Summary of Conference: THEOLOGICAL LEGACY AND ECUMENICAL VISION

Summary of Conference

THEOLOGICAL LEGACY AND ECUMENICAL VISION:
A Conference in Memory of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas of Pergamon

Istanbul, November 5 – 7, 2024

The international conference in memory of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas of Pergamon was successfully held on November 5-7, 2024, in Istanbul, organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the support of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies (Volos, Greece) and the Center for Orthodox Christian Studies of Fordham University (New York, USA), bringing together prominent scholars and experts in the work of the late Metropolitan. The Conference overarching theme was “John D. Zizioulas: Theological Legacy and Ecumenical Vision.”

After brief greeting messages from representatives of the organizing institutions (Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Prof. Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou), the Conference started with the keynote lecture by His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, entitled “The theological legacy of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas of Pergamon.” In his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch highlighted the main axes of Zizioulas’s theology (theology of person, eucharistic ecclesiology, etc.) while he praised his contribution in the efforts of the Ecumenical Throne in the inter-Orthodox (Council of Crete) and the inter-Christian dialogue.

In the first session that followed, chaired by Professor Emeritus Konstantinos Delikostantis (University of Athens) on the topic “The Theological and Spiritual Journey of the Metropolitan of Pergamon John Zizioulas,” the first speaker, Rev. Protopresbyter Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Linos (Athens Medical School) spoke on the topic “Known and unknown human moments of Metropolitan of Pergamon, John Zizioulas,” presenting his personal relation with the Metropolitan of Pergamon, especially in the last years of his life. Then Dr. Nikolaos Asproulis (Deputy Director, Volos Academy for Theological Studies) spoke on the topic “From Fr. Georges Florovsky to Metropolitan John of Pergamon: Continuity and Discontinuity,” where, based on some of their fundamental texts, he attempted to highlight similarities and differences in the theological methodology of the two thinkers and their significance for the present and the future of Orthodox theology. The last speaker of the session, Rev. Hieromonk Dr. Nicholas Sakharov (Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Essex, UK) spoke on the topic “St. Sophrony of Essex and Metropolitan John of Pergamon,” where he attempted to point out the close theological and spiritual relationship between the two preeminent figures of modern Orthodoxy.

The second day began with session II, under the general theme “Theology in dialogue with modern philosophy and the academic world” and chaired by H.E. Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria. The first speaker, H.G. Bishop Ignatius of Požarevac and Braničevo (Patriarchate of Serbia), spoke on the topic “Ontology in the work of Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon,” where he outlined the main axes of the ontology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon, according to his interpretations of the Church Fathers. The second speaker, Prof. Emeritus Paschalis Kitromilides (University of Athens, and Academy of Athens, Greece, via Zoom), in his presentation entitled “Metropolitan of Pergamon as a Member of the Academy of Athens,” referred to the work of Metropolitan John Zizioulas as a member and president of the highest scholar institution of Greece, based on his speeches on various occasions and his initiatives concerning the work of the Academy of Athens (e.g. the announcement of a chair in bioethics).

In session III, chaired by H.E. Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon on the general theme “Contemporary theological challenges in the work of Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon,” the first speaker was Prof. Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou (Center of Orthodox Christian Studies, Fordham University, USA), who spoke on the topic “A Personal Ethics: Metropolitan John Zizioulas’s theology as the axis of the document ‘For the life of the world’”. In his speech, Dr. Papanikolaou highlighted the tensions in Zizioulas’s work concerning the dialectic of ethos and ethics, taking the ways of approaching and interpreting the work of Saint Maximus the Confessor as a starting point. Then, Dr. Konstantinos Zorbas (Orthodox Academy of Crete, Greece) presented the topic “The theological view of the environment in the work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon” where he presented a panorama of Zizioulas’ eco-theology and his constant interest in the protection of the environment. Rev. Archimandrite Dr. Amfilochios Miltos (Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Greece) developed the topic “‘The ‘One and the Many’ and ‘corporate personality’: A necessary distinction,” where he presented his research on the application (and its difficulties) of the two above schemes in the field of Zizioulas’ Trinitarian theology and ecclesiology.

In session IV, chaired by Dr. Nikos Kouremenos (Research Associate, Volos Academy for Theological Studies) on the general topic “The biblical and patristic background of the theological thought of Metropolitan of Pergamon,” Prof. Dr. Ekaterini Tsalampouni (University of Thessaloniki, Greece) presented the topic “The biblical background of Metropolitan John Zizioulas’ theology,” where she mentioned the importance and use of the Bible in the work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon, not as an additional textual evidence but as an essential foundation of his theological program. Rev. Protopresbyter Prof. Dr. Alexis Torrance (Notre Dame University, USA) developed the topic “Patristic theology in the work of Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon,” highlighting the importance of the Church Fathers (with special reference to Saint Maximus the Confessor) for the development of the theological program of the Metropolitan of Pergamon.

