Dietrich Werner and
REGNUM STUDIES IN GLOBAL CHRISTIANITY
ORTHODOX HANDBOOK ON ECUMENISM
Resources for Theological Education
“That they all may be one” (John 17:21)
Editors
Pantelis Kalaitzidis
Thomas FitzGerald
Cyril Hovorun
Aikaterini Pekridou
Nikolaos Asproulis
Guy Liagre
Dietrich Werner
Volos Academy Publications
(in cooperation with WCC Publications, Geneva, and Regnum Books International, Oxford)
Volos, Greece, 2014
First Edition 2014 by Regnum Books International
Regnum is an imprint of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
St. Philip and St. James Church
Woodstock Road
Oxford OX2 6HR, UK
www.ocms.ac.uk/regnum
09 08 07 06 05 04 03 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The rights of the Editors of this Work
have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Copyright © World Council of Churches 2013
This publication is published under license from World Council of Churches Publications
and it is part of a project supported by WCC/ETE, CEC, Volos Academy and Holy Cross School of Theology
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or
a license permitting restricted copying. In the UK such licenses are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham
Court Road, London W1P 9HE.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-908355-44-7
Typeset by Dr. Nicolae Turcan, Romania – www.nicolaeturcan.ro
(Visiting Associate Professor, Faculty for Orthodox Theology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
Cover design by Words by Design
www.wordsbydesign.co.uk
Printed and bound in Greece
for WCC Publications - Volos Academy Publications
by DOT Printing Company, Thessaloniki
Explanation for cover picture:
Christ the Vineyard, 15th century Byzantine icon, Parish Church of Malles, Ierapetra, Crete.
This Byzantine icon depicts Christ as the true vine from the Gospel of John (15:1-7), and symbolically
points to the unity of the Church. Jesus Christ is represented here as the founder of the Church (vineyard),
while the Apostles, who with their preaching spread the Church’s message in the whole of the oikoumene,
are represented as the branches of the vineyard. On the left and on the right of Christ, St. Peter and St. Paul
are seen as the representatives of the West and the East respectively. The whole icon symbolizes the mystery
and reality of the unity of the body of Christ in the whole of the inhabited earth.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch
Words of Greeting
Olav Fykse Tveit (WCC)
Guy Liagre (CEC)
Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias (Volos Academy)
Preface of the Editors
Pantelis Kalaitzidis
Thomas FitzGerald
Cyril Hovorun
Aikaterini Pekridou
Nikolaos Asproulis
Guy Liagre
Dietrich Werner
List of Contributors
PART I ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT – AN INTRODUCTION
1.
The Role of Orthodoxy in World Christianity Today – Historical, Demographic
and Theological Perspectives – An Introduction
Fr. John McGuckin
2.
How to Understand Christian Unity (Ecumenism) in Relation to Orthodox Identity? –
A First Theological Approach
Fr. Thomas FitzGerald
3.
Official Texts on Ecumenism - A Systematic Introduction
Fr. Cyril Hovorun
4.
Ecumenism of Faith and Ecumenism of History:
Distorted Images of Ecumenism in the Today’s Orthodox Perspective
Dn. Augustin Sokolovski
5.
Ecumenical Challenges in the Practical Life and Pastoral Praxis of Orthodox Churches
Fr. Alkiviadis Calivas
6.
Churches in Minority and Majority Situations and the Related Perception of Ecumenism
Fr. Rauno Pietarinen
7.
Introduction to Major Ecumenical Organizations with Relevance for Orthodox Churches
Athanasios Basdekis
8.
Terminological Orientations - A Short Introduction into an Ecumenical Glossary
Marian Gh. Simion/Fr. Daniel Buda
PART II ORTHODOXY AND ECUMENISM - FOUNDATIONS
9.
Scriptural Foundations of Ecumenism According to Orthodox Understanding
Ivan Dimitrov
10. The Ecumenical Character of the Bible as a Challenge for the Biblical Studies
in Orthodox Teaching Today
Miltiadis Konstantinou
xv
xvii
xix
xxi
xxiii
xxix
1
3
9
13
20
26
37
42
50
57
59
64
viii
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Contents
Foundations for Ecumenism in Patristic Theology and Church History
Fr. Daniel Buda
Ecclesiological Foundations for Ecumenism
Fr. Cyril Hovorun
A Theological Affirmation of God’s Action outside the Canonical Boundaries of the Church
Athanasios N. Papathanasiou
Toward an Ecumenical Ethos in Orthodox Theology and Education
Antony C. Vrame
Historical Road Map of Orthodox Involvement in the Ecumenical Movement
Georges Lemopoulos
Orthodox Participation in the Ecumenical Movement – A Detailed Historical Survey
Stylianos C. Tsompanidis
Pan-orthodox Decisions on the Ecumenical Relations of Orthodox Churches
– A Survey and Historical Account
Fr. Viorel Ionita
On the Critical Role of Orthodox Churches in the Ecumenical Movement
Fr. Daniel Buda
Theological, Historical, and Cultural Reasons
for Anti-ecumenical Movements in Eastern Orthodoxy
Pantelis Kalaitzidis
Distorted Images of Ecumenism – Historical and Theological Reasons
for the Difficulties in developing a proper Understanding
of Ecumenism in the Russian Context
Vladimir Fedorov
Ecumenism from a Perspective of Orthodox Monastic Tradition
Sister Theoktisti Emsley
PART III REPRESENTATIVE ORTHODOX THEOLOGIANS REFLECTING ON ECUMENISM
22. Ecumenical Theologians and Important Leaders from Orthodox Tradition
– General Introduction
Nikolaos Asproulis
23. Fr. Nicholas Afanasiev
Fr. Michael Plekon
24. Hamilkar S. Alivizatos
Vassiliki El. Stathokosta
25. Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras
Fr. Augoustinos Bairactaris
26. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Fr. Augoustinos Bairactaris
27. Elisabeth Behr-Sigel
Paul Ladouceur
28. Fr. Ion Bria
Fr. Nicolae Mo oiu
29. Fr. Sergius Bulgakov
Brandon Gallaher
30. Olivier Clément
Fr. Ioustinos-Ioannis Kefalouros
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
69
77
86
93
96
104
116
122
134
153
159
167
169
171
176
180
185
190
194
201
207
ix
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
Fr. Georges Florovsky
Matthew Baker/Seraphim Danckaert
Metropolitan Germanos of Thyatira
Grigorios Liantas
Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America
Grigorios Liantas
Metropolitan Georges Khodr of Mount Lebanon
Amal Dibo
Fr. John Meyendorff
Fr. Oliver Herbel
Nikos Nissiotis
Grigorios Liantas
Metropolitan Damaskinos Papandreou of Switzerland
Fr. Augoustinos Bairactaris
Fr. Alexander Schmemann
Fr. Oliver Herbel
Sister Maria Skobtsova
Fr. Michael Plekon
Fr. Dumitru St niloae
Fr. Αtefăniţă Barbu
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of Diokleia
Tamara Grdzelidze
Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon
Nikolaos Asproulis
Vladimir Lossky
Paul Ladouceur
Fr. Justin Popovic
Juljia Vidovic
Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic
Juljia Vidovic
Metropolitan Mar Gregorios
Fr. Koshy Valdyan
Pope Shenouda III
Metropolitan Bishoy
Catholicos Abune Paulos I
Nigussu Legesse
Fr. Lev Gillet
Paul Ladouceur
Metropolitan Maximos Aghiorgoussis of Pittsburg
Kyriaki Karidoyanes-FitzGerard
Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos
of Tirana and all-Albania
Marios Begzos
Patriarch Ignace IV of Antioch
Bishop Demetrios Charbak
Father Matta el-Maskeen
Christine Chaillot
Prelims
211
216
219
222
227
231
235
239
243
248
252
254
258
263
269
273
277
281
286
291
296
300
304
x
54.
55.
Contents
Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nikodim (Rotov)
Fr. Cyril Hovorun
Metropolitan Anthony Bloom
Elena Sadovnikova/Amal Dibo
PART IV ECUMENICAL DIALOGUE IN VARIOUS EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES AND SETTINGS
56. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Fr. Georges Tsetsis
57. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Patriarchate of Alexandria
Fr. John Njoroge
58. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Patriarchate of Antioch
Fr. Ramy Wannous
59. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Anna Koulouris
Bishara Ebeid
60. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Russian Orthodox Church
Fr. Cyril Hovorun
61. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Rastko Jovic
62. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Fr. Aurel Pavel
63. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Ivan Dimitrov
64. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Orthodox Church of Georgia
Tamara Grdzelidze
65. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Church of Cyprus
Fr. Benedict Ioannou
66. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Church of Greece
Vassiliki Stathokosta
67. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Orthodox Church
in Czech Lands and Slovakia
Fr. Václav Ježek
Vladimir Gerka
68. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Orthodox Church in Albania
Dhimiter Qiosia
69. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Orthodox Church in Poland
Henryk Paprocki
70. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of Orthodox Churches
in Western Europe
Metropolitan Emmanuel
71. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of Orthodox Churches in USA
Fr. Thomas FitzGerald
72. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of the Orthodox Churches
in Latin (South) America
Bishop Iosif Bosch
73. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Perspective of Orthodox Churches in Oceania
Bishop Irinej Dobrijevic
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
309
312
319
321
327
333
338
343
352
357
365
374
380
383
386
398
402
412
418
422
429
433
439
xi
PART V BILATERAL DIALOGUES BETWEEN EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES
AND OTHER CHURCHES AND CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS
74. Bilateral Theological Dialogues of Orthodox Churches
– A General Introduction
Fr. Viorel Ionita
75. Orthodox Dialogues with the Lutheran Churches
Konstantinos Delikostantis
76. Orthodox Dialogues with the Reformed Churches
Fr. Dorin Oancea
77. Orthodox Dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church
Metropolitan Chrysostomos-Georges Savvatos
78. Orthodox Dialogue with the Anglican Church
Bogdan LubardiΕ
79. Orthodox Dialogue with the Old Catholic Church
Ioan Vasile Leb
80. Orthodox Dialogue with Pentecostal Churches
Petros Vassiliadis
81. Eastern Orthodox – Oriental Orthodox Dialogue
– A Historical and Theological Survey
Ioan Ovidiu
82. Eastern Orthodox – Oriental Orthodox Dialogue
– A Historical and Theological Survey
George Martzelos
83. Orthodox Dialogue with Evangelicals - A Survey
Bradley Nassif
PART VI ECUMENICAL PERSPECTIVES OF ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES
84. General Introduction into the Dialogue between Oriental Churches
and other Churches and Christian Traditions
Fr. Kondothra M. George
85. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Coptic Church in Egypt
Metropolitan Bishoy
86. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Orthodox Coptic Church
Wedak Tawfik
87. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Ayalkibet Berhanu
88. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Syrian Orthodox Church
Archbishop Philoxenos Mattias Nayis
89. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Fr. Kondothra M. George
90. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Armenian Orthodox Church
Bishop Hovakim Manukyan
91. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Armenian Apostolic Church
(Great House of Cilicia)
