ORIC Seventh International Theological Conference at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute
in cooperation with St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute
The conference is organised with the financial support of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St Sergius
Sacrifice as Participation in Christ
Paris-Vezelay, 2-7 September, 2024
The Orthodox Research Group St. John Chrysostom has successfully concluded its Seventh International Theological Conference, “Sacrifice as Participation in Christ,” held at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute from September 2 to 5, 2024, followed by the retreat to Vezelay.
The conference’s goal was to challenge the current situation in theology when the discourse about sacrifice concerning a Christian’s life is considered irrelevant. The current language about sacrifice leans heavily on the discourse on sacrifice within Protestant theology, to which Orthodox theologians still need to provide their response. The mission of the gathering was to challenge the current theological discourse on sacrifice, placing ourselves in a dialogue with Protestant and Catholic theologians. The event gathered theologians, scholars, and clergy from across the globe for in-depth discussions on the theological and spiritual dimensions of sacrifice in Christian life, aimed at finding new ways of speaking theologically about sacrifice.
Conference Highlights
The conference began with an opening address from Prof. Michel Stavrou, Dean of St. Sergius. This was followed by a keynote address from Rev. Stephen Headley, who spoke on the transformative power of sacrifice, emphasising its passage from death to life. His presentation set the tone for the rich academic and spiritual exchanges that followed throughout the conference.
The conference started with a vibrant ecumenical discussion in which the participants placed themselves in a dialogue with the critique of the notion of sacrifice as applied to the life of a Christian formulated by Juergen Moltmann in his seminal book The Crucified God. The Protestant Lutheran perspective was presented by Dr. Zdenko Sirka, who challenged the theme of the conference in his talk on the Theology of the Cross of M. Luther and J. Moltmann. Dr. Olga Sevastyanova responded to the challenge with her talk on Gregory of Nyssa’s theology of sacrifice and his understanding of crucifixion, followed by the collective discussion. This diversity of perspectives stimulated intellectual engagement and enriched the discourse on sacrifice.
Notable Presentations and Discussions
In the following two days, theological exploration of the concept of sacrifice took centre stage with various presentations covering scripture, early church perspectives, and modern challenges. Some highlights include:
– Gregoire Aslanoff’s insightful plenary on “Iconography of Sacrifice” and the profound symbolism of sacrifice in religious art.
– Prof. Michel Stavrou’s presentation on Orthodox dogmatics and the deep theological roots of sacrifice within the Church’s teachings.
– Metropolitan Seraphim Kykkotis of Zimbabwe highlighted the intersection of sacrifice and ecological responsibility in his address, “Sacrifice and Ecological Metanoia,” urging the Church to take a leading role in environmental repentance and change. His practical insights and urgent call to action inspired and motivated the audience.
-A special plenary session by Prof. Julia Vidovic on the relevance of the Incarnate Word in the modern world, viewed through the perspective of Olivier Clément.
Panels and Discussions
The conference included several dynamic panel discussions, bringing together key scholars like Prof. Julia Vidovic and Rev. Prof. George Mihalache to discuss Eucharistic sacrifice, as well as the transformative power of sacrifice in the life of believers. Participants also reflected on the sacrifice of self in ascetic practices, with contributions from thinkers such as Dr. Raul Ovidiu Bodea and Viktar Niachayeu. These dialogues were complemented by a round-table brainstorming session on the evolving meaning of sacrifice in modern Christian thought.
Key Themes Addressed
Early Church and Patristic Thought: Discussions included papers on the writings of St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Maximus the Confessor, which provided insights into the early Christian understanding of sacrifice as a transformative spiritual act.
– Modern Challenges: Emil Mărginean’s presentation on “Self-Sacrifice, Empathy, and Compassion in an AI Era” brought the theme into contemporary relevance, exploring how ancient Christian values can guide humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.
– Ascetic practices and the sacrifice of the self, drawing on the thoughts of theologians like Nikolai Berdyaev and John Zizioulas.
Closing Remarks and Retreat
The conference concluded with a reflective session, after which members of the Orthodox Research Group travelled to Vézelay for a three-day retreat, further deepening their spiritual engagement with the conference’s themes of sacrifice and participation in Christ.
This year’s conference was a profound success. It provided participants with new theological insights and facilitated ecumenical dialogue on the timeless and transformative theme of sacrifice in Christian life.
For more information, please contact:
Orthodox Research Group St. John Chrysostom
contact@orthodoxresearchgroup.com
Tel.: 00447884971624
Conference Programme
Opening of the Conference
Talks at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Serguievskoe Podvorie, 93 rue de Crimée
8.30-9.00 am Morning Prayers
9.00-9.15 am Prof. Michel Stavrou, Dean of St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute
Conference Welcome Speech
9.15-9.30 am Olga Sevastyanova
Welcome Speech
9.30-10.30 am Keynote speech: Rev. Stephen Headley
Sacrifice. From Death to Life
10.30-11.00 pm Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 pm Short papers: The Cross and the Meaning of Sacrifice.
