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In a world where the trumpets of war, terrorism and conflicts are usually covered with dangerous and self-serving religious rhetoric, which in turn erects religious and metaphysical walls among peoples, there also emerges from the critical conscience of the alert and informed faithful the need to build venues of inter-religious communication and understanding, especially among those who declare, and want to be, “children of Abraham”. In contrast to those who make an ideology out of the Conflict of religions and cultures, and most certainly against politicians with militant proclivities eager to declare new crusades, theology owes to insist unwaveringly on the need for increased dialogue based on love, respect and the acceptance of religious and cultural otherness, through serious and honest theological discussion.

Islam, like any other historical, social, cultural or religious formation —as Orthodox Christianity itself— is by no means a static, monolithic, unchangeable and compact reality. In its historical course, it has experienced schisms, divisions and internal intensities, and has been influenced by cultural elements and practices, that occasionally have no relation with the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed; at the same time, Islam manifests a remarkable hermeneutical diversity, as evidenced by the various reforming currents and modernizing tendencies emerging from within it.

The knowledge of Islam can well assist us in reaching a mutual understanding of, and a respect for, cultural and religious otherness, in all amounting to a level of spiritual maturity on the basis of which the Church is called to carry out her work and her mission. It is our duty therefore to overcome past confrontations, so as to enable ourselves to work for a brighter future for both sides, a future marked by understanding and mutual acceptance. Such a noble aim presupposes, of course, a sincere commitment to serious and sober scholarly dialogue, far from defensive apologies and self-righteous rhetoric. This kind of dialogue must boldly address questions such as: What were the relations and contacts between Orthodox Christianity and Islam, Hesychasm and Sufism? What is the place of hermeneutics in these two great religious traditions? What were their mutual osmoses and the interactions? How can we heal the memories of past conflicts and how can we change into a wealth and a blessing of God the given present co-existence of Christians and Muslims? Also, are we to assume that Orthodox Christianity and Islam are only entitled to a pre-modern past or can they perhaps make serious claims for a modern and post-modern present and future? What could be the advisable treatment of fundamentalisms at both sides? Does Europe, finally, constitute a closed Christian club or should it be properly envisioned as a multicultural and multireligious political entity?

These are the critical questions that the Academy for Theological Studies aims to address in this seventh year of course offering, broadly entitled: Orthodox Christianity and Islam - Islam in Europe. In a series of parallel events (congresses, interdisciplinary workshops, seminars), the Academy will deal with such topics as Reconciliation, Forgiveness and Peace (in collaboration with the World Council of Churches and Boston Theological Institute), Orthodoxy and Tradition, Wittgenstein and Apophatic theology, etc.

Orthodox Christianity and Islam - Islam in Europe
Program and Parallel Events

Saturday January 27, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: The theological frame of inter-religious dialogue
Dr Petros Vassiliadis, Faculty of Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
His Eminence, Dr Ioannis (Spiteris), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Corfu, University Antonianum, Rome
7.00-7.30 pm.: State, politics and religion in Islam
Dr Konstantinos Patelos, Panteion University of Athens
7.30-8.00 pm.: Coffee break
8.00-8.30 pm.: Discussion


Saturday February 10, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: Sunnis and Shiites
Dr Angeliki Ziaka, Lecturer, Faculty of Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
7.00-7.30 pm.: Islamism and Nationalism
Dr Dimitris Stamatopoulos, Lecturer, Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia (Thessaloniki)
7.30-8.00 pm.: Coffee break
8.00-8.30 pm.: Discussion

Saturday February 24, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: From John of Damascus to Manuel II Paleologus: The spectrum of the Byzantine views of Islam from sobriety to dementia!
Dr Daniel Sachas, Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)
7.00-7.30 pm.: Ancient Greek thought, Christianity and Islamic philosophy
Dr Gregorios Ziakas, Professor Emeritus, University of Thessaloniki
7.30-8.00 pm.: Coffee break
8.00-8.30 pm.: Discussion

Saturday March 3, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: The Anthropology of Islam
Dr Fotini Tsimpiridou, Lecturer, University of Macedonia (Thessaloniki)
7.00-7.30 pm.: Islam in the Balkans. History, present, prospects of dialogue and living together with the Orthodox
Dr Mariyan Bogoev Stojadinov, University of Veliko Tyrnovo (Bulgaria)
7.30-8.00 pm.: The image of Orthodox Christianity in Islamic countries
Chadi Ayoubi, journalist, correspondent of Al-Jajira Channel in Athens
8.00-8.30 pm.: Coffee break
8.30-9.00 pm.: Discussion