Archbishop Nareg Alemezian
92. Ecumenical Dialogue in the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Stanislau Paulau
Prelims
455
457
473
478
487
490
497
505
508
529
536
543
545
547
555
564
576
582
588
592
597
xii
Contents
PART VII PARTICULAR THEMES AND ISSUES FOR ORTHODOX INVOLVEMENT IN ECUMENISM
93. Common Prayer as an Issue for Orthodox Involvement in Ecumenism,
according to the Canon Law
Vlassios Pheidas
94. Common Prayer as an Issue for Orthodox Involvement in Ecumenism.
A Systematic Approach
Peter Bouteneff
95. Ecumenical Implications of the Orthodox understanding
of Worship and Liturgy
Godfrey O’ Donell
96. Basic Elements of Church Unity/
Intercommunion according to Orthodox understanding
Tamara Grdzelidze
Petros Vassiliadis
97. Orthodox Ecclesiology in Dialogue with other Understandings
of the Nature of the Church
Athanasios Vletsis
98. Orthodox Theology and Dialogue with Modern Science
Adrian Lemeni
99. The Relevance of Orthodox Spirituality for the Ecumenical Movement
Ciprian Toroczkai
Christopher Savage
100. Theological Reflection on the Relationship of Scripture and Tradition
as an Example of Ecumenical Learning
Daniel Ayuch
101. Ethics and Ecology as an Issue for Joint Dialogue
and Work with other Christian Traditions
Elizabeth Theokritoff
102. Orthodox Perspectives on Mission
Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos
103. A Dynamic Understanding of Tradition and Mission and the Need for Contextualization
Petros Vassiliadis
104. Common Mission as a Task for Orthodox Involvement in Ecumenism
Fr. John Njoroge
Valentin Kozhuharov
105. Interfaith Dialogue as an area for Orthodox Involvement in Ecumenism
Alina Patru
106. Theology of Religions as Concern for Ecumenical Dialogue
of Orthodox Theologians
Fr. Emmanuel Clapsis
107. Orthodoxy and Islam – Major Concerns for Orthodox Engagement
Angeliki Ziaka
108. Orthodox Contributions for the Understanding and Practice of Diakonia
(the ‘Liturgy after Liturgy’)
Dragica Tadic-Papanikolaou
109. The Laity as an Orthodox Ecumenical Concern
Fr. Vasileios Thermos
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
605
607
618
623
633
636
639
647
653
658
662
667
672
681
684
690
701
706
714
725
733
xiii
110. Women in Church and Society as an Ecumenical Issue
Eleni Kasselouri-Hatzivassiliadi
111. Current Understandings of Human Being and Orthodox Anthropology
Stavros Yangazoglou
112. Orthodox Youth in the Ecumenical Movement
Fr. Christophe D’Aloisio
113. The Ecumenical Relevance of Orthodox Iconography
Teva Regule
114. Local Ecumenism from Orthodox Perspectives
Fr. Heiki Huttunen
115. Proselytism as an Issue for Orthodox Engagement in Ecumenism
Alexei Dikarev
116. Orthodox Perspectives on the Historical Role of Church Unions
Fr. Vaclav Jezek
117. Ecumenical Dimension in the Orthodox Christian Education
Natallia Vasilevich
118. Orthodox Perspectives on the Ecumenical Debate on Moral Discernment
Perry Hamalis
119. The Issue of Mixed Marriages - Canonical and Pastoral Perspectives
Bassam Nassif
Pekka Metso
120. Orthodox Perspectives on Ecumenical Hermeneutics
Metropolitan Gennadios Limouris
121. The Issue of Ecumenical Reception in Orthodox Churches
and Theological Institutions
Georgios Vlantis
122. Disability as a Question for Ecumenical Dialogue
Aikaterini Pekridou
123. The Orthodox Churches and the Geographical Redistribution of Christianity
Stavros Zoumboulakis
124. Mission and Inter-religious Dialogue: Some Orthodox Perspectives
Metropolitan Geevarghese Coorilos
125. Reconciliation, Peace and Forgiveness,
as a task for Orthodox Involvement in Ecumenism
Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky
126. Orthodox Social Theology
as a task for the Orthodox Engagement in Ecumenism
Radu Preda
PART VIII ECUMENICAL FORMATION IN ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
127. Orthodox Theological Education
and the Need for Ecumenical Formation – An Introduction
Fr. Thomas FitzGerald
128. A short global Survey on Orthodox Theological Institutions
Fr. Viorel Ionita
129. Teaching Orthodox Theology in the Context of Christian Diversity
Dn Paul Gavrilyuk
Prelims
737
741
746
750
755
761
766
783
789
794
801
809
813
822
827
831
838
843
865
867
872
884
xiv
Contents
130. Teaching Orthodox Theology in the Context of Christian Diversity
Fr. Radu Bordeianu
131. Methods of Teaching About and With Other Christian Denominations
in Ecumenical Theological Education of Orthodox Institutions
Fr. Grigorios Papathomas
132. The Teaching on Ecumenism and on other Christian Traditions
in Orthodox Churches
Fr. Aurel Pavel/Fr. Daniel Buda
133. Magna Charta on Ecumenical Formation in Theological Education
in the 21st century – A WCC/ETE Reference Document
Dietrich Werner
134. Recommendations for Ecumenical Learning
in Orthodox Theological Education.
Reports from Basel (1978) and Penteli (2000)
135. The Ecumenical Dimensions of Orthodox Theological Education
Metropolitan John Zizioulas
136. Orthodoxy and Ecumenical Theological Education
Nikos Nissiotis
137. Ecumenical Formation as a Priority for the Churches in Eastern
and Central Europe-Document from Sambata de Sus, Romania Consultation (2008)
Dietrich Werner/Fr. Viorel Ionita
138. The Future of Orthodox Theological Education and Ecumenism.
Communiqué of Sibiu Consultation (2010)
PART IX APPENDIX: BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SURVEY ON KEY-TEXTS OF ECUMENISM
139. Introduction to the Bibliographical List
of Official Orthodox Texts on Ecumenism
Vassiliki Stathokosta
140. Official Orthodox Texts on Ecumenism – A Bibliographical List
(Digital Reader of Official Reference Texts)
Vassiliki Stathokosta
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
889
898
906
911
929
935
941
949
951
958
FOREWORD
In recent Church history, the first two decades of the twentieth century are surely considered to be the dawn of
a fresh and promising period in Church relations. The pioneering initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for
reconciliation and cooperation – with crucial encyclicals published in 1902, 1904, and 1920 – together with the
call of the World Missionary Conference of Edinburgh for a common Christian witness in the world (1910),
the formation of the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches (1914), as
well as the Preparatory Conferences of the “Faith and Order” and “Life and Work” movements (1920) marked
praiseworthy attempts to abandon past practices and lay the foundations of the ecumenical movement. This
movement was perceived as an effort of the Christian Churches and many committed Christians to overcome
past quarrels and to discern significant denominators for the Churches’ common witness and service to the
world, thereby preparing the conditions that would facilitate the restoration of their unity.
It should be stressed, however, that although the term “Ecumenical Movement” was used for the first time
in the 1920’s in order to define this positive development in inter-church relations, the idea of ecumenism is
not a recent development in the life of the Church. On the contrary, it could be stated that ecumenism has been
at the center of the Church’s pastoral ministry since the earliest apostolic times. The Church never considered
itself to be a sect or a denomination. It always saw itself as the true Church of God, the Body of Christ, the
divine presence and witness in the world. It is this reality that defines both the necessity and the limits of our
involvement in the ecumenical movement.
On the one hand, of course, it is true that modern ecumenism emerged from within the Protestant world, as the
outcome of its endeavor to present a more coherent image of Protestantism by attempting to reunite the multitude
of Protestant denominations on the basis of a common ecclesiological understanding. On the other hand, however,
it would be incorrect to attribute the paternity of ecumenism to the Protestant and Anglican world alone. It is a
fact that the history of the ecumenical movement, and more particularly of the World Council of Churches, is
very closely linked with the Orthodox Church in general and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in particular.
Moreover, it should be remembered that the first concrete proposal to establish a “Koinonia of Churches”
came from the Church of Constantinople, which, with its well known 1920 Encyclical advocated that the fellowship and cooperation of the Christian Churches were not excluded by the doctrinal differences that otherwise
divided them. As W.A. Visser’t Hooft once pointed out: “The Church of Constantinople rung the bell of our
assembling, for she was among the first in modern history to remind us with its 1920 Encyclical that world
Christendom would be disobedient to the will of its Lord and Savior if it did not seek to manifest in the world
the unity of the people of God and of the Body of Christ.” As was noted in that encyclical addressed “Unto
the Churches of Christ Everywhere”: Love should be rekindled and strengthened among the churches, so that
they should no longer consider one another as strangers or foreigners, but as relatives and part of the household
of Christ, and as “fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise of God in Christ.”
The Ecumenical Patriarchate has always been convinced of its broader ecumenical responsibility in the
world. This keen sense of obligation and leadership before other people and before God has inspired manifold
initiatives, such as the Patriarchate’s tireless efforts to consolidate the unity of the Orthodox Church worldwide,
an effort which has often been fraught with national tensions and political divisions. Indeed, the involvement
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in ecumenical encounter and exchange dates back at least to the 16th century
with the “Ausgburg-Constantinople” correspondence, which consisted of a series of communications between
Lutheran theologians from Tübingen and Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II from 1572 to 1595. Although not
dialogues in the formal sense, these exchanges were nonetheless indicative of the general philosophy of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate with regard to other churches and other faiths.
xvi
Forewords
The same philosophy has also inspired our encouragement in principle of ecumenical discussions from
the early 20th century, while providing the impetus and foundation for several bilateral discussions with other
Christian Churches. Beyond the diverse discussions and agreed statements between the Eastern and the Oriental
Churches, the most effective and to date fruitful of these theological dialogues have been engaged with the
Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation. Indeed, even at the cost
of much defamation for “betraying” the Gospel truth, we have never restricted these engagements merely to the
various Christian confessions. After all, standing as it does on the crossroads of continents, civilizations and
faith communities, the vision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has always embraced the idea and responsibility
of serving as a bridge between Christians, Moslems, and Jews.
Why do we participate in the ecumenical movement? The answer is simple: because the mission and vision
of the Church require it. The Church cannot escape its responsibility and opportunity to “give an answer to
everyone, who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have – and to do this with gentleness and respect.”
(1 Peter 3:15) As Orthodox Christians, we have no right to ignore the world around us; this world requires our
presence and voice wherever it can be heard, precisely because the Church is the guardian of a universal truth,
which we have no right to restrict or confine within our zones of comfort. In fact, we are called to proclaim
the fullness of this truth precisely where we feel uncomfortable.
To this end, then, Orthodoxy must be in constant dialogue with the world. The Orthodox Church does not
fear dialogue, because truth is not afraid of dialogue. On the contrary, if Orthodoxy is enclosed within itself
and not in dialogue with those outside, it will fail in its mission and cease to be the “catholic” and “ecumenical” Church. Instead, it will become introverted and self-contained, a “ghetto” on the margins of history. This
is why the great Fathers of the Church never feared dialogue with the spiritual culture of their age, instead
even welcoming dialogue with pagan idolaters and philosophers. It is in this spirit that they influenced and
transformed the civilization of their time and offered us a truly ecumenical Church. Orthodoxy always remains
contemporary and ecumenical, so long as we promote it with humility and interpret it in light of the existential
quests and needs of humanity in each given historical period and cultural circumstance.
Today, Orthodoxy is called to continue this dialogue with the outside world in order to provide witness and
the life-giving breath of its faith. However, this dialogue cannot reach the outside world unless it first passes
through all those who bear the Christian name. And so first we must converse as Christians among ourselves,
to resolve our differences, so that our witness to the outside world may be credible. Our endeavor in the cause
that all Christians be united is the command of our Lord, who before His passion prayed to His Father “that
all [namely, His disciples] may be one, so that the world may believe that you sent me.” (John 17:21) It is not
possible for the Lord to agonize over the unity of His disciples and for us to remain indifferent about the unity
of all Christians. That would constitute betrayal of fidelity and transgression of His will.
For this reason, we wholeheartedly welcome the publication of this Pan-Orthodox Handbook for teaching
ecumenism, which is being produced in preparation for the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of
Churches in Busan, South Korea, this year. It is our fervent prayer that this volume will restore and revive
the ecumenical vision among our Churches and especially among the younger generation, who are called to
sustain and expand it in the years to come.
