FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nikki Stournaras, (617)-850-1213
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
Date: September 2nd, 2002.
AN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON "THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN A PLURALISTIC
WORLD" TO BE CONVENED AT HOLY CROSS GREEK ORTHODOX SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
The
mission of the Orthodox Churches in a global and pluralistic world will
be the focus of study at the International Conference that Holy Cross
Greek Orthodox School of Theology will hold on October 3-5, 2002 on its
Campus.
The Conference, first of its
kind, will bring together Church hierarchs, theologians and social
scientists from this country and abroad to address the challenge of
globalization, issues of human rights, religious violence, ethnicity
and nationalism, and Christian missions.
His
Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America will deliver the keynote
address on "Orthodoxy in a Pluralistic World". His much-anticipated
presentation on the presence and mission of the Orthodox Church in a
pluralistic world will articulate his vision as the spiritual leader of
the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and as a distinguished theologian.
Richard
Falk, Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law and Practice at
Princeton University, will interpret the challenges of globalization
for the Christian churches. Professor Falk, in his recent book
"Religion and Humane Global Governance," considers the contributions of
religion, and more particularly of the Christian churches, as
indispensable to the building of humane global governance. The churches
through a "politically engaged spirituality" can become sources of
empowerment against the dehumanizing consequences of globalization.
The
General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Dr. Konrad Raiser,
will challenge the conferees to become active partners with other
Christians in building a culture of peace by overcoming the logic and
culture of violence that seems to prevail in the world. Rev. Dr.
Stanley Harakas will present the Orthodox view on this matter by
commenting on Dr. Raiser's presentation.
Diana
L. Eck, professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard
University and Director of the Pluralism Project, will explore some of
the challenges that the plurality of religious communities pose for the
Christian churches and the dialogical challenges that Christians
encounter as they engage in new complex relationships with people of
other faiths in professional, workplace, and civic life.
The
issue of Human rights and obligations from a Christian and from an
Orthodox perspective will be addressed respectively by David Little, T.
J. Dermont Dunphy Professor of the Practice in Religion, Ethnicity and
International Conflict and Director of the Center for the Study of
Values in Public Life at Harvard University, and by Christos Yannaras,
Professor of Philosophy at Panteion University (Greece) and a prolific
Orthodox theologian.
The President
of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology,
Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou, stated, "The coming together of such
prominent Church hierarchs, theologians, and social scientists to
discuss these highly complex, but very crucial issues facing our Church
in the modern world, is a strong indication that Holy Cross actively
fulfills its theological mission. As a center of theological studies,
Holy Cross provides to our Church the appropriate space to explore and
dialogue about its transformative presence in a global and pluralistic
context."
The Conference is jointly
sponsored by Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and the World
Council of Churches, in cooperation with Boston Theological Institute
and the Initiatives in Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity
School. It is funded by the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment
Fund; the Marcelle R. Varver Foundation; Dr. Gregory G. Floridis
Endowment; Dormition of the Virgin Mary Parish, Somerville, MA Trust
for Conferences; and Martha Karathanasis Grant for Conferences in
Memory of David Kambourelis.
The
Conference is open to the public and will be held at the Maliotis
Cultural Center on the campus of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of
Theology, 50 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, Massachusetts. To register and
for further information, please contact Nikki Stournaras by telephone
at (617) 850-1213, or by fax at (617) 858-1460, or at www.hchc.edu.
