An International Conference on “The timeliness of Patristic Studies in the Modern World” will be held under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Thessaloniki.
40 prominent figures from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Mount Athos, universities, research centers, and monasteries from Greece, Cyprus, USA, China, Russia, Italy, Romania, Great Britain, Belgium, Lebanon and France will participate in the conference.
The participants will attempt to answer the following questions related to modern humans and times: Can the word of the Fathers respond to despair as a modern disease? Is the patristic discourse a soothing intervention or a therapeutic proposition in the field of sciences of mind? What did the famous Professor Angelo di Berardino write about the relation between the American Protestants and the Fathers of the Church? Is the Orthodox Church of America moving away from the tradition of the Fathers and to what extent?
The conference will attempt to demonstrate the presence of Orthodox spirituality and Patristic Studies on a global scale and deal with issues related to humans, theology and science.
The working sessions will last until Thursday night. Deputy Foreign Minister Markos Bolaris will welcome the participants in Thessaloniki.