The development of the Romanian Orthodox Bishopric in Spain and Portugal in the

context of new approaches about diaspora after the Holly Orthodox Sinod in Creta 2016

Rev. Mircea Nincu, PhD student

University of Craiova, Romania
Keywords: Diaspora missiology, Romanian Orthodox Bishopric in Spain and Portugal,
case study,

Romanian Orthodox Bishopric of Spain and Portugal, is the second one in number of
believers with over 800.000 faithful in Spain and over 40.000 in Portugal. In this paper, we
will share general data about the Romania Orthodox Bishopric of Spain and Portugal, in order
to make known the missionary work that the Romanian Orthodox Church reaches to its
believers from Diaspora.
The events from December 1989, brought a lot of changes in Romania and in eastern
Europe, not only in the political and social life of country, but also in the religious sphere.
Immediately after those events, our Church was put in a new situation based on a full liberty.
After that a number of dioceses abolished in 1948 were re-established, both in the country and
abroad, and the Romanian Orthodox Diaspora structures bloomed.
Based on this reality we need to understand what it means the term Diaspora in the
European paradigm and more significant how this Christians in diasporas influence/relate the
Body of the Church. The main argument of our paper, the situation of the People on the Move,
is more and more significant for our Church and they are a strong voice that needs a higher
attention from the scholarly point of view. Our researchers may be able to continue to assist
Diaspora mission practitioner if we will understand the biblical, theological and missiological
paradigm of Diaspora Missiology.
In this study, diaspora is a reference to people living outside their place of origin,
and diaspora missiology is a missiological framework for understanding and participating
in Gods redemptive mission among people living outside their place of origin.1
The size and significance of diaspora have increased in the twenty-first century.
Approximately 3% of the global population lives in countries in which they were not born. 2
Urbanization, international migration, and displacement by war and famine are some of the
contributing factors that have increased the diaspora population around the world. The global
migration pattern is that people are moving from south to north, and from east to west 3
toward the seven of the worlds wealthiest countries.

1 See Lausanne Diaspora Educators Consultation, Seoul Declaration on Diaspora Missiology, The Lausanne
Movement, http://www.lausanne.org/ documents/seoul-declaration-on-diaspora-missiology.html (accessed
January 15.01.2017).

22. David Lundy, Bordeless Church: Shaping the Church for the Twenty-First Century (Waynesboro: Authentic,
2005), xiv.

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 After the migration pattern described above, this paper proposes a diaspora missiology,
as a supplement the traditional missiology. First of all, diaspora missiology is a new paradigm
of mission for the twenty-first century.
Conceptually, traditional mission paradigm is territorial, meaning that there is a sharp
distinction between here and there. It has a linearity meaning, where a movement goes
one way from sending to receiving, or from assimilation to amalgamation. Moreover,
the perspective of the traditional mission paradigm is geographically divided into foreign
mission versus home mission, urban versus rural, or state/nation versus country/state.
Diaspora missions is also glocal, it is a pun, wordplay - a mission strategy that is
simultaneously local and global.4 In this mission strategy, what we do out there, we also do
here. Additionally, in contrast to the lineal concept of traditional missions, the diaspora
perspective is multi-directional, and non-spatial, borderless, and not geographically divided.
As a paradigm, diaspora missions goes where God is going and moves providentially
wherever God places people spatially and spiritually unlike the pattern of sending and
receiving in traditional missions.
Acts 17:26-28 teaches that God determines where people will live at certain times, so
that they may call upon God and find him from anywhere. Lastly, a diaspora mission has the
following advantages. It is economically sustainable; accessible to the target audience; have
less political and legal restrictions; find partners among like-minded people and organizations,
not limited to a few experts or international workers.
Second, the proposed new paradigm of diaspora missiology is not to replace traditional
missiology, but to supplement it in response to the new demographic reality of the twenty-first
century. It is not a case of either-or. The two are not a mutually exclusive. Rather, the two
paradigms should be viewed as both-and as an inclusive combination.5
Since the size and significance of diasporas have increased in the twenty-first century,
missiologists must grapple with pursuing diaspora missiology as a new paradigm that can
supplement traditional missiology. As a new orientation and approach, diaspora missiology
would require intentional pursuit and cooperative endeavors. By promoting its education and

