“The Values of Contemporary Education and Religious Pluralism within the Landscape of Contemporary Individualism and Extremism” @ Romanian Parliament, Bucharest
December 18, 2024
FOR LOGISTIC REASONS, THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE WAS HELD ONLINE
“Today, we helplessly witness a distortion of memory, a change of religious and political narrative, and a rewriting of history. This risky enterprise is fueled by complex arrangements of international security. The unchecked power of Artificial Intelligence not only disables our ability to distinguish truth from deception, but makes it almost impossible to differentiate between leader and demagogue, while giving everyone the illusion of empowerment and critical thinking.” Marian Gh. Simion “Anamnesis and Distortion of Memory” (fragment from a speech delivered on December 18, 2024 at the Parliament of Romania)
“The contemporary narrative of Christianity in Eastern and Southern Europe is a hidden tale of empires and civilizations. It is a hidden tale of doctrines, ecclesiastic power and folklore, freedom and captivity, swift invasions, totalitarian peace, and revocations of existence. It is also a foggy tale of faith and despair, atheism and martyrdom, cold and hot wars, scapegoating and sacrifice, expulsions, deportations, and rewritings of identity. Put in a nutshell, it is a tale written as a re-sequencing of history which betrays human condition itself.” (“Christianity in Eastern and Southern Europe” by Marian Gh SIMION) more...
Abel Joshua ABEY joins IPSEC as Research Associate
Abel Joshua Abey is a first-year MDiv student at Harvard Divinity School, where his main research focuses on the intersection between pre-rabbinic Judaism and Syriac Christian spiritualities. (...) At IPSEC, Abel’s work is centered on the pragmatic impact of peacemaking resources developed by the Malankara Mar Thoma tradition as meaning-making mechanism that constructs and/or deconstructs collective violence in the context of Indian religious pluralism. more...
On October 16, 2024, Dr. Marian G. Simion presented an academic paper during a conference titled Metanoia and Dialogue. Dealing with Conflicts in and between Churches, organized during October 14-16, 2024 by EMW (Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany), in cooperation with Mission Academy Hamburg and the Orthodox Theological Faculty of Babes-Bolyai-University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. (“As human beings we perform rituals not only within the confines of a belief system, but also as a form of neurosis that ensures our survival. In an anthropological sense, one may claim that ritual represents the genesis of magic and religion, or that the survival instinct of religion is to be found in ritual.” fragment from the paper “On the Subtlety of Ritual in Conflict Transformation” by Marian Gh. Simion).
On September 21, 2024, IPSEC President & CEO, Dr Marian Gh. Simion presented an academic paper titled, “Ritual and Social Peace: Blessing Weapons as Religious Verdicts,” and participated in the deliberations of “Conflict and Cooperation in Eastern Europe Workshop: Orthodox Resources of Social Peace.” The workshop reunited scholars on Orthodox Christianity and it was organized during September 19-21, 2024 by Ökumenisches Institut, Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät | Universität Münster, and sponsored by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, at the Center for Eastern European and International Studies ZOiS (Berlin)
On June 3, 2024, Dr. Marian Gh. Simion participated as a panelist and spoke on the subject, “Religion, Neo-Fundamentalism and the breakdown of civil society in the USA;” as part of a debate titled, “Group Identity and Community Symbiosis: Ethnic and Religious Minorities.” This event was organized by The Institute for Quality of Life Research of the Romanian Academy in partnership with the Center for the Study of Society, Law and Religion, the Department for Interethnic Relations, and the Institute for the Study of National Minorities Problems from Cluj, under the patronage of the Romanian Academy and the Romanian Government. The event was hosted by the Romanian Academy in Bucharest, Romania.
