HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Παρασκευή 23 Αυγούστου 2019

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ST ANDREW’S 3RD THEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2019 FRIDAY 20 - SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER, 2019


The Symposium will be held from Friday 20 September - Saturday 21 September, 2019 at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College - 242 Cleveland St, Redfern, NSW, 2016.

Throughout the centuries practically most if not all theological investigation centred on the person and work of Jesus Christ, mandated of course by the various challenges during the Christian Church’s early years. In the contemporary setting, ongoing interest in Christology can be seen from the many studies which continue to be published exploring afresh both the scriptural witness and tradition in order to equip the Church more effectively in its mission to witness Christ now and into the future. All this demonstrates very clearly the centrality of this doctrine for Christianity both with regards to its existential and salvific implications. This Symposium will explore both the various dimensions of this central teaching of the Christian Church, and equally importantly, ways that this can continue to speak into the present.

• Registrations are open to all
• We welcome those from all faiths and backgrounds to “come and see”
• You may mail your registration to St Andrew’s, or simply email the document to events@sagotc.edu.au

PDF File, will open in new window. Click here to download the registration form


• The Symposium will be held on Fri-Sat 20-21st September
• The Symposium will run from:
   Fri:  2:30-8pm
  Sat:  9am-3pm

PDF File, will open in new window. Click here to download the Symposium Program

We welcome presentations from the different disciplines of Christian theology interested in further reflecting on this central doctrine of the Church, irrespective of their field of expertise, academic affiliations or denominational background. Indeed, it is hoped that this cross-disciplinary approach (whether this be systematic theology, patristics, ethics, biblical studies, church history, liturgics, etc) will contribute by casting further light - indeed a more enriching and holistic perspective - to this most significant Christian teaching.


Revd Prof. Demetrios Barthrellos
Cambridge Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies, Hellenic Open University in Patra
Biography
Revd Prof. Demetrios Barthrellos has published widely Christology, specifically looking at the significance of the conciliar Christological decisions of the first common Christian millennium and how they speak to us today. Fr Demetrios hails from Greece where he teaches at the Greek Open University (Patra); he also teaches in the Cambridge Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies and the University of London. He has also... read more

Jesuit Theological College, University of Divinity (Melbourne)
Biography
Revd Prof. Gerald O’Collins SJ AC, an Australian Jesuit priest is currently Research Professor and Writer-in-Residence at the Jesuit Theological College, University of Divinity (Melbourne) and a research professor in theology at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham. For more than three decades, he was professor of systematic and fundamental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. In... read more

    

• There will be 21 speakers presenting their research papers spread out across 7 sessions
•  We are overjoyed by the diversity and richness of the respective presentations and the variety of topics in Christology explored
• Select papers from this Symposium are scheduled to be published as peer reviewed articles in St Andrew's Academic Journal Phronema in the second semester of 2020
• Click here to view the abstracts

Keynote Addresses
Revd. Prof. Demetrios Barthrellos
Cambridge Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies, Hellenic Open University (Patra)
"The Sinlessness of Christ: An Ancient Dogma and its Contemporary Significance"
Abstract: The Christian tradition has always proclaimed the sinlessness of Christ. This is understood in terms of both who Christ was and what he did. So, Christ is believed to have had a sinless and holy human nature, without the sinful passions that are characteristic of fallen humanity; and he is also believed never to have sinned. In the last two centuries, however, a number of theologians, especially in the protestant tradition, have challenged this doctrine by arguing that Christ’s humanity was fallen like our own, with sinful tendencies and passions, the only difference between him and us being that Christ never sinned. In this talk I will discuss the question of the sinlessness of Christ and argue against the above claim. I will also show how this Christological doctrine is related to Christian anthropology and ethics.

Revd Prof. Gerald O’Collins SJ AC
Jesuit Theological College SJ AC
"New Testament Scholarship Supports Christology"
Abstract: Witness coming from the Gospels supports orthodox faith in who and what Jesus is. He claimed more than prophets: he ‘came’ in his own name (Mark 2:17). He identified himself with the reign of God. To accept the divine kingdom was to accept Jesus. He worked miracles and taught in his own name (‘I say to you’). He claimed authority over the Sabbath, the Temple, the Law, and the forgiveness of sins; this provoked the charge of blasphemy. As Son of Man, he was decisive for the final salvation of human beings. His claims were mostly implicit but, nonetheless, claims to divine identity and prerogatives. St Paul and the tradition behind him acknowledged Jesus as divine Lord (1 Cor 16:21; Phil 2:6-11, which echoes Isa 45:23-24). The apostle’s opening salutation (e.g. Rom 1:7) put Christ as Lord on a par with God our Father. Paul also used the Jewish confession of monotheism to portray Jesus as agent of creation alongside God the Father (1 Cor 8:6). Historical witness (to the message of Jesus, his resurrection, and the heroic discipleship of followers) provides evidence for faith in him. Yet faith goes beyond the evidence and is inspired by the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit.


 
There will be 21 speakers presenting their research papers. We are overjoyed by the diversity and richness of the respective presentations and the variety of topics in Christology explored. Select papers from this Symposium are scheduled to be published as peer reviewed articles in St Andrew's Academic Journal Phronema in the second semester of 2020.
Listed below are the symposium presenters with their respective topics:
Dr Vassilis Adrahtas 
"Reflections on the Empathy of Christ: The Notion of προσωπική οἰκείωσις in the Christology of John Damascene"
Chris Baghos (PhD cand.)
"The Holy Ascetic as a 'New Adam' in the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great"
 
Dr Mario Baghos
"Tradition contra Positivism in Representations of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"
Dr Margaret Beirne RSC
"Christ is alive!" - Pope Francis' Apostolic Invitation to Youth"
 
William Chami
"How Did the Son Know that He was the Son in His Human Mind? A Theological Enquiry into the Self-Conciousness of Christ"
Dr Deborah Guess
"An Eco-Theological Reflection on the Christology of Rowan Williams"
 
Prof. James Harrison
"Romans 1:3-4 and Adoptionist Christology: Situating a Theological Debate in its Julio-Claudian Context"
Michael Ibrahim
"A Clash of History and Memory: Reassessing the Christological Contributions of Severus of Antioch"
Dr Philip Kariatlis
"Christology, Christification and Human Becoming"
 
Dr Jin Heung Kim
"Aquinas, Vermigli, and Apostoliscum: a Comparative Study of the Two Theologians' Exposition of the Christology in the Twelve Articles"
Dr Jason Tsz-Shun Lam
"Christonomy: Accomplishing the Christ-reality in a Secular Age: The Need of a Christian Ethics in the Modern Eorld from Bonhoeffer's View"
Dr Greg Liston
"Eschatology and the Munus Triplex: On the Threefold Anointing of the Spirit"
 
Dr Andrew Mellas
"Dancing with Adam, Eve and Christ: The Liturgical Christology of St Romanos the Melodist"
Dr Joe Mock
"Distinctives of Heinrich Bullinger's Christology"
 
Dr Vicki Petrakis
"Salvation through the Incarnate Logos in St Gregory of Nazianzus"
 
Josfin Raj
"Towards an Inclusive Dalit Christology: From Broken People to an Inclusive Community"
Grahame Rosolen (Phd cand.)
"The Enduring Importance of the Incarnational Christology of Athanasius"
 
Martin Samson (PhD cand.)
"Developing Pauline Christology as a Spiritual Quest for the Historical Jesus"
 
Prof. Keith Thompson
"Webb's Analysis of Smith's Christology"

Click here to view the Abstracts

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We look forward to seeing you there


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