A Humble Worker in the Vineyard of Our Lord – in the Church and in the World

Prince-Bishop Radislav (Rutherford) I of
Rome-Ruthenia addresses the campus at
the University of Minnesota Crookston.

M. Derosiers

ROME-RUTHENIA 10 May 2025 (NRom)

In a modest lecture hall at the University of Minnesota Crookston, students convened for lessons in business and behavioral science. Yet, unbeknownst to many, a man with soft eyes and crisp delivery, their professor held a distinguished role beyond academia: Supreme Pontiff of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church.

H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, also known in academia as Prof. Rutherford Johnson, taught courses in economics, finance, statistics, and sustainability at the University of Minnesota Crookston for almost a decade. Affectionately known by many students and colleagues as "Dr. Rutherford," he was well-respected for his dedication to students and helpful nature. Indeed, he always saw teaching as part of his mission of service to others. And now he continues his educational mission in online classrooms around the world where he can reach countless people who would not otherwise be able to study and improve their lives. It is a life-changing mission that he carries out in addition to the responsibilities of running a world-wide Orthodox and Old Catholic church of ancient origins.

The Roman-Ruthenian Pope, (Dr. Rutherford, as he was affectionately known),
engages with students at the University of Minnesota Crookston
on questions of economics, culture, and ethics. 

At Minnesota, and now online, he often appeared not in his white habit, but in suit and tie — part of his Church’s own tradition — blending academic rigor with moral insight. Students describe his classes as “rigorous,” “introspective,” and “life-changing.” Yet the syllabus is standard, as you might find at any secular institution: economic principles, market structures, behavioral models, risk assessment, sustainable business practices. It is only when the professor speaks of the 'why' beneath the 'what' that glimpses of the pontiff begin to surface.

His teaching seamlessly integrated discussions on profit with profound inquiries into justice, human dignity, and the purpose of work, prompting students to reflect deeply on the ethical dimensions of economics. It’s never preachy, and indeed students have commented on his remarkable tolerance for others to express their beliefs in class without fear. Yet, his lectures make students think about what they're actually building with their lives.

 The Roman-Ruthenian Pope at University of Minnesota Crookston
commencement, with Douglas A. Huebsch (University Board of Regents),
Dr. Mary Holz-Clause (Chancellor), and Dr. John Hoffman
(Vice Chancellor of UMC, later President of Bemidji State University).

And how did this happen? Always serving with the humility of his office, he applied like any other scholar. He holds a PhD in Applied (Agricultural) Economics (with a behavioral science focus) from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in Economics and a B.S. with Honors in Applied Physics from Georgia Institute of Technology, and an A.L.M. in Sustainability from Harvard University Extension School. He even had graduate medical studies that formed part of the foundation for his later behavioral science track in economics. And through his time in academia, he was made a Fellow of the famed Royal Geographical Society in London, a Fellow of the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment, and received the ACBSP's Teaching Excellence Award. All, however, not for his own glory, but that of God.

Prince-Bishop Radislav in the habit of his
office of service to others, continuing a mission
of spiritual leadership rooted in Apostolic tradition..

For the Prince-Bishop himself, the move to teach as a clergyman was driven by necessity and conviction. “It is the duty of the shepherd,” he said, “to be among the sheep — not only in their moments of prayer, but in their studies, struggles, and questions about the world.”

While some may view the combination of ecclesiastical leadership and academic instruction as unconventional in modern secular universities, others see it as a revival of the historical tradition where clergy were integral to scholarly pursuits. One could even say it is a return to apostolic simplicity. Of course, clergy in the halls of academia is not strange, for the Church established the university system as we know it, and clerics on campus once was a common sight. Even Harvard started as a training ground for protestant clergy.

Prince-Bishop Radislav with Hon. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture
of the United States at a special event on campus at the
University of Minnesota Crookston highlighting the pontiff's
continued service in global policy, education, and sustainability.

And in the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, they follow the ancient model of the apostles. Rather than necessarily living in a specified location, bishops go where they are called by mission. This applies to the Prince-Bishop as well. And, the presence of the Roman-Ruthenian Pope in academia evokes the image of St. Paul engaging with scholars in Athens, bridging faith and reason to illuminate eternal truths in contemporary settings.

