
―[A]ll the orders of the Church are partakers of the apostolic continuity which is realized
through an act of ordination. Whereas the historical scheme of continuity can lead to a sacramental-
ism in ordination by limiting apostolic continuity to the so-called ordained ministry, the eschatologi-
cal approach leads to the conclusion that, for apostolic continuity to take place, the order of the bap-
tized layman is indispensable. The Church, therefore, relates to the apostles not only through ordina-
tion but also through baptism‖ (Zizioulas, Being as Communion, p. 195).
25
John Zizioulas, ―Primacy in the Church: An Orthodox Approach,‖ in James F. Puglisi, ed.,
Petrine Ministry and the Unity of the Church: ―Toward a Patient and Fraternal Dialogue‖—A Sym-
posium Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Society of the Atonement, A Mi-
chael Glazier Book (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1999), pp. 115–125.
26
Ibid., pp. 119–120.
27
Ibid., p. 119.
28
Zizioulas described synodality and primacy as ―sine qua non conditio,‖ in ibid., pp. 121–123.
29
Zizioulas has rejected a primacy of jurisdiction for the Petrine ministry, arguing that it lacks a
theological basis and cannot be sustained through historical argument; see ibid., p. 124.
this model of reciprocity between clergy and laity is the active participation of
the laity in the work of the Church. The laity‘s active participation as the eucha-
ristic concelebrant and guardian of the Church‘s life is an Orthodox notion of
collegiality, where the bishops work together with the laity at every level.
The significance of the laity is underscored by the necessity of their ministry
of guardianship. While Ware agreed with Zizioulas and Afanasiev in guarding
against the isolation of the bishop from the community he leads, even in his
teaching, he also qualified this teaching by insisting that the laity are not the fi-
nal authority. For Ware, primacy belongs to Christ, whose presence is promised
and never isolated from his Church. Ware‘s model has implications for Catholic-
Orthodox dialogue, for verification of conciliar theology by the pope is impossi-
ble, since this would isolate the pope from his brother bishops, and the laity
would have no role in the process. 30
The contributions of Ware, Afanasiev, and Zizioulas elevate the ministry of
the laity while attempting to preserve the bishop‘s teaching function as belong-
ing to the whole community. They have insisted on the principle of collegiality
and the integrity of the local church without approval from an external source
and have affirmed the validity of the laity‘s ministry of examining and defend-
ing doctrine (sensus fidelium), where the laity are quite literally colleagues in
ministry. Because the laity are usually the final group of people to learn of a rul-
ing or teaching, their role in receiving teaching and other pastoral initiatives is
particularly important.
As for the final ecclesial authority, Ware identified Christ as the absolute
criterion of the true faith. With the exception of Zizioulas, there is a notable la-
cuna for Orthodox in defining the place of the Petrine ministry. The local
Church grounds the Orthodox notion of eucharistic ecclesiology, and this could
result in congregationalism. 31 The common Orthodox employment of terms such
as ―autocephalous‖ and ―independent‖ augments the potential for isolation,
which could pose a threat to the unity of the Church and to the Orthodox under-
standing of the relational ministry of the local bishop.32 The late Orthodox lay
theologian Olivier Clément distinguished independence from interdependence
by elaborating the latter as a ―flexible hierarchy of primacies,‖ a paradigm from
the pre-schism Church wherein each church was self-governing, with Rome en-
joying a ministry of affirmation as a servant of the communion of churches. 33
Interdependence appears to be an essential element of ecclesiology that has been
compromised by nationalization and polarization of the Orthodox churches of
the East.
______________
30
Ware, ―L‘exercice de l‘autorité,‖ pp. 467–470.
31
Zizioulas criticized Afanasiev for prioritizing the local church over the universal (Zizioulas,
Being as Communion, p. 133), but Zizioulas‘s own theology seems to carry the same emphasis.
32
Nicholas Ferencz has argued that a lack of consistently strong episcopal leadership resulted in
rampant congregationalism in the early history of the Orthodox Church in America (see Nicholas
Ferencz, American Orthodoxy and Parish Congregationalism, Gorgias Dissertations 18, Religion
[Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2006], pp. 185–202).
33
Olivier Clément, You Are Peter: An Orthodox Theologian’s Reflection on the Exercise of
Papal Primacy, tr. M. S. Laird (New York, London, and Manila: New City Press, 2003 [orig.: Rome
autrement (Paris: Desclee de Brouwer, 1997)]), pp. 72–73 and 76.
D. Toward a Model of Ecclesial Authority: Ordination in the Eucharistic As-

sembly
The Orthodox notion of eucharistic ecclesiology summarized above is cohe-

rent with the liturgical theology of the rite of ordination of a bishop at the eu-
charist. A close examination of this rite illuminates the nuances of Orthodox eu-
charistic ecclesiology because it constitutes a unified Orthodox expression of the
exercise of primacy, synodality, collegiality, and reception by the laity. The in-
tricacies of the rites of ordination and the respective roles exercised by the bi-
shops and laity throughout the process illuminate a dynamic harmony of symbol
and euchology revealing Orthodox eucharistic ecclesiology. The liturgy speaks,
as it were, for all Eastern Orthodox because their common adherence to the rite
is in itself an expression of lived unity.
A bishop‘s ministry begins when he is ordained at the eucharistic assembly,
where all of the orders of the Church have gathered together, in one place, to
participate in the bishop‘s ordination. The bishop‘s rite of ordination contains
several liturgical components, such as confessions of faith, prayers, litanic bid-
dings, gestures, and acclamations, which together define the nature of his minis-
try. Furthermore, the celebration of the ordination rite in the presence of and
with the participation of the rest of the Church‘s orders (bishops, presbyters,
deacons, and laity) provides a living context for demonstrating how the eucharist
reveals an Orthodox ecclesiology of primacy, synodality, collegiality, and recep-
tion by the laity. The rite of ordination of a bishop at the eucharist can serve as a
hermeneutic for analyzing Orthodox ecclesiological notions of primacy, syn-
odality, collegiality, and reception because its ritual context informs us on how
the ordered assembly understands the bishop‘s ministry. For Orthodox, the eu-
charist is the hermeneutic for interpreting a bishop‘s ministry, and the following
analysis will show that the eucharist envisions the exercise of episcopal ministry
as collegial with the whole church, including laity, revealing a reciprocity of
ministries that find their roots in the eucharistic liturgy.
II. The Liturgical Process of Ordaining Bishops
This section investigates and analyzes the liturgical theology of the rite of
ordination of a bishop, beginning with the confessions of faith and continuing
with the ―Divine Grace‖ call to prayer and the holding of the Gospel book over
the head of the bishop-elect. 34 With the exception of the opening confessions of
faith recited by the candidate, the structure and orations of the rite of the ordina-
tion of a bishop have remained remarkably stable since the eighth century. 35
______________
34
For the purposes of this essay, we will employ the English text of ―The Office of Confession
and Answering of a Bishop (and the Laying-on of Hands)‖ from The Great Book of Needs, vol. 1:
The Holy Mysteries, tr. and notes St. Tikhon‘s Monastery (South Canaan, PA: St. Tikhon‘s Seminary
Press, 1998), pp. 270–281 (hereafter, GBN).
35
For the rite of the ordination of a bishop celebrated in eighth-century Constantinople, see the
critical edition of the euchologion, Codex Barberini 336, in Stefano Parenti and Elena Velkovska,
On the evening prior to ordination at a eucharistic liturgy, the naming and

proclamation of the bishop occurs. The rite of ordination commences the follow-
ing morning with the candidate‘s confessions of faith, immediately prior to the
eucharistic liturgy. The call to prayer and laying-on of hands occur after the Tri-
sagion hymn and before the proclamation of assigned readings and responsorial
psalmody. Table 1 contains a basic description of the ordination rite:
Table 1. Order of Rite
Morning at Eucharistic Liturgy

