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[[Image:Jonah Paffhausen.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Metr. Jonah at his election as metropolitan]]His GraceEminence, the Right Most Reverend Bishop '''Jonah (Paffhausen) of Fort WorthWashington''' is an was the [[auxiliary bishopprimate]] in of the [[OCAOrthodox Church in America]](OCA) until the Holy Synod of Bishops requested and accepted His Eminence's resignation on [[Diocese of the South (OCA)July 7]], 2012. He was elected as metropolitan on [[November 12]], 2008, and was formally [[enthronement|Diocese of the Southenthroned]] on [[December 28]], 2008, in Washington, D.C. Metr. He Jonah is also serves as the Chancellor of first convert to the Diocese of Orthodox faith to be elected as the SouthOCA's primate.
==Biographical TimelineLife==1959: James Paffhausen was born in Chicago, Illinois. Baptized , and baptized into the Episcopal Church.:Family His family later moved to La Jolla, California (, near San Diego). In 1978: Received , he was received into the Orthodox Church at Our Lady of Kazan Church (under the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]]) during his studies while studying at the University of California - San Diego.:Later James later transferred to University of California, UC - Santa Cruz. Instrumental in establishing an Orthodox Christian Fellowship at the university.:Graduated from UCSC, went to study at St. Vladimir's Seminary.1985: Graduated with Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir's Seminary.1988: Graduated with Master of Theology in Dogmatics.:Spent a year in Russia, introduced to [[monasticism|monastic]] life.:Found a spiritual father, [[Archimandrite]] Pankratiy ([[abbot]] of [[Valaam Monastery]]). Joined Valaam Monastery:Elder Kyrill (Archim. Pankratiy's spiritual father), of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]], blessed James to become a [[priestmonk]].1994: [[ordination|Ordained]] to [[diaconate]] and [[priest]]hood.1995: [[Tonsure]]d to monastic rank at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery]], South Canaan, Pennsylvania, received the name Jonah.:Hmk Jonah returned to California, served a number of missions, then given the obedience helped to establish a [[monastery]] 1996: Hmk Jonah founded monastery under the patronage of [[John Maximovitch|St. John of Shanghai]] and San Francisco at Point Reyes Station, California.:Built monastic community to over 15 members.:Also worked to establish missions in Merced, Sonora, Chico, Eureka, Redding, Susanville among others in California, and in Kona, HI.:Oversaw move to Manton, Northern California.2008: Fr. Jonah elevated to Archimandrite, given obedience to leave monastery and take on responsibility of Auxiliary Bishop for Diocese of South and diocesan chancellor. Endorsed by the Diocesan Council in the summer.2008 [[September 4]]: Elected at extraordinary meeting of the OCA [[Holy Synod]].2008 [[November 1]]: Archimandrite Jonah [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of Fort Worth at St. Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, Texas, under the hands of Abp [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri]] (locum tenens of the Metropolitan [[See]]), Bp [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Philadephia|Tikhon]], Bp [[Benjamin (Petersen) of San Francisco|Benjamin]] and Bp an [[Alejo (Pacheco-Vera) of Mexico City|AlejoOCF]]chapter there.
After graduation from UCSC, James went on to study at [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]], graduating in 1985 with an M.Div. and again in 1988 with an M.Th. in Dogmatic Theology. In 1989, he began doctoral studies at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, but interrupted his studies to spend a year in Russia, working for ''Russkiy Palomnik'' in the publishing arm of the Moscow Patriarchate. During his time in Russia, he was introduced to Russian spirituality and its particular form of monastic life.
He eventually joined [[Valaam Monastery]] as a [[novice]], coming under the spiritual direction of Archimandrite [[Pancras (Zherdev) of Valaam|Pankratiy]], the monastery's [[abbot]]. Fr. Pankratiy's spiritual father, Elder [[Cyril (Pavlov)|Kyrill]] of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]], later blessed James to become a [[hieromonk]].
In 1994, James was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] and [[priest]]hood, and then in the following year, he was [[tonsure]]d a monastic at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery]], South Canaan, Pennsylvania, receiving the name Jonah.
Hmk. Jonah returned to his home state of California, serving a number of mission [[parish]]es there and later given the obedience to establish a monastery. In 1996, [[St. John of San Francisco Monastery (Manton, California)|St. John of San Francisco Monastery]] was founded in Point Reyes, California (later moving to Manton). During his tenure as abbot, Fr. Jonah grew the monastic community to more than fifteen members. In 1995, as a new priest, he was initially assigned to the existing Saint Mary Magdalene mission parish in Merced, CA by Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald). He later worked to establish Californian missions in Sonora, Chico, Eureka, Redding, and Susanville, among others, and in Kona, Hawaii.
In 2008, Fr. Jonah was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]] and was then sent from the monastery to take on the duties of being an [[auxiliary bishop]] for the OCA's [[Diocese of the South (OCA)|Diocese of the South]]. In September of that year, he was officially elected to that position, and then on [[November 1]] [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] in Dallas as Bishop of Fort Worth, led by Abp. [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas]], then ''[[locum tenens]]'' of the OCA's metropolitan see.
Eleven days later, on [[November 12]], Bishop Jonah was elected Metropolitan of the OCA at the 15th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in Pittsburgh. His formal [[enthronement]] in Washington, D.C., was on [[December 28]], 2008, at [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|St. Nicholas Cathedral]].
After an episcopate that became increasingly controversial, Metr. Jonah submitted a resignation as the first hierarch of the OCA on [[July 6]], 2012.<ref>[http://oca.org/news/headline-news/metropolitan-jonah-tenders-resignation] Metropolitan Jonah tenders resignation</ref> On [[July 16]], 2012, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA issued a "Statement from the Holy Synod Regarding the Resignation of Metropolitan Jonah".<ref>[http://oca.org/PDF/NEWS/2012/2012-0716-holy-synod-statement.pdf] Statement from the Holy Synod Regarding the Resignation of Metropolitan Jonah</ref> In 2015, Metropolitan Jonah was granted a release into [[ROCOR]].
