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THEOLOGICAL CONSULTATIONS
Theological consultations represent settings where Orthodox theologians convene and discuss doctrinal, moral, and liturgical issues as related to peace and violence. During 2009 and 2010 IPSEC has partnered with the World Council of Churches (Geneva, Switzerland) and the Institute for Theology and Peace (Hamburg, Germany), and together they organized two international consultations on Orthodox peace ethics. The first consultation was held in Bucharest, Romania, from June 29 through July 3, 2009, and the second consultation was held in Damascus, Syria, from 18 through 22 October 2010. IPSEC also organized a consultative theological workshop in the context of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation sponsored by the World Council of Churches in Kingston, Jamaica, from 17 through 25 May 2011. |
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Bucharest 2009 (Peace Ethics)
The first pan-Orthodox international expert consultation took place at the Patriarchal Palace of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Bucharest, Romania, from June 29 through July 3, 2010. The theme of the consultation was “Orthodox Peace Ethics in Eastern and Oriental Christianity,” and the discussions focused on various issues including the blessing of the weapons in times of warfare, the role of canonical tradition in political conflict, the relationship between Church and State, Nationalism, globalization, psychology of victimization, cultural perceptions of Good and Evil, role of chaplaincy, and more. (download program) |
Damascus 2010 (Just Peace)
The second pan-Orthodox international expert consultation was hosted by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and it took place in Saidnaya-Damascus, Syria, from 18 through 22 October 2010, on the theme of “Just Peace.” The Orthodox Christian understanding of peace-oriented justice is rooted in a long ethical and canonical tradition anchored into two definitions offered by the Roman jurists Celsus and Ulpianus, which had been adopted by the Byzantine State as guiding principles for social justice. While Celsus (+129AD) defined justice as “the art of good and equity,” (jus est ars boni et aequi), Ulpianus (170-228AD) emphasized its distributive aspects, saying that, “justice is the constant and perpetual desire to give everyone his due.” (Justitia est constans et perpetua voluntas, jus suum cuique tribuendi). (download program) |
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The expert papers presented and discussed in Bucharest and Damascus are available in a special volume, Just Peace: Orthodox Perspectives, edited by Semegnish Asfaw, Alexios Chehadeh and Marian Gh. Simion, and published by IPSEC together with the World Council of Churches (Geneva, Switzerland), and the Institute for Theology and Peace (Hamburg, Germany).
(read excerpts) |
Kingston 2011 (Peace Education)
IPSEC presented a consultative theological workshop titled, “Developing Strategic Education on Peacemaking: An Orthodox Christian Contribution,” during the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC), which was held by the World Council of Churches in Kingston, Jamaica, from 17 through 25 May 2011. Contributing to the goals of IEPC, the workshop was part of the “peace in community” component of the Convocation, and it addressed Orthodox theological perspectives on international relations theory, diplomacy, identity, ecumenical and interfaith relations, and theological education. (slide presentation) |
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Overcoming Violence: Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding, edited by Rodney L. Petersen and Marian Gh. Simion at the Boston Theological Institute, represents parallel work structured around the general themes of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation. The volume includes contributions from renowned personalities, including two Noble Peace prize laureates such as presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Kim Dae-Jung.
(read excerpts) |
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