Calling and response of bishop-elect.36
First Confession: Bishop-elect recites text of Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
Second Confession: Bishop-elect recites Confession that reflects the christologi-
cal doctrines of the seven ecumenical councils recognized by the Orthodox
Church.
Third Confession: Bishop-elect promises to be faithful to the canons of the Holy
Apostles, the seven ecumenical councils, and the pious provincial councils.
After Trisagion Hymn, before Readings
Prayer of Divine Grace, Gospel over head of bishop-elect.
Prayer and laying-on of hands.37
Litany and second prayer.
Vesting with ecclesial acclamation, ―Axios!‖
A. The Confessions of Faith
Newly elected bishops often demonstrated their orthodoxy to their brother

bishops of the Church in the form of a statement elucidating their confession of
faith. These epistles, called ―synodika,‖ were sent by newly installed patriarchs
to the other patriarchs, including the bishop of Rome. 38 Sophronius (d. 639 C.E.),
elected patriarch of Jerusalem in 634 C.E., distributed a celebrated synodikon to
______________
eds., L’Eucologio Barberini Gr. 336, Bibliotheca ―Ephemerides liturgicae‖ 80, 2nd ed. (Rome:
CLV–Edizioni Liturgiche, 2000), pp. 175–176 (hereafter, BAR). On the dating of the manuscripts,
see Stefano Parenti and Elena Velkovska, Introduzione, BAR, pp. 19–20. BAR contains formularies
for the ordinations of bishops, presbyters, deacons, deaconesses, and subdeacons, along with the
prayers for the setting aside of readers and hegumens, the ordained superiors of monastic communi-
ties. BAR comes from southern Italy on the periphery of the Byzantine realm, and its references to
the ordaining hierarch as archbishop and similar references to ―patriarch‖ authenticate its correspon-
dence to Constantinopolitan liturgy. Also see Stefano Parenti, ―Ordinations in the East,‖ in Anscar J.
Chupungco, ed., Handbook for Liturgical Studies, vol. 4: Sacraments and Sacramentals, A Pueblo
Book (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2000), pp. 207–208.
36
GBN, p. 270. The protodeacon announces the bringing forth of the bishop-elect, who says
that he has come for the laying-on of hands.
37
GBN, p. 277. All the bishops present lay their right hands on the head of the bishop while the
presiding bishop prays.
38
See The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, vol. 3, at ―Synodikon.‖ ―Synodikon‖ also refers to
conciliar doctrinal teaching, illustrated best by the Synodikon of Orthodoxy still proclaimed on the
first Sunday of Lent in the churches of the Byzantine rite.
his fellow bishops upon his installation as patriarch. 39 His work was foundation-
al for the Christology of the sixth ecumenical council in Constantinople (680–81
C.E.), which clarified the confusion resulting from monothelitism and monenerg-
ism. One could argue that his work is an exception, given the contested theolog-
ical climate of his time, which was influenced by imperial ambitions. 40 Even
though his synodikon expresses sophisticated Christology, the practice of distri-
buting confessional synodika to fellow bishops reveals the need for bishops out-
side the local church to affirm a newly installed prelate‘s orthodoxy, which ac-
centuates episcopal collegiality and ecclesial interdependence of the patristic
epoch. The synodikon thus serves as the immediate forerunner to the liturgical
confessions of faith preceding the ordination of a bishop, with no corresponding
liturgical form.
The process of ordaining candidates for the episcopacy reached its final
form in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. 41 In a study on the evolution of the
confessions of faith in the ordination of a bishop, Olivier Raquez, a Benedictine
scholar of Eastern Christianity, has asserted that Patriarch Nicephorus of Con-
stantinople complained that certain iconoclast bishops had betrayed the faith
they had expressed at their ordinations in 814 C.E.42 Patriarch Photius (ninth
century) proclaimed that bishops must recite the symbol of faith before their or-
dination in a liturgical context. Symeon of Thessalonike (fifteenth century) indi-
cated that new components appear before the ordination and are eventually con-
joined with the rite of ordination of the liturgy. 43
The ninth-century ordinances identify an important clue to the appearance
of confessions of faith in general, as the Church was still embroiled in the ico-
noclast crisis, and insistence on adherence to the doctrine of the seven ecumeni-
______________
39
For a thorough background on Sophronius and portions of his synodikon, see Christoph von
Schönborn, Sophrone de Jérusalem: vie monastique et confession dogmatique, Theologie Historique
20 (Paris: Beauchesne, 1972), pp. 83–95 and 199–220.
40
For a good background on imperial and ecclesial cooperation that resulted in the monothelite
and monenergite controversies, see Pauline Allen and Bronwen Neil, ed. and tr., Maximus the Con-
fessor and His Companions: Documents from Exile (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), pp.
3–15 of the introduction.
41
The rest of this section follows the important work of Olivier Raquez in ―Les Confessions de
foi de la chirotonie episcopale des eglises Grecques,‖ in Giustino Famedi, ed., Traditio et progres-
sio: Studi liturgici in onore del Prof. Adrien Nocent OSB, Studia Anselmiana: Analecta liturgica 12
(Rome: Pontificio Ateneo S. Anselmo, 1988), pp. 469–485. An examination of the extant euchology
supports Raquez‘s chronology. Saba 362, a euchologion dating to the fourteenth century from the
patriarchal library of Jerusalem, attributes the liturgical contents to St. Sophronius of the seventh
century. In the description of the office of the ordination of a bishop of Saba 362, the candidate must
read one single confession prior to the intonation of ―The Divine Grace.‖ Saba 362 does not provide
the text of the confession, though it is possible that the candidate himself composed the text. It is
difficult to draw conclusions on Saba 362 since it has not been studied critically. However, we can
assert that one confession of faith is recited by candidates for the episcopate by the fourteenth cen-
tury, probably in Jerusalem. The unedited contents of this euchologion are published in Аlekseǐ
Dmitrīevskiǐ, ed., Opisanīe Liturgicheskikh‖ Rukopiseǐ (Kiev: Typographia G. T. Korchak-
Novitskago, 1895; repr., Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1965), p. 299; and in Pa-
nagiotis Trempelas, Mikron Euchologion, Tomos A. Akolouthiai kai taxeis Mnēstrōn kai Gamou,
Euchelaiou, Cheirotoniōn kai baptismatos (Athens: n.p., 1950), pp. 253–254.
42
Raquez, ―Les Confessions,‖ p. 471.
43
Ibid., p. 470.
cal councils emerged.44 Raquez has asserted that the particular forms of the con-
fessions of faith were adapted to the circumstances of the time and place. 45 Ac-
cording to Raquez, the works of Gregory of Cyprus, Patriarch of Constantinople,
1283–89, include a variant of the third confession of faith, part of which also
appears in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Cypriot manuscripts. The third con-
fession in these later manuscripts recounts the anathemas against the heretics
Arius, Macedonius, and Nestorius. Gregory‘s earlier confession proceeds in a
different direction, as he continued the refutation of heresies by rejecting the
peace concluded at the Council of Lyons in 1274 and asserted that the Holy Spi-
rit proceeds from the Father alone.46 Thus, the third confession of faith re-
counted by Gregory II was shaped by the theological disputes of the time and
place.
B. Theological Analysis of Bishop‘s Confessions of Faith
At first glance, the bishop-elect‘s contemporary liturgical recitation of the