At the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the 3rd of September, 2013
Prayerfully yours,
BARTHO
OLO
L MEW
W
† BARTHOLOMEW
Archbi
bissh
bi
hop
o of Constantinople-New
Consta
taantinople-N
New
e Rome
Archbishop
and Ecumenical Patriarch
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
WORDS OF GREETING
Olav Fykse Tveit
It is my great pleasure to acknowledge the publication of the Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism edited by
a group of Orthodox theologians in collaboration with the WCC/ETE Program, the Conference of European
Churches, Volos Academy for Theological Studies in Greece, and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of
Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. This Handbook which is part of a broader ETE project of publishing
resource books for theological education and teaching ecumenism in different settings1 is in many ways a
historic publication.
The engagement of the Orthodox Churches in the modern efforts for Church unity are broadly known and appreciated. The history of the foundation and development of WCC was profoundly marked by the Orthodox Churches,
both Eastern and Oriental. In 1920, the Ecumenical Patriarchate “took an initiative which was without precedent
in church history,”2 namely to extend an invitation to all Christian churches to form a “league of Churches.” This
initiative was well-received and further developed by representatives of other Christian traditions, and in 1948 the
World Council of Churches was founded. From the 147 founding member churches of WCC3, 5 were Orthodox (3
Eastern Orthodox: the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Church of Cyprus, and the Church of Greece, and 2 Oriental
Orthodox: the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church), while several
other Orthodox churches were present with representatives (the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All
Africa, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Romanian
Orthodox Diocese in the USA, the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe (as it was called
at that time), and the Coptic Orthodox Church). A simple enumeration of the Orthodox founding members of WCC
clearly shows that almost all those who remained outside the WCC fellowship were based behind the iron curtain
that divided the world after the Second World War. During the third WCC Assembly that took place in New Delhi
in 1961 and in the years after, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches from the former communist bloc joined
WCC. The last Eastern Orthodox Church which became a WCC member was the Orthodox Autocephalous Church
of Albania (1994), a church which suffered the most under the communist regime and whose recent history of
revival and rebuilding is strongly linked with its deep ecumenical involvement. After the political changes that
occurred in the world since 1989, two Orthodox member churches, the Georgian Orthodox Church and the oldest
Slavonic Orthodox Church (the Bulgarian Orthodox Church) chose to suspend their membership in WCC and
CEC, due to several reasons related with the complex realities existing in Eastern Europe in the post-communist
period (although several working relationships remained also to theologians within these churches).
The presence of Orthodox Churches in the membership of WCC decisively influenced its agenda. Orthodox
emphasis on seeking unity between member churches, the contribution of Orthodox representatives especially
in the commissions of Faith and Order and Mission and Evangelism, the permanent insistence on an osmotic
relationship between martyria, diakonia and leitourgia are just a few examples of areas in which the Orthodox
brought their values to the ecumenical fellowship.
1
So far three Handbooks of Theological Education have been published: (1) Dietrich Werner, David Esterline, Namsoon
Kang, Joshva Rajha, Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity, (Oxford: Regnum, 2010) which is a general introduction in theological education and teaching ecumenism; (2) Isabel Phiri and Dietrich Werner (eds.), Handbook
of Theological Education in Africa, (Oxford: Regnum, 2013) focused on the African context; (3) Hope Antone, Huang
Po Ho, WatiLongchar, BaeHyunju, Dietrich Werner (eds.), Asian Handbook on Theological Education and Ecumenism,
(Oxford: Regnum, 2013), focused on the Asian context.
2
W. A. Visser’ t Hooft, The Genesis and Formation of the World Council of Churches, (WCC Publication, 1982), 1.
3
Ibid., 63.
xviii
Word of Greetings
In terms of ecumenical theological education, along with the role of the Orthodox Churches and their
representatives in developing the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey in Switzerland, representatives of Orthodox Churches in collaboration with Orthodox staff members of WCC and with WCC leadership and the
ETE program were permanently preoccupied with developing an ecumenical formation within Orthodox
Churches. In this sense, several conferences and consultations were organized by WCC in collaboration with
different Orthodox Churches. The last International Inter-Orthodox Consultation of this kind, entitled “The
Ecumenical Movement in Theological Education and in the Life of Orthodox Churches”, took place from
9-12 November 2012 in Sibiu, Romania, and was organized in collaboration with the Romanian Orthodox
Church. It brought together 25 key Orthodox theologians involved in ecumenical education and academic
formation and formulated a few key recommendations which took up the earlier “Volos Initiative for Ecumenical Theological Education in Central and Eastern Europe” from 2007 and thus led to the production
of this Handbook.
The content of this Handbook was developed by the editorial team in such a way that it can provide both a
better understanding of Orthodox approaches on ecumenism as well as an introduction into several aspects of
the broader theme of “Orthodox involvement in the ecumenical movement.” It supplies propaedeutic articles
on the role of Orthodoxy in the world today, on the Orthodox understanding of ecumenism or ecumenical
terminology, and presents the ecumenical profiles of several Orthodox hierarchs and theologians involved in
ecumenical work. It presents studies about the Orthodox understanding of the main foundations of ecumenism
(in biblical, patristic, historical, liturgical, ecclesiological perspectives, etc.), about ecumenical dialogue in
various Orthodox Churches and about the history and current level of bilateral dialogues between Orthodox
Churches and other Christian traditions. Last, but not least, the present Handbook approaches issues like Orthodox identity today, migration, interreligious dialogue, etc. It is admirable that some chapters courageously
treat delicate issues like anti-ecumenism and its causes in Orthodox contexts and the controversial issue of
common prayer.
While this Handbook is written by Orthodox authors and is addressed primarily to the Eastern Orthodox,
I am sure that it will be useful also for a broader constituency, especially for those who are interested in an
Orthodox understanding of Church unity and want to learn more about how the Orthodox perceive and relate
to the modern ecumenical movement and other Christian traditions.
Congratulating the editorial team, the ETE program and Volos Academy as well as the authors and all those
who contributed to this Handbook, I express my confidence that it will be well received among Orthodox
Churches and theological schools, that it will contribute significantly to deepen the dialogue within and between
the Orthodox churches and that it will serve properly the purposes for which it was published.
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
General Secretary
World Council of Churches (WCC)
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
WORDS OF GREETING
Guy Liagre
It is an honour for the Conference of European Churches (CEC) to be a part of the broader project for the
preparation of the Orthodox Handbook for Teaching Ecumenism suggested by ETE/WCC in collaboration
with CEC, Volos Academy and the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.
The Conference of European Churches is an ecumenical fellowship of 114 Churches (Old Catholic, Anglican,
Orthodox and Protestant), and in earlier years had produced a directory of European institutions of theological education. It thus facilitated an initial process of networking and exchange, and later acknowledged the
importance of theological education again by emphasizing efforts for strengthening the spirit of ecumenical
cooperation among the European churches. For this purpose, CEC has organized different consultations of
Theological Faculties in Europe in cooperation with the Roman Catholic Theological Faculty of the University
of Graz, Austria. This process is still going on. At the Lyon Assembly in 2009, His All Holiness the Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew stressed the importance of these efforts as follows: “We duly appreciate the CEC’s
theological contribution as well as its involvement in promoting programmes designed to improve cooperation
between our theological faculties.”1
In this spirit and continuing a history of good cooperation between ETE and CEC in the area of theological
education,2 the Volos Academy and WCC planned a project together to work on a major resource book for
teaching about ecumenism in Orthodox contexts, a project which could facilitate theological education on the
ecumenical movement in the family of Orthodox theological faculties, schools, and beyond.
This Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism is the result of this process and intense collaboration. It uncovers the
unique vision of history and actual perception of the ecumenical idea in the Orthodox tradition. It underscores
that there are many and varied reasons for Orthodoxy’s involvement – or the lack of it – in the ecumenical
movement. The basic question of this publication is: what have been the long-term effects of the Orthodox
Church’s involvement in the ecumenical movement over the years? How have the Orthodox benefitted from
their collaboration in the ecumenical movement?
Reviewing the titles of the different articles, this publication proves that true ecumenical unity is not the
same as imposed uniformity. As one ponders history, reading the articles in this book by Orthodox theologians
on ecumenism, one feels awe at the courage and decisiveness of these great figures who were able to overcome
stereotypes and long established perceptions. With God’s blessing they were able not only to lay foundational
stones in the history of Orthodoxy, but also in the history of Ecumenism, contributing to theological progress
and a better mutual understanding between Churches both inside and outside the Orthodox tradition. As a result
of their labours, Orthodox theology has become a historic factor and transforming element in the ecumenical
movement.
In this book, the editors share their conviction that informed discussion and deliberation on these contributions and knowledge of worldwide Orthodox ecumenical achievements are essential if the Orthodox position
and witness are to be deemed credible and its participation in the ecumenical movement to remain a manifestation of a common pastoral responsibility. It is also an answer to those outside the Orthodox tradition who are
1
‘The rich future of hope for the Conference of European Churches’. Address by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew I for the 50th anniversary of the Conference of European Churches. http://assembly.ceceurope.org/fileadmin/
filer/asse/Assembly/Documents/Official_documents/Bartholomew_EN.pdf (last accessed, September 2013).
2
See for instance: The future of Ecumenical Theological Education in Eastern and Central Europe. Report of the International Seminar in Sambata de Sus, Rumania, 24-28 September 2008, ed. By Viorel Ionita and Dietrich Werner, CEC/
WCC/ETE, Geneva 2009.
xx
Word of Greetings
interested in understanding and articulating the role and involvement of Orthodox Churches in Ecumenism.
Too often the pioneering role played by Orthodoxy in the genesis of the Ecumenical movement and in the
foundation of WCC and in the history of CEC is set under a bushel.
As underlined by the former director of the Churches in Dialogue Commission of CEC Father Viorel Ionita,
“The faith confessed by the Church is for the Orthodox not a theoretical exposition of the faith with no relation
to the moral and liturgical life of the Church. In other words the faith is confessed in this Church not simply
mentally or theoretically but also liturgically, spiritually and practically. In this respect the Orthodox expects
that what the churches confess doctrinally should also be reflected in their practical life.”3 Many dilemmas
tormenting human existence today demand a common Christian awareness of social and ethical issues as well
of ecology in the light of Christian Spirituality, as expressed by the WCC inter-Orthodox consultation in 1995.4
I hope that this publication will support the ecumenical involvement of Orthodox students, scholars and theologians worldwide, but particularly in the Conference of European Churches, in order to sustain the continuation
of ecumenical collaboration in the work of Christian Advocacy in the European Institutions and beyond.
These words of greeting would be incomplete without mentioning that the project would not have been
possible without the cooperation of a great number of people. It has been an exciting experience, but also
time consuming and difficult, especially for those from the Volos Academy and from WCC-ETE who worked
hard to receive all the articles, to read them and to manage this common publication. I express my sincere
gratitude to them all, together with my predecessor who was director of the CEC Dialogue Commission and
former interim general secretary and one of the initiators of the whole project, Father Viorel Ionita from the
Romanian Orthodox Church.
May this publication strengthen the ecumenical fellowship and may the lex credendi govern the lives of all
who march together in their common goal to Christian unity.
Guy Liagre
General Secretary
Conference of European Churches (CEC)
3
V. Ionita, ‘The Vision of Unity from an Orthodox perspective’, Consultation on “Visions of Unity in our Churches – Points
of Convergence”, Conference of European Churches, Churches in Dialogue Commission, Budapest, 22-23 June 2011.
http://cid.ceceurope.org/fileadmin/filer/cec/CEC_Documents/Press_Release_Attachments/Report_Consultation_Budapest.
pdf (last accessed, September 2013).
4
The Ecumenical Review, 48.2 (1996): 185-192. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1758-6623.1996.tb03465.x/
pdf (last accessed, September 2013).
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
WORDS OF GREETING
Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias
It is with great joy that I, in my capacity as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Volos Academy for
Theological Studies, acknowledge the publication of the Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism — Resources for
Theological Education, a joint initiative of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Council of European
Churches (CEC), and the Volos Academy.
