The Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology of Chambésy began its 21st
academic year by conferring Master degrees to six graduates (coming
from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Churches of Russia, Serbia and
Greece) and welcoming seven new students into its unique tripartite
program of theological studies on 15 October 2016 during the ceremony of
Dies Academicus.
The Institute was founded at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy in 1996 with the aim of « serving
the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church as well as universal
Christianity [… in order that] this Centre become especially a
theological and scientific incubator in an ecumenical perspective,
capable to train staff from all Orthodox Churches at the level of
highest studies, to give them the appropriate competences to respond to
the needs of their Churches, specialised in conducting inter-orthodox
and inter-confessional dialogues implying a theological encounter
between East and West », as it is stipulated in the patriarchal charter of foundation.
The program of studies at the Institute of Chambésy is a two years
“Master of Arts in Theological Studies” with the specialisation
“Orthodoxy and Inter-Christian Studies” in cooperation with the
Faculties of Theology of the Universities of Geneva and Fribourg where
students attend classes as well. Thus, it implies an encounter of three
major traditions of Christian thought: Orthodox, Protestant and
Roman-Catholic.
The Dean Professor Vlassios Phidas mentioned in his speech the great
theologian Yves Congar who praised the perfect inner harmony of
patristic, sacramental and ascetic tradition of the Eastern Church and
regretted the absolute incuriosity of the Orthodox Church for what is
happening outside her boundaries. Phidas said that the pioneering
tripartite program of the Institute enables the Orthodox Church as a
whole to overcome not only her “incuriosity” but also the prejudice of
zealot circles that react negatively to any proposal of dialogue among
the Christian world.
For the academic year 2016-2017, 14 students are registered in this
unique program of theological studies, coming from the Ecumenical
Patriarchate and the Churches of Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia,
Greece.