confessions of faith, like the synodikon, would seem to confirm his orthodoxy
and ability to fulfill his duty of maintaining communion through correct teach-
ing in the gospel. Currently, the confessions of faith occur before the eucharistic
liturgy with the ordination rite.47 Following a formal introductory dialogue, the
presiding bishop asks the bishop-elect, ―How do you believe?‖ and the candidate
responds by reciting the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.48 The second dialo-
gue begins with the following question from the presider: ―Reveal unto us yet
more how you confess concerning the properties of the three Hypostases of the
incomprehensible Godhead, and concerning the Incarnation of the Hypostatic
Son and Word of God.‖49 The candidate then recites the second confession, a
lengthy text containing several core teachings from the seven ecumenical coun-
cils.50
The third confession of faith responds to the request from the presider to
―[m]ake manifest unto us, also, what you hold concerning the Canons of the Ho-
ly Apostles and the Holy Fathers, and the traditions and statutes of the
Church.‖51 The candidate‘s response is particularly germane to his teaching min-
istry. The bishop-elect makes many promises with reference to the specific du-
ties enumerated in his ministry. Several of these promises refer to true or false
______________
44
Ibid., pp. 471–472.
45
―The witnesses of tradition show us, however, that the contents of this Confession evolved
and were adapted to problems of time and place‖ (ibid., p. 472; my translation).
46
Raquez, ―Les confessions,‖ p. 478.
47
The English text for the entire Office of the Confession of Faith is found in GBN, pp. 270–
276.
48
Symbol of faith in GBN, p. 271.
49
GBN, p. 272.
50
E.g., ―I venerate also two wills, in that each nature retains its own will and its own action. . . .
I venerate, relatively, but not in the way of worship, the divine icons, worthy of veneration, of Christ
himself, and of the Most-pure Mother of God, and of all the Saints, transferring the honor manifested
before them to the prototype‖ (GBN, pp. 272–273).
51
GBN, p. 273.
teaching and to the role of the bishop as the guardian, defender, and promoter of
the apostolic faith:
I promise . . . to preserve the peace of the Church, and firmly to hold, and
not to devise anything whatsoever which is contrary to, the Orthodox Catho-
lic Eastern Christian Faith all the days of my life . . .
And I promise to rule the flock entrusted to me in the fear of God and in
devoutness of life, and fervently to teach it, striving with all zeal to guard it
against all heresies.
...
I promise to visit the flock entrusted to me, after the manner of the Apos-
tles, and watch over it, whether they remain faithful to the Faith, and in the
exercise of good works, but, especially the Priests; and to inspect with dili-
gence, to instruct and prohibit, that no schisms, superstitions, and heresies are
increased, and that no customs contrary to Christian piety and a good charac-
ter may bring harm to a Christian way of life.52
In summary, it is clear that the confessions of faith were introduced into the
rite of ordination of a bishop because of theological controversies involving bi-
shops who were perceived as having betrayed the faith. In this instance, the lex
credendi has clearly shaped the lex orandi of the Orthodox Church, as the con-
fessions of faith were gradually added to the Church‘s ritual celebration as a
public and official means of guarding doctrinal orthodoxy. The candidate‘s pub-
lic recitation of confessions of faith before the whole assembly is a strong ex-
pression of Orthodox synodality and collegiality. Most of the liturgical dialogue
occurs between the presiding bishop and the candidate, echoing synodality, yet
the ritual occurs in the presence of the entire gathered assembly. The laity also
observe and affirm the candidate at this point, under the leadership of the presid-
ing bishops. The context of the rite of a bishop‘s ordination is important, as the
liturgical dialogues between the candidate and the bishops in the presence of the
laity establish the pattern of dialogical ministry that the bishop will exercise af-
ter his ordination. The bishop will discuss theological and pastoral matters and
establish his agenda with his fellow bishops (synodality), and the laity will wit-
ness to the exercise of his ministry. The structure of the rite thus establishes that
collegiality is shared not merely among ordained bishops but is also extended to
the laity, since they actively participate in his ordination.
In the first confession, the candidate‘s orthodoxy is affirmed in his recitation
of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. This basic confession of faith reiterates
his good standing in the Church. His affirmation of the Church‘s conciliar Chris-
tology in the second profession of faith buttresses his role as the guardian of the
apostolic faith, as the councils have clarified all questions and misconceptions
concerning the person of Jesus Christ.
The second confession evidences the problem of apostate bishops. In the
second confession, the candidate promises to ―venerate, relatively, but not in the
way of worship, the divine icons, worthy of veneration, of Christ Himself and of
______________
52
Ibid., p. 274.
the Most-pure Mother of God and of all the Saints,‖ and to ―reject and anathe-
matize [those] proclaiming strange teachings,‖ language that could only have
materialized from the iconoclast crisis of the eighth and ninth centuries. 53 The
confessions obviously have multiple functions, both affirmative and preventa-
tive. The presence of theological and disciplinary issues in the confessions evi-
dences an effort to prevent new bishops from falling into error.
The third confession covers a variety of pastoral and theological issues.
First, the candidate promises to be of ―one mind‖ with the ruling bishop and all
of his brother bishops. 54 The language of the confession is carefully couched,
however, in that primacy is reserved for ―the divine laws, and to the sacred Ca-
nons of the Holy Apostles and Holy Fathers.‖ 55 The new bishop, together with
the ruling bishop and his brother bishops, is submissive to the divine law, not to
a particular patriarch. This section of the third confession of faith illustrates the
Orthodox notions of synodality and primacy by identifying the body of bishops
as collectively submitting to the guidance and instruction of the primacy of di-
vine law. In this instance, the theology of the third confession of faith coheres
with Ware‘s attribution of primacy to Jesus Christ himself.
The remainder of the third confession hinges on the bishop‘s maintenance
of his personal dignity, his respect for the order of the Church (especially the
jurisdiction of his neighboring bishops), and his constant vigilance in rooting out
heresy and safeguarding the true apostolic faith for the preservation of commu-
nion within his flock. The third confession retains the general sense of fighting
heresy and safeguarding the truth without proclaiming anathemas or castigating
other churches. The multiple references to the presence of the Holy Spirit‘s ab-
iding with the candidate suggest the need to sustain him when he exercises his
teaching ministry, which is an implicit but important affirmation of the primacy
of divine law in the bishop‘s ministry. 56 There is also an emphasis on safeguard-
ing the truth for the purpose of maintaining the communion of the Church. In
this case, the bishop shares in exercising the ministry of primacy within the local
Church. The primacy still belongs to Christ, but the bishop has the responsibility
to exercise it so that the ―many‖ of the Church would be ―one‖ communion.
The preliminary rites of the ordination of a bishop examine the orthodoxy
and stability of a candidate against the background of previous bishops who had
fallen into error. The texts of the confessions equally emphasize the bishop‘s
own surety in the orthodox faith and his duty to preserve the communion of his
Church from the intrusion of questionable theological ideas. This underlines the
bishop‘s responsibility for orthodox teaching within his flock. While he is never
identified as the only or even primary teacher, he is the guardian of apostolic
______________
53
See note 50, above.
54
Ibid., p. 274.
55
Ibid.
56
Ibid., p. 271. The presiding bishop blesses the bishop-elect after the first confession, saying,
―The grace of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, be with you.‖
The blessing occurs after the second confession (ibid., p. 273): ―The grace of the Holy Spirit be with
you, enlightening, strengthening, and endowing you with understanding all the days of your life.‖
Two additional blessings with the ―grace of the Holy Spirit‖ occur after the third confession (ibid., p.
275).
faith and the one who has the authority to correct false teaching for the sake of
preserving communion. The bishop shares the responsibility to uphold the true
faith together with the presiding bishop and his fellow bishops, who are collec-
tively responsible before the primacy of the divine law of the gospel, a manife-
station of the Orthodox view of synodality and collegiality. The celebration of
this ritual in the presence of the laity serves as a reminder that the laity make an
essential contribution to the exercise of ministry in collegiality.
C. The Ordination Rites
In the Byzantine rite, ordinations for bishops, presbyters, deacons, and dea-
conesses all begin with the ―Divine Grace‖ call to prayer. 57 Because the formula
applies to these different orders, no particular theological concept can be
gleaned from its function in the ordination of a bishop. The determinative motif
of the formula is that the Holy Spirit elects and elevates the candidate to the of-
fice of bishop. The text from BAR follows: ―The divine grace, which always
heals that which is infirm and supplies what is lacking, appoints the presbyter
N., beloved by God, as bishop. Let us pray therefore that the grace of the Holy
Spirit may come upon him.‖58 The formula indicates that the Holy Spirit is the
chief elector and active agent of the ordination, which means that the whole
process begins with divine initiative—another example of the primacy of divine
activity in the Church.59
The concelebrating bishops hold the book of the Holy Gospels (opened)
over the head of the bishop-elect with the writing facing downward, while the
presider proclaims the ―Divine Grace‖ formula. 60 The text of the first prayer of
the ordination rite elaborates the meaning of the gesture of holding the book
over the candidate‘s head:
O Master, Lord our God, Who through the All-praised Apostle Paul hast
established for us an ordinance of degrees and ranks, for the serving and li-
turgizing of Thine Honorable and Most-pure Mysteries upon Thy Holy Altar;
first, Apostles, secondly, Prophets, thirdly, Teachers: Do Thou Thyself, O
Master of all, by the infusion, power, and grace of Thy Holy Spirit strengthen
this elect person who has been counted worthy to come under the yoke of the
Gospel and the dignity of a Bishop through the Laying-on of Hands of us, his
fellow Bishops here present, as Thou didst strengthen Thy Holy Apostles and
Prophets‘ as Thou didst anoint Kings; as Thou hast consecrated Bishops. And
show his Episcopacy to be blameless; and adorning him with all honor, pre-
sent him holy, that he may be worthy to entreat those things which are for the
______________
57
See BAR, no. 157.3, for bishops, where the full text of the formula appears. Only the incipit
for the formula is provided for presbyters (no. 159.2), deacons (no. 161.3), and deaconesses (no.
163.2). Liturgical manuscripts commonly provide the incipit for stock prayers and formulas repeated
in different rites or offices.
58
BAR, no. 157.3. Translation is based on Paul F. Bradshaw‘s in his Ordination Rites of the
Ancient Churches of East and West (New York: Pueblo Publishing Co., 1990), p. 133.
59
See BAR, pp. 21–23.
60
GBN, p. 276.
salvation of the people, and that Thou mayest give ear unto him. For sancti-
fied is Thy Name, and glorified is Thy Kingdom: of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.61
The prayer continues the theme of the ―Divine Grace‖ call to prayer by em-
phasizing God‘s ordination of the candidate to a specific office that follows the
tradition of other offices. The gospel functions as the center of the new bishop‘s
ministry, a theme that the second prayer develops. This first section of the rite
demonstrates that God has elected and promoted the new bishop and that he has
many pastoral responsibilities. While the prayer mentions the order of ecclesial
offices established by God, the episcopal function appears to be defined primari-
ly by the celebration of the mysteries at the altar and the shepherding of the
flock. Thus, the prayer expounds a theology that includes the apostolic, prophet-
ic, and teaching ministries within a collection of functions that the bishop exer-
cises in his ministry. The holding of the open Gospel book over the head of the
bishop-elect, a ritual gesture also performed in the Roman rite, breaks open the
rich symbolism of primacy. 62 The gospel, or divine law, provides the content for
the bishop‘s ministry. Again, the entire assembly, including the laity, witnesses
the bishop‘s obedience to and carrying out of Christ‘s primacy in the gospel.63
The second prayer follows a series of litanic biddings that ask God to pro-
tect and save the candidate and the city he will serve, and it outlines the chief
duties he must exercise in his ministry:
O Lord our God, Who, inasmuch as it is impossible for the nature of man
to endure the divine Essence, in Thine Economy hast instituted for us teach-
ers of like nature with ourselves, to maintain Thine Altar, that they may offer
unto Thee sacrifice and oblation for all Thy people: Do Thou Thyself, O
Lord, make this man also, who hast been revealed a Steward of the episcopal
grace, to be an imitator of Thee, the True Shepherd, Who didst lay down Thy
life for Thy sheep; to be a leader of the blind, a light to them that are in dark-
ness, a chastiser of the foolish, a teacher of the young, a lamp to the world;
that, having perfected the souls entrusted unto him in this present life, he may
stand unashamed before Thy throne, and receive the great recompense which
Thou hast prepared for them that have endured sufferings for the preaching of
Thy Gospel.64
The presiding bishop asks God to make the new bishop an imitator of Christ
by laying down his life for his flock, offering ―sacrifice and oblations‖ for God‘s
people, and teaching to maintain God‘s altar. The teaching function of the bi-
shop is further elaborated, as he is to be ―a leader of the blind, a light to those in
______________
61
GBN, p. 277.
62
For a description of this ritual gesture in the Roman rite, see Rites of Ordination of a Bishop,
of Priests, and of Deacons (The Roman Pontifical), 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2003), p. 26.
The only difference in the performance of this gesture between the Roman and Byzantine rites is that
the deacons hold the Gospel book over the head of the candidate in the Roman rite, whereas the par-
ticipating bishops hold it in the Byzantine rite.
63
For a discussion of the multiple interpretations of this ritual gesture in Christian history, see
Bradshaw, Ordination Rites, pp. 38–44.
64
GBN, p. 278.
darkness, a reprover of the unwise, a teacher of the young, a lamp to the world.‖
The prayer ends by asking God to grant that the bishop stand ―unashamed‖ be-
fore God‘s house, as he has ―perfected the souls entrusted to him‖ by properly
preaching the gospel. The inclusion of teaching and maintaining the altar and the
teacher‘s liturgical role of offering sacrifices and oblations on behalf of the
people in the same opening sentence of the prayer signifies their inseparability
in a bishop‘s ministry. This harmonizes with the collection of ministries men-
tioned by the first prayer noted above. The second prayer thus broadens, ex-
pounds, and confirms the themes introduced in the first, further developing what
it means to come under the yoke of the gospel.
The bishop‘s ministry includes the teaching function, but it is qualified by
the broad scope of the totality of his duties, clearly suggesting that the teaching
function is intimately related to the ministry of the altar. The metaphors in the
latter portion of the prayer illuminate the particular function of the bishop‘s
teaching. In offering sacrifices and oblations at the holy altar, the bishop is re-
sponsible for maintaining communion within his flock and with the Church she-
pherded by his brother bishops. His teaching function provides guidance to all
who are misguided or not yet fully developed. The teaching emanates from the
preaching of the gospel, leading the blind, nurturing the young, and providing
light for those in darkness and in the world. The first prayer distinguishes the
bishop‘s office as one ordained by God like those of apostle, prophet, and teach-
er, and identifies the gospel as the center and source of the bishop‘s ministry.
The second prayer further develops this by maintaining the centrality of the gos-
pel and linking its teaching to the sacrifices and oblations of the altar. So, the
bishop holds the responsibility for maintaining true teaching, in congruence with
the gospel, for the sake of the unity of the Church, manifested and sealed in the
liturgy over which he presides. The functions of teaching and shepherding the
flock are perichoretic and should not be interpreted as separate, because his ex-
ercise of Christ‘s primacy (the ―one‖) is meant to preserve the communion of
the ―many,‖ manifested in the eucharistic assembly.65
The rite of ordination ends with the vesting of the bishop. In BAR, he vests
in the ―omophorion,‖ the distinguishing vestment of bishops in the Byzantine
tradition.66 As the presider vests the newly ordained bishop, he proclaims
―Axios!‖—an acclamation repeated by the clergy and the people.67 This accla-
______________
65
For a thorough analysis of the relationships between ordination prayers of different traditions,
see Jean Michel Hanssens, ―Les oraisons sacramentelles des ordinations orientales,‖ Orientalia
Christiana Periodica, vol. 18, nos. 3–4 (1952), pp. 297–318. Hanssens remarked that the Byzantine
prayers appear to be somewhat isolated, enjoying only occasional concordance with Syrian or Coptic
parallels.
66
Byzantine bishops began to wear additional vestments when they assumed a more pro-
nounced role in the imperial court. Any theological significance attributed to each vestment is sec-
ondary. The ―sakkos‖ and other vestments were granted only to the Patriarch of Constantinople in
the eleventh century, and other bishops assumed the vestment as late as the mid-seventeenth century.
See Robert Taft, ―The Pontifical Liturgy of the Great Church according to a Twelfth-Century Di-
ataxis in Codex British Museum Add. 34060,‖ Orientalia Christiana Periodica, vol. 46, no. 1 (1980),
pp. 102–105.
67
GBN, p. 280.
mation is absent from BAR; it first appears in Paris Coislin 213, an eleventh-
century euchologion representing the cathedral liturgy tradition of Constanti-
nople.68 The ―Axios!‖ acclamation originally appeared in the rite of the ordina-
tion of a bishop and eventually migrated into presbyteral and diaconal ordina-
tions.69 The acclamation constitutes the laity‘s reception of the new bishop, as
they proclaim his worthiness.
The Orthodox rite of the ordination of a bishop is a primary source for arti-
culating the ecclesiology of the bishop‘s ministry, especially the notions of pri-
macy, synodality, collegiality, and reception by the laity. First, the euchological
witnesses assume the presence of multiple bishops, who participate in the rite.70
Their participation manifests synodality and collegiality, as they also offer their
own reception of the candidate in the form of the ―Axios!‖ acclamation and par-
ticipate in the imposition of the Gospel book. The necessity of multiple bishops
emerged early in the Church‘s history, as evidenced by the canonical corpus.
Canon 4 of the Council of Nicea asserted that all local bishops should be invited
for the ordination of a new bishop, with a minimum of three attending and the
remainder rendering their approval in writing. 71
Episcopal collegiality emerges as a priority from this important witness, as
the process of election and ordination occurs within the context of episcopal co-
operation without submitting the candidate to an external bishop for approval.72
The ordination of a bishop is celebrated only in the eucharistic assembly, among
the ―many,‖ which includes the laity. The presence and participation of the laity,
who are given the final ―Axios!‖ in the liturgical rites, again demonstrates their
essential role in ecclesial collegiality. The eucharistic context and necessary par-
ticipation of the laity through every step of the process affirms that an Orthodox
notion of collegiality is not reserved for the episcopacy but is extended to all the
orders of the Church, including presbyters, deacons, and laity. Thus, the rite of a
bishop‘s ordination shows that the ministry of primacy is always exercised in
dialogue with fellow bishops (the synod) and the laity (ecclesial collegiality).
______________
68
Paris Coislin 213, an important eleventh-century testimony to Constantinopolitan patriarchal
liturgy, provides evidence for post-iconoclast Byzantine worship. See Miguel Arranz, L’eucologio
Costantinopolitano agli inizi del secolo xi: hagiasmateron & archieratikon (Rome: Editrice Pontifi-
cia Università Gregoriana, 1996), pp. 147–150.
69
The ordination of a bishop seems to have served as a model for other ordinations. The
―Axios!‖ acclamation seems to make its first appearance in presbyteral ordinations in Saba 362 in
Аlekseǐ Dmitrīevskiǐ, ed., Opisanīe Liturgicheskikh‖ Rukopiseǐ, vol. 2, Euchologia (Kiev: Typogra-
phia G. T. Korchak-Novitskago, 1901; repr., Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1965),
pp. 295–301.
70
BAR, no. 157.6; GBN, p. 276.
71
Bradshaw, Ordination Rites, p. 39. See the text of the canon: ―It is by all means desirable that
a bishop should be appointed by all the bishops of a province. But if this is difficult because of some
pressing necessity or the length of the journey involved, let at least three come together and perform
the ordination, but only after the absent bishops have taken part in the vote and given their written
consent. But in each province the right of confirming the proceedings belongs to the metropolitan
bishop‖ (Norman P. Tanner, ed., Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, vol. 1: Nicaea I to Lateran V
[London: Sheed & Ward; and Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990], p. 7).
72
Rome provides an exception to this practice of the early church; see Bradshaw, Ordination
Rites, p. 24.
The rite of a bishop‘s ordination emphasizes the local aspect of the Church
and trust in the collegiality of local synods. The presence of the universal
Church in the local tends to be blurred in this model, especially in the contempo-
rary context of heavily nationalized Orthodox churches throughout the world.
The absence of references to the participation of bishops from sibling Orthodox
churches in the rite of a bishop‘s ordination accentuates the local quality of ec-
clesial independence rather than interdependence with others. The interpretation
of new theological challenges absent from the issues covered in the confessions
poses an intriguing problem for the contemporary Orthodox Church. What if an
entire local synod were indeed of ―one mind‖ on a crucial issue requiring teach-
ing, in contradistinction to their sibling churches? Who has the final authority in
such a situation? For such hypothetical situations, the liturgy‘s strong accentua-
tion on the local nature of the Church reveals the glaring absence of a universal
ecclesial synod equipped to assemble and address issues of common concern,
not to mention a place for the exercise of the Petrine ministry. 73
D. Implications for Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue
The analysis of the rite of the ordination of a bishop in the Orthodox Church
illuminates the Orthodox perspective on ecclesial collegiality by demonstrating
the essential and active participation of the laity. This ecclesiological exercise
creates an intriguing point of reference for engaging Catholics in dialogue. For
Orthodox, the process of electing, examining, and ordaining new bishops must
be interpreted through the hermeneutic of the eucharist. Although episcopal
synods select candidates, all the orders of the assembly gather to receive Christ
at the eucharist, including the royal priesthood of the laity, and to participate in
the official ordination of a bishop. The entire assembly gathers to examine the
candidate as he presents his faith by proclaiming the confessions of faith. With
the assembly actively witnessing and examining, he promises his obedience to
the gospel, professes his shared ministry with his fellow bishops, and affirms his
upholding of the canons and traditions of the Church by the authority of Christ‘s
gospel. His confessions of faith in the midst of the assembly illustrate that his
teaching always draws from the deposit of the Church‘s faith and is likewise ac-
countable to the ordered assembly, which is gathered to witness his confession.
E. ―Axios!‖ and Reception by the Laity
The ordered assembly, laity included, affirms God‘s selection of the candi-
date to exercise his episcopal teaching ministry, vividly punctuated by their re-
peated acclamations of ―Axios!‖ The repeated ―Axios!‖ acclamations express
the Orthodox ecclesiological notions of primacy, synodality, and collegiality.
―Axios!‖ does not constitute the laity‘s vote; rather, it is an acclamation repeated
several times by each order of the Church in response to the primacy of God‘s
______________
73
On this topic, see Zizioulas, ―Primacy in the Church,‖ pp. 122–125; and DeVille, Orthodoxy
and the Roman Papacy, pp. 150–160.
initiative in selecting the candidate for ordination to ministry. 74 The bishops