In the final session of the second day, with the general theme “The Ecumenical Patriarchate today and the contribution of Metropolitan of Pergamon,” chaired by Professor Stavros Yangazoglou (University of Athens), the first speaker was H.E. Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Ecumenical Patriarchate), who spoke on the topic “The contribution of Metropolitan John to the preparation and work of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (Crete, 2016),” bringing out the decisive role of the late Metropolitan in the work of the Council but also in the publication of its official texts, which reflect basic aspects of his theology in ecclesiology and theology of the person. H.E. Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria (Ecumenical Patriarchate) developed the topic “Primacy and the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” where he presented Zizioulas’ theology of primacy and its importance for the ecumenical role of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, also responding to certain critical objections raised against this theology. Last speaker of the day, Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Director, Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Greece) spoke on the topic “The supranational character and the ecumenical mission of the Church of Constantinople,” where, using published and unpublished material from the work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon, he presented the ecumenical mission of the Patriarchate beyond and far away from the constant temptation of ethno-phyletism.

The third and final day of the conference began with session VI, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ekaterini Tsalampouni on the general theme “The participation of the Metropolitan of Pergamon in the inter-Christian dialogues.” Rt Revd Christopher Hill (Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester, Church of England) developed the topic “Metropolitan John and the Anglican Communion: Lambeth Conference, the Anglican – Orthodox Dialogue and its documents” and based on the official texts (e.g. the Cyprus text) he referred to the contribution and influence of Metropolitan of Pergamon to the dialogue with Anglicans. Η. Ε. Metropolitan Job of Pisidia (Orthodox Co-President of the Official Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church, Ecumenical Patriarchate) spoke on the topic “The contribution of Metropolitan John Zizioulas to the bilateral dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches,” where, through a comparison of texts, he pointed out the essential contribution and influence of the theology of John Zizioulas to the agenda and results of the dialogue.

In session VII, chaired by H.G. Bishop Maxim in Los Angeles (California, USA) on the general topic “The participation of Metropolitan John of Pergamon in the Ecumenical Movement,” Professor Stylianos Tsompanidis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) developed the topic “The contribution of Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon to the development of the ecclesiological vision of WCC,” where, based on the relevant texts, he highlighted the role of Metropolitan of Pergamon in the ecclesiological thinking of the WCC and the influence that he exerted on key exponents of the Ecumenical Movement (e.g. Konrad Raiser) through the coordination of the “Faith and Order” committee. Prof. Dr. Martin Illert (University of Halle, Germany & “Faith and Order”, WCC) spoke on the topic “Metropolitan John Zizioulas’s theological synthesis and Protestantism,” where he analyzed the contribution of the Metropolitan of Pergamon to the inter-Christian dialogue, especially with the Lutherans.

In session VIII, chaired by Prof. Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou on the general topic “The theological axes of the thought of Metropolitan John of Pergamon: Holy Trinity, Personhood, Eucharist and the Eschaton,” Prof. Dr. Stavros Yangazoglou (University of Athens, Greece) spoke on the topic “The Holy Trinity and the theology of personhood in the work of the Metropolitan John Zizioulas,” where he presented the main points of Zizioulas’ Trinitarian theology (e.g. monarchy of the Father) through his creative reading and interpretation of the relevant biblical and patristic tradition. Rev. Msgr. Prof. Emeritus Paul McPartlan (The Catholic University of America, Washington, USA) spoke on the topic “Metropolitan John’s Eucharistic Ecclesiology and the Catholicity of the Church,” where he presented the central role of the Eucharist in the constitution of the Church in the work of Metropolitan of Pergamon, in dialogue with theologians from the East (N. Afanasiev) and the West (de Lubac, Pope Benedict (Ratzinger)). The next speaker, H. G. Bishop Maxim in Los Angeles (Patriarchate of Serbia) spoke on the theme: “The dialectic of History and Eschaton in Metropolitan John Zizioulas’ work.” Based on Zizioulas’ posthumous book on eschatological ontology, unpublished material, and personal conversations, he highlighted the role of the dialectic in Zizioulas’ work.

In the last, IX session, chaired by Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis and under the general theme “Church and World in Dialogue in the Work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon,” Mrs. Maria Thalia Carras (Curator of Contemporary Art) spoke on the topic “Being as Communion: an ecological survival technique,” where she attempted to show the influence of the work of the Metropolitan of Pergamon on the formation of a different way of life concerning the natural environment, through the language of contemporary art, in combination with contemporary ecological concerns throughout the world. Then, Dr. Petros Papasarantopoulos (Writer, Publisher) spoke on the topic “A secular view of John Zizioulas’s work,” where he attempted to find the meeting points of the theological and philosophical thought of Metropolitan of Pergamon with the modern political theory and the manifestations of liberal democracy. Last speaker, Dr. Eudoxia Delli (Academy of Athens, Greece) developed the topic “Theology and science in the work of Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon. Contemporary challenges and perspectives of dialogue,” where she referred to the common elements between natural sciences and theology in the work of Metropolitan of Pergamon (e.g. relational ontology). In the concluding discussion, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis expressed gratitude on behalf of the organizers to all the participants.

The conference was attended by a delegation of professors from the Church of Georgia led by Metropolitan Gregory of Poti, a significant number of students from the theological faculties of Athens and Thessaloniki, and also theologians and professors from Serbia, Lebanon, U.K., U.S.A. and elsewhere. Throughout the conference, there was also a photo exhibition with snapshots of the ecclesiastical and academic life of the Metropolitan of Pergamon, curated by Bishop Maxim of Los Angeles.

The video recording of the first day is available at www.youtube.com/live/cb7oWDHN9xc