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Stogiannos Vassilios, Analecta, P. Pournaras Press: Thessaloniki, 1988. pp. 243.

This volume is a collection of eleven studies and lectures to the students. According to the prologue of the publishers in all these studies the reader can recognize “the serious scholar, who under his biblical presuppositions lightens current theological issues”.

            In the first study “the origins of Christianity according to the Marxists^. a critical approach”, the writer presents the ideas of Engle, Kalthoff, Kautsky, Kryvelev, Lenin, Kordatos etc, who tried to understand and analyze the origins of  Christianity.

            The second study is a speech which was given during the week of prayer and friendship. The speech is dealing with the meaning of the term ‘perfection’ in Greek philosophy and in biblical tradition.

            The third study is dedicated to the life and offer of venerable Theona, Bishop of Thessalonica in 16th century.

            The next study is a lecture about the role of the Christian educator in modern society. According to the author, the Christian educator should behave towards every pupil as he or she is an “icon of Christ”, offering through the necessary psychological and pedagogical approach, the right Christian education and faith.

            The fifth study is a lecture about homiletics and the problem of preaching in memory of the saints. The next study is a praise to St. Athanasios.

            The seventh study is also about homiletics and the preaching of miracles. According to Stogiannos the preacher can speak and preach about a miracle only if he examines the miracle hermeneutically, dogmatically and with an apologetic spirit.

            The next study is about the problem of homiliary that is the collection of sermons arranged according to the ecclesiastical calendar and their contribution to the propagation of the Gospel in Church of Greece.

            The ninth study is dealing with the theme of idols. At the begging, Sogiannos is analyzing the term “idol”, taking into consideration Bacon’s understanding, and then he presents different kinds of idols in human history, either physical or spiritual - even in Christianity.

            The tenth study presents the history of religious education in modern times. The author is dealing with the theme not only historically but critically as well, emphasizing on the role of orthodox tradition in the formation of modern Greek identity.

            The last study is about the meaning of freedom in Nikolaos Kabasilas’ writings. At the beginning Stogiannos is referring to the life, ethos and personality of Kabasilas and later analyses his fundamental ideas, as they are expounded in his work “To life in Christ”. In the heart of this work is, according to the author, the reborn of the person through Holy Spirit.

Stogiannos Vassilios, Hermeneutical Studies, P. Pournaras Press, Thessaloniki, 1988, pp. 651.

            Basilios Stogiannos was a Professor of New Testament Hermeneutics at the University of Thessaloniki (1939-1985) and he was despite his short life, according to the publishing committee of this volume “powerful in words and his works” (Acts, 7,22). The book is a collection of 30 articles: some of them are biblical, some others concerning the apostolic fathers and the rest are connected with popular theological issues. Pr. Stogiannos combines very successfully the new hermeneutical methods with patristic hermeneutical tradition.

            In this volume the author analyzes themes as: the Christology of Ignatius  Epistles, the freedom according to Paul, the parable of publican and Pharisee in the patristic tradition, the New Testament teaching for the Holy Spirit, the Christ centric principle of Ignatius, the Incarnation as a source of renewal, Holy Scripture and Revelation, the Epistle to the Galatians, the meaning of law in the epistle to the Galatians, the relation between the tradition and the Holy Scripture, a hermeneutical analysis of the 18^th chapter of the Revelation of John, the salvation in Christ, a hermeneutical comment on Lk. 2,14 and the peace that Christ’ s birth brings to the world, a hermeneutical analysis of Revelation 2,13 and Gal. 6,17, the relation between orthodoxy and heresy in the epistle to the Galatians, the meaning of idolatry and guilt in the first chapter (1, 18-25) of the Epistle to the Romans, a comment on Matth. 6,24-34, a Virgilian ‘prophesy’ for the birth of Christ, the four fundamental commandments which, according to Stogiannos, are the background and the foundation of the Gospel, the resurrection of the dead, a hermeneutical comment on Acts 16,16 and the meeting of early Christianity with the divining, the first church in Europe (Philips), the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the unity of the church (Rom. 12,5-6), a hermeneutical comment on Matth. 6,33 and Lk. 10,38-42, politics in the Revelation of John and finally a hermeneutical analysis of Mt. 1, 2-12.

International Scientific Conference of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki as Centre of Orthodox Theology – Perspectives in Europe Today. Conference Proceedings (Thessaloniki 21-25 May 1997), Koukoura Dimitra (ed.), Thessaloniki 2000, pages 281.

The proceedings of the conference include 29 presentations, divided in 3 thematics: Europe – World, The cultural background of Thessaloniki and Modern theological word and codes of communication.

The presentations are preceded by an introduction by Nikolaos Matsoukas, as President of the Organising Committee of the Conference and 3 salutations.

