OCAN VIDEOS and PODCASTS
Orthodox Christians and
the Rights Revolution in America
with Rev. Dr. Anthony Roeber
Thursday, February 27, 2025
So much of American law and policy is predicated on the concept of “rights,” derived primarily from western thought. Does our Orthodox tradition have anything to contribute to the American conversation on this topic?
Fr. Anthony’s presentation will provide an overview of the objective and content of his book, Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America. His book engages the difficult question of how Eastern Orthodox people have selectively used some modern notions of rights but rejected other aspects of modern secular liberal thought. At the same time, it alerts the Orthodox to their inherited notions of “rights,” sometimes referred to as “prerogatives,” “honors,” “privileges,” and so on that remain contested both among hierarchs and in controversies between clergy and laity that have at times resulted in lawsuits in secular courts. Fr. Anthony attempts to provide a way to distinguish various kinds of rights claims before engaging the Orthodox chronological engagement with internal and external rights claims in North America. He then grounds these issues in the global context of Orthodox debates over rights and compares Orthodox North American assessments with Catholic and Protestant approaches.
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Rev. Dr. A. G. Roeber |
Speaker: The Rev. Dr. A. G. Roeber, Emeritus Professor of Early Modern History and Religious Studies, Penn State University, is currently Professor of Church History, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. Born in Paonia, Colorado, he began his graduate work at the University of Denver and completed his Ph.D. at Brown University. He has taught at various universities in North America and in Germany. His Palatines, Liberty, and Property was the 1993 co-winner of the American Historical Association’s John H. Dunning Prize for the best book on any aspect of American history in a two-year period. He is a past president of the Orthodox Theological Society in America and most recently Co-author of Changing Churches (2012); co-editor, Oxford Handbook of Early Modern Theology (2016) author, Mixed Marriages: An Orthodox History (2018); editor, Human v. Religious Rights? (2020), and author, Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution (2024).
Confidentiality of Confession
IN THE ORTHODOX CANONICAL TRADITION,
AND ITS LEGAL CHALLENGES
Webinar Recording & Slides
In a majority of U.S. states, clergy are considered mandatory reporters of child abuse. Generally, such laws have carved out an exception for information clergy learns during Confession. In recent years however, multiple states have removed, or made efforts to remove, this exception. This webinar will explore the canonical support and rationale for the confidentiality of Confession in the Orthodox tradition. An understanding of this will allow an evaluation and hopefully a response to these legal challenges.
Speaker: Archdeacon Justin Bosl earned his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law after studying philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. For nearly 19 years he was a trial lawyer and shareholder at Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood in Oakland, California representing injured workers and consumers in toxic tort litigation. In 2023, he resigned from the firm to focus full-time on serving the Church. He graduated from the diaconate program at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and holds a M.Div. from the Antiochian House of Studies. He is currently enrolled in the Th.M. program at Holy Cross. He serves as the Archdeacon of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco as well as the chair of the Metropolis Legal Committee and serves on a variety of boards and committees for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops. He and his wife have four children and live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
If you missed the webinar or wish to share it with others, click below for the recording and presentation slides.
The Life of Service, Leadership, and Advocacy:
A Virtual "Fireside Chat" with Three OCAN Deacons
October 24, 2024
The role of a deacon encompasses the Christian ideals of servanthood, leadership, and advocacy -- ideals that are also important in our roles as attorneys. How do we live out these ideals in our careers and lives as Orthodox attorneys?
Listen to this discussion on these important roles in our service to our clients, the legal profession, the Church, and our communities.
Moderated by OCAN's Spiritual Advisor Fr. David Khorey, the chat features three attorneys who are also deacons:
Protodeacon David Keim - Senior VP & General Counsel-Corporate at SAS, and Protodeacon at All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Raleigh, NC
Archdeacon Justin Bosl - Former litigation partner at Kazan law firm, now Archdeacon for the Metropolitan at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, CA
Deacon Andrew Cross - Derivatives and Investment Management Attorney at Blank Rome, and Deacon at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA
Recording available here.
How Lawyers Can Help
- Why Orthodox parishes must care about youth sexual abuse prevention.
- On what basis can churches be held liable for sexual abuse?
- Which church members have a legal obligation to report suspected sexual abuse to law enforcement?
- How can you help your parish protect youth from abuse?
Speakers:
Ken Liu, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Attorney Network
Aleks O. Rushing, Partner and Education Attorney, Husch Blackwell LLP
Recording available here.
Ancient Faith Presents podcast (May 16, 2024)
OCAN Executive Director, Dn. Ken Liu, is interviewed by Ancient Faith Ministries' Bobby Maddex about OCAN's newly revamped mission and plans.
Stewardship Calling podcast (September 4, 2019)
- On the first episode of a multi-part series on "Living Your Calling," host Bill Marianes interviews Matthew Namee and Joan Berg, two Orthodox attorneys who have used their God-given skills to serve His Church.
OCAN Conference 2019 – Ancient Faith Ministries podcast (August 27, 2019)
- Bobby Maddex interviews Joan Berg, co-chair of the 2019 Orthodox Christian Attorney Conference, in Chicago, Illinois.
Orthodox Christian Attorney Network - Ancient Faith Ministries podcast (June 26, 2018)
- Monica Yousef is Co-Chair of the Orthodox Christian Attorney Network. She speaks with Ancient Faith Ministries about its 2018 Conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
A Gathering of Orthodox Attorneys – Ancient Faith Ministries podcast (August 24, 2017)
- Ken Liu speaks with Ancient Faith Ministries about the gathering of Orthodox attorneys in conjunction with the 2017 Christian Legal Society Conference in Newport Beach, California.
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ATTORNEY NETWORK
2.0
KICK-OFF MEETING
New to OCAN? Listen to OCAN's Executive Director Ken Liu introduce the newly revamped organization's vision, purposes, and goals, and meet our new Board of Directors.