During May 23-24, 2024, IPSEC partnered with the Foundation Reconciliation in South-East Europe (RSEE), from Sibiu, Romania and co-organized an international conference titled, “Women in Eastern and Southeastern Europe and the Experience of War: An inter-confessional, inter-religious and inter-ethnic Perspective.” IPSEC President & CEO Dr Marian Simion was one of the keynote speakers and spoke on the theme: “Women, Violence, and the Selectiveness of Memory.” The conference included also a thematic exhibition titled "Images of Survival" presented by artist Roxana Troacă.
HTS released
“Orthodox justification of collective violence: An epistemological and systematic framework
by Marian Gh. Simion
“While predominantly initiatory and pedagogical, the paper also proposes a systematic platform for advanced research on this subject, by flagging contexts, themes and areas of inquiry that a researcher might examine in order to untangle the inner workings of the justification of violence in the mind of the Orthodox. Given the ongoing Russian War on Ukraine, relevant samples are drawn from this case.”
We are happy to announce that HTS Theological Studies has released Marian Gh. Simion's research article, “Orthodox justification of collective violence.” - an article intended to compare what some leaders of the Orthodox Church teach and what some do on issues of war and peace. Dr. Simion wrote this article as an introductory text for his students at Harvard Divinity School to help them familiarize with some inconsistencies between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. HTS Theological Studies is a Q1 (first quartile) journal in the field of religion.
On December 4, 2023, The Institute for the Study of the Quality of Life (ICCV) of the Romanian Academy, and the Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern Christianity (IPSEC) established a strategic partnership aiming to collaborate on scientific research in all areas of activity proposed by the two institutions. Particularly, the Protocol is intended to strengthen the activities of ICCV’s Department of Religious Studies, it is concluded for an unlimited period of time, and it was entered into force with the date of the signing. The protocol was signed by Academician Cătălin Zamfir, representing the Romanian Academy, and Dr. Marian Simion, representing IPSEC; an event witnessed by Dr. Laurențiu Tănase of ICCV, 2001-2004 State Secretary for Religious Affairs, and 2005-2017 National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archive, of the Romanian Government.
...
Annual Human Rights Conference
“Affirming Freedom and Human Rights in the Context of Global Crises - Education and Digitalization” @ Romanian Parliament, Bucharest
November 22-23, 2023 by invitation only
This year IPSEC will serve again as a partner
for
the annual international human rights conference titled, “Affirming Freedom and Human Rights in the Context of Global Crises - Education and Digitalization,” organized by Asociatia Constiinta si Libertate, București (România), under the patronage
of the Senate and the Lower House of the Romanian Parliament.
Dr. Tanya van WYK
joins IPSEC as Senior Fellow
Dr. Tanya van Wyk holds a PhD in theology and is an associate professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at the University of Pretoria, in the Republic of South Africa. At IPSEC professor van Wyk focuses on developing programmatic cooperation between IPSEC and the University of Pretoria in the areas of religion, peace and global affairs, in light of the recently adopted protocol of cooperation between IPSEC and the University of Pretoria. (more...)
UPDATES for Harvard Divinity School students academic year: 2023-2024
The following is an update for IPSEC offerings at Harvard Divinity School. Starting with the academic year of 2023-2024, IPSEC will continue to explore issues of racial justice and healing by developing case studies focused on strategies and tactics that address the phenomenon of white nationalism, racial supremacy, and the religious right among Orthodox Christians living in North America and Europe, and foster new opportunities for academic cooperation with the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Given the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine, IPSEC continues to expand its partnerships with academics from Moldova to provide learning opportunities about conflict transformation and peacebuilding in the Orthodox setting. (more...)
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA and
The Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern Christianity
PARTNERS
We are pleased to announce that on June 6, 2023 the University of Pretoria through the Faculty of Theology and Religion and the Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern Christianity signed a partnership for academic collaboration.
