One of these days, it is said, at least eight of the diverse American churches with ties to the ancient patriarchs of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem – but do not accept the authority of the Pope – will form one single Orthodox Christian church.
The biggest obstacles are resistance to the idea by “old land” patriarchs who fear a loss of prestige, income and turf – and fears by some Orthodox bishops, and laity, that a merger might weaken their ethnic identity and links with the past.
Metropolitan Philip, primate of the Antiochian church, reminded like-minded bishops of their goal. “Our dream for a united Orthodoxy in America,” he said, “will never fade away.”
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