proclaim ―Axios!‖ as a liturgical expression of their synodality, and the laity ex-
claim ―Axios!‖ as their reception of a candidate‘s ordination to episcopal minis-
try.
The ecclesiological implications of the ―Axios!‖ acclamation are broad. The
acclamation anticipates and echoes the dialogical nature of ecclesial ministry on
both the vertical and the horizontal dimensions. The participation of clergy and
laity in exclaiming ―Axios!‖ assumes their active reception of divine activity in
the Church (vertical) and demands their cooperation in the exercise of Church
ministry (horizontal). One can apply the churchwide acclamation of ―Axios!‖ to
the process of selecting candidates.75 For Orthodox, this is a reminder that the
laity should partner with the bishops in discerning God‘s will for selecting and
calling candidates to ordained ministry at the beginning of the process, not wait-
ing until it is completed. We also suggest that Orthodox should apply this litur-
gical model of co-ministry to related aspects of Church ministry, including
teaching, canonical discipline, and administration of pastoral initiatives. For the
purposes of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, the ―Axios!‖ acclamation resembles
the Catholic notion of the sensus fidei, a strong consensus among the whole
body of the Church, clergy and laity, on issues of faith and morals. 76 The Ortho-
dox ecclesiological model of dialogical reciprocity revealed by the rite of a bi-
shop‘s ordination could facilitate constructive ecumenical dialogue on the dy-
namics of the laity‘s participation in and contribution to important matters of
faith and morals.
The rite of a bishop‘s ordination clearly demonstrates the necessary contri-
bution of the laity to the bishop‘s election and subsequent ministry in the
Church. Just as the laity actively participate in his ordination by affirming him
and witnessing to his stewardship over the faith, the liturgical theology of the
rite implies their co-ministry with him in expressing, clarifying, and developing
the Church‘s faith, especially when circumstances emerge that require response.
Church teaching is inseparable from the altar, and, if the eucharist is the source
______________
74
The assembly‘s agreement is expressed by the ―Amen!‖ it exclaims at the conclusion of the
prayers of ordination.
75
Occasionally, people in the assembly exclaim ―Anaxios!‖ (―He is not worthy!‖) at ordina-
tions. Presumably, when this happens, the ordination should not proceed, and this possibility ele-
vates the urgency of including the entire Church in the process of discerning the selection and calling
of candidates for ordained ministry.
76
―The holy people of God shares also in Christ‘s prophetic office; it spreads abroad a living
witness to Him, especially by means of a life of faith and charity and by offering to God a sacrifice
of praise, the tribute of lips which give praise to His name. The entire body of the faithful, anointed
as they are by the Holy One, cannot err in matters of belief. They manifest this special property by
means of the whole peoples‘ supernatural discernment in matters of faith when ‗from the Bishops
down to the last of the lay faithful‘ they show universal agreement in matters of faith and morals.
That discernment in matters of faith is aroused and sustained by the Spirit of truth. It is exercised
under the guidance of the sacred teaching authority, in faithful and respectful obedience to which the
people of God accepts that which is not just the word of men but truly the word of God. Through it,
the people of God adheres unwaveringly to the faith given once and for all to the saints, penetrates it
more deeply with right thinking, and applies it more fully in its life‖ (Lumen gentium, no. 12; availa-
ble at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_1964
1121_lumen-gentium_en.html).
of Church teaching, as I argue here, then each order of the assembly must al-
ways participate in its articulation.
The Orthodox inclusion of the laity in collegiality occurs in select aspects of
Catholic magisterial teaching. Lumen gentium expresses the sacramental insepa-
rability of ministerial and royal priesthoods, and the laity are called to cooperate
with priests and bishops in Apostolicam actuositatem, the Second Vatican
Council‘s teaching on the lay apostolate.77 Orthodox ecclesiology more firmly
roots the teaching ministry in the eucharist as its primary source, and the reci-
procity of charisms exercised by the constituents of all the orders who assemble
at the eucharist is a uniquely Orthodox notion of testing teaching that could be
useful for Catholics as they address pastoral issues in the Church.
However, the Orthodox adherence to synodal interdependence cannot guar-
antee ecclesial unity. Among Orthodox ecclesiologists, only Kallistos Ware has
consistently identified the primacy of Christ and the gospel as the highest au-
thorities in clarifying faith, and the rite of a bishop‘s ordination confirms this
acknowledgement of divine primacy. Zizioulas assigned the ministry of exercis-
ing Christ‘s primacy to the bishop, with specific bishops maintaining commu-
nion at various levels of the Church. This analysis has established the necessary
participation of the ―many,‖ the laity; both the rite of ordination and the theolog-
ical traditions of East and West establish the necessary co-ministry of the laity
with the bishop and synods of bishops. The work of clarification and subsequent
reception belongs to Christ‘s body, clergy and laity, but there is no consensus
within Orthodoxy on who has the final authority to issue teachings on faith and
morals.
Orthodox tend to emphasize the pneumatic quality of ecclesiology, where
the Spirit constitutes the Church, and Catholics have recovered this theological
dimension in Lumen gentium.78 In practice, Orthodox point to an ecumenical
council or the highest-ranking bishop on a local synod as the final authority, but
the recent failure of Orthodox to agree on who has the authority to confer a To-
______________
77
―Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in degree, the common priest-
hood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated: each
of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial
priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teaches and rules the priestly people; acting in the person of
Christ, he makes present the Eucharistic sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people.
But the faithful, in virtue of their royal priesthood, join in the offering of the Eucharist‖ (Lumen gen-
tium, no. 10). ―The laity should accustom themselves to working in the parish in union with their
priests, bringing to the Church community their own and the world‘s problems as well as questions
concerning human salvation, all of which they should examine and resolve by deliberating in com-
mon. As far as possible the laity ought to provide helpful collaboration for every apostolic and mis-
sionary undertaking sponsored by their local parish. They should develop an ever-increasing apprec-
iation of their own diocese, of which the parish is a kind of cell, ever ready at their pastor‘s invita-
tion to participate in diocesan projects. Indeed, to fulfill the needs of cities and rural areas, they
should not limit their cooperation to the parochial or diocesan boundaries but strive to extend it to
interparochial, interdiocesan, national, and international fields‖ (Apostolicam actuositatem, no. 10;
available at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree
_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html.
78
See note 76, above. On the Orthodox notion of pneumatology‘s constituting the Church, see
Zizioulas, Being as Communion, pp. 130–139.
mos of autocephaly to a local Church illustrates a deficiency in the Orthodox