FRAGMENT:
“The meteoric rise to prominence of Artificial Intelligence in the recent years has led to fundamental questions not only about how we connect with each other as human beings, but also to fundamental questions about the human condition itself. With AI, we enabled ourselves to reach new levels of imagination and technological creativity that appear to be limited only by human imagination itself. Every day we are surprised, inspired, bombarded, challenged, and perhaps humiliated by something unthinkable that is generated with the power of AI and its related technologies.” (Dr. Marian Gh. Simion “Artificial Intelligence, Human Integrity and Education” public lecture presented at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, on March 29, 2023.)
Annual Human Rights Conference
Marian Gh. Simion lectured on
“How Free is Religion during Times of War?” @ Romanian Parliament, Bucharest
December 8, 2022 by invitation only
On December 8, 2022, IPSEC served again as a partner
for
the annual international human rights conference titled, “Human Values and Religious Freedom,” under the patronage
of the Lower House of the Romanian Parliament. Dr. Simion participated with a speech titled, "How Free is Religion during Times of War?.
Marian Gh. Simion—delivered “Five UNESCO Lectures”
at the University of Graz, AUSTRIA April 25-29, 2022
Under the patronage of UNESCO-Lehrstuhl für interkulturellen und interreligiösen Dialog für Südosteuropa, during April 25-29, 2022, Prof. Dr. Marian Gh. Simion delivered a week-long series of talks and discussions aimed to make a practical contribution to the field of Religion and Violence. The lectures were aimed at anyone interested in phenomena around religion and violence, by exploring the different viewpoints and the necessity of developing a truly integrated multi-disciplinary approach for students, researchers, and teachers alike. (more...)
Marian Gh. Simion—appointed “Senior Fellow” at the Jimmy Carter School for Peace
in Washington, DC
We are pleased to announce that in March 2022, Prof. Dr. Marian Gh. Simion had been appointed Senior Fellow at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University. (details…)
Marian Gh. Simion—appointed volume 9 co-editor of “Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity” University of Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM
On March 18, 2022, Prof. Dr. Marian Gh. Simion was officially invited to be the volume editor for Christianity in Eastern and Southern Europe, Volume 9 of the Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity, working together with Todd M. Johnson and Kenneth R. Ross.
UNESCO Chair in Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
for South-East Europe
“How Interpersonal Violence Consolidates
Organized Religion”
a lecture by Dr. Marian Simion
@ University of Graz, Austria
December 2, 2021 by invitation only
Evolutionary psychology demonstrates that frustration–aggression, mimetic rivalry, and triangulation appear to be behind the social genesis of religious scapegoating, guilt and sacrifice. Therefore, this lecture attempts to go further and demonstrate how the interpersonal violence from childhood might have played a significant role in the institutionalising process of religion, and perhaps continues to do so. (details...)
RESEARCH
Seminarian Interdenominational Communication
in Romania
On June 21, 2020, IPSEC Chair, Prof. Dr. Denise E. Burrill-Simion co-published with Prof. Dr. Mihaela-Alexandra Tudor a research paper titled, “Culture, structure, and rational interests in interdenominational networking: a case study of Romanian Orthodox Seminarians,” in Journal of Beliefs & Values (Oxford: Routledge, 2020, 2020). The research was supported by European Union’s Campus France Partenariats Hubert Curien, grant number ‘36902ZH’. This article is a snapshot of the current attitudes manifested by the Romanian Orthodox seminarians towards interdenominational networking from the perspectives of individual interests, cultural representation, and institutional structure. Using the interdenominational networking as a social platform, the article considers the tension between rational choice and structuralism, whereby an Orthodox seminarian navigates between individual interests and institutional constrains; while also instrumentalizing cultural representation. For this purpose, a face-to-face survey was administered to 133 Protestant and Orthodox seminarians in Romania enrolled as full-time students in the pastoral theology programs at five theological seminaries. The contribution of this research lies in the fact that the data collected and analyzed serves as a social barometer revealing not only the restrained attitudes of the Romanian Orthodox seminarians towards interdenominational networking, but also their inability to bypass the deep-seated religious prejudice due to indoctrination and competition for credibility.