Chair: Rev. Bogdan Brinza
11.00-11.30 am Zdenko Širka
Theology of the Cross: Protestant Lutheran Perspective
11.30-12.00 am Olga Sevastyanova
Moses’ Outstretched Arms as an Image of Sacrifice in Gregory of Nyssa’s Life of Moses
12.00-12.30 pm Ecumenical dialogue
12.30 pm Conference Photograph
12.30-2.00 pm Lunch
2.00-3.00 pm Plenary: Prof. Michel Stavrou
Some Aspects of the Theme of Sacrifice in Orthodox Dogmatics
Prof. Julia Vidovic, Zdenko Sirka, Danut Monastireanu, Gregoire Aslanoff, Elena Narinskaya
Chair: Charles Ibanez
5-6 pm Tour around St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute
6-7 pm Vespers
7 pm Dinner
Tuesday 3 September
Talks at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Serguievskoe Podvorie, 93 rue de Crimée
8.45-9.00 am Prayer
9.00-10.00 am Plenary: Gregoire Aslanoff
Iconography of Sacrifice
10 -10.15 am Coffee break
10.15-11.45 Short papers: Sacrifice in the Scripture
Chair: Alexey Sevastyanov
10.15-10.45 am Charles Ibanez
The Scriptural roots of the Christian concept of sacrifice
10.45- 11.15 am Danut Monastireanu, Prof. Danut Vasile Jemna
Sacrifice of the mind: There is Hope in the Incarnation – rediscovering the lost scriptural mind
11.15-11.45 am Elena Narinskaya
Sacrifice of ‘Old’ and Sacrifice of ‘New’: Continuation of the Revelation
12.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-3.00 pm Plenary: Prof. Julia Vidovic
The Incarnate Word in the Modern World from the perspective of Olivier Clément.
3.00-3.15 pm Coffee Break
3.15- 4.45 pm Short Papers A: Sacrifice in the Eucharist
Chair: Elena Narinskaya
3.15-3.45 pm Victor Alexandrov
Eucharistic Sacrifice
3.45-4.15 pm Christos Vattis
The Divine Liturgy as an Experience and The Participation of the Believers in The Orthodox Church. Liturgical Approach
4.15-4.45 pm Slavisa Kostic
The phenomenology of Eucharistic sacrifice in Emmanuel Falque and Christina M. Gschwandtner
4.45-5.15 pm Rev. Prof. George Mihalache
‘Your own of Your own we offer to You, in all and for all’. The model of sacrifice that renews the human being
3.15- 4.45 pm Short Papers B: Sacrifice in the Early Church
Chair: Prof. Danut Jemna
3.15-3.45 pm Mako Nagasava
Sacrifice in Irenaeus of Lyon
3.45-4.15 pm Nikolaos Giannou
Gregory of Nyssa and the Patristic Transformation of the Sacrificial Concept
4.15-4.45 pm Rev. Bogdan Brinza
Holy Sacrifice and the transformation in St. Maximus the Confessor
4.45-5.15 pm Nikola Bakic
The Theme of Sacrificing Earthly Desires in ‘The Ladder of Divine Ascent’ by St. John Climacus
5.15-6.00 pm Round Table: Brainstorming the meaning of Sacrifice
Chair: Rev. Bogdan Brinza
6.00-7 pm Vespers
7 pm Dinner
Wednesday 4 September
Talks at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Serguievskoe Podvorie, 93 rue de Crimée
8.45-9.00 am Prayer
9.00-10.00 am Plenary: Metropolitan Seraphim Kykkotis of Zimbabwe and Exarch of Southern Africa
Sacrifice and Ecological Metanoia (Repentance)
10 -10.15 am Coffee break
10.15-11.45 Short papers A: Sacrifice in Asceticism
Chair: Prof. Danut Jemna
10.15-10.45 am Raul Ovidiu Bodea
The Sacrifice of the Self in the Thought of Nikolai Berdyaev and John Zizioulas
10.45- 11.15 am Quadratus Dumitrescu
War, suffering and sacrifice in the thought of Maria Skobtsova
11.15-11.45 am Viktar Niachayeu
Ego sacrifice as a primary motivational aspiration for Hesychast spirituality
10.15-11.45 Short papers B: Sacrifice in Asceticism
Chair: Emil Marginean
10.15-10.45 am Ivan Ilin
Love Incarnated: Sergii Bulgakov’s Theology of Sacrifice
10.45- 11.15 am Aleksandre Gabunia
Participating in Christ’s Sacrifice: Eschatological Communion and Ecclesial Identity through the Last Supper Event in John Zizioulas’ Theology
11.15-11.45 am Rev. Deacon Raffaele Guerra
The mystery of sacrifice and blood in the theology of Annick de Souzenelle
12.00-2.00 pm Lunch
2.00-3.00 pm Short papers A: Sacrifice in the modern world
Chair: Danut Monastireanu
2.00-2.30 pm Rev. Prof. Roger Coresciuc
The Anthropology of St. Gregory Palamas as a starting point for the understanding of the contemporary human being
2.30-3.00 am Emil M. Mărginean
Self-sacrifice, Empathy and Compassion in an AI Era: A Spiritual Orthodox Christian Perspective
3.00-3.20 pm Coffee Break
3.20- 5 pm Round Table Discussion
Outro
5-6 pm Conference Closing and Vespers
6 pm Conference Closing and Vespers
Thursday, 5 September- Saturday, 7 September
ORIC Members Retreat to Vezelay