Saturday, March 10, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: The dialogue between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East
Rev. Dr Georges Massouh, Director of the Christian-Muslim Studies Center, Balamand University (Lebanon)
7.00-7.30 pm.: Islam and democracy, Islam and modernity
Dr Mohamed Haddad, University of Manouba (Tunisia)
7.30-8.00 pm.: Coffee break
8.00-8.30 pm.: Discussion

Saturday, April 21st 2007
6.30-7.45 pm.: Islam in Europe today. Challenges and prospects (Round Table)
—Dr Ghaleb Bencheikh, Presenter of the show “Islam” on French television, Vice-president of World Conference of Religions for Peace (France)
—Dr Tahir Abbas, University of Birmingham (UK)
—Dr Andreas Renz, Expert on issues of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, Instructor, University of Koblenz (Germany)
—Aksin Somel, Professor of History, University of Sabanci (Istanbul)
7.45-8.15 pm.: Coffee break
8.15-8.45 pm.: Discussion

Saturday, May 5, 2007
6.30-7.00 pm.: Hesychasm and Sufism
Rev. Dr Lampros Kamperidis, Concordia University-Universite de Sherbrooke (Montreal, Canada)
7.00-7.30 pm.: Islam in Greece today
Dr Alexandros Kariotoglou, University of Thessaly
7.30-8.00 pm.: Islam and globalization after September 11th
Dr Olivier Roy, Institute of Political Sciences (Paris)
8.00-8.30 pm.: Coffee break
8.30-9.00 pm.: Discussion

Saturday, May 12, 2007
6.30-7.45 pm.: The place of women in Islam (Round Table)
— Dr Riffat Hassan, University of Louisville, Kentucky (USA)
— Dr Mahbouba Merchaoui-Ben Nasser, Institut Francais des Etudes et Sciences Islamiques, (France)
— Dr Amel Grami, University of Manouba, Member of the Islamo-Christian Research Team (Tunisia)
— Mehrezia Labidi-Maiza, Member of the Bible and Koran Team and the World Conference of Religions for Peace (France)
7.45-8.15 pm.: Coffee break
8.15-8.45 pm.: Discussion


Parallel Events
Monday, February 5, 2007, 7.00 pm.
Presentation of the volume:
Religious monuments in the Prefecture of Xanthi
(Christian, Muslim, Jewish)
published by: Region of East Macedonia and Thrace,
Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheorion,
Mufti of Xanthi, 2005

—His Eminence Metropolitan of Xanthi Mr Panteleimon
—Emin Serif, Imam of Alexandroupoli
—Rafael Frezi, ex-Chairman of Volos Jewish Community
—Dr. Georges Tsigaras, Editor

Thursday, April 19, 2007, 7.00 pm.
Public Discussion on: The distribution of the Bible in traditionally Islamic countries, in Turkey and the Middle East
— Ms. Tamar Karasu - Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Turkey
— Michael G Bassous, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Lebanon [Syria & Iraq]
— Archdeakon Hratsch Sarkissian, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Armenia
— Ramez Atallh, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Egypt
Co-ordinated by the Director of the Greek Bible Society, Dr Michalis Chatzigiannis.

Other events during the academic year 2006-07

Ecumenical Theological Education
In Central and Eastern Europe
Volos, February 9-11 2007
Ecumenical meeting in collaboration with the Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) Team of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and with the participation of professors and lecturers of Theology from Greece and Europe.
The aim of this meeting is to prepare and organize a long-term programme of conferences and seminar series on the question of ‘the other’ in our theological education, with a particular emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe.
This meeting is not open to the public.


Orthodox Christianity and Tradition
Based on Dimitrios Pallas’ book of the same title
(University of Crete publications, 2005)

Interdisciplinary Workshop
With the participation of professors and post-graduate students from the faculties of
Theology, History and Archaeology,
and Social and Political Sciences.

Opening evening: Friday May 4th, 6:00pm
Closing session: Saturday, May 5th 2007, 4:00pm
Section I: Orthodox Christianity and Culture (Orthodox Christianity and Culture, pagan elements in Christian tradition, review of Pallas’ book)
—Chrysostomos Stamoulis, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Theology, University of Thessaloniki
—Stavros Zoumboulakis, Editor of the literature magazine Hestia
—Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Director of Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Pedagogical Institute Associate

Section II: Hellenism and Christianity
—Kostas Agoras, Assistant Professor at the Greek Open University.
—His Eminence, Metropolitan of Arkalohorion, Andreas (Nanakis), Professor at the Faculty of Theology, University of Thessaloniki
—Paraskevas Matalas, MA History
—Polykarpos Karamouzis, Aegean University, PhD Panteion University.
—Marios Begzos, Professor at the Faculty of Theology, University of Athens

Section III: Round Table. Ideological approach of History and use of sources
—Dimitris Kyrtatas, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Thessaly.
—Dimitris Moschos, Professor at the Higher Ecclesiastical School of Athens, PhD in Theology.
—Spyridoula Athanasopoulou-Kypriou, Instructor of Religious Studies, PhD University of Manchester.