The Volos Academy for Theological Studies ― a Church-related institution, which for more than a decade
has productively and creatively ministered the word of God ― acts as an open forum of thought and dialogue
between the Orthodox Church and the broader scholarly community of intellectuals worldwide. Our city,
Volos, the see of our local diocese, and the people who live here have been known throughout history for their
tolerance, friendliness and solidarity with all different cultures and religious traditions. It is within this climate
that the Volos Academy for Theological Studies was born and has matured, seeking to highlight the inherently
ecumenical character of the Christian faith. Being itself a place for critical dialogue with the various contemporary theological, social, intellectual and wider cultural currents and movements, it is struggling with all its
might to bring the Orthodox tradition into dialogue not only with other Christian traditions and movements in
the West and in the East, but also, due to the particular geographic position of our country, with the broader
religious environment and especially the Jewish and Islamic world. Inspired by this vision, the Academy has
very successfully organized major international conferences and meetings related not only to the search for the
Orthodox self-consciousness, but also to the fostering of a spirit of trust, mutual understanding and reconciliation between sister Churches, faithful Christians and people of different religious and cultural backgrounds.
Moreover, for the same reasons, the Volos Academy participates actively in the programs and actions of the
ecumenical movement as implemented through the long-standing, vital contribution of the WCC and the CEC.
For the Volos Academy, as an Orthodox Institution faithful to the eucharistic and eschatological understanding of the Christian Tradition and of the church-world relationship, ecumenical theological education is
undoubtedly of primordial importance. We believe that the Orthodox Church has to constantly witness to its
ecumenical ethos, and all-embracing catholic truth which is embodied in its very historical existence and its
mission in the world. By participating in the ecumenical movement, we are convinced that we remain faithful
to the deepest consciousness of Orthodoxy, as expressed par excellence in the Divine Liturgy, the very heart
of Orthodox life and theology. In this liturgical and principally eucharistic context, the Church experiences
the eschatological mystery of unity and prays ceaselessly for its proleptical manifestation or rather realization
in history. It prays continually “for the unity of all” and asks for “the unity of the faith and the communion
of the Holy Spirit”, a necessary presupposition that we may “love one another, that with one mind we may
confess: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in Essence and inseparable” (Liturgy of Saint John
Chrysostom). By praying for unity in the Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox Church appeals to the realization of
the ancient biblical faith and tradition in every aspect of the ecclesial life. Jesus’ high priestly prayer serves
as a compass: “That they may all be one. As You, Father, are in me and I in you, may they also be in us, so
that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that
they may be one, as we are one, I in them, and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the
world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John, 17:21-23).
This biblical perspective demonstrates the Trinitarian foundation of ecclesial unity and fraternal love, and the
indissoluble bond which links Trinitarian theology, ecclesiology, and anthropology.
xxii
Word of Greetings
Thus the theological curricula have to be ecumenically-oriented and expanded in this direction. Furthermore,
when we include ecumenical education in our missionary and pastoral work and agenda, we bear witness to
the Gospel’s message of the Church’s catholicity. Since the apostolic period, the teaching of the word of God,
which embraces the other despite differences of culture, religion, origin, gender, political and social background,
has been a priority in the life of the Church. The opening of our educational institutions, schools and faith
communities to the Ecumenical Movement is an act of incarnating the word of God in history and witnessing
that the Church exists for all people and the whole creation, for the benefit of the ecumene and the world. At
the same time, teaching about the “other,” learning from the “other” and about the “other” and, moreover,
the awareness of the long and rich history of encounter and dialogue with other Christian traditions, provides
the necessary means by which the Church will be able to overcome ignorance and stereotypical prejudices,
introversion and fundamentalism, theological self-sufficiency and confessional entrenchment.
Inspired and motivated by this biblical and patristic understanding of the ecumenical ethos of Orthodoxy,
the “Volos Initiative for Ecumenical Theological Education in Central and Eastern Europe” was inaugurated in
February 2007 as a joint initiative between the Ecumenical Theological Education Program of the World Council
of Churches (ETE/WCC) and the Volos Academy, highlighted by an important meeting, the final communiqué
of which insisted on “increased efforts and proper resources to strengthen ecumenical theological education in
Central and Eastern Europe.” I am particularly pleased because the “Volos Initiative for Ecumenical Theological
Education in Eastern and Central Europe” has now reached a fruitful conclusion with the publication of this
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism. Even though ecumenicity and catholicity are not ancillary properties,
but rather constitute integral elements of the Gospel message and the Orthodox tradition, nevertheless today
Eastern Orthodoxy seems often hesitant to engage in an open and honest meeting and dialogue with other
Christian traditions, due to fear of losing its identity. I hope, therefore, that this Handbook will represent an
opportunity for the catholicity and the ecumenical ethos of the Orthodox tradition to emerge, so that whatever
reservations there may be can be overcome.
The productive cooperation between the ETE/WCC, the CEC and the Volos Academy has resulted in this
unique publication, this Resource book, which aims to facilitate theological education about the ecumenical
movement within Orthodox theological faculties, schools, seminaries and beyond, and which is envisioned
as a significant Orthodox contribution to the 2013 10th General Assembly of WCC in Busan, Korea. We are,
indeed, honored by the coming together of all these eminent Orthodox theologians from all over the world,
and from various local Orthodox Churches, who, despite the fact that they are not officially representing their
respective Churches, nevertheless make valuable contributions to this prestigious volume, and in fact illustrate
the strong commitment of these Churches to the Ecumenical dialogue and our common concern for the unity
of all Christians.
Before concluding these words of greeting, I would like to express my deep appreciation and sincere gratitude to the editorial team, the contributors, the second readers, the translators and copy editors, the graphic
designers, the printing companies, and the publishers for this unique achievement, for all the efforts expended
toward the publication of this volume, and the high quality they have reached, but especially to the persons in
charge of the three supporting and collaborating institutions (WCC, CEC, Volos Academy).
I hope that this Handbook will render service to the catholicity and ecumenicity of the Church, and will help
toward a better awareness and understanding of the tradition of the undivided Church, to which we consider
the Orthodox Church a humble servant and faithful witness. With these thoughts I greet the publication of
the Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism — Resources for Theological Education, praying for its publishing
success and spiritual fruition.
Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias
Chairman, Board of Directors of the Volos Academy
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
PREFACE OF THE EDITORS
From the beginning of her historical involvement with the Ecumenical Movement, in the first decades of the
20th century, the Orthodox Church sought to highlight and build upon the biblical and apostolic roots of Christian unity, a unity which, according to Orthodox theology, is anticipated and experienced in the eucharistic
gathering. The highest sacramental experience of the Church is a foretaste of the universal unity which we
will fully experience in the Kingdom of God. As Fr. Georges Florovsky put it once, “The Church is one. Unity
is her very being and nature. It was for the sake of unity that she was established by the Lord. The Church is
‘one Body’ … Yet – Christians are divided … The Christian world is in schism…” and Florovsky would conclude with asking the core question: “Divisus est Christus?” giving at the same time the proper answer “No.
Emphatically not.”1 In this respect the Orthodox consider their participation in the Ecumenical Movement as a
living and consistent witness and service to the unity and the catholicity of the Church, while at the same time
they attempt to unveil the tragedy of the current divisions, to overcome the schisms of the Christian churches,
and to heal the traumatic memories of the past. As Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas of Pergamon points out:
The Orthodox participate in the ecumenical movement out of their conviction that the unity of the Church is an
inescapable imperative for all Christians. This unity cannot be restored or fulfilled except through the coming
together of those who share the same faith in the Triune God and are baptized in His name. […] The Orthodox,
in my understanding at least, participate in the ecumenical movement as a movement of baptized Christians,
who are in a state of division because they cannot express the same faith together. In the past this has happened
because of a lack of love which is now, thank God, disappearing. In the history of Christianity there has been
a great deal of polemic between Christians, and without overcoming this history and the memories of it, it is
not possible to move toward eucharistic communion. So the ecumenical movement is the place where all these
divided Christians meet in order to examine whether they can love one another and confess the same faith with
a view to eucharistic communion.2
This “coming together” of people sharing the Christian faith, despite the existent doctrinal (as well as historical, political, social and cultural) differences, towards the honest and true rapprochement and establishment
of cordial relations, derives from the heart of the Orthodox ethos and understanding of ecumenism, insofar as
this ethos is inspired, among others, by the epoch making Patriarchal Encyclicals of 1902 and 1920.3 Through
her involvement in the ecumenical movement, as well as through its teaching and life in general, the Orthodox
Church seeks to respond adequately to the demand of her Lord “that they may all be one…so that the world
may believe” (John 17:21), firmly believing that the continuation of confessional divisions constitutes a scandal
for the whole of Christianity and a direct opposition to God’s will.
Nevertheless, ecumenical commitment for the Orthodox has never been without difficulties, and even
frustrations, particularly as the Orthodox came to realize that discussion on crucial theological matters and
restoration of Christian unity was not always a priority for their ecumenical partners. On the other hand, the
genuine ecumenical spirit of Orthodoxy was frequently overshadowed by historical traumas, or concerns of
1
Georges Florovsky, “The Doctrine of the Church and the Ecumenical Problem,” The Ecumenical Review, 2 (1950): 152-153.
John D. Zizioulas (Metropolitan of Pergamon), The One and the Many: Studies on God, Man, the Church, and the World
Today, ed. Fr. Gregory Edwards, (Alhambra: CA, Sebastian Press, 2010), 316-317, 331-332.
3
See the English version of the two Encyclicals of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in: The Orthodox Church
and the Ecumenical Movement: Documents and Statements 1902-1975, ed. Constantin G. Patelos, (Geneva: World Council
of Churches, 1978), 27-33, 40-43; Orthodox Visions of Ecumenism: Statements, Messages and Reports on the Ecumenical Movement, 1902-1992, ed. Gennadios Limouris, (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1994), 1-5, 9-11; Thomas FitzGerald,
The Ecumenical Patriarchate and Christian Unity, (Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2009), 62-65 (for the
Encyclical of 1920).
2
xxiv
Preface of the Editors
cultural order, and the ignorance of the “heterodox Other”. The lack of an appropriate and coherent ecumenical
theological education in Orthodox contexts and an awareness of the various important movements and figures
of Western Christian theology and spirituality during the 20th century hinders graduates from Orthodox Schools
of Theology from entering into genuine ecumenical conversation and exchange. It is worth noticing that, up to
this day, classic works of Western theologians are still untranslated in many of the languages of the traditionally
Orthodox countries. Given this situation, ecumenical theological education is of crucial importance for the
promotion of a well-articulated ecumenical spirit among Orthodox clerics, theologians, and educated laity, as
well as for the sake of mutual understanding and the overcoming of stereotypical images and constructions.
As it is pointed out in a recent Inter-Orthodox document:
1. There is a clear need to develop appropriate, fair-minded, non-polemical Orthodox resources and methodologies for teaching about other Christian churches, other religions and the ecumenical movement.
2. It is necessary to prepare an essay book about the history of the ecumenical movement from the Orthodox
point of view to be introduced as a part of the teaching curriculum in our theological schools and seminaries.
These were two key recommendations from the International Inter-Orthodox Consultation on “The Ecumenical Movement in Theological Education and in the Life of Orthodox Churches,” which took place from
9-12 November 2010 in Sibiu, Romania, which brought together 25 prominent Orthodox theologians and
representatives in the ecumenical movement. 4
The initial impetus for creating a Handbook on teaching ecumenism in Orthodox contexts had already begun
in February 2010 as a follow-up of earlier initiatives between the Volos Academy and the Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches (ETE/WCC). During the Sibiu conference of
November 2010 and on several other occasions, different voices indicated the need to have a proper reference
book for teaching ecumenism in Orthodox theological faculties, seminaries, and academies, as there is still a
serious lack of resources for proper and sound teaching of the history and life of the ecumenical movement.