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=''founding [[abbot]]''|
title=Abbot of the [[St. John of San Francisco Monastery (Manton, California)|Monastery of St . John of San Francisco]]|
years=1996-2008|
after=[[Meletios (Webber)]]}}
{{succession|
before=''unknownnew creation''|title=Bishop of Fort Worth(OCA)|years=2008-present|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]]|
title=[[Diocese of Washington and New York (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington and New York]], <br>[[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|
years=2008-2009|
after=[[Michael (Dahulich) of New York|Michael (Dahulich)]]<br><font size="-2">''Bishop of New York and New Jersey''</font>}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=[[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington]], <br>[[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|
years=2009-2012|
after=[[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon (Mollard)]]}}
{{end box}}
==SourceReferences==<references/> ==Sources==
*"[http://www.oca.org/news/1681 Archimandrite Jonah (Paffhausen) consecrated Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of the South]", OCA News & Events
*"[http://www.oca.org/news/1693 Bishop Jonah of Fort Worth Elected Metropolitan of All America and Canada]"
==External links==
*[http://www.oca.org/HSbiojonah.asp?SID=7 Official biography], from the [[OCA]] website
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157608623682945/ Consecration of Bishop Jonah] (photographs)
*[http://www.monasteryofstjohn.org/ Monastery of St. John of San Francisco], where Metr. Jonah was abbot for 12 years
*[http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/?videoID=101187 Orthodox Church in America selects new Metropolitan] (video), from the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''
===Written works===
*[http://www.oca.org/metropolitan-jonah.html Official statements, speeches, etc.], from the [[OCA]] website
*[http://www.monasteryofstjohn.org/articles.htm Writings and Talks], from St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Monastery
*[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1403441/posts Five Good Reasons NOT to Visit a Monastery], from ''Again'' magazine
*[http://www.dosoca.org/files/08%20Assembly/AbbatialEditorialCollection.pdf Perspectives on Orthodoxy in America] (editorials from ''Divine Ascent'')
*[http://www.ctlibrary.com/rq/1997/winter/3125.html The Eternal Liturgy: Worship in the Orthodox Tradition], from ''re:generation Quarterly''
*[http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Features.one&content_id=9859&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true The Doors of Repentance]: The Journey of the Holy Order of MANS/Christ the Saviour Brotherhood and the [[St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood]] into the Canonical Orthodox Church, from ''Again'' magazine
*[http://www.oca.org/PDF/metropolitan-jonah/MJ.Episcopacy_Primacy_Mother%20Churches.pdf Episcopacy, Primacy and the Mother Churches: A Monastic Perspective]] (from a meeting of the [[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]) (2008)
*[http://www.oca.org/jonah-acceptance.html Acceptance speech], at his election as auxiliary bishop of Fort Worth
===Audio recordings===
*"The Path to Prayer": [http://iconnewmedianetwork.com/2008/01/14/fr-jonah-paffhausen-the-path-to-prayer-part-1/ Part 1], [http://iconnewmedianetwork.com/2008/01/21/the-path-to-prayer-part-2-do-not-react-qa/ Part 2: "Do Not React," Q&A], [http://iconnewmedianetwork.com/2008/01/28/the-path-to-prayer-part-3-do-not-resent/ Part 3: "Do Not Resent"], [http://iconnewmedianetwork.com/2008/02/04/the-path-to-prayer-part-4-keep-inner-stillness/ Part 4: "Keep Inner Stillness"], [http://iconnewmedianetwork.com/2008/05/19/the-path-to-prayer-part-5-keep-inner-stillness-qa/ Part 5: "Keep Inner Stillness" (cont'd), Q&A] (February 2008)
*From Ancient Faith Radio
**Interview on the Jesus Prayer: [http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/interview_with_abbot_jonah_on_the_jesus_prayer_part_1/ Part 1], [http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/interview_with_fr_jonah_on_the_jesus_prayer_part_2/ Part 2] (2007)
**[http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/fr_jonah_on_monasticism/ Interview on Monasticism] (2007)
**Interview on the Healing of the Human Person: [http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/father_jonah_on_the_healing_of_the_human_person_part_1/ Part 1], [http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/father_jonah_on_the_healing_of_the_human_person_part_2/ Part 2] (2007)
**[http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/ourlife/fr_jonah_on_why_be_a_monk/ Interview on Why Be a Monk] (2007)
**[http://audio.ancientfaith.com/specials/svs/paffhausen.mp3 Episcopacy, Primacy and the Mother Churches: A Monastic Perspective]] (from a meeting of the [[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]) (2008)
** From the 15th All-American Council (2008)
***[http://audio.ancientfaith.com/specials/aac2008/aac_2008-11-11bpjonah.mp3 Remarks], addressing moving forward after the OCA scandals (the night before his election)
***[http://audio.ancientfaith.com/specials/aac2008/aac_2008-11-12-metjonah_interview.mp3 Interview after election as metropolitan]
***[http://audio.ancientfaith.com/specials/aac2008/aac_2008-11-12_metjonah_vision.mp3 Vision for the Future]
*[http://www.stspress.com/detail.aspx?ID=2746 From Psychology to Spirituality] (CD set)
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Fort Worth]]
[[Category:Bishops of New York]]
[[Category:Bishops of Washington]]
[[Category:Metropolitans of the OCA]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity|Paffhausen]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity from Protestantism|Paffhausen]]
[[Category:St. Vladimir's Seminary Graduates]]
