So, I believe that when the time is right (according to God's will), Ukraine will have her own canonical Orthodox Church.
I've said it before, I prefer Ukrainian to any other church. However, I prefer to be a member of the Church, rather than a member of a church.
God first, nation second.
Is the "club" (canonical versus uncanonical), then, any different from the nation? Especially given the traditional symbiotic relationship between European churches and the monarchies in the countries they operated? Do you need to be "canonical" and be an accepted member of the "club" so long as you are following the tenets of the faith? Especially when considering all of the wrongs committed in the name of that "club"? I'm willing to bet God doesn't care so long as your intentions are pure.
As to your "Michigan" example, it is not applicable here as there is not a distinct people/identity from the state of Michigan. There is a distinction between Ukrainian and Russian, Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian, among others. And the problem with the Macedonian Orthodox Chruch is that Macedonians were only forced to become part of the Serbian Chruch only after their incorporation with the Serbian state in 1913. So, in a way Macedonians are trying to get away from the "Michigan" church they were forced into.
I post the following passage not to stir up passions, or for political reasons, but for everybody to see that there are two sides to every story. One person's "schism", is another person's not wanting to be subject to overlords they don't particularly want or trust. I can only speak as to Macedonia, but I'm sure there was similar disputes between the Ukrainians and the Russians ..... but maybe they didn't rise to this level of violence.
Bishop Germanos Karavangelis
The Devil's Disciple
The leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church were the most crazed supporters of the Greek state's plan to eliminate the Bulgarian element from Macedonia. This allegiance to a program of human genocide is typified by the actions of the Metropolitan Bishop Germanos Karavangelis.
Information on Karavangelis's psychotic behaviour is available directly from his very own autobiography "Pinelopa Delta", published in 1959 by the Salonica Institute for Studies. In that work we note the following (and many more) admissions and comments by Karavangelis
He was the first and most fervent champion of the emergence of the andarts' (Greek cut-throats, murderers etc) movement in Macedonia.
For seven years (1900-1907), as Metropolitan Bishop of Kostur, he maintained the slogan "let no Bulgarian remain alive".
Together with Vardas, a Greek army officer, he inspired and helped organise the massacres at Zeleniche (Lerin) and Zagorichane (Kostur). Massacres which shocked the international community by the level of depravity and sadism which occurred.
Karavangelis regularly used assassins to eliminate people he had pre-selected. These killers were paid 5 pounds by Karavangelis, on delivery of the person's severed head. So proud was Karavangelis of his actions, that he had one of these "trophies" photographed and displayed in his office. (This was confirmed by a British author whose name escapes me at this time).
As the level of andart activity increased, he writes in his autobiography
"I kept regular contact with them through the consulate in Bitola and the Metropolitan bishops. I personally met them and instructed them to kill all priests and Bulgarian teachers."It is surprising that the Greek Church has not sought to canonise Karavangelis for his unswerving duty to God and country. But then perhaps they already have.=============================
I know there is probably another narrative and/or this narrative might have been exaggerated, but let's for a moment accept that there are people who believe the preceeding narrative.
-Do they allow the Patriarchate to be their overlord? No way.
-Do they allow the Serbians to be their overlords? Different language, different people. Probably not enough historical affinity to make it stick. Most importantly, Macedonians were never part of the Serbian church until 1913! The Serbian church was, for practical purposes, imposed upon them at that time. I don't want to overstate this, as some people did have an affinity for the Serbian church as a lesser of evils, but THE OVERWHELMINING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SUPPORTED RESTORATION OF THE OHRID ARCHBISHOPRHIC.
-Do they allow the Exarchate to be their overlord? Similar language, but also a lot of bad blood between Macedonians from what the Bulgarians did during their WWII occupation that hasn't been forgotten.
None of these are acceptable options. So you are telling me God doesn't accept the Macedonian Church because it isn't part of this "club"?
And please remember, with regard to the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the church declared autonomy from the Serbian Church in 1957, JUST 44 YEARS AFTER BEING FORCED INTO THE SERBIAN CHURCH IN 1913 FOLLOWING THE BALKAN WARS.
In other words, Macedonians have only a 44-year history of being under the Serbian Orthodox Church (not by their own choosing) yet the "club" uses this as a basis to deny membership?
Do you now see what the problem is with denying people what they want. Monarchies and even Communism cannot operate without consensus. One person or a small group cannot rule by fiat unless they have the people on their side.
