ACADEMY OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN STUDIES

Academy Archive

I. Academy of Theological Studies

A. International Theological Summer Seminar
The Seminar is under the auspices of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and takes place every summer since 2000. It lasts 3 to 4 weeks and offers lectures by eminent scholars and specialists from around the world, plenary discussions, working groups, workshops on Byzantine Music and Iconography, pilgrimages to monasteries, and visits to rural and urban parishes.

The Seminar is open to adults with or without systematic studies of Orthodox Theology and aims to deepen their theological knowledge and to provide a condensed experience of Orthodox life.

B. Winter Lectures
The programme of winter lectures takes place twice a month in the period November - April since 2000. It is open to the public and offers a series of lectures, round tables, debates and discussions on issues of Theology and Life, as they are understood from the Orthodox and the secular perspective. The speakers are eminent professors and personalities with various backgrounds and specialties.

II. Inter-Christian Dialogue

This section of OAD provides an environment suitable to host inter-Christian events. Our conference facilities, the proximity of plenty important religious places and the experience of OAD personnel in inter-Christian dialogue are elements of this environment.

OAD hosted in 2001 a meeting of the official theological dialogue of the Orthodox and the Anglican Church and in May 2003 it will host the Assembly of European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN).

III. Conferences

OAD is based at a Conference Center 6 km out of Volos that includes conference halls for 500 people, restaurants and all modern conference facilities. When necessary OAD uses also the Spiritual Center of the Diocese at the center of Volos, with a capacity of 800 people, and several other smaller parish centers. This allowed OAD to organize in the last 3 years many international, national and local conferences that serve its aims.

Administration
The Board of Administration of the Academy is presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatios of Dimitrias. Each programme is supported by an independent secretariat.

Aims

  • To make Volos and the entire Diocese of Dimitrias an international meeting point of Encounter and Dialogue.
  • To assist the development of modern Orthodox Theological thought.
  • To spread further the ethos, the substance, the thought and tradition of the Orthodox Church in the local society.
  • To facilitate a sincere dialogue of the Church with the society and especially with people of science, art and culture.


    Orthodox Academy of Dimitrias
    Conference Center
    P.O. Box 1308
    Volos 38001, Greece
    Tel-Fax: +30 4210 61700
    E-mail: acadimia@imd.gr