“Orthodoxy and Ecumenism”
Volos 16-18 October 2011
The Program on Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches (ETE/WCC) in collaboration with the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies, has suggested the planning of a project for a major Handbook for teaching ecumenism in Orthodox contexts.
This resource book aims to facilitate theological education with regard to the ecumenical movement in the context of Orthodox theological faculties, theological schools and beyond. This publication is also planned as an important Orthodox contribution to the forthcoming 2013 Assembly of the WCC in Busan, Korea, where a major forum for ecumenical theological education will take place, as well as other significant ecumenical events. At this meeting in Volos, representatives of many Orthodox Churches, university faculties and institutes from all over the world took part. Dr. Daniel Ayuch participated as faculty member of the Institute.
In the opening session of the meeting, Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias pointed out the inherently ecumenical aspect of the Gospel (click here to see the Address), while the Rev Dr Dietrich Werner (WCC) outlined the progress of this project (click here to see the Address) and the Rev Dr Kaisamari Hintikka (CEC) highlighted its decisive importance. Dr Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Volos Academy for Theological Studies) mentioned the ecumenical initiatives and projects that have been undertaken by the Volos Academy in collaboration with ecumenical organizations and institutes (click here to see the Address). In addition, on behalf of the rest of the participants, Prof. Petros Vassiliadis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Prof. Daniel Ayuch (Balamand Institute of Orthodox Theology) made brief comments emphasizing the importance and necessity of the forthcoming handbook and highlighting various aspects of this project (click here to see the Addresses). Finally, the pastor of the Evangelical Church of Volos, the Rev Meletis Meletiadis, also addressed the gathering (click here to see the Address).
Throughout the consultation, priority was given to the innately ecumenical character of the Orthodox Church as well as to its history of openness and dialogue. The members of the consultation also alluded to the fact that the unity of the Church was the primary concern of the Fathers and the ecumenical councils. The participants agreed that the Orthodox Church must witness to its ecumenical ethos and to its universal truth and consciousness, and, thus, its educational curricula must be ecumenically-oriented. There is no doubt that since the apostolic period, teaching the word of God—that embraces the other despite differences of culture, religion, gender, etc.—has always been a priority in the life of the Church. “The basic characteristic of the life of the Orthodox Church is its simple devotion to the unbroken continuation of the apostolic tradition. When the theology of the Orthodox Church is understood rightly and the richness of its variety truly appreciated, it can make a valuable contribution to the solution of many delicate questions” (N. Nissiotis) which seem to trouble Christianity in the postmodern era.
(Source: http://www.acadimia.gr)