authoritative mechanisms.79 Certainly, historical circumstances provided ob-
stacles to legitimate and free Orthodox gatherings in contemporary contexts of
suppression and persecution, but Orthodox have been unable to convoke an
ecumenical council due to a lack of consensus. In the spirit of dialogue, Ortho-
dox could likewise benefit from further engagement with Catholics on the Ro-
man exercise of the Petrine ministry in attending to the episcopal college and its
unity by identifying a leader who acts decisively to address crises of faith and
morals.
An essential first step for Orthodox is to address creatively the serious fis-
sure between the inclusive ecclesiology revealed by the liturgical theology de-
veloped above and the pastoral reality that reserves almost all serious delibera-
tion for bishops. The creation of such an ecclesiological bridge, where the litur-
gical theology would actually shape practice, must begin with the liturgy itself.
Given the implications of the laity‘s reception of newly ordained bishops, par-
ticularly through the ritual moments of the Confessions of Faith, the eucharistic
context, and in the ―Axios!‖ acclamation, more concrete steps should be added
to the process of vetting and electing candidates for the episcopacy to ensure
that lay participation occurs in each step of the process. Laity and parish clergy
should be allowed to nominate candidates for episcopal vacancies before the
vetting process begins, so that their preferred candidates would be considered
alongside those selected by synods of bishops. The laity should be allowed to
participate actively in the vetting process, which could include video interviews
and town hall meetings.80 Last, lay representatives of a diocese should partici-
pate in an initial election that includes an option for ―willingness to elect.‖ In
instances where the Church clearly expresses rejection of a proposed candidate,
that candidate‘s name will be removed from the ballot. Such steps would require
additional modifying and polishing, and this example is presented as an initial
model wherein the laity‘s organic theological contribution to a bishop‘s ordina-
tion shapes the entire process, beginning with election.
A second equally important and parallel step must occur at the level of
Church pastoral ministry, where structures are created that invite laity to contri-
bute to the Church‘s ministries of teaching and clarifying faith and morals. In
their own versions of aggiornamento, some Orthodox churches have modified
their structures to include a much broader representation of contributions from
people in the Church. One example of such an arrangement is the presence and
role of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America. 81 The
Metropolitan Council composition includes clerical and lay representatives from
each Church diocese, who consult the synod of bishops and execute many of the
Church‘s business affairs. The participation of priest and lay delegates in Church
______________
79
See ―Meeting of the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission in Chambésy Adjourns on Sat-
urday‖ (February 26, 2011), at http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/44994.htm.
80
The Orthodox Church in America has posted video interviews and parish meeting with nomi-
nees for episcopal vacancies in recent years.
81
See ―Metropolitan Council,‖ at the Orthodox Church in America Web site, http://oca.org/
about/metropolitan-council.
ministry employs the Orthodox principle of conciliarity envisioned by the Mos-

