~ Orthodox Theological Digital Library I.M.D. ~

Kathodon,The Challenge of Multiculturalism, issue 16 (2000), pp. 128.

The 16^th issue of the journal Kath’ Odon contains themes regarding the challenges of multiculturalism in modern society. There are 10 articles printed in total, which analyse various aspects of the phenomenon of multiculturalism.

Petrou presents in brief the long process and the way in which modern societies have gradually taken shape making multiculturalism a real social event.

Karavidopoulos analyses the religious pluralism present at the time of the emergence of Christianity, as it is presented through two epistles by St. Paul to Thessalonians and attempts a biblical approach of today’s pluralism having as a departure point the general positions of St. Paul.

N. Matsoukas displays the complexity of modern societies and the responsibility of Christian churches for the practice of a real struggle which will offer humanity progress in an open and dramatic course.

Manitakis examines the position, role and presence of the Orthodox Church of Greece in the modern public sphere of Greek society and suggests its transformation from the institution of the State to a voluntary religious organisation, as equals, to “civil society”.

K. Hatzikonstantinou presents critically the views of F. Fukuyama about the end of History and of S. Huntington about the clash of civilisations and in parallel examines the phenomenon of globalisation and the Islamic religious fanaticism.

K. Kyriazopoulos refers to the wide alliance for the free practice of religion in the USA, which is made up of local, incongruous religious groups and groups of civil rights which have placed aside their ideological differences, and work for religious freedom for all American citizens.

L. Martin suggests instead of “comparative” as the dominant characteristic element of hellinistic culture, the “consolidation of power” and indicatively examines the consolidation of royal and religious power during the Hellenistic period.

Z. Papadimitriou presents the history of the Institute of Social Research of the University of Frankfurt and in particular the development and the course of “critical theory” formed effectively from the “School of Frankfurt”.

P. Vasiliadis describes the convocation “Orthodox Liturgical Renaissance and the Visible Unity” in the Monaster of N. Skiti and its conclusions, stressing in particular the fundamental principals of Christian worship and its consequences for modern Orthodoxy and ecumenical worship.

A. Gkitsi approaches multiculturalism theologically, focusing particularly on the issue of unity through difference and the role of Churches and religions in modern societies.

Kathodon, Ecumenism,issue 14 (1998), pp. 128

The issue number 14 of the Greek theological journal Kathodonis dedicated to the ecumenical vision and the future of ecumenism.

M. Konstantinou introduces the idea of this special edition, gives historical information and raises several questions concerning the future of ecumenism.

Father George Tsetsis presents the attitude of ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople towards the WCC.

In a short paper, N. Zacharopoulos explains why he finds important to keep our ecumenical vision alive.

In his article entitled “The ecumenical vision in times of globalization,” J. Petrou who is a sociologist, argues that in order to serve the ecumenical vision, we have to focus on ecumenical virtues and values like tolerance, respect, cooperation, dialogue, fraternity.

In this issue, the conclusions of a meeting of WCC and the Council of Churches in the Middle East (Syria, 5-10 March 1997) are published. The meeting dealt with the problem of the different times of Easter celebration in Christianity and made suggestions for the overcoming of the problem.

Dagmar Heller demonstrates the difficulties at finding a date for the common celebration of Easter and explains how important it is for Christians to celebrate Easter together for the unity of Christianity.

K. Kyriazopoulos discusses the case of the Roman Catholic bishop Jacques Gaillot and explains the canonical dimensions of the issue.

Hans Ucko argues for inclusivity within the ecumenical movement, for WCC seems to be fighting only for the unity of Christian Churches.

Α. Argyriou presents the problems faced by Orthodoxy and Islam alike when they have to deal with the challenges of modern world.

Tarek Mitri develops his thoughts about the future of Christian-Muslim dialogue.

Herbert Schultze’s review article explores the way that the text books and the educational material of some European countries present Islam and G. Tsakalidis’ paper does the same for the Greek text books of Geography.

The issue includes three poems, four book reviews and the regular comments on contemporary issues.

Kath’ Odon 15, “State and Church”, 1999, p. 104

            The 15^th volume of Kath’ Odon with the title “State and Church” contains 10 main articles which analyze the different options and parameters of the theme.

            The first article is written by Nikos Zacharopoulos and has the title “State and Church. Looking for the relation and the differences in today’s reality”. The author is approaching the theme historically and he concludes that the secularization of the Church in Greece and its oppressive embrace with the state is an undeniable fact with consequences to her spirituality and other dimensions of her life. 

