The Fifth International Congress of High Orthodox Theological Schools was held 26th-30th September 2001 under the auspices of the Theological faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. The theme of this gathering was: Unity, Mission and Theology of the Church in the Third Millennium. The participants to the Congress were representatives of high theological schools (Faculties, Academies and Institutes) of the following Orthodox Churches: Patriarchate of Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Russia, Serbia, Rumania, Bulgaria, including the Archdiocese of Poland, Albania, Czechoslovakia, the Byelorussian Exarchate, also the representatives of state theological schools in Athens and Thessalonica (Greece) and, finally, members of St Sergius from Paris (France), the Departments for Orthodox Theology in Munich (Germany), Cambridge (United Kingdom), and the Chair for Orthodox Theology of the University of Graz (Austria).
The Congress was opened by His Holiness Archbishop of Pech, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovtsy, and Patriarch of Serbia PAVLE who celebrated the Divine Liturgy with other hierarchs and presbyters who arrived at the Congress. The service was held at the Faculty church dedicated to Saint John the Theologian and Saint Sava. Apart from His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia PAVLE, the Congress was attended by His Beatitude the Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania ANASTASIUS, who delivered his introductory word at the opening ceremony, the emissary of His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW - Metropolitan of Tyrolia and Serendia Panteleimonos, the president of the Government of Serbia Mr. Zoran Djindjic, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic, numerous ministers, ambassadors of foreign states, the Vice-Dean of the University of Belgrade Mr. Grujic, and other officials. The greeting message of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW was read to the Congress, as well as the greeting notes of the Heads of some other local Churches.
The participants of the Congress laid stress to the fact that this High Symposium is being held in the jubilee year marking 1550 years from the Fourth Oecumenical Council.
Amongst other points the Congress underlined the following:
(1) It is necessary to nurture and maintain the unity of the Church for the sake of its truthfulness since the truth is one. Apart from expressing the unity of Church in its common liturgical-ascetical practice, one faith, and Oecumenical councils, it is necessary to strengthen this unity through education in Orthodox theological schools.
(2)The necessity for an increased missionary activity of our Church was underlined. Particular stress was placed on the mission towards those peoples who have not as yet heard of the Gospel.
(3)The theology of the Church should be founded on a common liturgical-ascetical practice and experience, which was a characteristic attribute of the Orthodox Church in the previous period of two millennia. The forms for transferring that experience should be adapted to contemporary life and problems that are facing modern man. Although theology is primarily the Good News about the Kingdom of God it must, nevertheless, take into consideration the reality of the fallen world, thereby becoming able to co-suffer with all that are suffering, reinstating the hope of the world for resurrection and final consummation of justice and the Kingdom of God on Earth.
In the 21st century theology should strive to achieve a constructive dialogue with all disciplines of science and other endeavors of the human spirit, hoping to bring the world to God in Christ, with the goal of thus reaching its salvation.
Furthermore, the Congress greeted the initiative for the founding of The Council of High Institutions of Learning of the Local Churches, with the aim of achieving more intimate mutual ties and common theological witness within the very complex contemporary reality. With the goal of founding this Council as soon as possible, the Congress formed a working group of representatives of the Theological faculties. The elected members to this group are: Prof. Nikolaos Ioanidis (Athens), Prof. Athanasios Angelopulos (Thessalonica), a representative of Moscow, Prof. Vasile Raduca (Bucharest), Prof. Ivan Dimitrov (Sofia) and Prof. Radovan Bigovic (Belgrade).
The participants to the Congress voiced their concern in face of the growth of worldwide terrorism. They expressed their deep regret for the loss of lives of innocent victims of terrorist attacks.
Deep sorrow was also expressed in light of the fact that the theological school at Chalki, not by its own willing, was absent at gathering: an appeal was sent to the institutions responsible to secure the continuation of its work as soon as possible.
Finally, the Congress reached the decision that the next International Congress of orthodox Theological Schools will be held in Sofia (Bulgaria) in 2004.
THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS
General theme of the Congress:
UNITY, MISSION AND THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH IN THE THIRD MILLENIUM
Individuals and schools that confirmed their participation:
1) His Grace the Former Bishop of Zahumlje and Herzegovina Dr. ATANASIJE (Jevtic); lecture - Church Unity in Church Tradition.
2) Prof. Dr. Grigorios Larentzakis, Graz, Austria - DerBeitrag der Orthodoxie im Europa von heute und morgen an der Schwelle zum 3. Jahrtausend.
3) Moscow Spiritual Academy, Moscow, Russia - 2 participants: Rev. Dr. Maxim Kozlov - Basis of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church; Rev. Dr. Vladimir Schmaly - Current Problems of Christian Anthropology.
4) St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia - 2 participants: Rev. Dr. Kyril Kopeykin - Theological and Scientific Perception of the World in the Third Millennium; Hiero-monk Damian - Church Unity and the Problems of Globalization.
5) The Prelate Kiril Tourovsky Minsk Theological Academy, Minsk, Byelorussia - 2 participants: Very Rev. Archimandrite Leonid (the Rector) - Theology and Mission of the Present Times; Deacon Alexandar Bolonikov.
6) St. Sergius Theological Institute, Paris, France - 2 participants: Rev. Dr. Nicolas Cernokrak (lecture title not submitted), Rev. Dr. Zhivko Panev.
7) Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Ma, USA - 2 participants: Rev. Dr. Nichols C. Triantafilou (President of the Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology) - The Church and the Social Gospel; Rev. Dr. George Papademetriou (Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology) - The Church's Role in Reconciliation in the Third Millennium.
8) St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, NY, USA - one participant: Rev. Dr. John Behr - The Mission of the Church in the New Millennium.
9) Theological Faculty of the University of Athens, Athens, Greece - one participant: Rev. Dr. Nicolaos Ioanidis - The Church at the Beginning of the Third Millenium.
10) Aristotle University of Thessalonica, Faculty of Theology, Thessalonica, Greece - 3 participants: Prof. George Martzelos, Prof. Dimitrios Tselegidis - Monasticism as an Expression and Guardian of Theology of the Church through Centuries, Assist. Prof. Chrisostomos Stamoulis - Orthodox Faith and Life in the Contemporary Secularized Community.
11) Orthodox Theological Faculty of Sr. Clement of Ochrid, Sofia, Bulgaria - 2 participants: Prof. Dr. Ivan Dimitrov, Assist. Prof. Pavel Pavlov.
12) Orthodox Theological Seminary in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland - 2 participants: Rev. Dr. Adam Misiuk, professor - Contemporary Ethical Challenges to Theological Learning; Mr. Toma Runchevski (theology student).
13) Orthodox Theological Faculty in Presov, Presov, Slovakia - 2 participants: Dr. Jan Zozulak - The Relevance Of Orthodox Theology in the Third Millennium; Mr. Vatslav Yezek, PhDcand. - Unity and Mission as a Consequence of a Spiritual Hierarchy.
14) University of Balamand, St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology, Tripoli, Lebanon - one participant: His Eminence Metropolitan and Archbishop of Aleppo Syria PAUL (Yazigi), Dean - Theology Facing the Recent Developments in the Third Millennium.
15) Orthodox Patriarchal School "Archbishop Makarios III" in Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya - one participant: His Eminence Metropolitan and Archbishop of Kenya and Irinoupolis MAKARIOS - Contemporary Orthodox Mission: New Horizons and Problems in the Third Millennium.
16) St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Redfern, N.S.W., Australia - 1 participant: His Grace Bishop JOSEPH of Arianzos - The Undivided Ministry of the Church in the World - the faithful continuation of the threefold office of the Lord through the centuries.
17) Cambridge University, The Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge, UK - one participant: Rev. Dr. John A. Jillions, Principal - Towards an International Centre for Orthodox Scholarship in Cambridge.
18) Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Department of Orthodox Theology, Munich, Germany - 2 participants: Prof. Dr. Athanasios Vlestis - Orthodox Dogmatics and Ethics in their Mutual Relationship in the Postmodern World, Proto-presbyter Prof. Dr. Vladimir Ivanov - Perspectives of Liturgics.
19) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Bucharest, Romania - two participants: Prof. Dr. Vasile Raduca, Asst. Adrian Baiku.
20) Jerusalem Orthodox Seminary, Jerusalem, Holy Land - one participant: Very Rev. Archimandrite Makarios (Mavrogiannakis), Rector - Jerusalem Patriarchate, Its Place and Contemporary Mission.
21) Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy, Toronto, Ont., Canada - one participant: Rev. Dr. Pavlos Koumarianos - The Liturgical Experience of Unity and Communion in the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
22) The Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, Duress, Albania - two participants: His Beatitude Archbishop of Tirana and All of Albania ANASTASIOS - The Mission of the Church, Rev. Luke Veronis, Dean (lecture title not submitted).
23) Theological Faculty in Chalchi, Constantinople, Turkey - two participants: His Eminence Metropolitan of Turopolis PANTELEIMON, Hiero-deacon Maxim.
24) Aristotle University of Thessalonica, Faculty of Theology - Department for Pastoral Theology and Sociology, Thessalonica, Greece - two representatives: Athanasios Angelopoulos, Christos Vandzos - The Need of Mission Today and the Need for Learning "Mission" as a Course - Subject at Theological Schools.
25) Veliko Tarnovo Theological Faculty, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria - one representative: Assist. Professor Dr. Rosen Georgiev Rosanov.
26) St. Sava Theological Faculty in Libertyville, Libertyville, IL, USA - one participant: His Grace Bishop of the East-American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church Dr. MITROFAN - Othodox Theology in 21st Century.
27) St. Basil of Ostrog Spiritual Academy in Srbinje, Srbinje, Republika Srpska, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - one participant: Mr. Branislav Koncarevic, Mtheol.
28) Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia - three speakers: His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Dr. AMFILOHIJE - Theandric Tradition of the Church - the Measure and the Test of Her History; His Grace Bishop of Branicevo Dr. IGNATIJE - Theology in 21st Century - the Basis for Unity; Rev. Fr. Dr. Vladan Perisic - Theology and Science.
N. B. One other school was invited - The Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Tbilisi Georgia, but it was unable to send its representative due to technical reasons. Three Schools have regretfully cancelled their participation at the Congress because of terrorist attacks on USA and difficulties in trans-Atlantic air traffic caused by these attacks: 1) Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Ma, USA - they have subsequently asked us to accept Deacon Chrisostomos Nassis (their PhD candidate in Thessalonica) and consider him as their official representative - the answer was positive and the Deacon participated in two sessions of the Congress; 2) St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, NY, USA; 3) Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy, Toronto, Ont, Canada.