cow Sobor of 1917–18, which was unable to conclude its business due to the
Bolshevik Revolution.82 The Orthodox Churches would create their own ver-
sions of such conciliar structures that facilitate lay inclusion in participation in
every aspect of Church governance. Such governance would not be limited to
financial issues but would allow the laity to engage bishops in meaningful con-
versation about crucial issues of faith and morals that impact Christianity today.
This initial proposal calling for the creation of such structures is designed to
bridge the current fissure between liturgical theology and pastoral practice. In
the new systems, the laity would have the capacity truly to function as the col-
leagues of the bishops. Furthermore, the creation and authentic operation of such
structures would illuminate the laity‘s existing prominent role of concelebration
and collegiality in the liturgy itself.
The final step of this initial process would be for Orthodox to overcome
their most formidable initial obstacle by convening an ecumenical Orthodox
synod of all bishops to discuss longstanding issues impacting Orthodoxy, in-
cluding the calendar, the meaning and granting of autocephaly, the Church, poli-
tics and culture, and Orthodoxy‘s future in ecumenical dialogues. The initial
synod of all bishops would approve of an annual ecumenical synod of Orthodox
primates. Local churches would take turns hosting the synod on a rotating sche-
dule, with the possibility of participating via videoconferencing in extenuating
circumstances. Each annual Orthodox synod would include several agenda items
submitted by the laity through the local Church councils to ensure that the issues
raised by laity are heard. An implementation of this model process or some va-
riant would capacitate the creation of a bridge so that the liturgical theology ex-
pressed by the rite of a bishop‘s ordination would begin to be experienced in
practice. In other words, the collegiality of the laity inherent in the Church‘s
rites of eucharist and ordination would be manifest in its pastoral ministry and
administration. It would also illuminate a potentially reciprocal consequence,
such that one‘s experience of active contribution to and participation in every
aspect in the life of the Church would prepare one to recognize the meaning and
implications of affirming a bishop at his consecration by liturgical rituals such as
the ―Axios!‖ acclamation.
After the initiation and refinement of this layered process, Orthodox might
then be prepared to enter the ecumenical arena with consensus by considering
DeVille‘s call for the establishment of a Roman patriarchate and articulation of
the exercise of the papacy as the chairperson of an ecumenical synod effectively,
which coheres with the Orthodox preference for local autonomy and synodali-
______________
82
For a comprehensive presentation of the Moscow Council, see Hyacinthe Destivelle, Le con-
cile de Moscou: 1917–1918—la création des institutions conciliaires de l'église orthodoxe russe,
foreword by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), preface by Hevré Legrand (Paris: Cerf, 2006; E.T.:
The Moscow Council (1917–1918): The Creation of the Conciliar Institutions of the Russian Ortho-
dox Church, foreword by Metropolitan Hilarion [Alfeyev], preface by Hevré Legrand, tr. Jerry Ryan,
ed. Michael Plekon and Vitaly Permiakov [Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, forth-
coming]). Also see Paul Valliere, Conciliarism: A History of Decision-Making in the Church (Cam-
bridge, U.K., and New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012).
ty.83 An essential component of such a dialogue is an analysis of how the Petrine