            Savvas Agouridis in his article “Ecumenicity of Orthodoxy and Ecumenicity of Hellenism” is analyzing the ecumenicity of both, orthodoxy and Hellenism, and he raises some questions concerning the misunderstanding of the term ecumenicity and the development of “a political Orthodoxy”.

            In his article with the title “Man, State, Church”, Ioannis Petrou is presenting his main reflection for the need of a new regulation of the relation between the state and the church.

            In the next article, Kostas Beis is analyzing the theme of the relation between state and church in connection with the religious conscience and the participation of the person in the religious community, the ecclesiastical organization, the transition to the ecclesiastical power and authority, the phenomenon of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Greece as the predominant religion in Greece etc. He closes his article with his reflection on the future.

            M. Stathopoulos presents the constitutional fortification of religious freedom and the relation between the State and the Church.

            In his article Kyriakos Kyriazopoulos raise the question of why the constitutional term “the predominant religion” seems to mean “the first among equal” and he analyzes the forgotten right of the equality before the law.

            Georgios Poulis is writing about the constitutional fortification of the canons of the Church as the starting point for the understanding of the relation between the Church and the State.

            N. Bougatsos in his article, examines the presupposition of a good relation between the Church and the State.

            Sofia Karakosta is examining the relation between the Church and the State in the Byzantine era and its influence on the determination of the political ideology of that period.

            Moustafa Moustafa is referring to the issue of the State and national minorities.

            The volume contains three poems written by Dimitris Tsinikopoulos and Georgios Tsinalakis. Additionally there are events in moment as such: the 5^th General Assembly of the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women, El Escorial- Madrid, 4-10 June 1988 and the 8^th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, 3-14 December 1998, Harare Zimbabwe. The volume closes with the new recent editions.

Kathodon,Theology Today, issue 13 (1997), pp. 183.

The 13^th issue of the journal Kath’ Odon constitutes on the one hand a critical look on the genre and the content of modern theology produced in Greece today and on the other a challenge for dialogue on the role of theology today. There are 15 articles printed in total. Ahead of this, there is a brief introductory note by M. Konstantinou on the theme chosen and the reasons for it.

N. Zacharopoulos paints a broad picture of the phenomenon of theology and its history from the first years of Christianity until today.

Petrou presents through a series of examples the changes in terminology and the way of analysis in the theology of each era and stresses the need for change of perspective in modern theology.

Vletsis, following the views of H. Kung, writes a synoptic report on the creation, evolution and application of the terms “paradigm” and “paradigm shift” in theology.

H. Stamoulis discusses the issue of faith as a stance of life and the positions of the Orthodox Church in modern secular society, presenting the various theological trends emanating from it.

I. Bria refers to the plethora of problems faced by modern orthodox theology and thought and makes an urgent call for reclaiming its initial mission.

K. M. G. Kondothra offers a consideration of the more visible ideas and the less visible concepts that guide theological training in the Eastern tradition.

J. Moltmann refers to the need of defining the role of theology as a function of the Kingdom of God, as public reminder of God trying to give an answer to the question whether theology belongs to the contemporary university or not.

In the 8^th text GottfriedOrthinitiatingfromthemulticulturalrealityhelivesinandbased on memory, repentance and openness, deals with the issue of dialogue as a way of life and reflection for the Church as well as theology.

            In the 9^th text, FrançoisBoespflugreferstothenewbalancecreatedbytheseveralreligionsinFrance, to ‘multi-modernism’ or ‘thethirdsecularism’, as well as to the place of religion in the public sphere and that of the History of Religions in the University of France and Strassburg. 

Stamatis Sakellion in the next text states the issue of exercise of authority and the application of repressive mechanisms by theology.

            In the 11^th text Christos Tsironis speaksaboutthe ‘return’ ofGodinthe 20thcwhichtakesplace in the forms of a globalized economy and of a hodgepodge of ethnicism and fundamentalism that interconnect.

Inthe 12^thtextN. Bougatsos  deals with the difference between what is proper and reality as far as theology and the Church are concerned.

            In the 13^th text Georgios Tsananas brings into light examples of disproval and discomfiture of hopes of Christians throughout history and he attempts their interpretation.

            In the 14^th text Marios Begzos presents the take up of historic responsibility as remedy to the feeling of personal guilt.    

In the 15^th text Katerina Karkala-Zorba starting from the role of the myhrr-bearing women, refers to the peaceful living together of women and men in the greek-orthodox society.

            The issue is completed with the column “Epikairotita” that presents the topic of the 2^nd Ecumenical Conference of European Churches.