3 Anthony J.Marsella and Erin Ring, Human Migration and Immigration: An Overview, in Migration:
Immigration and Emigration in International Perspective, ed. Leonore Loeb Adler and Uwe P. Gielen (Westport:
Praeger 2003),16.

4 For comment on glocal, see Sadiri Joy B. Tira, Filipino International Network: A Strategic Model for
Filipino Diaspora Glocal Missions Global Missiology,
http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view- File/123/356 (accessed on January 15, 2017).

5 Formore information, see earlier online publications at http://www. globalmissiology.org/. Enoch Wan and
Johnny Yee-chong Wan, A Relational Study of the Trinity and the Epistle to the Philippians. Global
Missiology, http:// ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/viewFile/102/295 (accessed January, 15.
2017); Enoch Wan, Understanding relationality from a Trinitarian Perspective, with Mark Hedinger in Global
Missiology, Trinitarian Studies, January 2006a; Enoch Wan, The Paradigm & Pressing Issues of Inter-
Disciplinary Research Methodology, Global Missiology, http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.
php/english/article/viewFile/97/281 (accessed Janaury 15, 2017). Mark Hedingers dissertation on Trinitarian
paradigm as applied to missionary training at http://
www.globalmissiology.org/english/resource/Hedinger_Dissertation.PDF.

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integrating it into a regular missiological curriculum, a new generation of missiologists and
mission leaders can emerge in due time.
Second, this paper calls to seize the new opportunities created by the new demographic
trend of diaspora. For example, diaspora people as people in transition (e.g. migrants and
immigrants are taken away from the comfort and security of their homeland) are more
receptive to changes, including conversion to Christian faith. Some of them are in dire need,
especially the displaced people and victims of human trafficking.
Our research methodology is based on the concept of diaspora missiology as it was
described by Lausanne Diaspora Educators Consultation: a missiological framework for
understanding and participating in Gods redemptive mission among people living outside
their place of origin. In the article, we will present some of the pastoral missionary initiatives
of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Spain and Portugal as a case study. Also, we will
outline what are the main lines of the concept of diaspora in relation with liberty, theology,
missiology, biblical studies and evangelism, based on the Mission of the Orthodox Church in
Todays World Document (MOCT) issued by the Holly Orthodox Synod in Creta, Greece,
2016. In order to strengthen the comparative dimension of our paper, we will refer also to all
significant documents adopted at the World Council of Churches (Together Towards Life),
within the 10th Assembly, in Korea, Busan, 2013.
At its meeting on 22 to 23 January 1993 the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox
Church blessing given to organizing a new diocese for the Diaspora in Europe and, namely,
the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan for Germany and Central Europe, detached from the
Archdiocese of Western Europe which in turn it becomes Archdiocese of Western and
Southern Europe.
In this short work, I wanted to share some general data about the Romania Orthodox
Bishoptric of Spain and Portugal, to make known the missionary work that the Romanian
Orthodox Church reaches to its believers from diaspora.
Romanian Orthodox Bishopric of Spain and Portugal, is the second one in number of
believers with over 800,000 faithful in Spain and over 40,000 in Portugal. In all the dioceses
of the Romanian Orthodox Church, including Romanian Orthodox Church Bishopric of Spain
and Portugal, Mass is held in the language spoken in those parishes.
Bishop holder of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Spain and Portugal Reverend
Timothy Lauran occupying bishop's seat in 2008, he helped in his mission by the Bishop vicar
Reverend Ignatie Muresan. Diocese is organized as required administrative, cultural and
economic.
Thus, the administrative side is dealing with a vicar general and specific administrative
one. Church life is the subject of Christian Orthodox canons whose enforcement and
compliance is recorded by an inspector church. All other activities are a counselor supervisor
that prioritizes aspects of Christian life in the ward, retaining those that must be made known
to the high priest of the place, including the monasteries.
Parishes are the responsibility of parish priests who are under the direct guidance of the
bishop by the eleven deaneries, which are local administrative ward and manages to turn the
smooth running of a number of 103 parishes of Christian believers ethnic Romanian in Spain
and 8 parishes in Portugal.
Highlighting the number of parishes in the Diocese of Spain and Portugal, we realize
the work and the administrative responsibility of the bishops. At the same time we notice how
organizational ordinances made just after Romanian Orthodox Church, but fulfilled and
according to the needs of faith, tradition and culture of the faithful to be addressed.
One aspect full cargo mission since joining the Christian work of all Christian Orthodox
Romanians in Spain and Portugal, is the work begun in August 2009 by the Romanian

