The Orthodox Leader

Archive for the ‘Administrative’ Category

Policy Change

without comments

A new discipline for me has me blogging once again.

Note also, though, that the site policy is changing. Posting under pseudonyms is allowed. Comments will be moderated to weed out any slanders or similar inappropriate material.

Written by Fr Basil Biberdorf

June 17th, 2013 at 9:15 am

Possible Site Outage

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I’m transferring the orthodoxleader.com domain to a new registrar today, in opposition to the various Internet blacklist bills (including the Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA) being pushed in the U.S. legislature. This should be a fairly easy transition, but there may be a brief period of time when the blog is not reachable. Your patience is appreciated.

Written by Fr Basil Biberdorf

December 29th, 2011 at 11:49 am

Posted in Administrative

Leadership is not Anonymous

with 2 comments

This site has an important policy for those who want to participate actively in the discussion: full names are required. Yes, you should be able to be identified when you post here. No, this is not a universal blogging practice. So why do I insist?

Quite simply, it’s required because we need to move forward, to make things better here in the Church in North America.  Postings made in the spirit of this site can be quite critical (even harsh) but may not descend into ad hominem attacks, gossip, or libel. The use of real full names is intended to foster a profitable discussion, built upon Christians entering into thoughtful, responsible dialogue. Full, real names encourage that. I don’t think anyone is at serious risk of retribution for participating here under those terms.

If there is a serious risk, then contributors can use the contact form to communicate with me privately (and confidentially). Of course, one could also choose to be a confessor—taking a principled public stand in the face of possible punishment. There’s plenty of Christian precedent for that.

So, if you submit a public comment to this site, kindly use your real name.

Written by Fr Basil Biberdorf

January 19th, 2010 at 12:11 pm

Posted in Ground rules

A (Surprised) Welcome

with 4 comments

Welcome to all those visiting from AOI and any other blogs that picked up the Eli’s Road post below. I wasn’t intending this site to be live just yet, but, like so many things, we’ll roll with it as it happens. Just ignore the unpainted wall and bare concrete floor, please. I’ll get it done as time allows.

Since there was some question about who I am, my name is Basil Biberdorf as noted on the About page. I am the assistant rector at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (OCA) in State College, PA. My aim is not to cause a big splash. Rather, I want to talk about fundamental issues of leadership in the Orthodox Church. If a frank discussion of these topics is enough to raise the ire of Church leaders, then we have serious difficulties indeed. Most of the issues to be taken up here will not be all that explosive (I hope!).

I want all of you who have an interest in leadership issues to participate. It’s a discussion, after all, not a monologue. (Please do use real names, though. If your point is libelous, it shouldn’t be made at all. If it’s sensitive, we can discuss it via email.) So, pull up a crate (or bring your own folding chair), and have a nice visit.

Written by Fr Basil Biberdorf

December 1st, 2009 at 11:59 am

Posted in Administrative

Welcome to The Orthodox Leader

without comments

The purpose of this blog is a simple one: to provide a forum to discuss many of the leadership challenges facing the clergy and faithful of the Orthodox Church, particularly (but not always exclusively) in North America. I am a married priest in the Orthodox Church in America as well as a software developer in the private sector. The content here reflects my own interests and opinions, which are, hopefully, informed by Orthodox Christian piety and belief. I will earnestly seek to scandalize only those who need to be scandalized.

Comments and discussion are encouraged, although because being a leader means being responsible, participants must register and use their real names. Libelous or anonymous/pseudonymous comments are subject to deletion.

Now, on to the discussion!

Written by Fr Basil Biberdorf

November 28th, 2009 at 12:34 am

Posted in Ground rules

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