The Orthodox Church, which played such an important role in the ecumenical efforts of the past, and whose participation in the WCC, the main forum of the multilateral ecumenical dialogue, is so vital, is faced today with a number of problems. The tragic events we experienced since the great changes in Europe - with Churches is just one indication that the titanic ecumenical efforts of the past definitely need re-orientation. On the one hand, there is a growing dissatisfaction from the results of the ecumenical dialogue so far, and a dangerous shift towards “Orthodox” fundamentalism, mainly in countries of Eastern Europe, but also elsewhere. There are trends within some Orthodox circles who seriously consider, or press in the direction of, abandoning any ecumenical effort, even withdrawing from all multilateral and bilateral fora of ecumenical dialogue, one of the reasons being proselytism.

There are, however, promissing events that have recently determined the authentic ecumenical character of Orthodoxy, and reaffirmed its commitment toward the search for the visible unity of the Church and its struggle for the unity of humankind. The strong leadership of His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos, who with his initiatives and speeches is directing Orthodoxy towards an authentic ecumenism; the recent decision three years ago of the Sobor of the Moscow Patriarchate, which under the leadership of His All-Holiness Patriarch Alexey II has rejected a motion to reconsider its full participation in the ecumenical dialogue - despite the strong pressure from the anti-ecumenists; the successful and pleasant outcome of the official theological dialogue of the Orthodox Church with the family of the Oriental Orthodox Churches (the so-called non-Chalchedonian Churches); and finally the establishment some years ago of a Society of Ecumenical Studies and Inter-Orthodox Relations, based and legally functioning in Thessaloniki, and the decision of the University of Thessaloniki to set up an Ecumenical Institute; are promising signs reaffirming the Orthodox Church's ecumenical commitment. Nonetheless, it is not to be ignored that ecumenism has recently entered into a delicate and crucial stage. This is at least the feeling of the Orthodox, as the Thessaloniki meeting (April 29-May 1, 1998) strongly underlined, but also became evident in the last General Assembly of the WCC in Harare, Zimbabwe (4-14 Dec. 1998). Last, but not least, a promising initiative has come out of the Roman Catholic Church with the well-known encyclical UT UNUM SINT.

According to its constitution the Society of Ecumenical Studies and Inter-Orthodox Relations, which will be based in Thessaloniki has as its main aims:

(a) to promote the dialectic presence of Orthodox theology within the current dialogue for today's problems, cultivate an ecumenical theology, and develop an ecumenical concience in the Orthodox world;

(b) to inform ther general public about the situation of the Orthodox Churches around the world and collect all necessary information concerning their ecumenical concerns;

(c) to study the development and the problems of the (bilateral as well as multilateral) ecumenical dialogue, and inform the ecclesiastical public about the ecumenical movement;

(d) to promote the ecumenicity of Orthodoxy, actively participate in the inter-Orthodox, inter-Church, inter-Faith, and general ecumenical dialogue, by making the necessary theological interventions on any important current issue;

(e) to establish creative relations with all important world ecumenical organizations (World Cuncil of Churches, Conference of European Churches, Pro Oriente, Societas Ecumenica, Kairos etc.) and to critically support all ecumenical initiatives aiming at a peaceful co-existence of the peoples.

The Society, which is open also to non-Orthodox ecumenists, has elected for the next three years (1999-2002) the following Executive Committee: Prof. N. Zacharopoulos (Chairman), Prof. Petros Vassiliadis (Vice-chairman), Prof. J. Petrou (Secretary General), Prof. Ch. Vassilopoulos (Treasurer), Dr. D. Koukoura (Assistant Secretary), and Dr. S. Yagazoglou and Mr. K. Mygdalis (members-at-large).

Metropolitan Prof. Chrysostomos Konstantinidis of Ephesos is Honorary President of the Society, and Metropolitan Prof. John Zizioulas of Pergamon is Honorary Director of the Ecumenical Institute of the Society.

Several working committees in the past six years have been set up with the mandate to produce in-depth reviews on almost all crucial areas of inter-Orthodox and ecumenical concern:

1.Committee on Inter-Orthodox Relations: moderated by Prof. Ant.-Em. Tachiaos and divided into three sub- committees: (i) on Relations with the Ancient Patriarchates (Prof. S.Varnalidis [convener], A. Glavinas, J.Galanis, K.Mygdalis); (ii) on Relations with the Slavic Orthodox Churches (Prof. J. Tarnanidis [convener], N. Zacharopoulos, M.Konstantinou, P. Pachis) ; and (iii) on Relations with the rest of the Orthodox world (Prof. A. Glavinas [convener], G. Ziakas, V. Pseftogas, A.Kyriazi);