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Orthodox Parish "Holy Virgin Mary" in Madrid, headed by the worthy father Theophilus
Moldovan. It obtained through public competition, land owned by the municipality of Madrid,
which the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal will raise Orthodox cathedral,
the administrative seat of the diocese, the bishop's residence, the social center diocesan and
educational center Romanian cultural complex that a point of reference for the entire
Romanian Orthodox community in Spain and Portugal.
Another important missionary activity, which is based this Diocese, is aimed in
particular at young people. It aims to maintain the identity of Romanian and keeping faith and
culture and strengthen the ties with the motherland.
Also, it aims to help solve problems faced by Romanian Christians in Spain and
Portugal, such as finding shelter and service, social integration, guidance and vocational
adjustment identity of faith and culture, counseling and relief immediate.6
Holy and Great Council of the ROC, shows the position of the Church to the diaspora in
document Diaspora Orthodox and Rules of Operation of the Episcopal Assembly, submitted
by the IV Conference Panorthodox Chambesy, 2009 and the Synaxis of the Primates of the
Autocephalous Orthodox Church ( 21 to 28 January 2016) meeting in Crete.
The first point of this text emphasizes the "common will of all Orthodox Churches
Sacred Orthodox Diaspora as a problem to be solved as soon as possible and to be organized
in accordance with Orthodox ecclesiology and canonical tradition and practice of the
Orthodox Church."
The second synod states that "at the present stage it is not possible, for historical and
pastoral, to go immediately to order strictly canonical Church in this matter", insisting on the
idea that every local church is considered to be organized if it has a bishop to a lead.
So, what should be remembered is speaking of the Holy and Great Council of the
Orthodox Church, the diaspora is composed canonical church, headed by a bishop who
"represents the common position of the Romanian Orthodox Church on various issues."7
This term, Diaspora, was used to describe Jews who were far from Jerusalem and
generally Palestine. Today, with this period are called a state of Orthodox Christians living in
another country in Europe or America. This is very visible today in Europe, where working
and living Orthodox Christians, who were forced to emigrate and who founded various
national churches. So metropolises Orthodox Churches, bishops and parishes across Europe,
they also administers state Patriarchate they left. This phenomenon is characterized as
"diaspora".
To understand this new phenomenon seriously affecting contemporary life
ecclesiological should be noted that the Local and Ecumenical Synods Church until last
centuries, there were no special bishops for each nation. Patriarchs, Autocephalous Churches,
Metropolitanates, dioceses, parishes are not divided according to national characteristics of
Christians, but by geographical and political regions. For example, a particular Patriarchate
held various nations that commemorated the patriarch or bishop of that same administrative
area.
Penetration nationalism in the internal life of the Church, was sentenced etnofiletism
clear that the Council of Constantinople in 1872.
We know that theology is the faith of the Church. This theology was made by God
through revelation Prophets, Apostles and Fathers every age and was raised by Ecumenical
Councils. Naturally, there should be a unified theological expression.