Section IV: Discussion in groups, workshops, and final discussion in plenary

In order to participate in this workshop, you need to contact the Academy’s Secretariat.


Wittgenstein and Apophatic Theology
Seminar and Round Table
With the participation of philosophers and theologians
Starting on Friday, May 11th, 18:30.
Ending on Saturday, May 12th, 15:00.
Main speaker:
Michael Grant, Professor at the Kent University (Canterbury, Ě. Âńĺôáíßá)

Round Table participants:
Stelios Virvidakis, Professor at the University of Athens
Charalambos Ventis, Theologian, PhD Boston University
Elias Papagiannopoulos, PhD Innsbruck University, teaching at Panteion University
Chrysi Sideropoulou, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bosporus (Istanbul)
In order to participate in this seminar, you need to contact the Secretariat of the Academy


Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Peace
International Conference
In collaboration with
World Council of Churches and
Boston Theological Institute
Volos, May 17-20, 2007




The Academy for Theological Studies of the Holy Metropolis of Demetrias functions as an open forum of thought and dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the broader scholarly community of intellectuals worldwide. In its effort to foster interdisciplinary and inter-religious understanding, the Academy has been organizing a series of studies, international seminars, congresses, round tables and publications. In order to meet this objective, the Academy for Theological Studies has collaborated with numerous other institutions, jointly addressing problems and challenges of our time, in a spirit of respect for each other’s differences. Thus the Academy has collaborated with institutions like the French Institute in Athens, the Drury University (USA), the Bossey Ecumenical Institute (World Council of Churches), the Department of Orthodox Theology of the University of Munich, the Athens Pedagogical Institute, the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, the Association of Orthodox Women in Europe, the Municipal Centre of History in Volos, and a number of journals, academic magazines and publications houses. As a result of this scholarly activity, the city of Volos no less than the Diocese of Demetrias itself, have become an international meeting point of Encounter and Dialogue.

Among the topics addressed by the Academy for Theological Studies in previous academic years are the following: “Church and Eschatology”, “Orthodoxy and Modernity”, “Islam and Fundamentalism-Orthodox Christianity and Globalization”, “Orthodox Christianity and Otherness”, “Gender and Religion. The place of women in the Church”, “Women and religions: the Problem of Violence and Fundamentalism”, “Theology and Literature”, “Theology and Modern Church Architecture”, “Orthodox Christianity and Education. Religious Instruction as an Inquiry in Identity and Culture”, “Orthodox Christianity and Multiculturalism”, “The participation of laity in Church life” , “State and Church”.

The scholarly fruits of these conferences have been published in the following titles: Church and Eschatology (Athens: Kastaniotis Publications), 2003; Islam and Fundamentalism-Orthodox Christianity and Globalization (Athens: Indiktos Publications), 2004; Gender and Religion. The place of women in the Church (Athens: Indiktos Publications), 2004; Religion and Literature (1st and 2nd part), included in the literary journal Nea Hestia (March 2004, and March 2005 respectively); Orthodox Theology in the 21st century, by Bishop of Diokleia Kallistos Ware, Senior Lecturer at Oxford University, (Athens: Indiktos Publications), 2005; Prolegomena on Orthodox Christianity and Modernity, by Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies, (Athens: Indiktos Publications), 2007; Orthodox Christianity and Modernity (Athens: Indiktos Publications), 2007. Forthcoming publications of papers presented in previous conferences in our Academy include Critical Approaches to the Theological Generation of the 60’s, Orthodoxy and Multiculturalism, The participation of Laity in Church life, Church and State, etc.

For the academic year 2006-2007, the Academy for Theological Studies, true to its tradition for cutting-edge scholarly conferences, aims to address the urgent issue of: “Orthodoxy and Islam. Islam in Europe”. In a series of parallel events, such as conferences, interdisciplinary workshops, and seminars, the Academy will also discuss the following topics: “Reconciliation, Forgiveness and Peace” (in collaboration with the World Council of Churches and the Boston Theological Institute), “Tradition and Orthodox Christianity”, “Wittgenstein and Apophatic theology”, etc.