01/07/2026 17:20 - 19:30

HALL: Parenzo - A8

Contact: Asproulis N.

Chair: Kouremenos N.

Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon is widely recognized as one of the most significant Orthodox theologians of our time. His theological vision emphasizes personhood as the fundamental mode of existence for both God and humanity. He identifies the Eucharist as the setting where this personhood is momentarily realized and presents an eschatological perspective that shapes his entire hermeneutics and methodology. This coherent and systematic approach may prove relevant to the future of Orthodox theology, especially in light of various challenges, such as religious rigorism, ideological populism, and issues posed to anthropology and the environment by artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. Critics argue that history, as both a horizon and context, is somewhat diminished in his work; however, it remains a crucial backdrop against which Christianity has evolved and matured since its inception. In this regard, Zizioulas's thought engages in a continuous dialogue with the surrounding pre-modern, modern, and post-modern intellectual and social settings. What elements of his thought are relevant to our current scientific and ideological context? How does his eschatological outlook inform our responses to various forms of moral and social evil? What meaningful role can Hellenic philosophy play today in the context of a gradual de-ontologization of Christianity's character? Is the dialectic between nature and personhood still valuable? Are Zizioulas's theological contributions being taken seriously in the field of Ecumenical theology today? Drawing from his posthumous magnum opus, Remembering the Future, and the recently published English translation, Hellenism and Christianity: The Encounter of Two Worlds, a panel will critically reflect on aspects of Zizioulas's public witness in our contemporary, fragmented, and complex world. The focus will be on those aspects that are relevant to the Church in carrying out her mission in the future.