Politics, Church, and Church Politics

Today was the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils. While last week we heard a lovely sermon about prayer, this week the sermon was about church politics (including a whole bunch of scandals that I knew very little about, since I tend to go to church for the prayer). I asked Alexander, a priest's son who is in the choir, what that was all about, and he said that the priest giving the sermon was campaigning; he wants to be a bishop. Our Assistant Pastor and our Dean weren't present (though the Dean's wife was); I'm pretty sure they would not have liked it.

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Being a nice Orthodox girl, I firmly believe that politics has no place in a church service - and that includes Church politics. If one is compelled to speak of Church politics (as occasionally happens), one speaks of them during the announcements - certainly not during the sermon, which should give the Faithful (that's us) something to meditate upon during the week, or some kind of spiritual food.

I once had a priest who had been asked repeatedly to be a bishop and did not want to. He was a wonderful man and gave exceptional sermons. Given a choice, I'd rather have him as a bishop than someone who goes campaigning for it - particularly during Liturgy.

Thank you all for allowing me to vent.