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Professor Miltiadis Konstantinou, Dean of
Aristotle University’s Faculty of Theology, our beloved son in the
Lord: Grace be unto you and peace from God.
It is with profound joy that we greet the
8th International Conference of Orthodox Theology, which is convening
in Thessaloniki from May 21st through May 25th on the theme “The Holy
and Great Council of the Orthodox Church: Orthodox Theology in the 21st
Century.”
The benevolent God of love, worshipped in
Trinity and providing for all things, so deigned His Holy Church to
realize the Holy and Great Council that took place at the Orthodox
Academy of Crete in June of 2016, in accordance with the spirit of the
Orthodox conciliar and canonical tradition.
The preparation for this Council marked
the life of the Orthodox Church during the 20th century. The long
journey leading up to the Holy and Great Council demonstrated the unity
and stability of Orthodoxy. Despite tensions, varying approaches and
estimations of the provocations and problems of the time, and despite
the adventures of the Orthodox Churches participating in the Ecumenical
Movement, as well as the turbulent circumstances encountered by the
majority of Orthodox Autocephalous Churches, by divine inspiration, the
Eastern Church of Christ proceeded to the convocation of the Holy and
Great Council, which from the outset was associated with many
expectations.
We gratefully remember the pioneers who
prepared the Council and dutifully fought the good fight in the
pre-conciliar period. We also wish to highlight the definitive
contribution of the Orthodox Churches that participated in the Holy and
Great Council, as well as to express our personal gratitude—as the
Council’s President—for their seamless and creative cooperation and
concord.
The Council’s aim was to proclaim
Orthodox unity, address ongoing internal matters and offer a good
witness to the contemporary world on the restoration of all things in
Christ. The Holy and Great Council was not an introverted gathering but
instead highlighted the openness of the Orthodox Church toward history,
its love for humankind and the eternal relevance of the Gospel of love.
The unexpected announcement—immediately
prior to the commencement of the conciliar proceedings—on the part of
four Orthodox Autocephalous Churches not to participate was an
unfortunate event, which nonetheless neither influenced the smooth
course of the conciliar task nor infringed upon the broader conciliar
conscience and identity of the Church. The decision to abstain was not
taken on the grounds of ecclesiological, canonical or other theological
criteria, but rather for the sake of facilitating motives foreign to the
authentic tradition of the Church. For these reasons, the proposal to
postpone the Council would quite manifestly have meant its definitive
cancellation.
The Holy and Great Council constitutes an
important chapter in the conciliar history of the One, Holy, Catholic
and Apostolic Church, as well as a central event in the contemporary
story of Orthodoxy. Indeed, through this Council, the Orthodox Church
created history. The texts of the Holy and Great Council—referring to
canonical structure, liturgical life and spirituality, relations of the
Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world, and the Church’s
mission in the contemporary world—stand out for their theological
integrity, authentically expressing the Orthodox tradition and
self-consciousness, as well as its sensitivity and concern for
humanity’s existential problems, and for the contemporary social and
cultural challenges. These conciliar texts are a precious spiritual
treasure for Orthodox faithful and an invaluable legacy for generations
to come.
In general, the Holy and Great Council’s
work and decisions refute all those who imagine Orthodoxy as a closed
and unworldly spirituality, indifferent toward history and
culture—inasmuch as they are unaware of its immense contribution to
society and civilization, as well as in the realm of philanthropy and
solidarity. Indeed, the witness of the Council constitutes a very clear
response to these self-ordained defenders of Orthodoxy, who slander the
conciliar effort and divide the people of God.
We are obliged to work for the reception
of the decisions of the Holy and Great Council by the plenitude of the
Church and for their theological and pastoral appreciation, so that the
conciliar texts may serve as a source of inspiration for the Orthodox
faithful, who strive in their daily lives to reconcile their fidelity to
tradition with their contemporary situation. We are certain that this
conference will contribute to this and to a proper theological
assessment of the Council’s work and contribution.
The imminent publication of the Minutes
of the Holy and Great Council will provide all interested persons with
an opportunity to become familiar with and appreciate the common concern
of the ten participating Orthodox Autocephalous Churches for the
realization and fulfillment of the conciliar effort in accordance with
God’s will, as well as for a deeper theological conversation and the
absolute respect regarding the canonical tradition of the Church.
Therefore, we congratulate and thank all
those who contributed to the preparation of this Conference, the members
of the Organizing Committee, the Aristotle University and its Faculty
of Theology, the generous benefactors, distinguished speakers and all
the participants. We wish you every success for perceptive
presentations, lively discussions and beneficial conclusions, and we
bestow upon you our Patriarchal blessing, invoking upon all of you the
gifts and illumination of the Heavenly Comforter, the All-Holy Spirit of
wisdom and prudence.
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