APPOINTMENT
Burrill Simion joins Fitchburg State University
as Assistant Professor
IPSEC Chair, Denise E. Burrill Simion, PhD, has recently accepted the tenure-track position of Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems in the School of Business and Technology of Fitchburg State University, in Fitchburg, MA. Dr. Burrill Simion was also appointed Associate Researcher at the Corhis Research Center of Paul Valéry University Montpellier 3, in France, where she received her PhD. Professor Burrill Simion is a co-founder of IPSEC and the Chair of its Board of Trustees, and will continue to serve IPSEC in this capacity.
PARTNERSHIP
IPSEC and “Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University
are now partners
On October 1, 2019, IPSEC established a partnership with “Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University in Bucharest, Romania, by signing a Memorandum of Agreement for Scientific Collaboration. The purpose of this partnership is to establish a platform for collaboration in all fields proposed by the partnering institutions, and in accordance with the international obligations and the domestic laws of each party. The parties will cooperate on research, will create internships, and will establish joint committees to organize conferences, symposia, and roundtables, and they will develop international projects and programs in accordance with their institutional missions.
REPRESENTATION IPSEC represented at
2019 Romanian National Prayer Breakfast
On October 4, 2019, at the invitation of the Ecumenical Prayer Group of the Romanian Parliament, Dr. Marian Gh. Simion represented IPSEC at the Romanian National Prayer Breakfast, and an international conference on “European Identity Values” organized by the same parliamentary group.
REPRESENTATION
IPSEC Represented at Roundtable on
International Religious Freedom for Eastern Europe
On October 11, 2019, at the invitation of Senator Dr. Titus Corlatean, the President of the Romanian Parliament, Dr. Marian Simion introduced the work of IPSEC at "International Religious Freedom Roundtable Romania," organized in Venus-Constanta, Romania, by the International Religious Freedom for Eastern Europe. Dr. Simion spoke about the work of IPSEC in the presence of local religious leaders representing local ethnic and religious minorities, as well as in the presence of representatives from the US Department of State and The Pentagon.
HONORARY SENATOR Simion voted Honorary Senator of
“Dimitrie Cantemir” University
On September 30, 2019, the University Senate of “Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University in Bucharest voted unanimously to award Dr. Marian Gh. Simion with the title of “Honorary Senator” of the University. In this capacity, Dr. Simion will act as a trustee of the university.
WORKSHOP Simion speaks at the Romanian Academy on
Academic Honesty in Higher Education
On October 3, 2019, Dr. Marian Gh. Simion presented a white paper titled, “Plagiarizing and Honesty in Scientific Research,” at the Romanian Academy of Arts and Sciences, in Bucharest, Romania. The presentation took place in the context of an international workshop titled “Scientific Research and Academic Ethics,” sponsored by the National Institute of Economic Research of the Romanian Academy, The Academy of Romanian Scientists, The Academy of National Security Sciences, and other institutions of higher learning from Bucharest, Romania.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IPSEC Chair receives PhD degree in the
Sciences of Information & Communicationfrom Université Paul Valéry de Montpellier 3, France
On September 9, 2019, IPSEC Chair, Denise E. Burrill-Simion, successfully defended her PhD thesis in the Sciences of Information and Communication, at Université Paul Valéry de Montpellier 3, in France; having Professor Mihaela-Alexandra Tudor as academic adviser. Titled, “Réseau d’intérêts: une approche épistemologique de la communication interconfessionnelle en Roumanie” [Networking for Interests: An Epistemological Approach to Interconfessional Communication in Romania], her thesis attempts to provide a sound cultural background and historical contextualization of the dialogue between the Protestant minorities and the Orthodox majority in Romania. Using an inductive methodology and through inferential analysis, the thesis also tests the sustainability of the current state of elite networking and dialogue, by focusing on the attitudes expressed by the Orthodox and Protestant seminarians toward interconfessional networking, under conditions of democratic pluralism and religious nationalism.
