News
In recognition of his work for peace, dialogue and Christian witness, the vice-moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee, Metropolitan Prof. Dr Gennadios of Sassima of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, has been awarded an honorary fellowship by the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC).
The conferral of the fellowship was announced on 3 September at the WCC Central Committee meeting, which is currently taking place at the OAC in Kolympari, Greece.
Henceforth, Metropolitan Gennadios will serve this institution of higher education in the capacity of an academic fellow and senior advisor.
On the occasion, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I conferred a medal on Metropolitan Gennadios in recognition of the distinction. The Ecumenical Patriarch called Metropolitan Gennadios his “close and trusted collaborator in the area of ecumenical dialogues and relations, deserving this honour.”
Metropolitan Gennadios is a professor of Orthodox theology and canon law in various universities. He was a vice-moderator of the WCC's Faith and Order Commission from 1998-2006, and moderator from 2005 to 2006.
He is co-president of the Joint International Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Lutherans, co-secretary and member of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, co-chairman of the Orthodox and Methodist and Baptist theological preparatory committees.
Metropolitan Gennadios expressed his gratitude to the OAC and Ecumenical Patriarch for the fellowship honour. In his message he referred to his “long and valuable” experience of service for the ecumenical movement and the WCC.
“My ecumenical journey has provided me with a spirit of togetherness and fellowship of unity. It is that unity churches seek in order to fulfill God's kingdom and reach the full day of communion,” he said.
Acknowledging the metropolitan's contributions to the ecumenical movement, the director general of the OAC, Dr Konstantinos S. Kenanidis said, “The fellowship is meant to recognize Metropolitan Gennadios' enormous contributions in the field of ecclesiology and theology spanning over several years.”
“Having acquired a great number of offices in the ecumenical movement, giving authentic Orthodox witness, preaching love, truth, reconciliation and dialogue, is what makes him deserve this honour. For this we look forward to his valuable contributions to the academy,” added Kenanidis.
Biographical information on Metropolitan Gennadios
Website of the Orthodox Academy of Crete
More information on the Central Committee meeting
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