Editing Evangelical Orthodox Church (section)

=== Dialogues ===
In 1977, the first contact with the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] was initiated through Orthodox seminarian and former Berkeley [[Christian World Liberation Front]] member Karl "John Bartke", who introduced them to Fr. [[Alexander Schmemann]], Dean of [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] (OCA).<ref>{{cite book | last=Liacopulos | first=George P. | title=Lights of the Modern World: Orthodox Christian Mission and Evangelism in the United States | location=Minneapolis, MN | publisher=Light & Life Publishing | isbn=1880971577 | date=2000 | page=125}}</ref> EOC leaders invited seminary faculty to instruct them in Orthodoxy and pursued dialogues with the OCA from 1978 to 1983, but talks broke down because of the EOC's divergent conception of church government.<ref>{{cite thesis | last=Fester | first=Joseph H. | title=The Evangelical Orthodox Church and Its Dialogue with the Orthodox Church in America | type=M.Div. | location=Crestwood, NY | publisher=St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary | date=1982 | oclc=926121110 | page=46}}</ref> EOC leaders also opened dialogue with the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] in 1981.<ref>{{cite book | last=Gillquist | first=Peter | title=Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith | edition=rev. | location=Ben Lomond, CA | publisher=Conciliar Press | date=1992 | isbn=9780962271335 | oclc=27034433 | pages=125–128}}</ref>

In 1984 the bishops applied for the EOC's membership in the [[National Association of Evangelicals]]. Their application was tabled over concerns by members of the executive committee concerning the EOC's teachings and practices.<ref>Herbel, ''Turning'', pp. 120-122.</ref><ref>National Association of Evangelicals Papers (SC-113), Wheaton College Special Collections.</ref> Growing impatient with the lack of progress in dialogues with the OCA and Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the EOC bishops travelled to [[Istanbul]] where they were turned away and not given an audience with the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople]].<ref>Herbel, ''Turning'', pp. 122-123.</ref><ref>Gillquist, ''Becoming'', pp. 135-143.</ref><ref name=":0" /> Orthodox sources have stated that the two primary reasons why the collective [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] was hesitant to embrace the EOC were the continued influence of Shepherding movement teachings regarding hierarchical authority and the EOC bishops' desire to remain as bishops, which was unacceptable as Eastern Orthodox bishops must be celibate and appointed by the appropriate authorities through standard procedure based on apostolic succession. It was unthinkable that any Eastern Orthodox Church patriarch would agree to these terms.<ref>{{cite web |author1-link=Jason Zengerle | last=Zengerle | first=Jason | title=Evangelicals Turn Toward … the Orthodox Church – Orthodox Christian Resource Center | date= April 25, 2010 | access-date=March 3, 2011 | url=http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/ocrc/2010/04/evangelicals-turn-toward-the-orthodox-church/}}</ref><ref>Fester, "The Evangelical Orthodox Church", p. 49, citing Alexander Schmemann, "Report on Participating in the Session of the Council of Bishops of the Evangelical Orthodox Church—Santa Barbara, Ca., June 7–9, 1981", a report submitted to the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America.</ref>