On Thursday 5th
February Hilarion Alfeyev, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk (Russia) will give a
talk at the University of Winchester (The Stripe, Sparkford Road, Winchester
SO22 4NR). The topic of the talk will be Does Christian Ecumenism still have a
future?
Hilarion Alfeyev is a bishop of
the Russian Orthodox Church. At present he is the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk,
the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations and a permanent
member of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow. He is also a noted
theologian, church historian and composer and has published books on dogmatic
theology, patristics and church history as well as numerous compositions for
choir and orchestra.
The voice of Christendom is
nowadays deeply disunited. One wonders whether we can still speak at all of
‘Christianity’ or whether it would be more accurate to refer to
‘Christianities’, that is to say, markedly diverse versions of the Christian
faith. Some of the moral, spiritual, pastoral and practical issues connected
with this will be analysed from the point of view of a Russian Orthodox
Metropolitan who for the last twenty years has been deeply involved in the
ecumenical work and who follows with great anxiety the processes taking place
in contemporary secular society. The Russian Orthodox Church, which in the
twentieth century passed through seventy years of struggle for survival and
which is still recovering from persecutions, has much to offer to its partners
in the ecumenical dialogue in terms of theological reflection. At the same
time, it has much to learn from them. We need a true dialogue, not just a
monologue, and that we must be able not only to criticize the others, but also
to be self-critical ourselves.
What language will this talk be in, and at what time? Can non-students attend?
ReplyDeleteIt should be in English...It will start at 6.30 pm..(sorry, didn't put the time above) and non students can attend.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Metropolitan will be so good as explain his recent comments in the Vatican about the Greek Catholic Church, which many have found "deeply offensive", and show how his attitude promotes Christian ecumenism.
ReplyDelete