IPSEC and RAIS
proudly release
The Holistic Society:
Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives Proceedings of
Harvard Square Symposium Vol 3
edited byIoan-Gheorghe Rotaru
and Denise E. Burrill
CONTRIBUTORS: Ioan–Gheorghe Rotaru, Denise Elaine Burrill, Samuiel Bâlc, Eugen Jugaru, Simona Liutiev, Timotei Rusu, Marian Gh. Simion, Ioan Stinghe, Arthur Wagner, Consuela Wagner, Daniel Fodorean, Daniel Gligore, Ion–Lucian Răcilă, Cosmin Tudor Ciocan, Lucian Ionel Mercea, Stelian Manolache, Ligia–Roxana Rotaru, Marius Nechita, Remus Soare, Iacob Coman, Sorin Badragan, Cristian Caraman, Ştefan Florea, Marian Puiescu, Andreea Puiescu, Claudia Buda, Emanuel Dobrin, Ioana–Anca Gherasim, Cosmina Andreea Roșu, Grigore Nicu and Teodor–Ioan Colda.
This volume is in the process of indexing by Bowker, IDEAS/RePEc, CEEOL, Econpapers, Google Scholar and SSRN.
Marian Gh. Simion discusses his textbook Research Methodology in Orthodox Peace Studies
on the national Romanian Orthodox Channel TrinitasTV
"Faith and Culture Today: The Pacifying Virtualities of Religion" discussion with Dr. Vasile Bănescu, Spokesman of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate. (November 12, 2017)
Marian Gh. Simion addresses
the 8th World Congress of the
International Religious Liberty Association
"Why we dont raise!" Plenary speech delivered at the International Religious
Liberty Association during the 8th World Congress for Religious Freedom
| August 22-24, 2017 Miami (Hollywood), Florida, United States
NEW TEXTBOOK Research Methodology in Orthodox Peace Studies:
University Textbookby Marian Gh. Simion
Metodologia Cercetării în Studiile de Pace Ortodoxe - Manual Universitar, Cluj–Napoca: Presa Universitară Clujeană, 2016 (Foreword Laurențiu Tănase, Editorial Coordination and Introductory by Study Cristian-Sebastian Sonea); 232 pages; ISBN 978–606–37–0104–7 This is a textbook on qualitative research methodology in the field of peace studies in Orthodox Christianity, authored by Marian Gh. Simion, in Romanian language.
PRESS RELEASE
IPSEC and Romanian Parliament Establish partnership! (details)
Freedom of Conscience and Religion conference concludes at the Romanian Parliament
On September 29, 2016, the Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern Christianity (IPSEC) served as an institutional partner for the international scientific conference, “Freedom of Religion and Conscience in the Context of National Security.” The conference was organized by Asociația Conștiință și Libertate (Conscience and Liberty Association), and the Romanian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, Juridical Committee on Discipline and Immunities, in partnership with Secretariatul de State pentru Culte (Secretariate of State for Religious Affairs), International Religious Liberty Association, Association Internationale pour la Défense de la Liberté Religieuse, Université Paul-Valery Montpellier 3, and Essanchess-Journal for Communication Studies. This event brought together policymakers, clergy and academics, who spoke on religious pluralism and tolerance. Over sixty brief speeches and papers were presented in Romanian, French, German, English and Ukrainian; all of them published in full version in the Journal for Freedom of Conscience Vol.4/2016 (Editions IARSIC: Les Arcs, France.) IPSEC was represented by Dr. Marian Simion, who presented a paper on religious counterterrorism, and by Fr. Nicholas J. Greanias, JD, LLM, who presented a paper on religious freedom and national security.
Dr. Marian Simion receives the Medal
of the Romanian Parliament for
Human Rights activity
On September 29, 2016, Dr. Marian Gh. Simion was awarded “The Medal of the Romanian Parliament” and “Diploma of Honor” by the Chamber of Deputies, The Juridical Committee on Discipline and Immunities, in recognition of his overall activity for the promotion, consolidation and respect for freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. The awards were offered in the context of the international scientific conference, “Freedom of Religion and Conscience in the Context of National Security.”
