Lazar Puhalo & the Orthodox Church in America

[MikeDunphy]

Is anybody here familiar with Archbishop Lazar Puhalo or the “Orthodox Church in America”?

I just heard part of an interview on our local public radio station, where Abp. Lazar seemed to mock belief in hell as belief in a torture chamber where God throws anyone who violates one of His “fetishes” (his word).

He also seemed quite annoyed with people who call prostitution immoral and eager to label them hypocrites.

The whole interview is here. I only heard a few minutes towards the end, so maybe I misunderstood, but he did not strike me as the most orthodox of Orthodox, and I wonder how he became an archbishop.

I would like to hear what those more familiar with the archbishop have to say about him.

Also, am I correct in believing that the OCA is generally accepted by the Orthodox as an Orthodox organization?

 

[brigantine]

Is anybody here familiar with Archbishop Lazar Puhalo or the “Orthodox Church in America”?

I just heard part of an interview on our local public radio station, where Abp. Lazar seemed to mock belief in hell as belief in a torture chamber where God throws anyone who violates one of His “fetishes” (his word).

He also seemed quite annoyed with people who call prostitution immoral and eager to label them hypocrites.

The whole interview is here. I only heard a few minutes towards the end, so maybe I misunderstood, but he did not strike me as the most orthodox of Orthodox, and I wonder how he became an archbishop.

I would like to hear what those more familiar with the archbishop have to say about him.

Also, am I correct in believing that the OCA is generally accepted by the Orthodox as an Orthodox organization?

I want to start this off by saying I did not listen to the interview. That being said Archbishop Lazar Puhalo is a very controversial figure and is sure to cause big time debates on Orthodox forums. He has been around many different jurisdictions and was was reprimanded by ROCOR sometime back. He left them and floated around some and was taken in by the OCA as a retired Bishop. I think this was because at the time the OCA and ROCOR were not getting along and were doing things to tweak each other. The OCA is an official Orthodox Church although some don’t believe its independent and think its still part of the Russian Church.

 

[bpbasilphx]

It’s significant that he was received into the OCA by Oikonomia, and was NOT given jurisdiction of a diocese.

I respect him as a bishop, but I also don’t listen to him.

As far as ANYTHING regarding the Church on NPR or any of the popular media, they will never get thigns right. Consider the source.

 

[brigantine]

It’s significant that he was received into the OCA by Oikonomia, and was NOT given jurisdiction of a diocese.

This is very true! If anyone wants they can go here oca.org/HSindex.html and see he is listed under the Retired Bishops.

I respect him as a bishop, but I also don’t listen to him.

I traded some emails with him some years ago and he is a very nice person. I do not subscribe to some of his views though.

 

[MikeDunphy]

Thank you all for the kindness of your replies. I have a clearer idea now of how Abp. Puhalo is regarded.

 

[Volodymyr]

Lazar Puhalo *Лазарь Пухало"

He was bishop since 28 sept 1990.

At a meeting of the Synod of Avtokefalni Orthodox Church in America in 2002 at St Tikhon Seminary, a decision was taken to receive bishop Lazar’ Pukhalo, who was consecrated in the independent Kyivan Patriarchat church. He was taken by OCA as a “clergyman in retirement”. Before his transfer to the Kyivan patriarchate, Lazar’ was a clergy of the Russian Orthodox church abroad.where he was made famous by a series of scandals and escoteric theological teachings.

 

[Hesychios]

I think that perhaps the idea was to bring a potential vagante out of circulation. That should be a major goal of all Apostolic churches, to regather the flock.

 

[SingleMomMonica]

Thank you all for the kindness of your replies. I have a clearer idea now of how Abp. Puhalo is regarded.

Orthodoxy is not found in one man, but in the Church entire.

It poses no problem for Orthodox if a priest or Bishop (including a Patriarch) does not hold Orthodoxy. It was happened in the past and is sure to occur in the future.

Orthodoxy is preserved regardless as promised by Jesus through the Holy Spirit.