Among the several contributors who were involved and brought their own background and historical involvement into this project we should mention the following:
a) The Volos Academy for Theological Studies in Greece, which has played a major role in highlighting
ecumenical studies and bringing into the debate major issues in contemporary international theological
dialogue as well as intra-Orthodox dialogue. In February 2007, the “Volos Initiative for Ecumenical
Theological Education in Central and Eastern Europe” was inaugurated as a joint initiative between
ETE/WCC and the Volos Academy which urged increased efforts and proper resources to strengthen
ecumenical theological education in Central and Eastern Europe.
b) The Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches, which
follows the constitutional mandate of WCC to increase “ecumenical consciousness of its member churches” and to facilitate the development of proper resources for ecumenical formation in all its member
churches. Since its early beginnings, ETE/WCC and its predecessor programme have been interested
already in accompanying and strengthening Orthodox theological education. The first major consultation of the newly formed Programme on Theological Education (PTE) which followed the London
based Theological Education Fund (TEF) of the International Missionary Council in 1976/1977 was an
International Consultation on Orthodox Theological Education which was held in Basel from 4-7 July
1978.5 ETE/WCC also had been involved in various initiatives to cooperate with regard to theological
education and ecumenical formation in Orthodox contexts and therefore employed a consultant with
4
See: Final Communiqué from the International Inter-Orthodox Consultation on “The Ecumenical Movement in Theological
Education and in the Life of Orthodox Churches,” Sibiu, Romania, 9-12 November 2010. Documented also in: http://www.
globethics.net/web/ecumenical-theological-education?layoutPlid=13227594 (last accessed, September 2013).
5
The papers and reports of this consultation (well documented in Ministerial Formation 2, 1978, pp. 16ff) already at that
time included two key recommendations which are still of relevance today: The Basel consultation referred to the task
of “Orthodox theological schools… to deal seriously with the need to be open to ecumenical demands both inherent in
Orthodox tradition and as they are present in contemporary situations”. Further, it highlighted the challenges for “setting
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
xxv
an Orthodox background for theological education in Eastern and Central Europe.6 The ETE/WCC had
also published similar major Handbooks on Theological Education for different regions, in which there
were always several contributions included from Orthodox theologians.7 Some of these served as an
example for this Handbook.
c) The Conference of European Churches (CEC), which for several years has provided a platform for
meetings between theological faculties of Eastern and Western Europe (the so-called Graz process)8,
and which also encouraged the reflection on mission and theological education in Europe. In addition,
CEC in cooperation with ETE/WCC held the international seminar on “The Future of Ecumenical Theological Education in Eastern and Central Europe” (24-28 September 2008, Sambata de Sus Monastery,
Romania) which also provided a major recommendation to increase the literature and resource books
for solid teaching on ecumenism in Eastern European contexts.9
d) Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, has a long history
of involvement into ecumenical dialogue both for the Orthodox churches in the North American context and beyond. Its teaching staff has developed a significant ecumenical activity, often taking part
as resource persons or as members in various WCC commissions. Holy Cross organized some of the
major ecumenical events and conferences, while its publishing house (Holy Cross Orthodox Press) has
published a remarkable set of works of ecumenical interest.
e) SS Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Post-Graduate Studies in Moscow, a leading
theological institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. In its curricula and research, it is focused on
ecumenical studies and inter-Orthodox relations. It is affiliated with the Department for External Church
Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
All the institutions mentioned above share the following core convictions: a) that there is a serious need
for a common resource book for teaching ecumenism in Orthodox theological faculties and academies; b)
that there still is a considerable lack of resources for proper and sound teaching of the history and life of the
ecumenical movement; c) that the Orthodox Churches had inspired, contributed to, and profoundly benefited
from the ecumenical movement — and this allowed them to meet other Christians and to overcome temptations
of isolationism; d) that there is still some need to improve the level of inter-Christian studies and dialogue in
Orthodox theological schools in order to promote mutual understanding and to eradicate prejudices; e) that
the study of other Christian churches and ecumenism needs to move beyond the framework of comparative
or even polemical apologetics.
Inspired by this common view, a group of committed Orthodox theologians and ecumenical partners formed
an editorial group to conceptualize a Pan-Orthodox Handbook for Teaching Ecumenism. This publication was
planned as a constructive Orthodox contribution to the 10th General Assembly of WCC in Busan, Korea (2013),
where a major forum for ecumenical theological education took place as well as other significant ecumenical
up an Orthodox Theological Commission to promote permanent relationships among Orthodox theological schools”, a
demand which partly was realized by bringing into existence the Conference of Orthodox Theological Schools (COTS).
6
See the final report of Rev. Prof. Dr. Vladimir Fedorov, St. Petersburg, on his work with ETE/WCC, 2009. See: http://
www.globethics.net/web/ecumenical-theological-education (documents on Europe) (last accessed at September 2013).
7
Dietrich Werner, David Esterline, Namsoon Kang, Joshva Rajha, Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity,
(Oxford: Regnum, 2010); Handbook of Theological Education in Africa, eds. Isabel Phiri and Dietrich Werner, (Oxford:
Regnum, 2013); and Asian Handbook on Theological Education and Ecumenism, eds. Hope Antone, Huang Po Ho, Wati
Lonchar, Bae Hyunju, Dietrich Werner, (Oxford: Regnum, 2013).
8
See the 3rd Graz Consultation of Theological Faculties in Europe in July 2010, Austria: http://cid.ceceurope.org/fileadmin/
filer/cid/Education_and_Formation/Final_statement_Graz_Process.pdf (last accessed at September 2013).
9
The Future of Ecumenical Theological Education in Eastern and Central Europe: Full Report of the International Seminar
for Young Lecturers and Professors of Theology, Sambata de Sus, Romania, 24-28 September 2008, (Geneva: Conference
of European Churches/Churches in Dialogue Commission-World Council of Churches/Ecumenical Theological Education
Programme, 2009), 111ff.
Prelims
xxvi
Preface of the Editors
events. An initial process started in the period between December 2010 and March 2011 to develop a draft
concept to be shared with a wider group of Orthodox theologians interested in this project. People involved in
this first core group stage were Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Volos Academy), Rev. Prof. Dr. Viorel Ionita (CEC),
and Rev. Dr. Dietrich Werner (ETE/WCC).
The first core project outline was presented to a wider group of some 30 Orthodox theologians who were
called together for a planning workshop at the Volos Academy, 16-18 October 2011; during this meeting key
parameters of the project were affirmed.
Six major goals were decided to guide the beginning editorial work.
The goals of the envisaged publication were defined as follows:
a) To underline the decisive role of the Orthodox Church in the development of the ecumenical movement
from its early beginnings, as well as to highlight both how Orthodox churches have contributed to
ecumenical theology in general for many decades, and how they have benefitted from the ecumenical
movement;
b) To provide access to essential and authentic Orthodox texts relating to the search for Christian unity as
well as the understanding of ecumenism and the involvement of Orthodox churches in the ecumenical
movement, including providing access to official decisions and statements of Orthodox churches with
regard to theological education and ecumenism. Towards this end, a broader selection of the important
historical Orthodox texts is available in a digital form in the Digital Reader of Official Texts - CD ROM,
that is attached to the back cover of the present Handbook;
c) To address practical aspects of ecumenical dialogue and common Christian witness in diakonia, education,
joint witness, pastoral counseling and Christian life which demand for pastoral theological reflection
on contemporary areas of church life and action and therefore would combine theological articles with
those that were more practical and pastoral;
d) To present materials from Orthodox theologians involved in theological education on ecumenism
from different Orthodox churches and to highlight some of the pioneers of Orthodox involvement in
ecumenical dialogue;
e) To communicate a proper and theologically sound understanding of ecumenism from an Orthodox
perspective, with a dialogical approach reflecting and relating to some prejudices and misperceptions
of ecumenism which are still circulating in some Orthodox churches. That is to offer an apologetic
Orthodox theology of ecumenism in the most positive sense of the word;
f) To identify proper additional resources which facilitate theological education on ecumenism by
providing and pointing to course outlines and curriculum plans (bibliographies, curriculum outlines,
lists of websites with additional resources), while at the same time avoiding restricting its audience to
academic theologians, and instead reaching out to the interested general public in Orthodox contexts
and beyond.
It was also agreed in further deliberations that the Handbook should have nine major sections or chapters:
1) Introduction.
2) Foundations: Orthodoxy and ecumenism – introduction, historical outline and key historical texts.
3) Theological Positions: Selected texts from Orthodox Synods and Bishops Conferences,
4) Representative Ecumenical Thinkers and their key texts.
5) Local Surveys: Articles on ecumenical dialogue in various Orthodox churches and settings.
6) Bilateral Dialogues Between Eastern Orthodox and Other Churches: Selected texts from bilateral
dialogues of Orthodox churches on theological and ecclesial issues.
7) Ecumenical Perspectives of Oriental Orthodox Churches: A general introduction on the dialogues
between Oriental Orthodox churches and other churches and Christian traditions, and articles on ecumenism in various Oriental Orthodox contexts.
8) Key Themes: Core themes in Orthodox ecumenism.
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
xxvii
9) Ecumenical Theological Education in rthodox Schools – examples for teaching ecumenism in
rthodox contexts.
The editorial team from 2011 onwards consisted of Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Fr. Dr. Thomas FitzGerald, Fr.
Dr. Cyril Hovorun, Aikaterini Pekridou (MTh) and Nikolaos Asproulis (MTh). Rev. Dr. Dietrich Werner from
ETE/WCC, Rev. Dr. Kaisamari Hintikka (until 2012) and Rev. Dr. Guy Liagre (after 2012) from CEC, who
represented the supporting institutions and also served as advisors to the project and the present publication,
while Nikolaos Asproulis from the Volos Academy was mandated to serve also as secretary of the editorial board,
taking a large part of the coordinating work and the demanding correspondance with the different authors. Five
meetings of the core editorial group and the representatives of the supporting institutions took place in Geneva
and Volos between November 2011 and September 2013, for coordinating and managing the editorial process.
The editors of this volume are aware that they build on the previous work of other Orthodox scholars who
have produced substantial publications and on Orthodox involvement in the ecumenical movement10 and that
further work by Orthodox in the area of ecumenism is needed. They believe that this Handbook promotes solid
biblical teaching on ecumenism that is in line with the principles of the Orthodox tradition. While each article
presented here stands for itself and does not necessarily and in every detail represent the common opinion
of all editors, the editors are convinced that a solid and sound introduction and survey on essential aspects
of Orthodox understanding of Ecumenism can be found within this volume. It is the hope that this volume
will contribute to a spiritual ecumenism, which according the late Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, is at
the beginning and heart of true Orthodox ecumenical commitment. When opening the Fourth Pan-Orthodox
Conference (Orthodox Center of Chambésy, Switzerland, 1968), the legendary Patriarch of Constantinople
stated the following remarkable principle of Orthodox ecumenism:
I do not deny that there are differences between the Churches, but I say that we must change our way of approaching
them. And the question of method is in the first place a psychological, or rather a spiritual problem. For centuries
there have been conversations between theologians, and they have done nothing except to harden their positions. I
have a whole library about it. And why? Because they spoke in fear and distrust of one another, with the desire to
defend themselves and to defeat the others. Theology was no longer a pure celebration of the mystery of God. It
became a weapon. God himself became a weapon!
