"Can a heretical bishop defile the Church?"

This is a good comment overall by Mr. Constantine Zalalas on a common question that is being discussed today: "Can a heretical bishop defile the Church?" Whether or not one agrees with every one of his arguments, his main focus is using Fr. Epiphanios Theodoropoulos' commentary (a leading spiritual father and expert in the Church canons in 20th-century Greece) to make the point that a member of the clergy receives grace from God that is not hindered by their possibly sinful lives or even heretical beliefs. As members of the laity, we should not to be swift to condemn, slander, ridicule, judge and malign canonical Orthodox hierarchs throughout the world. Our job is to focus first on our own many sins, repent and pray that our Lord might speedily grant deliverance from our many passions and to dissolve heresies and divisions throughout the world. The job of censuring and bringing anathemas against unrepentant leaders and those who persist in teaching heresies is the role of the Holy Church Councils, inspired by the Holy Spirit, not that of any person who happens to be on a message board or have a blog. May the Lord grant us all humility, repentance and love, and may He heal our many wounds and passions and grant peace to His Church (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!