SUMMARY OF WEBINAR

On February 25, the first webinar on the topic “Conversations with Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Care of Animals and the Environment” was successfully held. The webinar was organized by the organization PanOrthodox Concern for Animals and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies.

After a short prayer for the welfare of animals as a proof of God’s wisdom and love by Fr. Dimitrios Zacharopoulos and a brief introduction to the work of the organization by Dr. Nikolaos Asproulis, Dr. Christina Nellist referred to the series of videotaped discussions with the late Metropolitan Kallistos, which will be the subject of study and commentary in a series of similar meetings. After the screening of the relevant archives, the participants in the webinar (Fr. John Chryssavgis, Fr. Nektariy Sokolov, Dr. Elizabeth Theokritoff, Nikolaos Asproulis, Christina Nellist) commented on the various aspects of the topic, highlighting the importance of animal care on the basis of the biblical and the patristic tradition, and in relation to the need to address the modern climate crisis.

At the end of the webinar, the participants referred to curricula and research programs implemented in various educational institutions (e.g. Holy Cross Theological School, Boston, USA) and universities around the world, which include special reference to animal care, and a discussion with the audience followed.

The video recording of the event is available on the YouTube channel of Volos Academy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydRa9PvjbdI