The More Things Change...

...The more they stay the same! - Jeremy Reynalds writes: "HEAD OF ERITREAN ORTHODOX CHURCH "FROZEN" FROM HIS POST" for the American Daily One of the Church's oldest conflicts was the authority of Clergy and Laity within their spheres. Reasonable commentators like to consider the Church lording it over secular leaders. Foolish observers of history, however, note that often the hierarchies of the state--kings and emperors--usurped the Pope and Bishops perogatives over the Church. King Philip IV of France even abducted a Pope in order to extract concessions from the Church for his country!

Mr. Reynalds story shows that secular governments still have an unhealthy interest in governing Churches. The African country of Eritrea has muscled the religious organizations and Churches within the country. The government's latest move is to silence the Patriarch of the Orthodox Eritrean Church. He has been "frozen":

Human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (www.csw.org.uk) reported in a news release that according to Asmarino.com, the "freezing" of individuals who fall out of favor with the government is prevalent in Eritrea and is primarily undertaken as an act of humiliation.

Article 32 of the constitution of the Orthodox Church, CSW reported, states that its administrative body, the Holy Synod, is meant to function under the chairmanship of the Patriarch who is the chief administrator of the church.

However, it appears, CSW wrote, that Patriarch Antonios will now be confined to a ceremonial role only and no longer be allowed any input into the day-to-day running of the Patriarchate. Contrary to the church's constitution, administrative authority may now be in the hands of Yoftahe Dimetros, a government-appointed lay person.

In May 2002, CSW wrote, the government of Eritrea ordered the closure of all Christian denominations except Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Lutheranism, and ended all other religious practices apart from Islam. However, members of government-sanctioned churches have also experienced repression, and the "freezing" of the Patriarch is the latest indication of increasing government intervention in the internal affairs of Eritrea's largest church.

Since his ordination in April 2004, CSW reported that Patriarch Antonios is said to have become increasingly critical of the government's continual interventions into church matters.

The government won't mind its business. A Churchman objects. The government infringes the freedom of said Churchman to exercise authority within his own Church.

In spite of the Reasonable mouth-foamers paranoia of theocracies, people have more to fear from a secular government that has decided religion is fair game for regulation. At least in Eritrea.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.