ORIENTAL ORTHODOX –ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE

ORIENTAL ORTHODOX –ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is hosting the International Dialogue between the Oriental Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church from January 27, 2014 to February 02, 2014 at the Samanvaya Ecumenical Study Centre, Pampakuda. Delegates from the Oriental Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Armenia, Malankara (India), Syria, Ethiopia, Eritreia and the Roman Catholic Church will engage in a theological dialogue to discuss issues like ecclesiology, episcopacy, apostolic succession, the relevance and importance of the Ecumenical Councils, the Church and its mission. The Dialogical Committee that met in 2009 at the Vatican has released a document called Nature, Constitution and Mission of the Church (NCMC) reflecting on these issues.

The endeavor of this year’s dialogue is to discuss the relevance of the nature and communion of the United and Undivided Apostolic Church that existed till the 5th Century C.E, in the present day Churches. The Dialogue also seeks to emphasize that communion in worship and sacraments is multi- faceted and multi- layered hence putting the onus on the Churches to realize this aim. Seminar papers relating to the Anaphora and Liturgy, Pilgrimage, etc. would be presented by eminent scholars like Metropolitan Anba Bishoy, Fr. Shenouda Masher Ishak, , Metropolitan George Saliba, Fr. Dr. B. Varghese, Metropolitan Dr. Yuhanon Demetrius, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan, Fr. Shahe Ananyan, Fr, Daniel Feleke, Fr. Columba Stewart, Fr. Bagos Louvain, etc. The Dialogue has delegates from Egypt, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Italy, America, Armenia, Germany, and Israel, to name a few. Metropolitan Dr. Gabriel Gregorios, Metropolitan  Dr Youhanon Mar Demetrios , and Fr. Mathew Vellanickal, are the delegates from India in this Dialogue.

Prof. John Kurakar