Though he never hides his office, he rarely mentions it during class. Yet, students are aware. Some have followed him outside of class into deeper reflection; others are simply impressed by his intellectual clarity and moral steadiness. As the pontiff himself says, “Even in red shoes, the Gospel compels us to kneel beside the brokenhearted.” For his students, he remains a mentor. For the faithful he shepherds around the world, a pontiff. And for all, a living reminder that faith and reason are never truly separate.

Further Reading: 

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church

The Unique Roman-Ruthenian Papal Title & Ecclesiastical Succession

Church History Timeline

Church History

Canonical Status of the URRC

Two American-Born Popes: A Greeting from the Roman-Ruthenian Church

By A. DiNardo

ROME-RUTHENIA 09 May 2025 (NRom)

On the Election of His Holiness Leo XIV as Bishop of Rome

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church and Pontifical Imperial State of Rome-Ruthenia extends its prayerful goodwill and sincere Christian greetings upon the election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as Bishop of Rome. In the spirit of apostolic fraternity and ancient conciliar tradition, we pray that his tenure may be guided by wisdom, peace, and fidelity to the deposit of faith.

Coat of arms of H.A.H. Radislav I,
Roman-Ruthenian Pope — symbolizing
the sacred continuity of the Apostolic
and Imperial heritage of Rome and Rus’.

While headlines across the globe celebrate the Vatican’s first American-born Pope (meaning U.S.-born since Pope Francis was born in Argentina and therefore American), it is quietly remembered within the Roman-Ruthenian tradition that its own Apostolic Father, His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope was likewise born on American soil — though his life and mission have long been rooted in a deeply Roman-Ruthenian cultural, ethnic, spiritual, and dynastic identity. His life and vocation remain shaped not by modern nationalisms, but by Holy Rus’ and ancient Christendom. (Learn more here.)   Far from being ‘American’ in the national or cultural sense, his vocation is grounded in sacred continuity — shaped not by modern nationalism, but by the legacy of Holy Rus’ and ancient Christendom. (Learn more about the Roman-Ruthenian papacy — a title formally conferred in 2014 on the patriarchal office of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church — and its unique origin here.)

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church, distinct in its Orthodox and Old Catholic heritage, maintains its own Apostolic succession and papal dignity, serving as a bridge between East and West and a guardian of traditional Christian unity in a fragmented age. And, neither the United Roman-Ruthenian Church nor the Roman Catholic Church are the only Churches with Popes. The Coptic Orthodox and Greek Orthodox Alexandrian Churches both have Popes, and their use of the title is actually older than the Vatican or the Roman-Ruthenian Church. 

Historical Timeline - Click for larger version.

Ad multos annos to the new Bishop of Rome, with every prayer for the fruitful leadership of the Roman Church and for all the faithful entrusted to his pastoral care.

What does a Christian Economy look like? New Encyclical points the way.

The following encyclical on the timeless principles of a Christian economy in the world was promulgated by H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Rutherford (Radislav) I of Rome-Ruthenia

 

RADISLAV PP. I

Encyclical: Toward a Christian Economy

4 May 2025

“And they had all things in common... and no one said that any of the things he possessed was his own.” — Acts 4:32

“Give me neither poverty nor riches… lest I be full and deny Thee.” — Proverbs 30:8-9

1. Toward a Christian Economy: The Orthodox Principle of Just Stewardship

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church affirms that the economy is not merely a mechanism of production and consumption, but a field of moral action and spiritual consequence. Economic structures, like all social arrangements, must be judged by whether they uphold the dignity of the human person, serve the common good, and reflect the justice and mercy of God.

The Church rejects both the materialist individualism of unrestrained consumer capitalism and the dehumanizing collectivism of state technocracies, socialism, and communism. These two categories of systems, though in ideological opposition, share a common root in secularism and a disordered view of the human person — either as a mere producer and consumer, or as a cog in an impersonal bureaucratic machine.