ministry would engage a new definition of collegiality that now includes the ne-
cessary contribution of the laity.
Last, it would be helpful in such dialogues to acknowledge that Orthodox
have not defined categories of authority in the same manner or employing the
same nomenclature as Catholics have. Orthodox often use multiple terms that
can be synonymous, and, while they typically refer to ecumenical councils as
expressing and preserving the deposit of apostolic faith, they do not define vari-
ous levels of magisterium. Thus, one cannot rigidly interpret Orthodox state-
ments on authority without acknowledging the fissure between Orthodox and
Catholics in employing a structured vocabulary that defines ecclesial teaching.
Constructive dialogue on developing a common vocabulary on primacy, syn-
odality, and collegiality for Orthodox and Catholics could prove fruitful for ad-
vancing toward agreement on ecclesial authority in the two churches.
III. Conclusion
This essay began by reviewing the need for an Orthodox response to John
Paul II‘s invitation in Ut unum sint to join him in ascertaining how the Petrine
ministry can work toward the unification of the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
My intention is to offer conclusions and suggestions that are the product of an
honest self-analysis of Orthodox ecclesiology rooted in the rite of a bishop‘s or-
dination at the eucharist. My hope is that this look within the Orthodox tradition
might contribute to renewed dialogue with Catholics interested in looking dee-
per within their own tradition to understand better its articulation of primacy,
synodality, collegiality, and reception by the laity. This analysis offers an eccle-
siology of dialogical ministry shared by all the orders of the Church by affirm-
ing the venerable traditions of divine primacy and episcopal synodality and by
calling for serious consideration of increased and active lay participation in col-
legial ministry.
For Orthodox, the rite of a bishop‘s ordination reveals a core ecclesiological
model rooted in the eucharistic assembly that illustrates the leadership of bi-
shops in dialogue with the laity. The rite of the ordination of a bishop is a prima-
ry source for interpreting the Orthodox notions of primacy, synodality, and col-
legiality, because candidates for the office of bishop have their faith examined in
the presence and context of the eucharistic assembly. The bishop receives the
authority to teach from Christ (through the Gospel book) and through the Holy
Spirit (the epicletic prayers), with everything confirmed by the assembly. Thus,
the rite of the ordination of a bishop shows that the newly ordained bishop‘s
ministry, including his teaching, is inseparable from the assembly, and also from
his ministry as presider at the eucharistic liturgy. The exchange between bishop
______________
83
On a Roman patriarchate and on the specific role of the pope in the new situation, ostensibly
acceptable to Orthodox, see DeVille, Orthodoxy and the Roman Papacy, pp. 47–77 and 147–160,
respectively.
and assembly is dialogical, a representation of the laity‘s essential contribution