6 Episcopia romn a Spaniei i Portugaliei, http://www.episcopiaspanieiportugaliei.es/ (accessed 14 January 2017)

7 Sfntul i Marele Sinod: Diaspora Ortodox (document oficial) Basilica.ro, http://Basilica.ro/sfntul- i-marele-sinod-diaspora-ortodox-
documnet-final. (accessed 15. January 2017)

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 Today, however, prevails to different theologies, which often are formulated on the basis
of opportunities and interests, especially ethnic. Theology Prophets, Apostles and Fathers are
expounded in different ways to serve different opportunism.
Romanian Orthodox Church in the Diaspora is ground secularization, ecumenism and
schism. By secularization means altering conscience Orthodox Church after coexistence with
other ideologies and social practices prevailing in contemporary society. Secularization can be
seen in theology, ecclesiology and pastoral especially in that divine element of the church is
simply rejected, and the Church is transformed into a simple social-humanitarian
organization.
By ecumenism means syncretism in the Orthodox faith, the Orthodox life in ascetic
Orthodox mixing with other Christian denominations and other religions, ie collapse of
revealed truth as it was taught by Christ, the Apostles, and they, in turn, it -They Church
Fathers taught over the centuries. Of course, the Church bears dialogue with other confessions
and religions, but this dialogue must take place in the theological and canonical Orthodox
church. By means schisms administrative divisions of the particular Churches, which
constitutes a large wound in the Church today. Almost all Orthodox Churches meet schismatic
groups created by the clergy willing to be her first state, moved by their passions and other
international powers seeking to undermine social and destroy the unity of the Church.8
Diaspora Missiology is defined as a missiological framework for understanding and
participating in Gods redemptive mission among people living outside their place of origin.
Indeed, the People on the Move have serious implications toward world evangelization. They
are not only subjects of evangelism and church growth, but have become powerful agents for
the extension of the gospel.
Christian involvement of local churches and denominational groups within the context
of diaspora groups. There could be great impact leading towards revitalization/renewal of
congregations and denominations of the host country.
There is a great opportunity for educating the ecclesiastical ethnic leadership in the
context of the diaspora. Evangelical theological institutions (Bible institutes, colleges,
universities, seminaries) can also play a crucial role within such diaspora groups. Those living
in diaspora will need Christian education and ministerial training and the national
denominations can greatly contribute in this regard.9
Potrivit actului oficial al Sfntului i Marelui Sinod din 2016, n care s-a dsicutate
despre misiunea ortodoxiei n lumea contemporan, the Church cannot remain indifferent to
the problems of humanity in each period. she shares in our anguish and existential problems,
taking upon herselfas the Lord didour suffering and wounds, which are caused by evil in
the world and, like the Good Samaritan, pouring oil and wine upon our wounds through words
of patience and comfort (Rom 15:4; Heb 13:22), and through love in practice.
The conveyance of the Gospels message according to the last commandant of
Christ, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
have commanded you (Matt 28:19) is the diachronic mission of the Church. This mission
8 Ierotheos Vlachos, Mitropolit de Nafpaktos, Biserica Ortodox n lume,
https://www.pemptousia.ro/2013/04/biserica-ortodoxa-in-lume/ (accesat 16 ianuarie 2017).

9 Scattered
to Gather, Embracing the Global Trend of Diaspora, Life Change Publishing, Inc. 2010 Lausanne
Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE), www.lausanne.org, (accesat 16 ianuarie 2017)