IPSEC and the Scientific Press proudly release
The Future of Knowledge:
Proceedings of
Harvard Square Symposium Volume 1 | Year 2016,
edited by Titus Corlăţean
and Ioan-Gheorghe Rotaru
The Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern Christianity (IPSEC) together with the Scientific Press are pleased to announce the publication of the volume titled, “The Future of Knowledge: Proceedings of Harvard Square Symposium | Volume 1 | Year 2016, edited by Titus Corlăţean and Ioan-Gheorghe Rotaru.
This volume contains scientific papers in arts and sciences presented at the first edition of “Harvard Square Symposium;” a symposium organized by the Scientific Press together with IPSEC on April 29–30, 2016, in Cambridge Massachusetts. The theme, “the Future of Knowledge,” was suggestively chosen to highlight the mission of our symposia; that of making a valuable contribution to a future of humanity full of hope and trust, keeping in mind that the common responsibilities toward the future generations (which we share across nations, cultures, and beliefs), ought to be symbiotic with our professional ideals, in providing good stewardship. Please note that
Harvard Square Symposium is not affiliated with Harvard University, nor is a Harvard University program or activity. (more...)
Harvard Associate Dean receives
Honorary Doctorate in Romania
Upon IPSEC’s informal recommendation, Rev. Dr. Dudley C. Rose, the Associate Dean for Ministry Studies at Harvard Divinity School, was awarded the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by Dimitrie Cantemir University in Bucharest, Romania. The degree was awarded in the presence of academics and government officials including the Prime Minister of Romania, vice-president of the Romanian Senate, former ministers of education, foreign affairs, and university professors from Romania and Western Europe. Dr. Rose was also a keynote speaker at the Romanian Parliament, and appeared on several national TV channels in Romania as a featured guest.
Dr. Simion Appointed Honorary Adviser
to the Parliament of Romania
On July 1, 2015, Dr. Marian Simion was appointed Honorary Adviser to Senator Ben-Oni Ardelean, Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Romanian Senate, and his cabinet at the Romanian Parliament in Bucharest, Romania. According to the letter of appointment, “Dr. Simion’s responsibility is administering the international affairs and communication of Senator Ben-Oni Ardelean with the American governmental institutions, federal, state and local, with American organizations which have the purpose of developing bilateral relations in the cultural environment or of business with Romania, as well as with the Romanian community in the United States of America.” (more…)
Cambridge University Press Releases
Dr. Marian Simion’s
Religion and Public Policy
Cambridge University Press has released Religion and Public Policy: Human Rights, Conflict, and Ethics, a book co-edited by Dr. Marian Simion together with Sumner B. Twiss and Rodney L. Petersen. Featuring a group of distinguished contributors, including Bryan Hehir, Scott Appleby, John Witte, Jr., Abdulaziz Sachedina, and the CNN political commentator and former presidential advisor David Gergen, this volume is a multifaceted and original exploration of the status and justification of human rights; of the meaning and significance of religious liberty; how the comparative study of religious ethics ought to proceed; the nature, limits, and future development of just war thinking; the role of religion and human rights in conflict resolution, diplomacy, and peace-building; and the tensions raised by religious involvement in public policy and state institutional practices. (more...)
Dr. Simion Interviewed by Voice of America
on Ukrainian Conflict
When it comes to conflict, “Orthodox Christianity has a very interesting and complex attitude toward violence,” said Marian Gh. Simion. . . . "Orthodox Christianity does not have a 'Just War' theory. . . . Because it operates under the state, it's never had to make decisions on national invasions, so its theology runs much more pacifistic."(read article | download audio file...)
CONTACT
Institute for Peace Studies in Eastern
Christianity
Harvard Square
P.O. Box 380246,
Cambridge, MA 02238-0246, U.S.A.