2.Committee on Bilateral Theological Dialogues: moderated by Prof. N. Matsoukas and divided into three sub-committees: (i) on the dialogue with the Catholic Church (Prof. A. Papadopoulos [convener], S. Agouridis, V.Pseftogas, S.Varnalidis), (ii) on the dialogue with the Pre-Chalcedonian Orthodox Churches (Prof. G.Martzelos [convener], D. Tsamis, L. Siasos, S. Yagazoglou), and (iii) on the dialogue with the Protestant World (Prof. J. Kara- vidopoulos [convener], G. Tsetsis, D. Tselegidis, Ch. Vassilopoulos);

3. Committee on Multilateral Theological Dialogue: Rev. Dr. G. Tsetsis (moderator), N. Zacharopoulos, G. Lemopoulos, J. Petrou, V. Stathokosta;

4. Committee on Inter-Faith Dialogue: moderated by Prof. N. Zacharopoulos and divided into two sub- com- mittees: (i) on the Dialogue with Islam (Prof. G.Ziakas [convener], A.Glavinas, V.Pseftogas, P.Pachis), and (ii) on the dialogue with Judaism (Emer. Prof. D.Doikos [convener], J.Karavidopoulos, M.Konstantinou, T. Kratzer, D. Kapsala);

5. Committee on Ecclesiological Studies: Metropolitan Prof. J. Zizioulas (moderator), A. Papadopoulos, N. Matsoukas, P. Vassiliadis, I. Petrou, N. Zarkatzas;

6. Committee on Liturgical Renewal : Prof. P. Vassiliadis (moderator), J. Fountoulis, D. Tsamis, V. Christophoridis, L. Siasos, D. Koukoura, D.Passakos, N. Zarkatzas;

7. Committee on Biblical Issues: Prof. S. Agouridis (moderator), D. Doikos, J.Karavidopoulos, J.Galanis, M. Konstantinou, E. Adamtziloglou, D. Passakos, E. Kasselouri;

8.Committee on Church-Society Relations: Prof. I. Petrou (moderator), N. Zacharopoulos, V.Christophoridis, D. Passakos, N.Zarkantzas, K.Mygdalis J. Koukoutsidis;

9.Committee on Issues of Feminist Concern: Prof. D.Tsamis (moderator), N. Matsoukas, P. Vassiliadis, D. Koukoura, E. Adamtziloglou, E. Kasselouri, A. Bitsaki; and

10. Committee on Theological Education: Prof. V. Pseftogas (moderator), P. Vassiliadis, Ch. Vassilopoulos, L.Siasos, G.Tsananas, A. Bitsaki.

The Society has conducted in the past 6 years a series of events the latest of which were the organization of two ecumenical consultations, in cooperation with WCC, on “Orthodox Liturgical Renewal and the Visible Unity” (New Skete, USA, 26 May-June 1, 1998) and on “Orthodox Theological Education” (Pendeli Monastery, Greece, 2-8 February 2000). Among its current activities is also the publication, in cooperation with PRO ORIENTE, of a series of booklets on ecumenical themes. It also runs the series EKKLESIA-KOINONIA- OECUMENE, and has so far published mainly in Greek, but also in other languages,13 books on ecumenical issues. Of great importance is also the fact that it provided the facilities (in cooperation with the Moscow Patriarchate, the ETE stream of Unit I of the WCC, and the Diocese of Kilkis of the Church of Greece) of an ecumenical educational visit of 15 young Russian theologians, which had as its climax the International Symposium on “Common Ecumenical Vision” (Thessaloniki, 29-31 March 1996).

The Society also participated as co-organizer in the following ecumenical events:

(a) The one-day study with specialists from both Geneva and Greece of the WCC working document on Economy, in the margin of the August '93 WCC Seminar on Theological Education for East European Educators;

(b) The Annual Orthodox-Catholic Inter-Faculty (Thessaloniki-Ateneum Antonianum) Symposium on "Christian Spirituality";

(c) The Annual Bossey Seminar on "Orthodox Theology and Spirituality", which in 1994 (23 April - 3 May) took place in Thessaloniki, with the participation of the School of Theology;

(d) On a purely theological level is working in co-operation with KEK, in which has been accepted as an Assosiate member.

(e) The Society has also been accepted as an associate memmber by the WOCATI.

The Society, in order to easier fullfil its vision and better pursue its ecumenical goal, which is the unity of Orthodoxy, of Christianity, and the world at large, is obliged by its institution to remain completlely independent.

Having, therefore, no official dependence on any institution, religious or otherwise, it is inevitable not to have adequate financial resources. This means that in order to fulfill its vision and run its ambitious projects, it totally relies on the moral and unconditioned financial support of people and institutions with similar visions or concerns.

(Address:P.O. Box 1540, GR-540 06 Thessaloniki. * E-mail: pv@theo.auth.gr)