I repeat: I do not ignore these difficulties. But I am trying to change the spiritual atmosphere. The restoration of
mutual love will enable us to see the questions in a totally different light. We must express the truth which is dear
to us – because it protects and celebrates the immensity of the life which is in Christ – we must express it, not so as
to repulse the other, so as to force him to admit that he is beaten, but so as to share it with him; and also for its own
sake, for its beauty, as a celebration of truth to which we invite our brothers. At the same time we must be ready to
listen. For Christians, truth is not opposed to life or love; it expresses their fullness. First of all, we must free these
words, these words which tend to collide, from the evil past, from all political, national and cultural hatreds which
have nothing to do with Christ. Then we must root them in the deep life of the Church, in the experience of the
10
Among others we mention the following: Theological Studies and Ecumene. With Reference to the Participation of the
Orthodox Church to Inter-Christian Dialogues and their Future, ed. Stathokosta Vas. (University of Athens-Pedio: Athens,
2013); Thomas FitzGerald, The Ecumenical Patriarchate and Christian Unity, (Brookline, Mass: Holy Cross Orthodox
Press, 1997, revised edition, 2009); Aram I Catholicos of Syria, In Search of Ecumenical Vision (Antelias, Lebanon: Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, 2001); Todor Sabev, The Orthodox Churches in the WCC. Towards the Future. (Geneva:
WCC Publications - Bialystock: Syndesmos, 1996); George Lemopoulos, The Ecumenical Movement, the Churches of the
World Council of Churches : An Orthodox Contribution to the Reflection Process on the “Common Understanding and
Vision of the WCC” (Geneva: WCC, 1996); Orthodox Vision on Ecumenism: Statements, Messages and Reports on the
Ecumenical Movement, 1902-1992, ed. Gennadios Limouris, (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1994); Ion Bria, Orthodoxy
And Ecumenism: A New Theological Discourse, (Geneva: WCC, 1994); Ion Bria, The Sense Of Ecumenical Tradition:
The Ecumenical Witness And Vision Of The Orthodox, (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1991); Go Forth In Peace: Orthodox
Perspectives On Mission. WCC mission series no 7, ed. Ion Bria (Geneva: WCC, 1986); The Orthodox Church in the
Ecumenical Movement: Documents and Statements, 1902-1975, ed. Constantin George Patelos, (Geneva: WCC, 1978).
Prelims
xxviii
Preface of the Editors
Resurrection which it is their mission to serve. We must always weigh our words in the balance of life and death
and the Resurrection.
Those who accuse me of sacrificing Orthodoxy to a blind obsession with love, have a very poor conception of
the truth. They make it into a system which they possess, which reassures them, when what it really is, is the living
glorification of the living God, with all the risks involved in creative life. And we don’t possess God; it is He who
holds us and fills us with His presence in proportion to our humility and love. Only by love can we glorify the God
of love, only by giving and sharing and sacrificing oneself can one glorify the God who, to save us, sacrificed himself
and went to death, the death of the cross.11
We the editors are grateful to the wide spectrum of contributors from different Orthodox churches who have
offered time and expertise for this volume, often in circumstances which were neither easy nor favourable,
considering the situation and context in which some Orthodox churches find themselves at present. It should be
noted at this point that each contributor express his or her own position without in any case representing officially
his or her respected Church. We also express thanks to all who gave advice concerning the structure and content
of the Handbook, particularly to Mr. Yorgo Lemopoulos, Deputy General Secretary of WCC and to V. Rev.
Lecturer Dr. Daniel Buda, WCC’s programme executive for church and ecumenical relations. We need also to
express our deep gratitude to V. Rev. Prof. Dr. Viorel Ionita, Former General Secretary par Interim of CEC, for
his valuable contribution to the early stage of the project and the development of the draft concept and outline of
the Handbook. Our sincere thanks go also to people that helped with the communication or correspondence with
various authors as well as to people who graciously accepted to serve as second readers, content and language
editors, copy editors or translators like Dr. Paul Ladouceur (Trinity College, University of Toronto and Université de Sherbrooke), Prof. Dr. Petros Vassiliadis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Dr. Rutham Gill (CEC),
Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards (Volos Academy), Rev. George Anagnostoulis (Volos Academy), George Vlantis,
MTh (University of Munich and Volos Academy), Filoktimon Stamatopoulos - Samaras (Volos Academy), Sofia
Kounavi (Volos Academy), Vallila Giannoutaki (Volos Academy), Dr. Michael Hjälm (Dean of Sankt Ignatios
Theological Academy, Sodertalje), Matthew Baker MTh (Fordham University, NA, USA) and Dr. Jeremy Wallace
(King College, New York City) who had the responsibility of the general linguistic editing of the Handbook.12 We
also express gratitude for the cordial encouragement and support from which this project has benefitted through
ETE/WCC, CEC, and the EKD churches in Hannover. Finally we give thanks to our colleagues of the Romanian
Institute for Inter-Orthodox, Inter-Confessional, and Inter-Religious Studies (INTER, Cluj-Napoca), particularly
to Nicolae Turcan, who have done the typesetting for this opus magnum, as well as to Maria Nanou, MA (Volos),
for the proposal of the cover picture.
We hope and pray that this Handbook will inspire and deepen the passion of Orthodox theologians to search and
to contribute to the unity of Christians unity in the mission of Christ which is at the heart of the ecumenical vocation.
The Editors
Pantelis Kalaitzidis
Thomas FitzGerald
Cyril Hovorun
Aikaterini Pekridou
Nikolaos Asproulis
Guy Liagre
Dietrich Werner
11
For Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras’ Address, see Olivier Clément, Dialogues avec le Patriarche Athénagoras, (Paris:
Fayard, 1976), 310-311, 313-314.. Source for the English translation of this excerpt: http://www.stpaulsirvine.org/html/
athenagoras.htm (last accessed, September 2013).
12
We also explicitly mention the names of the following second readers and translators: Paraskevi Arapoglou, Stephanos
Salzman, James Lillie, Chris Henson, Elaine Griffiths and Nikolaos Petropoulos.
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Emmanuel Adamakis: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Metropolitan of France; President of KEK/CEC (Conference
of European Churches); President of the Assembly of the Orthodox Bishops in France; Co-president of
the Council of Christian Churches of France; Co-president of the World Conference of Religions for
Peace (WCRP). E-mail: metropolite.emmanuel@gmail.com
Nareg Alemezian: Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church – Holy See Catholicos of Cilicia (Antelias-Lebanon); Ecumenical Officer and Dean of the Theological Seminary, World Council of Churches Central
Committee member; Chair of the Conference of Secretaries of the Christian World Communions.
Nikolaos Asproulis: Orthodox Church of Greece; MTh; PhD student; Academic member of Volos Academy
for Theological Studies, member of the editorial department of the official theological Journal of the
Church of Greece Theologia; Coordinator of NELCEE (Network for Ecumenical Learning in Central
and Eastern Europe (2013-); Co-Editor of “Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism. Resources for Theological Education”. E-mail: asprou@acadimia.gr
Pavel Aurel: Romanian Orthodox Church, Professor and Dean at the Andrei Αaguna Faculty of Orthodox
Theology, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. E-mail: aurelpavel@yahoo.com
Daniel Ayuch: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch; Professor of New Testament, St. John of Damascus
Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand in Lebanon, Assistant to the Dean for Academic
Affairs. E-mail: dayuch@balamand.edu.lb
Augoustinos Bairactaris: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Assistant Professor at the University Ecclesiastical
Academy of Heraklion – Crete; Priest; Academic member of Volos Academy for Theological Studies.
E-mail: augustinos_bairactaris@yahoo.gr
Matthew Baker: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; MTh; Priest. E-mail: matthew.j.baker77@gmail.com
Ştef niţ Barbu: Romanian Orthodox Church; Mth; Rector of the “Descent of The Holy Spirit” Church –
Liège (Belgium). E-mail: pr.stefan.barbu@gmail.com
Athanasios Basdekis: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Orthodox theologian; Employed in the National Council of
Churches in Germany as orthodox Secretary. E-mail: basdekis@t-online.de
Marios Begzos: Orthodox Church of Greece; Faculty Member of the University of Athens/Greece; Dean and
Professor in the Faculty of Theology; Member of the Societas Oecumenica - European Society for
Ecumenical Research. E-mail: mbegzos@theol.uoa.gr
Tesfaye Ayalkibet Berhanu: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (Ethiopia, South Africa), PhD student,
School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
E-mail:ayalkibet@gmail.com
Metropolitan Bishoy: Coptic Orthodox Church; Metropolitan of Damietta, Kafr El-Sheikh and the Monastery
of Saint Demiana, Barrari, Belkas, Egypt; Former secretary of the Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod since
1985. E-mail: demiana@demiana.org
Radu Bordeianu: Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas; Associate Professor, Duquesne University, United States of America; President of the Orthodox Theological Society in America; Priest.
E-mail: bordeianur@duq.edu
Iosif Bosch: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Bishop of Patara; Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and
South America; Member of WCC ECHOS Commission on Youth; Member of WCC JWG with the
Roman Catholic Church. E-mail: iosifbosch@hotmail.com
Peter Bouteneff: Orthodox Church in America; Professor at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
in New York, USA; Executive Secretary of Faith and Order at the World Council of Churches (19952000); Member of the Faith and Order Commission of the NCCCUSA (2003-2012); Consultant to the
Orthodox Church of America’s Commission for External Affairs and Inter-Church Relations (2001-today). E-mail:petercb123@verizon.net
xxx
List of Contributors
Daniel Buda: Archpriest of the Romanian Orthodox Church; Program Executive for Church and Ecumenical
Relations in the World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland; Lecturer for Church History in the
Orthodox Theological Faculty “Saint Andrei Αaguna” of University “Lucian Blaga”, Sibiu, Romania.
E-mail: Daniel.Buda@wcc-coe.org
Alkiviadis Calivas: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Priest; Emeritus Professor of Liturgics, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA USA; former President and Dean of Holy Cross; former
member of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Bilateral Consultation. E-mail: acalivas@msn.com
Christine Chaillot: Ecumenical Patriarchate; author and editor of several books on the Eastern Orthodox and
Oriental Orthodox Churches and also on the Dialogue between them. E-mail: acchaillot@hotmail.com
Demetrios Charbak: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East; Bishop; Syria Professor of Ecumenical Movement at the university of Balamand in Lebanon; Member of the International Committee for
dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. E-mail: demetrios.charbak@yahoo.com
Emmanuel Clapsis: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Archbishop Iakovos Professor, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox
Theological School; Priest; Vice Moderator of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of
Churches (1991-1998) and commissioner of Faith and Order Commission of the U.S. National Council
of Churches (1985-1991); member of the formal delegation to the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Assemblies
of WCC in Canberra, Australia (1991), in Harare Zimbabwe (1998) and Porto Alegre, Brazil (2005);
Former member of the Reference Group that informs and accompanies the work of the World Council
of Churches During the Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010). E-mail: eclapsis@hchc.edu
Geevarghese Mor Coorilos: Metropolitan of Niranam diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church;
Moderator of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME); Chairperson of the Student
Christian Movement of India (SCMI). E-mail: gcoorilos@gmail.com
Seraphim Danchaert: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Director of Strategy, Princeton Theological
Seminary. E-mail: seraphim.danckaert@ptsem.edu_
Konstantinos Delikonstantis: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Professor of Philosophy and Systematic Theology,
Faculty of Theology, University of Athens and Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology,
Chambésy/Genève; Theological Consultant to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. E-mail: kdelikos@theol.uoa.gr
Amal Dibo: Orthodox Church of Antioch; Instructor in the Civilization Sequence Program at the American
University of Beirut; lecturer and advisor at the WSCF and the Middle East Council of Churches.
E-mail: amaldibo@gmail.com
Alexei Dikarev: Russian Orthodox Church; Staff-member of the Department for External Church Relations
of the Moscow Patriarchate; Faculty Member of SS. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of
Post-Graduate and Doctoral Studies. E-mail: alexdikarev@mail.ru
Ivan Dimitrov: Orthodox Church of Bulgaria; Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Faculty of Theology
of St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University; Former Director of the Department for Religious Affairs with
the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria; Initiator for the creation of the Interreligious Council in Bulgaria;
Former member of different commissions of WCC. E-mail: ivand@theo.uni-sofia.bg
Irinej Dobrijevic: Serbian Orthodox Church; M.Div. Bishop of the Metropolis of Australia and New Zealand;
Chairman, National Heads of Churches of Australia; Member, World Council of Churches Central
Committee, Permanent Committee on Consensus an Collaboration, Moderator, 10th Assembly Public
Issues Committee, Busan (2013); Co-Moderator, Conference of European Churches 50th Anniversary
Assembly, Lyon (2009); Member of the Jasenovac Committee and the Permanent Missions Board of the
Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Advisory Council of the Njegos Endowment
for Serbian Studies at Columbia University, New York; Communications Committee of the Board of
Directors of St Vladimir’s Seminary, Crestwood; Senior Lecturer, Loyola University, Chicago (19921996) and Guest Lecturer, Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Belgrade (1996-1997).