2. The Orthodox of Distributism: A Path of Shared Stewardship

Following the wisdom of the Holy Fathers, Orthodox and Catholic practice, and the witness of the early Christian community, we advocate for an Orthodox Distributist Model — an economy in which the means of production (e.g., land, tools, crafts, small businesses) are widely and justly distributed, not concentrated in the hands of the few (whether oligarchs or state planners). This vision:

· Affirms private property as a natural good, when exercised with responsibility and service to others;

· Encourages family and local enterprise, agrarian and artisanal production, and cooperatives;

· Condemns exploitative debt, usury, and monopolistic control, which enslave persons and communities;

· Calls for subsidiarity, wherein decisions and resources remain at the most local and humane level possible;

· Exalts labor, not as a commodity, but as a sacred participation in God’s creative work;

· Demands just wages, not merely for survival, but for a life of dignity and spiritual flourishing;

· Upholds hospitality and almsgiving, not as charity alone, but as justice owed to the poor and stranger.

     This model does not idolize the market nor submit to central planning, but seeks an integrated economy of persons and communities, grounded in the ecclesial vision of communion and stewardship. It recognizes legitimate roles for markets and for governance — so long as both are accountable to moral truth and oriented toward human and spiritual good.

3. On Trade and the Bonds of Neighborly Exchange

Orthodox Old Catholic economic teaching, rooted in the commandment to love one’s neighbor, affirms that international trade is not merely economic but moral. It is a form of extended community between peoples, for we are all joined in Christ, even across ever-fluid political borders.

Healthy trade builds mutual respect, peace, and interdependence rightly ordered. While the Church recognizes that modest tariffs and trade policies may serve as tools of negotiation or protection in rare and specific circumstances, they must never become instruments of vengeance, isolation, nativism, or nationalistic pride. Blanket or erratic tariff regimes harm both producers and consumers, distort the natural bonds of mutual provision, and often punish the poor. Rather than economic warfare, we advocate for ethical and cooperative trade, fair pricing, and solidarity with nations striving to develop their own local economies in dignity and peace. As St. John Chrysostom teaches, “The rich exist for the sake of the poor, and the poor for the salvation of the rich.” So, therefore, must nations relate to one another with humility and justice.

4. Against the Polarization of Economic Discourse

Orthodox Old Catholic social witness calls us away from the false idols of political extremism, whether from the populist right or the technocratic left. The economic life of a nation must not become a battleground for ideological absolutism, but a field of discernment, stewardship, and charity. When political factions weaponize the economy, reducing complex human realities to slogans, tariffs, or central planning, they obscure the deeper truths of justice, community, and personal dignity. The Orthodox vision, grounded in the Incarnation and the life of the Church, calls for economic discourse rooted not in party allegiance, but in the Gospel’s demand for mercy, truth, and the well-being of all, especially the poor and the vulnerable.

5. A Moral Alternative for a Fractured World

In the face of increasing global inequality, ecological degradation, and spiritual alienation, we call upon the Christian faithful around the world, and upon parishes and institutions to:

· Support and invest in local economies, especially Orthodox farmers, tradespeople, and artisans;

· Develop credit unions and cooperative ventures grounded in Christian ethics;

· Advocate for policies that decentralize economic power and property, protect workers, and restore appropriate rest;

· Resist both the idolatry of wealth and the false salvation of state technocracy and socialism.

Our Lord taught us not to store up treasures on earth, but to seek first the Kingdom of God. Yet it is precisely in our daily economic choices — how we work, trade, save, and share — that this Kingdom begins to be made manifest.

Indeed, in Christian tradition, the Righteous Joseph the Betrothed is honored as the humble guardian of the Bogomater and the earthly protector of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a carpenter by trade, he exemplifies the sanctification of daily labor when offered in faith and obedience to God. His life reminds us that honest work, however simple or hidden, can become a means of grace and service when carried out in love, humility, and devotion. Through St. Joseph’s quiet diligence and unwavering care, he fulfilled his vocation with integrity, embodying the dignity of human labor in harmony with God’s providence. Thus Christians may rightly look to the Righteous Joseph as a patron and intercessor for all who work with their hands, provide for their families, and seek to live faithfully in the midst of their vocations.

May Saint Joseph the Righteous, the Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, and Saint Basil the Great intercede for us, that we may build an economy not of greed or control, but of mercy, order, and truth.

Радислав Пп. I