5
must be carried out not aggressively or by different forms of proselytism, but in love, humility
and respect towards the identity of each person and the cultural particularity of each people.
All the Orthodox Church have an obligation to contribute to this missionary endeavor.
For just as the entire human race was contained in the old Adam, so too, the entire
human race is now gathered in the new Adam: The Only-begotten One became man in order
to gather into one and return to its original condition the fallen human race (Cyril of
Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9, PG 74, 273D275A). This teaching
of the Church is the endless source of all Christian efforts to safeguard the dignity and
majesty of the human person.
It is essential to develop inter-Christian cooperation in every direction for the protection
of human dignity. As a presupposition for a wider co-operation in this regard the common
acceptance of the highest value of the human person may be useful. As Gods fellow
workers (I Cor 3:9), we can advance to this common service together with all people of good
will, for the sake of human society on the local, national, and international levels. This
ministry is a commandment of God (Mt 5:9).
Freedom is one of Gods greatest gifts to the human being. He who created man in the
beginning made him free and self-determined, limiting him solely by the laws of the
commandment (Gregory the Theologian, Homily 14, On Love for the Poor, 25. PG 35, 892A).
Freedom renders the human being capable of progressing toward spiritual perfection; yet, it
also includes the risk of disobedience as independence from God and consequently the fall,
which tragically gives rise to evil in the world.
The duty of the Orthodox Church today is - through its preaching, theology, worship,
and pastoral activity - to assert the truth of freedom in Christ.
The Orthodox Church has diachronically recognized and revealed the centrality of
peace and justice in peoples lives. The reign of all these Christian principles on earth gives
rise to authentic peace, for which the Orthodox Church prays constantly in its daily petitions,
asking this of the almighty God, Who hears the prayers of those that draw near to Him in
faith. Peace, according to Clement of Alexandria, is synonymous with justice (Stromates 4,
25. PG 8, 1369B-72A).
At the same time, we are obligated to underline that the gifts of peace and justice also
depend on human synergy. The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts when, in repentance, we
seek Gods peace and righteousness.
Sin is a spiritual illness, whose external symptoms include conflict, division, crime, and
war, as well as the tragic consequences of these. The Church strives to eliminate not only the
external symptoms of illness, but the illness itself, namely, sin.
As a Witness of Love through Service the Orthodox Church actively cares for all people
in need. The Orthodox Churchs efforts to confront destitution and social injustice are an
expression of her faith and the service to the Lord. Church to cooperate with various relevant
social institutions.
In this circumstances, the Church fight against all forms of depravation in the world.
Consequently, it is the mission of all Orthodox Churches to exhibit solidarity and administer
assistance effectively to those in need.
In these times of secularization marked by a spiritual crisis characteristic of
contemporary civilization, it is especially necessary to highlight the significance of lifes

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sacredness. The misunderstanding of freedom as permissiveness leads to an increase in crime,
the destruction and defacement of those things held in high regard, as well as the total
disrespect of our neighbors freedom and of the sacredness of life. Orthodox Tradition, shaped
by the experience of Christian truths in practice, is the bearer of spirituality and the ascetic
ethos, which must especially be encouraged in our time.
In our times, just as throughout history, the prophetic and pastoral voice of the Church,
the redeeming word of the Cross and of the Resurrection, appeals to the heart of humankind.
The Church proposes the sacrifical love of Her Crucified Lord, the only way to a world
of peace, justice, freedom, and love among peoples and between nations, whose only and
ultimate measure is always the sacrified Lord. 10
The Holy Spirit works in the world often in mysterious and unknown
ways beyond our imagination (Luke 1:34-35; John 3:8; Acts 2:16-21). One
perspective on the role of the Holy Spirit in mission emphasizes the Holy
Spirit as fully dependent on Christ, as the Paraclete and the one who will
come as Counselor and Advocate only after Christ has gone to the Father.
The Holy Spirit is seen as the continuing presence of Christ, his agent to
fulfill the task of mission. This understanding leads to a missiology
focusing on sending out and going forth. Another perspective emphasizes
that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth that leads us to the whole
truth (John 16:13) and blows wherever he/she wills (John 3:8), thus
embracing the whole of the cosmos; it proclaims the Holy Spirit as the
source of Christ and the church as the eschatological coming together
(synaxis) of the people of God in Gods kingdom. This second perspective
posits that the faithful go forth in peace (in mission) after they have
experienced in their eucharistic gathering the eschatological kingdom of
God as a glimpse and foretaste of it. Mission as going forth is thus the
outcome, rather than the origin of the church, and is called liturgy after
the Liturgy.11
What is clear is that by the Spirit we participate in the mission of love
that is at the heart of the life of the Trinity. This results in Christian witness
which unceasingly proclaims the salvific power of God through Jesus Christ
and constantly affirms Gods dynamic involvement, through the Holy
Spirit, in the whole created world. All who respond to the outpouring of the
love of God are invited to join in with the Spirit in the mission of God.
Mission spirituality is always transformative. Mission spirituality resists
and seeks to transform all life-destroying values and systems wherever
these are at work in our economies, our politics, and even our churches.

