Orthodox Christianity and Islam-Islam in Europe

Historic events have led the orthodox peoples to long-time bordering and coexistence with Muslim populations. The dialogue between Orthodox Christianity and Islam goes as far back as Saint John of Damascus and Saint Gregory Palamas. History shows that past interaction includes a mixture of mutual confrontations and understanding occasioned by both sides. More recently, as a result of the massive mobility and immigration of non-Christian populations in the course of late modernity, virtually all European societies, including Greece, have experienced an intense religious plurality in their midst, owing chiefly to the unprecedented influx of a sizeable Muslim presence in the Continent, to a point where Islam is no longer the distant “other” or foreigner, but has become the neighbour and housemate.

In a world where the trumpets of war, terrorism and conflicts are usually covered with dangerous and self-serving religious rhetoric, which in turn erects religious and metaphysical walls among peoples, there also emerges from the critical conscience of the alert and informed faithful the need to build venues of inter-religious communication and understanding, especially among those who declare, and want to be, “children of Abraham”. In contrast to those who make an ideology out of the Conflict of religions and cultures, and most certainly against politicians with militant proclivities eager to declare new crusades, theology owes to insist unwaveringly on the need for increased dialogue based on love, respect and the acceptance of religious and cultural otherness, through serious and honest theological discussion.

Islam, like any other historical, social, cultural or religious formation —as Orthodox Christianity itself— is by no means a static, monolithic, unchangeable and compact reality. In its historical course, it has experienced schisms, divisions and internal intensities, and has been influenced by cultural elements and practices, that occasionally have no relation with the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed; at the same time, Islam manifests a remarkable hermeneutical diversity, as evidenced by the various reforming currents and modernizing tendencies emerging from within it.

The knowledge of Islam can well assist us in reaching a mutual understanding of, and a respect for, cultural and religious otherness, in all amounting to a level of spiritual maturity on the basis of which the Church is called to carry out her work and her mission. It is our duty therefore to overcome past confrontations, so as to enable ourselves to work for a brighter future for both sides, a future marked by understanding and mutual acceptance. Such a noble aim presupposes, of course, a sincere commitment to serious and sober scholarly dialogue, far from defensive apologies and self-righteous rhetoric. This kind of dialogue must boldly address questions such as: What were the relations and contacts between Orthodox Christianity and Islam, Hesychasm and Sufism? What is the place of hermeneutics in these two great religious traditions? What were their mutual osmoses and the interactions? How can we heal the memories of past conflicts and how can we change into a wealth and a blessing of God the given present co-existence of Christians and Muslims? Also, are we to assume that Orthodox Christianity and Islam are only entitled to a pre-modern past or can they perhaps make serious claims for a modern and post-modern present and future? What could be the advisable treatment of fundamentalisms at both sides? Does Europe, finally, constitute a closed Christian club or should it be properly envisioned as a multicultural and multireligious political entity?

These are the critical questions that the Academy for Theological Studies aims to address in this seventh year of course offering, broadly entitled: Orthodox Christianity and Islam - Islam in Europe. In a series of parallel events (congresses, interdisciplinary workshops, seminars), the Academy will deal with such topics as Reconciliation, Forgiveness and Peace (in collaboration with the World Council of Churches and Boston Theological Institute), Orthodoxy and Tradition, Wittgenstein and Apophatic theology, etc.