The opening presentation is by Nikolaos Matsoukas. In it he refers briefly to the relationship of Thessaloniki and Orthodoxy and stresses 3 events that took place in the city in the 14^th century, with theological extensions.

Emmanuel Clapsis examines the contested meaning of secularisation and pluralism in an effort to comprehend the modern world, with which the Church must communicate in order to transform it.

Theodoros Nikolaou stresses phenomena that support the view that the disembodiment of the Church is approaching fast, due to divisions and an increasing indifference and suggests 10 positions that promote the necessity of a general unification.

Stylianos Harakas aims to introduce a problematic about the meeting of Orthodoxy with diversity and the evolving unification of Europe and about the contribution of  the Orthodox Christian social ethics to it.

The Metropolitan of Ephesos Chrysostomos (Konstantinidis) presents certain aspects of the multi-dimensional responsibility of the Greek-speaking Orthodox Theology towards the modern unified Western and reconstituted Eastern Europe.

Fr. Theodoros Zisis attributes to Thessaloniki, particularly of the Byzantine times, the label of a philomonastic city and negotiates the issue of its diachronic relations with monasticism and its position and role in it.

K. M. George, using the symbolic typology related to Athens, Alexandria and Thessaloniki, indicates the necessary orientation that Orthodox Theology should have in relation to Culture.

Christos Krikonis presents some basic positions of St. Nikodimos of Mount Athos regarding the new martyrs, as these appear in the work of the saint, the New Martyrologion.

Savvas Agouridis investigates the grid of the relations of Byzantine monasticism with culture, stressing particularly the fact that monasticism theoretically could never escape the dilemma “Holiness or Culture”.

Fr. Valentin Asmus examines the theological ideas of St. Gregorios Palamas about the empire, the position the saint attributed to emperors in the life of the Church and their real value in it.

Charalambos Sotiropoulos refers to the teaching of St. Gregorios Palamas about the knowledge of God and its soteriological extensions juxtaposed to the one of Varlaam of Calabria.

Antonio Carile refers to the relationship of the Hesychastic movement of the 14^th century and its effect on the West.

Ioannis Tarnanidis presents the dynamics of the Byzantine Thessaloniki and the image the Slavs had of it in the Middle Ages, as well as their relationship with their Thessalonian illuminators and the patron saint of the city.

Antonios Kallis highlights through the presentation of the work of the Thessalonian brothers St. Cyrill and Methodios its importance for the creation of a multiform cultural Europe, as well as its timeliness.

Gregorios Ziakas discusses the role of the Church in the culture of Thessaloniki during the Turkish occupation, describing the conditions that prevailed and the cultural and spiritual Church work that was produced.

Konstantinos Charalambidis analyses the artistic role Thessaloniki played, as an intermediate geographical and ideological centre, in the propagation and evolution of the old Christian iconography between East and West.

Demetrios Skedros presents the way through which St. Dimitrios of Thessaloniki was established as political leader and patron saint of the city during the 7^th century in the Miracles of St. Demetrios.

Fr. Luigi Padovese mentions the slaughter of Thessaloniki in 390 by Theodosios the Great, attempts a new reading of the event and comments on the relationship of Church and State at that time.

Lambros Siasos deals with the issue of secular sciences in theological studies and attempts to illuminate the question of their modern theological self-knowledge in relation to the “humanities”.

Christos Vantsos deals with the issue of the contribution of Thessaloniki to the general missionary work of the Church and focuses his interest on ap. Paul, after stressing first the relations of the city with mission.

Ioannis Petrou broaches the issue of the role and testimony of Orthodox Theology in the reality of today’s multi-cultural society, stressing the need for the first to adjust to the demands of the second.

Archbishop of Australia Stylianos (Charkianakis) presents Thessaloniki as  the chief “biotope” of Orthodox Theology because of the charismatic climate of spiritual life that has developed and is still preserved in the city.

Vasilios Yioultsis discusses the issue of the relations between Informatics and Theology, presenting the existing ecclesiastical and theological databases and ways of exploiting them.

Vasile Raduca refers to basic elements of the relations between Thessaloniki and Romania from the first Christian years until today through the contacts between the people of the two places.

Ivan Dimitrov, through the presentation of the condition of the Church, approaches the role that Orthodoxy is called to play in the modern changing Eastern Europe and the changes taking place there.

Mirjana Zivojnovic examines the relations of the monks of Chelandarion Monastery of Mount Athos with Thessaloniki in the Middle Ages, presenting, in particular, their financial activities and presence in the city.

Nikolay Shivarov investigates the concept of the city as religious and cultural centre from antiquity until today and proposes the mutuality and unity of the ecclesiastical Eucharistic community as a model for Europe.

Stergios Sakkos analyzes aspects of the evangelical message of Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, through his homonym Epistles, as message of a new culture, always topical, to the world.