Theologian Blagoje Pantelić, who was recently expelled from the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) for public statements, assessed that the SPC leadership is ready to deal with anyone who is not ready to be loyal to the ruling party in Serbia and that his case best illustrates how Patriarch Porfirije reacts to criticism.
"His behavior is so scandalous that people in the Church are taken aback. We have never had such a leader in the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church," said Pantelić in an interview with today's Nova newspaper, commenting on the church court's decision to expel him and theologian Vukašin Milićević from the church community.
"If something doesn't change in the meantime, and I believe it will, this persecution will end with the removal of the politically unsuitable bishop," Pantelić added.
"I am not aware of any similar case where a civilian theologian has been tried in such an illegal manner simply because the patriarch did not like the theologian's opinion on how he performs his function. I am not aware of any theologian being expelled from the Church for a verbal offense, for criticism directed at the so-called church leadership, which has nothing to do with teaching and organization," Pantelić pointed out.
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