to ecclesial collegiality.
This analysis suggests that one can apply this model to several layers of
Church teaching and administration and that Orthodox and Catholics can mu-
tually benefit from a dialogue on how they might apply the model to address
significant pastoral issues. The analysis also suggests that the exercise of the Pe-
trine ministry by the bishop of Rome can be enriched by a refreshed considera-
tion of an Orthodox notion of collegiality, which includes the autonomy of local
synods of bishops and is extended to include the active contribution of the laity.
An examination of Catholic tradition will yield a magisterial view of the laity as
the eucharist‘s concelebrant; bishops will only benefit by consistently consulting
with the laity in addressing issues and implementing pastoral initiatives. I call
for the modification of the process of electing bishops to allow for more vigor-
ous lay participation, so that the liturgical theology of the rite of ordaining bi-
shops would shape the entire process of election and ordination. Furthermore, I
call for the creation of new local and ecumenical Orthodox structures that would
facilitate lay contributions to episcopal deliberation on issues of faith and morals
in the spirit of collegiality. I suggest that an increase in such internal communi-
cation of all orders within the Orthodox Church could result in increased con-
sensus on crucial issues confronting the Orthodox churches, thus preparing them
for more meaningful ecumenical dialogue.
My presentation of this model comes during a period of serious tensions be-
tween laity and the hierarchy of both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The
so-called ―liturgy wars‖ in the Catholic Church came to a head with the inevita-
ble implementation of the third edition of the Roman Missal in English-speaking
countries on the first Sunday of Advent in 2011. These tensions exist not only
between laity and hierarchy; diocesan bishops have also expressed angst, as they
found little room to contribute to the formative process resulting in what appears
to be an imposition, not implementation, of the revised Missal. Orthodoxy in
America has suffered from similar tensions, especially the Orthodox Church in
America, which has endured hierarchical abuse of authority, a lack of transpa-
rency, and a crisis in authority—manifested in similar tensions between the hie-
rarchy and laity and also among the hierarchy. In truth, these crises are but in-
stances of recurring flare-ups in exercising ecclesiastical authority in both
churches. Indeed, both Catholics and Orthodox continue to struggle to retrieve
an ecclesiological model that meets their respective needs.
My hypothesis is that the exercise of ecclesiological primacy requires the
kind of dialogical reciprocity that occurs on synods and between clergy and lai-
ty, as manifested by the Orthodox rite of the ordination of a bishop at the eu-
charist. The liturgical theology of this ordination rite has the capacity to change
significantly the dynamics of Church authority if the principles of the liturgical
model are applied in practice. Theological models are potent when accompanied
by mechanisms that facilitate each component of the model to permeate the
lived experience of Church participants. In the absence of such mechanisms,
there are significant fissures between theory and practice, and it is evident that a
mechanism allowing the ecclesiology of this liturgical model to shape the exer-
cise of authority in practice is currently sorely lacking in both the Catholic and
Orthodox churches. The consequences of this fissure are manifold, and none are
more profoundly negative than the apathy and anger steadily growing among
many laity and some clergy of both churches.
While this essay has employed the Orthodox rite of a bishop‘s ordination as
the primary source for retrieving the ecclesiology that I assert belongs to both
Orthodoxy and Catholicism, both traditions could learn something from con-
temporary Catholic magisterial teaching. Given the primacy that Vatican II gave
to liturgy as the source and summit of the Catholic Church‘s life in Sacrosanc-
tum concilium, both churches should use their shared value of the primacy of
liturgical theology as the catalyst to create a mechanism that holds both tradi-
tions accountable to their ecclesiological tenets revealed by the liturgy. When
diocesan bishops, presbyters, deacons, and laity find themselves welcome as di-
alogue partners at every level of church life, their active presence at Christ‘s ta-
ble will have been manifested as an extension in the lived experience of the
church, and only then will both church traditions benefit from the potential of
this liturgical model.
______________
Nicholas E. Denysenko (Orthodox Church of America) has been director of the Huffington Ecumen-
ical Institute at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, since 2011, and an assistant professor
of theological studies at the University since 2010. He previously taught in the Catholic University
of America‘s School of Theology and Religious Studies (2009, 2010) and at George Washington
University‘s Religion Department (2007–09)—both in Washington, DC; as well as at Holy Cross
Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA, summers of 2009 and 2010. He holds a B.S. in
Business (marketing) from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, Min-
neapolis; an M.Div. from St. Vladimir‘s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, NY; and a
Ph.D. (2008) in liturgical studies and sacramental theology from Catholic. His Chrismation: A Pri-
mer for Western Christians is expected from Liturgical Press in 2014. He has published The Blessing
of Waters and Epiphany: The Eastern Liturgical Tradition (Ashgate, 2012), as well as a dozen ar-
ticles and several reviews in such journals as Studia Liturgica, Logos: A Journal of Eastern Chris-
tian Studies, St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, and Worship, with several more articles forth-
coming. He has made presentations at numerous professional meetings, conferences, and congrega-
tions. The Huffington Ecumenical Institute has received major grants from the Henry Luce Founda-
tion and the Virginia Farah Foundation for ecumenical dialogue between Roman Catholic and Or-
thodox Churches. Denysenko was ordained a deacon of the Orthodox Church of America in 2003
and served as a consultant for the Dept. of Liturgical Music and Translations of the Orthodox
Church in America in 2005. He has been a soloist and contracted singer for the Russian Chamber
Chorus of New York, 1999–2000, and previously sang with the Minnesota Chorale and directed the
Minnesota Eastern Orthodox Clergy Association Choir (1993–97, 2000–01). He also served as direc-
tor of music (2000–01) and adult education leader (2000–02) for Christ the Savior Orthodox Mission
in Anoka, MN.

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Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 48:1, Winter 2013

PRIMACY, SYNODALITY, AND COLLEGIALITY IN

Several Orthodox theologians have attempted to articulate how Orthodox

Afanasiev‘s summary on the laity‘s role in receiving teaching upholds the

ceived at Chrismation.17 The Church as the assembly of believers possesses the

A fundamental function of this ―one bishop‖ was to express in himself

Like Ware‘s and Afanasiev‘s, Zizioulas‘s eucharistic ecclesiology is based on

D. Toward a Model of Ecclesial Authority: Ordination in the Eucharistic As-

The Orthodox notion of eucharistic ecclesiology summarized above is cohe-

II. The Liturgical Process of Ordaining Bishops

On the evening prior to ordination at a eucharistic liturgy, the naming and

Table 1. Order of Rite

Morning at Eucharistic Liturgy

A. The Confessions of Faith

Newly elected bishops often demonstrated their orthodoxy to their brother

B. Theological Analysis of Bishop‘s Confessions of Faith

At first glance, the bishop-elect‘s contemporary liturgical recitation of the

C. The Ordination Rites

D. Implications for Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue

E. ―Axios!‖ and Reception by the Laity

initiative in selecting the candidate for ordination to ministry. 74 The bishops

mos of autocephaly to a local Church illustrates a deficiency in the Orthodox

ministry employs the Orthodox principle of conciliarity envisioned by the Mos-

ty.83 An essential component of such a dialogue is an analysis of how the Petrine

and assembly is dialogical, a representation of the laity‘s essential contribution

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