Resolutions in relation to the Recent Granting of an Eparchial Synod for the Church in Australia

The Faculty of St Andrew’s Unanimously Passed Three Resolutions in relation to the Recent Granting of an Eparchial Synod for the Church in Australia.

At their Academic Board meeting today—Thursday 14^th March, 2024—the Faculty of St Andrew’s unanimously passed three resolutions which expressed their unqualified gratitude to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for his commendation to the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which adopted a decision to grant the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia a Holy Eparchial Synod by which it will henceforth be governed. The Faculty recognised the significance of this event for the Church to the extent that the synodal mode of the Church’s existence has been the means by which the integrity and identity of the Church has been upheld throughout the centuries; indeed from early Apostolic times (cf. Acts 15). The Faculty also expressed their anticipation in welcoming His All-Holiness to the Theological College and receiving his Patriarchal blessing. The resolutions also expressed their profound indebtedness to the College’s President and Dean, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios who played a leading role in the drafting of the new Constitution of the Archdiocese, in which the Eparchial Synod is centrally embedded, confident that the Church’s advancement in the second centenary of her history will have been built on the most solid foundations “strengthened on adamantine pillars with “Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone” (Eph 2:20) surrounded by His apostles and their successors, as She continues Her mission in the furtherance of our Lord’s kingdom for generations to come.”

The text of the three resolutions can be read in full below:

Resolutions:

In light of the Dean’s Address at today’s Academic Board, the Faculty passed I would like to pass the following three resolutions:

Resolution ONE

That the Faculty extend their wholehearted gratitude to His All-Holiness for his positive commendation of the new Constitution of the Holy Archdiocese before the Holy and Sacred Synod which saw its in principle approval by the Synodal members. The Faculty await with eager expectation the visit of His All-Holiness to Australia and look forward to welcoming him to our Theological College and receiving his Patriarchal blessing. 

Resolution TWO

That the Faculty acknowledges that the institution of an Eparchial Synod for the Church in Australia is of monumental significance as synodality constitutes a foundational ecclesiological principle—finding precedent in Acts 15—by which the identity and integrity of the Church throughout the centuries is maintained.

Resolution THREE

That the Faculty also takes this opportunity in this formal setting to express its unqualified gratitude to His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia for his steadfast commitment to institute a synodal system of governance for the local Church in Australia. Moreover, consciously aware of the endless hours expended in the drafting of the new Constitution of our Archdiocese, the prudent counsel sought from experts from all around the world—so as to ensure its fidelity with the dogmatic and canonical traditions of the Church—the Faculty feel a profound sense of indebtedness and gratitude knowing that the following chapter of the Church’s history in Australia—which is before us—will see the foundations of the Church strengthened on adamantine pillars with “Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone” (Eph 2:20) surrounded by His apostles and their successors, as She continues Her mission in the furtherance of our Lord’s kingdom for generations to come.