Volos Academy for Theological Studies, in the frame of its academic program 2008-2009, organizes an International Conference, to be held May 7-10, 2009, at Thessalia Conference Center (Melissiatika) in Volos, Greece (starting on May 7^th, 6.30pm), under the title:

C h u r c h   and   C u l t u r e

Papers will be delivered by: Metropolitan Dr. Athanasios of Chalcedon (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Metropolitan Alexander of Nigeria (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria), Bishop Dr. Maxim of Western America (Serbian Orthodox Church, Professor at the School of Theology, University of Belgrade), Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos (Church of Greece), Rev Dr Gregory Papathomas (Professor at St. Sergius Institute, Paris, Elected Professor at the School of Theology, Athens University), Rev Dr Lambros Kamperidis (Concordia University, Montreal), Rev Dr Demetrios Barthelos (Greek Orthodox Church, Attica), Rev Hyacinthe Destivelle (Director of the Center ‘Istina’, Paris), Rev George Hunsinger (Professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary), Dr Constantine Agoras (Assistant Professor of the Greek Open University), Dr Daniel Ayuch (Professor at St. John of Damascus Orthodox Theological Institute of University of Balamand, Lebanon), Dr Alexander Bodrov (Rector of St. Andrew’s Biblical Theological Institute, Moscow), Jean-Francois Colosimo (Professor at the Saint Sergius Theological Institute, General Manager of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) Publications, Paris), Amal Dibo ( American University of Beirut), Olga Lossky (Writer, Paris), Dr Dimitri Moschos (Lecturer at the School of Theology, University of Athens), Dr Niki Papageorgiou (Assistant Professor at the School of Theology, University of Thessaloniki), Dr Alexandros Papaderos (Former Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete), Dr Radu Preda (Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Babes-Bolyai-University Cluj-Napoca & Director of the Romanian Institute for Inter-Orthodox, Inter-Confessional and Inter- Religious Studies), Rev Dr Alexander Rentel (Assistant Professor at St. Vladimir’s Theological Institute, New York), Konstantine Sigov (Director of the European Humanities Research Centre of the University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kiev, Ukraine), Dr Chrysostomos Stamoulis (Associate Professor at the School of Theology, University of Thessaloniki), Dr Mariyan Bogoev Stojadinov (Assistant Professor of the University of Veliko Tyrnovo, Bulgaria), Dr. Elizabeth Theokritoff (Independent Scholar, Theological Translator), Dr Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies).

* Download the programme of the International Conference "Church and Culture"

· Download the registration form of the International Conference "Church and Culture"

A number of crucial and important questions will be raised and analyzed  within the frame of the Conference, such as: what is the relationship between Gospel and culture, mission and local traditions, theological language and culture, mission, local traditions and culture? Is it possible, for example, to proclaim the Christian Gospel, independent and irrespective of each historical and cultural environment? On the other hand, how legitimate is it, theologically, to indentify the Church with a particular historical culture (e.g. Hellenism), turning theology into a tool and subjugating it to history, nation and culture? While in other Christian-or more broadly religious-traditions, there is felt today an urgent need to be grafted into a particular culture (inculturation), in the case of the Orthodox peoples, with their well-known connections between Church and nation and Church and local traditions (even to the point of complete identification, in certain cases), perhaps what is needed is to disentangle the Church from particular cultures and local traditions (decultiration)? Is a theology of culture necessary today in the Orthodox milieu?

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In order to register, visit the website of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies:  www.acadimia.gr

Fill in the registration form and return it till May 5, 2009 to:

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For further information do not hesitate to contact:

Mrs. Anastasia Gitsi & Mrs. Claire Nikolaou:

Tel. 0030 24210 93572-3    Fax: 0030 24210 77115