Webinar – "Bridging East and West: A Joint Statement on Filioque"

Event

Webinar – "Bridging East and West: A Joint Statement on Filioque"

In the lead-up to the WCC Faith and Order World Conference under the theme “Where Now for Visible Unity?”, Faith and Order, in collaboration with Christian World Communions, is organizing a series of webinars to explore key theological, ecclesiological, and missional questions relevant to contemporary Christian unity.

27 May 2025 (15:00 - 16:00)

Register here

Beyond fostering dialogue, these webinars aim to generate valuable theological and ecumenical resources for the Faith and Order World Conference.

"Bridging East and West: A Joint Statement on Filioque”, organized by the WCC, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), will offer a timely ecumenical exploration of the recent Common Statement on the Filioque, issued by the Joint International Commission on Theological Dialogue between the LWF and the Orthodox Church.

The statement addresses one of the most longstanding theological differences between East and West—the procession of the Holy Spirit—and proposes renewed reflection on the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in its original Greek form, without the Filioque, as a step toward reconciliation and deeper communion.

The webinar will be introduced by Rev. Prof. Dr Stephanie Dietrich, moderator of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, who will place this initiative within the broader context of the work of Faith and Order and its significance for the upcoming World Conference on Faith and Order.

This two-part webinar invites theologians, church leaders, and ecumenical partners to engage in a meaningful conversation that builds bridges between traditions and contributes to the healing of ecclesial memory.

Webinar Structure

Welcome and framing the webinar, description of the flow of the webinar
Rev. Prof. Dr Stephanie Dietrich, moderator of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order

Moderation of the first part:
Rev. Prof. Dr Dirk Lange, Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations, Lutheran World Federation

Orthodox Speaker: Protopresbyter Prof. Dr Demetrios Bathrellos

Moderation of the second part:
Rev. Deacon Œcumenius Amanatidis, Deputy Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Lutheran Speaker: Prof. Dr Jennifer Wasmuth from the Protestant Faculty of the University of Göttingen, Germany

Moderator 1 invites for discussion

Q&A

Moderator 2 Wrap-up

Words of thanks by Rev. Prof. Dr Stephanie Dietrich