E-mail: irinej@earthlink.net
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
xxxi
Christoph D’ Aloisio: Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Russian Orthodox Churches in Western
Europe; Priest; Professor of Dogmatic Theology at the Orthodox Institute Saint-John-the-Theologian in
Brussels, Belgium; President of Syndesmos, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth; Member of the
Continuation Committee on Ecumenism in the 21st century. E-mail: christophe.daloisio@orthodoxie.be
Bishara Ebeid: Greek Orthodox Church; Mth in patristic theology and Arab Christian litterateur (Pontifical
Oriental Institute, Rome). E-mail: bisharaebeid@gmail.com
Vladimir Fedorov: Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church; Director of the Orthodox Research Institute of
Missiology, Ecumenism and New Religious Movements; President of Interchurch Partnership, St Petersburg, Russia. Assistant Professor of the Psychological Department, St Petersburg State University; Former
Consultant of the ETE Program WCC for Eastern and Central Europe. E-mail: vffedorov@yahoo.com
Thomas FitzGerald: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Protopresbyter; Professor of Church History and Historical
Theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA, USA; Dean of the faculty
(2006-2013); Orthodox Executive Secretary and Member of the Orthodox–Roman Catholic Bilateral
Theological Consultation in North America; Consultant, Committee for Ecumenical Relations and
Committee on Theological Education, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops; Editor, The Greek
Orthodox Theological Review Executive Director, WCC, Programme Unit I on Unity and Renewal
1994-2000. E-mail: tfitzgerald@hchc.edu
Brandon Gallaher: Orthodox theologian; British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow (Oct. 2011-Jan. 2015); Faculty of Theology and Religion, Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford; member of the Parish
of St Nicholas the Wonderworker in Oxford, UK (Moscow Patriarchate); He specializes in and has
published widely on modern Orthodox theology. He has been involved with Hindu-Christian dialogue
and Islamic-Christian dialogue (through the Building Bridges Seminar, Georgetown University) and
is participating in a consultation with the World Council of Churches (WCC) on ecclesiology in the
context of religious plurality. E-mail: brandon.gallaher@theology.ox.ac.uk
Paul Gavrilyuk: Aquinas Chair in Theology and Philosophy, Theology Department, University of St Thomas,
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Deacon in the Orthodox Church in America, Holy Trinity Church, Saint
Paul, Minnesota, USA. E-mail: PLGAVRILYUK@stthomas.edu
Vladimir Gerka: Orthodox Church in Slovakia; Orthodox Theological Faculty of University of Presov;
Board member of Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Slovakia; SYNDESMOS Local correspondent for
Slovakia. E-mail: vladimirg@orthodox.sk
Tamara Grdzelidze: Orthodox Church of Georgia; Programme Executive within the Faith and Order Secretariat of the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland; PhD Oxford University, Doctorate in
Medieval Georgian Literature, Tbilisi State University. E-mail: tgrdzelidze@gmail.com
Perry Theodore Hamalis: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of
Religion, North Central College (Illinois, U.S.A.); Trustee, Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek
Orthodox School of Theology; Outside Consultant for Faith and Order Commission, WCC. E-mail:
pthamalis@noctrl.edu
Oliver Herbel: Orthodox Church in America; Rector, Holy Resurrection Orthodox Mission, Fargo, North
Dakota; Chaplain, North Dakota Air National Guard. E-mail: froliverherbel@cableone.net
Bishop Hovakim: Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church; Former Director of the Inter - Church Office of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; Lecturer at the Gevorkian Seminary and the Vaskenian Academy on
the History of the Universal and Armenian Churches; Former member of the Central Committee of the
CEC since 2009 and as the Ecumenical Officer of the Armenian Church to the World Council of Churches
since 2004; Member of the Trustee Committee of the Armenian Round Table Charitable Foundation.
Cyril Hovorun: Russian Orthodox Church; Research fellow at Yale University; Priest. E-mail: hovorun@gmail.com
Heiki (Theodoros) Huttunen: Orthodox Church of Finland; Priest of the Holy Metropolis of Helsinki; General
secretary of the Finnish Ecumenical Council; Member of the WCC central committee (Porto Alegre to
Prelims
xxxii
List of Contributors
Busan); WCC Youth Director 1985-98; President of Syndesmos 1992-1995; Mth; Lecturer in the St.
Platon Orthodox Theological Seminary in Tallinn. E-mail: heikki.huttunen@ekumenia.fi
Benedict Ioannou: Orthodox Church of Cyprus; Priest in charge of the Church of Panagia Phaneromeni in
Nicosia; Permanent Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches
(1999-2008). E-mail: benedict.2008@yahoo.com
Viorel Ionita: Romanian Orthodox Church; Priest; Professor Emeritus of the Orthodox Theological Faculty
of the University Bucharest; Former Director of the Conference of European Churches. E-mail: pr.vionita@yahoo.com
Vaclav Jezek: Orthodox Church of the Czech lands and Slovakia; Lecturer at Orthodox theological faculty of
the Prešov University, Slovakia; Orthodox Priest; Currently involved in issues relating to inter Orthodox
relations in the context of Ethiopia. E-mail: vaclavjezek111@gmail.com
Rastko Jovic: Serbian Orthodox Church; PhD; Associate at the Educational Institute at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade; Teacher of Religious Education; Member of the WCC group “Movers for Gender
Justice”. E-mail: rastko.jovic@hotmail.com
Pantelis Kalaitzidis: Orthodox Church of Greece; Director of Volos Academy for Theological Studies; Editor
of the series “Doxa & Praxis: Exploring Orthodox Theology, A joint project of Volos Academy and
WCC; Lecturer of Systematic Theology in Hellenic Open University. E-mail: pkalaitz@acadimia.gr
Kyriaki Karidoyanes-FitzGerard: Ecumenical Patriarchate; PhD, Adjunct Professor of Theology at Holy
Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts; Founder of St. Catherine’s
Vision, an association of theologians and lay leaders; Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
the WCC Faith and Order Commission from 1985 to 1999. E-mail: drkfitzgerald@gmail.com
Eleni Kasselouri-Hatzivassiliadi: Orthodox Church of Greece; Orthodox Biblical Scholar; Academic Staff of
the Hellenic Open University; Member of the Steering Group of Women’s Voices and Visions Program
of WCC ; Co-opted staff and Bible Facilitator at the 9th General Assembly of WCC, Porto Allegre,
Brazil. E-mail: ekasselouri@gmail.com
Ioustinos-Ioannis Kefalouros: Orthodox Church of Greece; Priest in Thessaloniki (Greece); MTh. E-mail:
father.ioustinos@gmail.com
Leonid Kirshkovsky: Archpriest. Director of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations, Orthodox Church
in America. Has served as President of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the the USA,
Moderator of Christian Churches Together in the USA, Moderator of Religions for Peace. Member of
the World Council of Churches from 1983 to 2013. E-mail: leonid@oca.org
George K. M. Kondothra: Professor of Systematic and Patristic Theology; Priest of Malankara Orthodox
Syrian Church, India; Special Advisor on Ecumenism and External Church Affairs to HH the Catholicos,
Member, Central Committee of the WCC. E-mail: frkmgeorge@hotmail.com
Miltiadis Konstantinou: Orthodox Church of Greece; Faculty Member of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/
Greece; Professor in the Faculty of Theology; Member of the United Bible Societies Global Board and
its Church Relations Committee; Chairman of the UBS Committee on Translation Policy and of the
Board of the “Hellenic Society of Biblical Studies”; Delegate of the Church of Greece to the International
Commission of the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD). E-mail: mkon@theo.auth.gr
Anna Koulouris: Greek Orthodox Church, Archdiocese of America; Reporter and media representative of the
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. E-mail: anna@annakoulouris.com
Valentin Kozhuharov: Bulgarian Orthodox Church; Freelance Researcher and Lecturer in Christian education and in Missiology at theological schools in Bulgaria, Hungary and UK; Formerly (2002-2009)
missionary at the Department for religious education and catechization of the Moscow Patriarchate of
the Russian Orthodox Church. E-mail: valentin_kozhuharov@yahoo.co.uk
Koshy Vaidyan Kumpalathu: Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Syrian Church; Faculty Member of Sruthi
School of Liturgical Music, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, India; Faculty Member of St.
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
xxxiii
Basil Bible School, Kerala, India; Director of The Ministry of Human Empowerment of the Diocese
of Kollam of the Orthodox Church of India. E-mail: frvaidyan@yahoo.com
Paul Ladouceur: Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Archdiocese of Canada; Orthodox theologian and
writer; Lecturer in the Orthodox theology programmes of the Université de Sherbrooke and Trinity
College, University of Toronto; Responsible for the French-language web site Pages Orthodoxes La
Transfiguration, the electronic newsletter Lumière du Thabor; Member of the Governing Board and the
Commission on Faith and Witness of the Canadian Council of Churches. E-mail: thabor@megaweb.ca
Ioan Vasile Leb: Romanian Orthodox Church; Professor Doctor of General Church History University “BabesBolyai” Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Orthodox Theology. E-mail: lebioan@yahoo.com
Nicolae Adrian Lemeni: Lecturer at the Faculty of the Orthodox Theology, Bucharest University; Director
of the Centre of the Dialogue and Research in Theology, Science and Philosophy, Bucharest University; He has a large activity in the ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue (Ecumenical Institute from
Bossey, Catholic Institute from Paris) and much participation to the meetings regarding the ecumenical
and inter-religious dialogue to the national and international level (especially as State Secretary for
Religious Affairs in 2005-2012). E-mail: adrian.lemeni@gmail.com
Georges (Yorgo) Lemopoulos: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Deputy General Secretary of the WCC; Church
interim Representative to the WCC; Mth. E-mail: Yorgo.Lemopoulos@wcc-coe.org
Guy Liagre: General Secretary Conference of European Churches (CEC); Former president United Protestant
Church in Belgium; Former Lecturer Modern Church History Protestant Theological Faculty Brussels.
E-mail: Guy.Liagre@cec-kek.org
Grigorios Liantas: Orthodox Church of Greece; Assistant Professor of Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian
Relations and Ecclesiastical Politics, University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki; Committee
Member of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and its Representative in Inter-Orthodox Committee of
Bioethics. E-mail: grliantas@yahoo.com
Gennadios Limouris: Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; Metropolitan of Sassima; Professor of
Orthodox theology and canon law; Member of the WCC executive and central committees since 2002;
Leader in various dialogues between Orthodox Christians and Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and
Roman Catholics.
