Μητροπολίτου Δημητριάδος Ιγνατίου, Σκέψεις πάνω στις σχέσεις Εκκλησίας και κράτους σήμερα. Εισήγηση στην εκδήλωση του περιοδικού «Σύναξη»: «Για τον αναστοχασμό των σχέσεων κράτους-Εκκλησίας» . Πνευματικό Κέντρο Δήμου Αθηναίων, 22-2-2010.
Μητροπολίτη Νιγηρίας Αλέξανδρου, "Ιεραποστολή και Πολιτισμός"(παρουσίαση στο Συνέδριο της Ακαδημίας: Εκκλησία & Πολιτισμός).
Program of the Academic Year 2010-2011 - THEOLOGY, POLITICS & CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
Orthodoxy as an ecclesial community has from its beginning been conscious of living and moving in the world, but not being a product of this world (in the world but not of the world). Its eschatological and Eucharistic nature has always attributed to its identity a paradoxical character. Likewise today, Orthodoxy seems to be once more at a crossroads, having to confront various challenges that rise sharply before it.
Throughout its history, Eastern Christianity, even though marked by the tension between “the empire and the desert”, often chose to be dragged behind the chariot of the empire or state authority (eg. Byzantium, Tsarist Russia, Ottoman Empire, Balkan national states). In doing so, it drew closely alongside many forms of power, often authoritarian and undemocratic, whose spirit and ethos could hardly be in harmony with the Gospel and its principles. This is why fundamental achievements of modern civilization –such as human rights, political liberalism and the demands of democracy, social justice and respect of otherness– appear still to sit uneasily in traditionally Orthodox environments. In these contexts, the Church and its theology continue to be fascinated by the nostalgic recollection of premodern models of shaping and organizing society.
The 20th century was, for Orthodoxy, a period of significant
change and upheaval. With the rise of the ecumenical movement, Orthodox
theology, particularly within the framework of Orthodox Diaspora, emerged, for
the first time, from its introversion and confessional isolation and entered
into dialogue with the other major Christian traditions, as well as the
challenges of the modern world. This promising process of Orthodox renewal was
closely connected to the so-called "neo-patristic synthesis" and noted
theological figures such as Fr. Georges Florovsky, Vladimir Lossky, Paul
Evdokimov, Fr. Nicholas Afanasiev, Fr. Dumitru Staniloae, Fr. Justin Popovic,
Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Fr. John Meyendorff, and Olivier Clément, as well as
the lesser-known contributions of theologians and philosophers of the Diaspora,
such as Fr. Sergei Bulgakov and Nikolai Berdyaev. In addition to these figures,
one would do well to also remember the contributions, in recent years, of Greek
theologians such as Nikos Nisiotis, Savvas Agouridis, Fr. John Romanidis, His
Eminence Metropolitan of Pergamon John Zizioulas, Christos Yannaras, Panayiotis
Nellas, Fr. Vasilios Gondikakis, Nikos Matsoukas, and George Mantzaridis, among
others.
However, in an era of rapid change -i.e. late
modernity, globalization, and multi-culturalism-, Orthodoxy is today confronted
with radically new challenges that were hitherto unknown and completely
different from what it has experienced in its past-challenges that require
reflection and creative thinking.
On line attendance and participation to the sessions and activities of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies: www.imdradio.gr( the "Orthodox Witness" Volos Radio Station on the Internet). In greek languange
Theological Library!
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Programs-Activities 
Download here the Registration Form for Contectual Theology Conference 3-6 June, 2010.
