AN INTERNATIONAL WEBINAR SEMINAR on FAITH AND COVID-19
(APRIL 6-11, 2020)
The Center of Ecumenical, Missiological, and Environmental Studies (CEMES) took the initiative to bring together Orthodox theologians from all over the world – not physically, but electronically at this time of enforced (or for us Orthodox “monastic”) enclosure – to reflect on the situation of our Church, which is so seriously affected by the present pandemic. Having carefully examined all concerns about the present situation CEMES decided to offer an open space for common reflection on the various aspects of the ecclesiastical life and sharing of information and scholarly views.
CEMES was encouraged to do this by some courageous statements by illumined hierarchs that: “we, the clergy – and, we can add, the theologians - are responsible that our faithful people have no idea what the Eucharist really means. The time has come to look to our mistakes and repent”
Remembering what half a century ago the late Fr. Alexander Schmemann said on another crisis, the unilateral and controversial granting of autocephaly to the OCA, hoping this action to be a “meaningful storm” for ecclesiological renewal in the Orthodox Church, CEMES was hoping and praying that the COVID-19 pandemic, another unprecedented crisis that caused serious problems on the core of our Church's identity, becomes a “meaningful and blessed storm” for an overall renewal of the Orthodox Church.
The seminar was conducted in English and in Greek.
CEMES was encouraged to do this by some courageous statements by illumined hierarchs that: “we, the clergy – and, we can add, the theologians - are responsible that our faithful people have no idea what the Eucharist really means. The time has come to look to our mistakes and repent”
Remembering what half a century ago the late Fr. Alexander Schmemann said on another crisis, the unilateral and controversial granting of autocephaly to the OCA, hoping this action to be a “meaningful storm” for ecclesiological renewal in the Orthodox Church, CEMES was hoping and praying that the COVID-19 pandemic, another unprecedented crisis that caused serious problems on the core of our Church's identity, becomes a “meaningful and blessed storm” for an overall renewal of the Orthodox Church.
The seminar was conducted in English and in Greek.
PROGRAMME OF THE SEMINAR AND SPEAKERS
I. THE CONSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
THE PANDEMIC AS A CHALLENGE TO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY, THE PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND THE CHURCH
Prof. Evangelos Venizelos
II. THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
THE NEED FOR A MORE THOROUGH CATECHISM OF THE FLOCK OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH.
THE LITURGICAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE HELLENIC BIBLE SOCIETY
Emer. Prof. Miltiadis Κonstantinou
THE BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP ON THE DIVINE EUCHARIST. THE PROFOUND MEANING OF MYSTERION
AND ΟF THE EUCHARIST
Emer. Prof. Petros Vassiliadis
SOCIOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF PAUL’S TEACHING ON EUCHARIST
Prof. Dimitrios C. Passakos
III. THE LITURGICAL PERSPECTIVE
REVISITING THE LITURGY IN A PERIOD OF PANDEMIC
AND BEYOND
Right Rev. Archbishop Lazar Puhalo
THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE LAITY. IN A PERIOD OF PANDEMIC AND BEYOND
Emer. Prof. Paul Meyendorff
DO THE SACRAMENTS PREVENT ILLNESS? A SURVEY OF LITURGICAL SOURCES
Rev. Dr. Dn. Nicholas Denysenko
A NΟΤΕ ΟΝ ΤΗΕ CΟΜΜΟΝ CΟΜΜUΝΙΟΝ SPOON
Rev. Emer. Prof. Alkiviadis C. Calivas
BACK TO THE FUTURE OR FORWARD TO THE PAST? COVID-19’s POSITIVE EFFECTS
ON LITURGICAL AND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
V. Rev. Dr. Stelyios Muksuris,
PRAYERS AND HYMNS FOR THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Panagiotis Andriopoulos
IV. THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
THE JUSTINIAN PLAGUE AND ITS RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL CONSEQUENCES
George Dokos
EPIDEMIC DISEASES IN THE LATE OTTOMAN PONTUS
Dr. Theodosios Kyriakidis
RELIGION AND SECULARIZATION IN THE AGE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE PROBLEM OF ONTOLOGICAL SECURITY
Prof. Dimitrios Stamatopoulos
V. THE THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST OR A FEAST IN A TIME OF PLAGUE?
V. Rev. Georgy Kochetkov
“…Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”:
THE EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY AND BROTHERHOOD LIFE DURING COVID-19
Drnd. Zoya Dashevskaya
CORONATIONS. NOTES FROM THE QUARANTINE
V. Rev. Prof. John Panteleimon Manoussakis
COVID-19, EUCHARIST, CHRISTIAN (?) DUALISM AND THE DEADLY ORTHODOC FUNDAMENTALISM
V. Rev. Prof. Cyril Hovorun
THE ORTHODOX VIEW ON DEATH
Rev. Dr. Pavlos Koumarianos
(pp. 177-182)
VI. THE ECUΜENICAL PERSPECTIVE
THE VALUE OF NOTHING: LESSONS FROM COVID-19 ON SILENCE AND STILLNESS
Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis
INTERFAITH AND ECUMENICAL RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Clapsis
ETHICAL RESPONSES TO FAKE NEWS AND CONSPIRACIES DURING AND POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Prof. Dr. Christoph Stueckelberger
CANADIAN ECUMENICAL AND INTERFAITH INITIATIVES STIMULATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMICProf. Paul Ladouceur
FAITH vs CORONAVIRUS. INTER-FAITH REFLECTIONS OF A MULTI-RELIGIOUS CLASS
Prof. Nikolaos Dimitriadis
THE DIVINE EUCHARIST AND THE WAY OF DISTRIBUTING THIS HOLY MYSTERY THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES.
A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE
Right Rev. Emer. Prof. Archbishop Ioannis Spiteris
WHEN THE TEMPLES CLOSE: THE TRANSFORATION OF THE CHURCH INTO AN ONLINE “SYNAXIS”. A REFLECTION ON THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL, PASTORAL AND MINISTERIAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THE EXAMPLE OF THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF GREECE
Rev. Dr. Sotiris Boukis
VII. THE ΜISSIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
The Issue of Suffering in a World Governed by a Merciful God
Pastoral Counselling During Covid-19 Crisis in the Romanian Context
Prof. Cristian Sonea
ORTHODOX APOCALYPSE: JUDGEMENT AND HOPE FOR ORTHODOXY IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
Rev. Dr. Anastasios Brandon Gallaher
THE PRIMACY OF THE COVENANT IN A PERIOD OF PANDEMIC.
THEOLOGIES OF EUCHARIST, LOVE AND MISSION REVISITED
Dr. Athanasios Ν. Papathanasiou
WITNESS AND ENCOUNTER IN DYSTOPIAN TIMES
Dr. Evi Voulgaraki-Pissina
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMUNION IN TIMES OF QUARANTINE
Vassilios Xidias
THE MESSAGE OF HOPE BY ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW
AND POPE FRANCIS IN GLOOMY TIMES
FINAL DAY. EVALUATION AND MESSAGE
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHURCHES AND THE WORLD
COVID-19:
A MEANINGFUL STORM FOR RENEWAL IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
THE FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF AN INTERNATIONAL
WEB-SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY CEMES ΑΝD IHU ON
“RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND CHURCH IN Α PERIOD OF PANDEMIC”