10 The mission of the Ortodox Church in Todays World, Holly Orthodox Sinod in Creta 2016,
https://www.holycouncil.org/-/mission-orthodox-church-todays-world (accesat 16 ianuarie 2017)

11See Ion Bria, The Liturgy after the Liturgy: Mission and Witness from an Orthodox Perspective (Geneva:
WCC Publications, 1996). The term was originally coined by Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos and widely
publicized by Ion Bria.

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Our faithfulness to God and Gods free gift of life compels us to confront
idolatrous assumptions, unjust systems, politics of domination and
exploitation in our current world economic order. Economics and economic
justice are always matters of faith as they touch the very core of Gods will
for creation.12
Mission spirituality motivates us to serve Gods economy of life, not
mammon, to share life at Gods table rather than satisfy individual greed,
to pursue change toward a better world while challenging the self-interest
of the powerful who desire to maintain the status quo.
Jesus has told us You cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:24,
KJV). The policy of unlimited growth through the domination of the global
free market is an ideology that claims to be without alternative,
demanding an endless flow of sacrifices from the poor and from nature. It
makes the false promise that it can save the world through creation of
wealth and prosperity, claiming sovereignty over life and demanding total
allegiance, which amounts to idolatry.13
In conclusion we can say that Diaspora is a global phenomenon with worldwide
significance in Christian mission. The Church can respond missiologically to the diaspora
phenomenon in several ways. Since God has moved people, geographically from their
homeland to new place of residence and spiritually to become receptive to the gospel,
missions to the diaspora has proven to be effective in gospeloutreach.
Diaspora groups are to be motivated and mobilized for global missions both in
missions through the diaspora and missions beyond the diaspora. Any Church,
denomination or institution who is indifferent to this historic moment in regards to diaspora
missions will regret it later. The plane of missions to, through and beyond the diasporas is
on the move and is about take off. There will definitely be turbulence (theological, strategic,
and ethical) but the plane will land safely for the Glory of God, the edification of His Church
and the salvation of the unconverted.
Let us never forget that our eternal citizenship is in heaven. We are to live on earth as
those whose citizenship derives from the rule of Gods Kingdom over all the earth. It is not a
license for illegal activity; but a provision for Kingdom ministries. We live on earth with the
government of God and all the responsibilities and privileges of those who are citizens of
Gods Kingdom. As we begin to strengthen our brotherly love and respect within the context
of the Christian churches (both national and abroad) as brothers and sisters, we will be able
to work together on other areas. As we worship together, work together, and mature together
in mutual respect and openness, we will be able to make a difference in our societies as we
clearly proclaim the good news of salvation and ushering in transformation through godly
living, love and light. It is time to foster our theological thinking in dialogue with other

12Alternative Globalization Addressing Peoples and Earth (AGAPE): A Background Document (Geneva: WCC
Publications, 2005), 13.

13 World Alliance of Reformed Churches, The Accra Confession: Covenanting for Justice: in the Economy and
the Earth (2004), 10.

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Christian thinkers in diaspora. Theologizing in the context of diaspora will enrich our
Christian tradition and our missional pilgrimage.