Bogdan Lubardic: Serbian Orthodox Church; Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of
Belgrade University; Regular and official member of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD). E-mail: blubardic@pbf.rs
George Martzelos: Orthodox Church of Greece; Professor of Dogmatics in the Theological Faculty of Thessaloniki/Greece; Member of the Central Committee of WCC; Member of the special Committee of the
Theological Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, E-mail: martzelo@theo.auth.gr
John McGuckin: Archpriest; Romanian Orthodox Church; Nielsen Professor of Church History, Union Theological Seminar; Professor of Byzantine Christian Studies, Columbia University, New York; President
of the Sophia Institute (for the advanced study of Eastern Christian Culture); Fellow of the British Royal
Historical Society. E-mail: Jam401@columbia.edu
Pekka Metso: Finnish Orthodox Church; Acting Professor of Practical Theology (Orthodox Theology) in the
University of Eastern Finland. E-mail: pekka.metso@uef.fi
Nicolae Moşoiu: Romanian Orthodox Church; Priest; Associate Professor at the Orthodox Faculty “Saint
Andrei Αaguna”, Sibiu, Romania; formerly member of the Central Committee and of the Commission on
World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches. E-mail: nicolaemosoiu@yahoo.com
Bassam Antoine Nassif: Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch; General Secretary of the St. John of Damascus
Institute of Theology, University of Balamand; Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Marriage
Counseling in Balamand; Priest in Mount Lebanon. E-mail: bassam.nassif@balamand.edu.lb
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List of Contributors
Bradley Nassif: Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America; Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies,
North Park University, Chicago; Visiting Professor, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology,
Brookline, MA. E-mail: blnassif@yahoo.com
Philoxenos Mattias Nayis: Syrian Oriental Orthodox Church; Archbishop of the Diocese of the Syrian-Orthodox Church in Germany; Second Patriarchal assistant and administrator of the St. Ephraim Theological
College in Ma’arrat Saidnaya.
Legesse Nigussu: World Council of Churches, Programme Executive for Africa. E-mail: nle@wcc-coe.org
Nikos Nissiotis (+1924-1986): Orthodox Church of Greece; Professor of Philosophy of Religion in Athens
University, Greece (1965-1986); Associate General Secretary of WCC (1968-72); Moderator of the
WCC Commission on Faith and Order (1977-82).
John Njoroge: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria; Priest; Lecturer in Mission, Biblical and Ecumenical
Studies Department of Theology and Religious Studies Kenya Methodist; Priest University. E-mail:
ngigenjoroge@yahoo.com
Godfrey Hugh O’ Donell: Priest; Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland; President of the Irish Council of
Churches and Co-Chair of the Inter-Church Meeting with the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland; Mth.
E-mail: godfreyhugh@gmail.com
Dorin Oancea: Romanian Orthodox Church; Metropolitanate of Transylvania, Orhtodox Theological Faculty
“Andrei Αaguna” in Sibiu. E-mail: oancead@yahoo.com.
Ioan Ovidiu: Romanian Orthodox Church; Faculty Member of Philipps-Universität Marburg (Germany); formerly
Academic Researcher at the Institute for Ecumenical Research Sibiu (Romania); formerly Coordinator of
NELCEE (Network for Ecumenical Learning in Central and Eastern Europe); E-mail: ovidiu_ioan@hotmail.com
Athanasios N. Papathanasiou: Orthodox Church of Greece; Lay Theologian; Tutor, Hellenic Open University;
Editor-in-chief of the quarterly Synaxi (Athens); Member of The European Society for Intercultural
Theology and Interreligious Studies (ESITIS). E-mail: paptam@windowslive.com
Grigorios Papathomas: Orthodox Church of Greece; Professor of Canon Law at the Faculty of Theology
of the State University of Athens and at the “Saint Sergius” Orthodox Institute of Theology in Paris;
President of EFOST (Brussels). E-mail: grigorios.papathomas@wanadoo.fr
Henryk Paprocki: Orthodox Church in Poland; Theologian.
Alina Patru: Romanian Orthodox Church; Lecturer at the Orthodox Theological Faculty “Andrei Αagna”,
University of Sibiu, Romania; Lecturer at the Humboldt Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department for
Religious Studies of The University of Bonn, Germany. E-mail: patru_alina_ro@yahoo.com
Stanislau Paulau: Belarusian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate); M.Th, M.A. (Intercultural Theology);
PhD candidate and research assistant in the Institute of Ecumenical Theology and Oriental Church
and Mission History at the University of Göttingen (Germany). E-mail: stanislau.paulau@theologie.
uni-goettingen.de
Aikaterini Pekridou: Orthodox Church of Greece; Doctoral Candidate at the Irish School of Ecumenics,
Trinity College Dublin; Former member of the Churches in Dialogue Commission of the Conference of
European Churches; Member of the Dublin City Interfaith Forum; Academic member of Volos Academy
for Theological Studies. E-mail: pekridoa@tcd.ie.
Vlassios Pheidas: Orthodox Church of Greece; Emeritus Professor of Theological Faculty, Athens University; Former Dean and Professor of the Orthodox Theological Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
in Chambésy, Switzerland; Member of various Committees in Bilateral inter-Christian dialogues.
Rauno Pietarinen: Orthodox Church in Finland; Former Rector of the Orthodox Seminary, Joensuu, Finland;
Coordinator of the International Working Group on Orthodox Theological Education; Priest in Ivalo,
Lapland. E-mail: rauno.pietarinen@ort.fi
Michael Plekon: Orthodox Church in America (OCA); Faculty Member of Baruch College of the City University of New York; Professor in the department of Sociology/Anthropology and in the program in
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Religion and Culture; Archpriest attached to St. Gregory the Theologian Church, Wappingers Falls
NY. E-mail: michael.plekon@baruch.cuny.edu
Radu Preda: Orthodox Church of Romania; Associate Professor of Social Theology, Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Director of the Romanian Insitute for Inter-Christian, Inter-Confessional, Inter-Religious
Studies (INTER). E-mail: teologiasociala@gmail.com
Dhimiter Qosja: Orthodox Church in Albania ; Mth. E-mail: qosjadim@yahoo.com
Teva Regule: Orthodox Church in America, MDiv. Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Mass. USA; Orthodox consultant to a variety of ecumenical gatherings sponsored by the World
Council of Churches, including the assemblies in Harare and Porto Allegre, and consultations in Stoney
Pt. (NY), Geneva, Volos (Greece), and Durres (Albania). E-mail: TEVA@MIT.EDU
Elena Sadovnikova: PhD in Haematology, During 1990s worked as a research scientist for ICRF and Imperial
College, London, UK, specialising in cancer immunology. Took an active part in the life of metropolitan Anthony’s London parish. Member of the Council of Metropolitan Anthony’s of Sourozh Spiritual
Legacy Foundation, Moscow, Russia.
Hieromonk Christopher Savage: Orthodox Church in America; Monk of New Skete Monastery, Cambridge,
NY, USA. E-mail: brchristopher@newskete.org
Chrysostomos-Georges Savvatos: Orthodox Church of Greece; Metropolitan of Messinia; Professor of University in Athens; Member of Dialogue International between Orthodox and Roman-Catholic Churches.
E-mail: mitropolis_messinias@yahoo.gr
Marian Simion: Lecturer in Government at Harvard University, Extension School; Postdoctoral Research
Fellow at Harvard Divinity School; Sub-deacon in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas;
Assistant Director of the Boston Theological Institute. E-mail: marian.simion@bc.edu
Augustin Sokolovsky: Deacon, Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate; Co-Director of Doctoral
Program “De Civitate Hominis. Theology in the Age of Post-Ecumenism”, University of Fribourg,
Switzerland; Member of the International Coordination of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,
WCC – Faith & Order. E-mail: rev.dr.sokolovski@gmail.com
Vassiliki Stathokosta: Orthodox Church of Greece; Faculty Member of National and Kapodistrian University
of Athens/Greece; Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Theology for “Orthodox Theology and the
Ecumenical Movement”. E-mail: vstathokosta@theol.uoa.gr
Dragica Tadic-Papanikolaou: Serbian Orthodox Church; MTh; Formerly Project Manager at Christian Cultural Center, Belgrade. E-mail: drtadic@yahoo.com
Wedad Abbas Tawfik: Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt; Professor of Theology at the Post Graduate Institute of
Coptic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, and at the Coptic Seminary in Germany; Member of Faith and Order Plenary
Commission; Executive Member of the Circle of African Women Theologians. E-mail: wedadt@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Theokritoff: Orthodox Church in America; Independent scholar and theological translator; occasional
lecturer at Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge; Former Secretary of the Fellowship of
St Alban and St Sergius (London). E-mail: e.theokritoff@some.oxon.org
Sister Theoktisti (Emsley): Nun of the Holy Monastery of St. John the Forerunner, Anatoli - Agia, Greece;
PhD. E-mail: imtp.anatoli@gmail.com
Vasileios Thermos: Orthodox Church of Greece; Doctorate of Theology (Athens University); Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Priest. E-mail: thermosv@otenet.gr
Ciprian Toroczkai: Romanian Orthodox Church; Assistant Professor at the Andrei Αaguna Faculty of Orthodox
Theology, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. E-mail: torocipri@gmail.com
Georges Tsetsis: Grand Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Former Deputy Director of the Commission on Inter-Church Aid, Refugee and World Service of the World Council of Churches (1965-1985)
and Permanent Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the WCC (1985-2000); Member of
the Central and Executive Committees of the WCC. E-mail: gtsetsis@bluewin.ch
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List of Contributors
Stylianos Tsompanidis: Orthodox Church of Greece; Associate Professor of ecumenical theology and ecumenical
social ethics in the School of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. E-mail: stsompa@theo.auth.gr
Petros Vassiliadis: Orthodox Church of Greece; Professor Emeritus of the University of Thessaloniki; Former
Orthodox commissioner of CWME of the WCC. E-mail: pv@theo.auth.gr
Natallia Vasilevich: Orthodox Church of Belarus; Director of Centre Ecumena. E-mail: ecumena@ecumena.by
Juljia Vidovic: Serbian Orthodox Church, PhD candidate at the Catholic Institute of Paris and Orthodox Institute “Saint-Serge”; Member of the Governing Board of CEC. E-mail: julijavidovic@yahoo.fr
Georgios Vlantis: Theologian; M.Th. (Philosophy of Religion); Assistant of the Chair of Orthodox Systematic
Theology, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich; Member of the
Academic team of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies. E-mail: drosiotis@yahoo.gr
Athanasios Vletsis: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Professor of Orthodox Systematic Theology (Dogmatics, Ethics,
Ecumenical Theology), Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Ludwig–Maximilians–Universität, Munich,
Germany. E-mail: Athanasios.Vletsis@gmx.de
Antony C. Vrame: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Director of Department
of Religious Education, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Chair, Faith and Order, National
Council of Churches USA; Associate Professor, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology,
Brookline, Mass., USA. E-mail: tvrame@goarch.org
Ramy Wannous: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch; Assistant Professor of Church History; Priest;
E-mail: ramy.wannous@balamand.edu.lb
Dietrich Werner: Pastor of the Northelbian Lutheran Church in North Germany; Director of the Programme
on Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) in the World Council of Churches in Geneva; Co-founder
of the Global Digital Library for Theology and Ecumenism (GlobeTheoLib) and key editor of “Handbook on Theological Education in World Christianity” (2010),”African Handbook of Theological
Education”(2012), “Asian Handbook on Theological Education for Christian unity and common witness.”(2013). E-mail: dietrich.werner@brot-fuer-die-welt.de
Stavros Yangazoglou: Orthodox Church of Greece; Consultant at the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs/Institute of Educational Policy; Lecturer at the Hellenic Open University/Postgraduate
Studies in Orthodox Theology; Director of the quarterly journal Theologia/Church of Greece. E-mail:
stavrosyang@gmail.com
Anastasios Yannoulatos: Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania; Primate and Head of the Holy Synod
of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania; Professor Emeritus of the National University of
Athens; Honorary Member of the Academy of Athens; Co-president of the Central Committee of the
World Council of Churches; Honorary President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace.
Angeliki Ziaka: Orthodox Church of Greece; Assistant Professor on the Study of Religion and Interreligious
Dialogue and Visiting Professor at the Department of Political Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Member of Board of Directors of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies. E-mail: ziaka@
theo.auth.gr
Metropolitan John Zizioulas: Ecumenical Patriarchate; Metropolitan of Pergamon; Co-President of the Joint
International Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox
Church; Professor of Universities of Edinburg, Glasgow, King’s College London, Thessaloniki.
Stavros Zoumboulakis: Orthodox Church of Greece; Writer, President of the Biblical Foundation “Artos
Zoes”, Athens, Greece; President of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Greece.
Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism