A DECLARATION ON THE “RUSSIAN WORLD” (RUSSKII MIR) TEACHING

Source: Public Orthodoxy

“For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God,
and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.”
(Divine Liturgy)

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is a historic threat to a people of Orthodox Christian tradition. More troubling still for Orthodox believers, the senior hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church has refused to acknowledge this invasion, issuing instead vague statements about the necessity for peace in light of “events” and “hostilities” in Ukraine, while emphasizing the fraternal nature of the Ukrainian and Russian peoples as part of “Holy Rus’,” blaming the hostilities on the evil “West”, and even directing their communities to pray in ways that actively encourage hostility.

The support of many of the hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate for President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine is rooted in a form of Orthodox ethno-phyletist religious fundamentalism, totalitarian in character, called Russkii mir or the Russian world, a false teaching which is attracting many in the Orthodox Church and has even been taken up by the Far Right and Catholic and Protestant fundamentalists.

The speeches of President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill (Gundiaev) of Moscow (Moscow Patriarchate) have repeatedly invoked and developed Russian world ideology over the last 20 years. In 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimea and initiated a proxy war in the Donbas area of Ukraine, right up until the beginning of the full-fledged war against Ukraine and afterwards, Putin and Patriarch Kirill have used Russian world ideology as a principal justification for the invasion. The teaching states that there is a transnational Russian sphere or civilization, called Holy Russia or Holy Rus’, which includes Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (and sometimes Moldova and Kazakhstan), as well as ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking people throughout the world. It holds that this “Russian world” has a common political centre (Moscow), a common spiritual centre (Kyiv as the “mother of all Rus’’), a common language (Russian), a common church (the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate), and a common patriarch (the Patriarch of Moscow), who works in ‘symphony’ with a common president/national leader (Putin) to govern this Russian world, as well as upholding a common distinctive spirituality, morality, and culture.

Against this “Russian world” (so the teaching goes) stands the corrupt West, led by the United States and Western European nations, which has capitulated to “liberalism”, “globalization”, “Christianophobia”, “homosexual rights” promoted in gay parades, and “militant secularism”. Over and against the West and those Orthodox who have fallen into schism and error (such as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and other local Orthodox churches that support him) stands the Moscow Patriarchate, along with Vladimir Putin, as the true defenders of Orthodox teaching, which they view in terms of traditional morality, a rigorist and inflexible understanding of tradition, and veneration of Holy Russia.

Since the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill in 2009, the leading figures of the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as spokespersons of the Russian State, have continually drawn on these principles to thwart the theological basis of Orthodox unity. The principle of the ethnic organization of the Church was condemned at the Council of Constantinople in 1872. The false teaching of ethno-phyletism is the basis for “Russian world” ideology. If we hold such false principles as valid, then the Orthodox Church ceases to be the Church of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Apostles, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the Ecumenical Councils, and the Fathers of the Church. Unity becomes intrinsically impossible.

Therefore, we reject the “Russian world” heresy and the shameful actions of the Government of Russia in unleashing war against Ukraine which flows from this vile and indefensible teaching with the connivance of the Russian Orthodox Church, as profoundly un-Orthodox, un-Christian and against humanity, which is called to be “justified… illumined… and washed in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God” (Baptismal Rite). Just as Russia has invaded Ukraine, so too the Moscow Patriarchate of Patriarch Kirill has invaded the Orthodox Church, for example in Africa, causing division and strife, with untold casualties not just to the body but to the soul, endangering the salvation of the faithful.

In view of the “Russian world” teaching that is devastating and dividing the Church, we are inspired by the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Tradition of His Living Body, the Orthodox Church, to proclaim and confess the following truths:

1. “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36).

We affirm that the divinely-appointed purpose and accomplishment of history, its telos, is the coming of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, a Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, a Kingdom attested by Holy Scripture as authoritatively interpreted by the Fathers. This is the Kingdom we participate in through a foretaste at every Holy Liturgy: “Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages!” (Divine Liturgy). This Kingdom is the sole foundation and authority for Orthodox, indeed for all Christians. There is no separate source of revelation, no basis for community, society, state, law, personal identity and teaching, for Orthodoxy as the Body of the Living Christ than that which is revealed in, by, and through our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God.

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching that seeks to replace the Kingdom of God seen by the prophets, proclaimed and inaugurated by Christ, taught by the apostles, received as wisdom by the Church, set forth as dogma by the Fathers, and experienced in every Holy Liturgy, with a kingdom of this world, be that Holy Rus’, Sacred Byzantium, or any other earthly kingdom, thereby usurping Christ’s own authority to deliver the Kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24), and denying God’s power to wipe away every tear from every eye (Revelation 21:4). We firmly condemn every form of theology that denies that Christians are migrants and refugees in this world (Hebrews 13:14), that is, the fact that “our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20) and that Christians “reside in their respective countries, but only as sojourners. They take part in everything as citizens and put up with everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their home, and every home a foreign land” (The Epistle to Diognetus, 5).

2. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)

We affirm that in anticipation of the final triumph of the Kingdom of God we acknowledge the sole and ultimate authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this age, earthly rulers provide peace, so that God’s people might live “calm and ordered lives, in all godliness and sanctity” (Divine Liturgy). Yet, there is no nation, state or order of human life that can make a higher claim on us than Jesus Christ, at whose name “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching which would subordinate the Kingdom of God, manifested in the One Holy Church of God, to any kingdom of this world seeking other churchly or secular lords who can justify and redeem us. We firmly reject all forms of government that deify the state (theocracy) and absorb the Church, depriving the Church of its freedom to stand prophetically against all injustice. We also rebuke all those who affirm caesaropapism, replacing their ultimate obedience to the crucified and resurrected Lord with that of any leader vested with ruling powers and claiming to be God’s anointed, whether known by the title of “Caesar,” “Emperor,” “Tsar,” or “President.”

3. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).

We affirm that division of humanity into groups based on race, religion, language, ethnicity or any other secondary feature of human existence is a characteristic of this imperfect and sinful world, which, following the patristic tradition are characterized as “distinctions of the flesh” (St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 7, 23). Assertion of superiority of one group over others is a characteristic evil of such divisions, which are entirely contrary to the Gospel, where all are one and equal in Christ, all must answer to him for their actions, and all have access to his love and forgiveness, not as members of particular social or ethnic groups, but as persons created and born equally in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26).

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching that attributes divine establishment or authority, special sacredness or purity to any single local, national, or ethnic identity, or characterizes any particular culture as special or divinely ordained, whether Greek, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, or any other.

4. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:43-45)

Following the commandment of our Lord, we affirm that as St Silouan the Athonite declares, “The grace of God is not in the man who does not love his enemies”, and that we cannot know peace until we love our enemies. As such, the making of war is the ultimate failure of Christ’s law of love.

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching that encourages division, mistrust, hatred, and violence among peoples, religions, confessions, nations, or states. We further condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching that demonizes or encourages the demonization of those that the state or society deems “other,” including foreigners, political and religious dissenters and other stigmatized social minorities. We reject any Manichean and Gnostic division that would elevate a holy Orthodox Eastern culture and its Orthodox peoples above a debased and immoral “West”. It is particularly wicked to condemn other nations through special liturgical petitions of the Church, elevating the members of the Orthodox Church and its cultures as spiritually sanctified in comparison to the fleshly, secular “Heterodox”.

5. “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”” (Matthew 9:13; cf. Hosea 6:6 and Isaiah 1:11-17).

We affirm that Christ calls us to exercise personal and communal charity to the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the refugees, the migrants, the sick and suffering, and seeking justice for the persecuted, the afflicted, and the needy. If we refuse the call of our neighbor; indeed if instead we beat and rob, and leave our neighbor to suffer and die by the wayside (Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37), then we are not in Christ’s love on the path to the Kingdom of God, but have made ourselves enemies of Christ and his Church. We are called to not merely pray for peace, but to actively and prophetically stand up and condemn injustice, to make peace even at the cost of our lives. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9). Offering the sacrifice of liturgy and prayer while refusing to act sacrificially constitutes a sacrifice to condemnation at odds with what is offered in Christ (Matthew 5:22-26 and 1 Corinthians 11:27-32).

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any promotion of spiritual “quietism” among the faithful and clergy of the Church, from the highest Patriarch down to most humble layperson. We rebuke those who pray for peace while failing to actively make peace, whether out of fear or lack of faith.

6. “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32).

We affirm that Jesus calls his disciples not only to know the truth but to speak the truth: “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37). A full-scale invasion of a neighboring country by the world’s second largest military power is not just a “special military operation”, “events” or “conflict” or any other euphemism chosen to deny the reality of the situation. It is, rather, in fact a full-scale military invasion that has already resulted in numerous civilian and military deaths, the violent disruption of the lives of over forty-four million people, and the displacement and exile of over two million people (as of March 13, 2022). This truth must be told, however painful it may be.

We therefore condemn as non-Orthodox and reject any teaching or action which refuses to speak the truth, or actively suppresses the truth about evils that are perpetrated against the Gospel of Christ in Ukraine. We utterly condemn all talk of “fratricidal war”, “repetition of the sin of Cain, who killed his own brother out of envy” if it does not explicitly acknowledge the murderous intent and culpability of one party over another (Revelation 3:15-16).

We declare that the truths that we have affirmed and the errors which we have condemned as non-Orthodox and rejected are founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Christian faith. We call all who accept this declaration to be mindful of these theological principles in their decisions in church politics. We entreat all whom this declaration concerns to return to “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

March 13, 2022 — Sunday of Orthodoxy

If you wish to sign and support this Declaration, please add your name here.

The Declaration has been co-published with the Volos Academy for Theological Studies.

Signatures

1 Dr. Theofilos Abatzidis Volos Academy Greece

2 Revd. Dr. Christophe D’Aloisio Institut Orthodoxe Saint-Jean-le-Théologien & Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium

3 V. Revd. Robert M. Arida   Boston, MA, USA

4 Dr. Antoine Arjakovsky Collège des Bernardins Paris, France

5 Prof. Susan Ashbrook Harvey Brown University RI, USA

6 Dr. Nikolaos Asproulis Volos Academy Greece

7 V. Revd. John Behr University of Aberdeen UK

8 Dr. Ionut Biliuta Gh. Sincai Institute, Romanian Academy Romania

9 Dr. Lori Branch University of Iowa IA, USA

10 Revd. Dr. Radu Bordeianu Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA, USA

11 Revd. Dr. Ciprian Burlacioiu University of Munich Germany

12   Sergei Chapnin Artos Fellowship Moscow, Russia

13 Revd. Dr. John Chryssavgis Sydney College of Divinity Australia

14 Editor in chief Jordan Georgiev Doxologia Infonews (Website for international church and religious news) Bulgaria

15 Editor Alexander Angelov Doxologia Infonews (website for international church and religious news) Bulgaria

16 Dr. Helen Creticos Theodoropoulos   Chicago, IL, USA

17 M.S., M.A. Nayla Debs   France/Lebanon

18 Prof. George E. Demacopoulos Fordham University New York, NY, USA

19 Revd. Dr. Nicholas Denysenko Valparaiso University IN, USA

20 Dr. Philip Dorroll Wofford College SC, USA

21 M.A Costis Drygianakis Volos Academy Greece

22 Revd. Dr. Brandon Gallaher University of Exeter UK

23 Dr.; Senior Lecturer in Eastern Christian Studies Grant White Sankt Ignatios College, Stockholm School of Theology Stockholm, Sweden

24 Prof. Paul Gavrilyuk Founding President, International Orthodox Theological Association, St. Thomas University MN, USA

25   Peter Bylen   United States

26 Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze Ilia State University Tbilisi, Georgia

27 Doctoral Student John Monaco Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA (USA)

28 Retired Anastasios Gounaris Formerly of Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Chania, Crete, Greece

29 Professor Tatiana Pronina Leningrad State University Pushkin St. Petersburg, Russia.

30 Rev. Dr. Perry Hamalis North Central College Naperville, IL, USA

31 Ms Olga Kariatlis   Australia

32 Dr. David Bentley Hart University of Notre Dame IN, USA

33 MA Nina Dippon Dippon   Colorado Springs, CO

34 Prof. Dr. Georgi Kapriev St. Кliment Ohridski University Sofia, Bulgaria

35 Archim. Prof. Cyril Hovorun Stockholm School of Theology Sweden

36 V. Revd. Dr. John A. Jillions Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies Cambridge, UK

37 Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis Volos Academy Greece

38 Prof. Christos Karakolis National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece

39 Prof. Dr. Assaad Elias Kattan University of Münster Germany/Lebanon

40 Dr. Lisa Holsberg Fordham University New York

41 Dr. Nikos Kouremenos Volos Academy Greece

42 Prof. Paul Ladouceur Trinity College, University of Toronto ON, Canada

43 Dr. Sr. Vassa Larin Coffee with Sister Vassa Catechetical Programs Vienna, Austria

44 Mika Peltola Finland

45 Dr. Lucian N. Leustean Aston University Birmingham, UK

46 Inga Leonova The Wheel Boston, MA, USA

47 James L.M. Bloodworth   United States

48 M.A. Elijah John McKnight Orthodox Church in America United States

49 Olga Lossky-Laham   Paris, France

50 Daniel Lossky Institut Orthodoxe Saint-Jean-le-Théologien Brussels, Belgium

51 Lecturer Roger Coresciuc Faculty of Theology “Dumitru Staniloae” Romania

52 V. Revd. Prof. Andrew Louth Durham University, UK and St Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute, Radbout University, Nijmegen Netherlands

53 Prof. Vasilios Makrides University of Erfurt Germany

54 Dr. Ina Merdjanova Trinity College Dublin Ireland

55 Prof. Paul Micevych University of California Los Angeles CA, USA

56 Dr. Alexandra de Moffarts Institut Orthodoxe Saint-Jean-le-Théologien Brussels, Belgium

57 PhD Universite de Paris IV-Sorbonne Teodor Baconschi Romanian MFA Bucharest Romania

58 Prof. Dimitrios Moschos National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece

59 Dr. Hermina Nedelescu Scripps Research CA, USA

60 Prof. Michael Ossorgin Fordham University New York, NY, USA

61 Dr. Paul Meyendorff St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary NY, USA

62 V. Revd. Prof. Michael Plekon The City University of New York – Baruch College NY, USA

63 Dr. Ashley Purpura Purdue University IN, USA

64 Dr. Teva Regule President, Orthodox Theological Society of America USA

65 V. Revd. Richard René University of Toronto ON, Canada

66 Prof. Svetoslav Riboloff Sofia University “St. Kliment of Ochrid” Bulgaria

67 Dr. Sarah Riccardi-Swartz Arizona State University AZ, USA

68 Revd. Dr. Anthony Roeber St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary New York, NY, USA

69 Dr. Robert Saler Christian Theological Seminary Indianapolis, IN, USA

70 Prof. Kerry P. C. San Chirico Villanova University PA, USA

71 Deacon Ron Boyer www.gci.org U.S.A.

72 Prof. Stephen J. Shoemaker University of Oregon Eugene, OR, USA

73 Dr. Constantin Sigov National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and “Dukh i Litera” [Spirit and Letter] Research and Publishing Association Kyiv, Ukraine

74 Dr. Cyrille Sollogoub Institut Orthodoxe Saint-Jean-le-Théologien Brussels, Belgium

75 Prof. Katerina Tsalampouni Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece

76 Captain Alexander N. Soukhanov   United States of America

77 Prof. Lucian Turcescu Concordia University Montreal, QC, Canada

78 M.Th Georgios Vlantis Volos Academy Greece/Germany

79 Dr. Nicolae Roddy Creighton University USA

80 Dr. Katherine Kelaidis   USA

81 Archim. PhD Anton C. Vrame Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology MA, USA

82 Prof. Gayle Woloschak Northwestern University Chicago, IL, USA

83 Diane Beck All Saints of North America Orthodox Church Albuquerque, NM, USA

84 Dr. Nathaniel Wood Fordham University New York, NY, USA

85 Revd. Dr. Victor Yudin   Leuven, Belgium

86 MDiv Orthodox Theology John Heropoulos   USA

87 Dr Sebastian Brock Oriental Institute, Oxford University UK

88 Katie Cokinos   Saugerties, New York, USA

89 Lars Ahlbäck   Finland

90 Prof. Nicholas Sooy Fordham University NY, USA

91 Reverend Protopresbyter Robert Athas Metropolis Of Boston Brookline, Massachusetts

92 Prof. Luis Salés Scripps College Claremont, California

93 Dr. Jane Yank   United States

94 (Rev) Dr Reijnen Anne Marie Theologicum ( Institut Catholique de Paris) / Paris ( France)

95 Professor Petr Kratochvíl Sciences Po Paris

96 Dr. Dimitrios Keramidas Center for Ecumenical, Missiological and Environmental Studies “Metropolitan Panteleimon Papageorgiou” (CEMES) Rome, Italy

97 Hratsch Sarkissian   Armenia

98 Dr. Dimitrios Baltas Athens Greece

99 Doctor Anna Meyendorff   Washington, DC

100 David Kinasevych   Canada

101 Professor of English Scott Cairns Seattle Pacific University USA

102 Rev. Dr Athanasius McVay Chair of Ukrainian Studies, University of Toronto Edmonton, Alberta

103 Mykola Osypenko University of Fribourg Switzerland

104 Revd Dr Andreas Andreopoulos University of Winchester United Kingdom

105 Mr. Nektarios Cooper N/A Cave Spring, GA, USA

106 V. Rev’d Dr. Cyprian Robert Hutcheon McGill University, Montreal (retired) Canada

107 Dr. Daniel F. Stramara, Jr. Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO USA

108 Kristjan Otsmann   Estonia

109 Professor Emeritus Daniel J. Sahas University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario CANADA

110 Professor Torstein Theodor Tollefsen University of Oslo Norway

111 Associate Professor Nicolae Turcan Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca

112 Theologian Vasiliki Giannoutaki Volos Academy Greece

113 Mr. Staasi Heropoulos   USA

114 Rev Dr Geoffrey Ready Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, University of Toronto Toronto, Canada

115 MA Theology Ruth Nares   UK

116 The Ignacio Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought Peter Phan Georgetown University USA

117 Prof.Dr. Hille Haker Loyola University Chicago USA

118 Professor Charles Lock University of Copenhagen Denmark

119 Dr Viorel Coman KU Leuven Belgium

120 Lecturer David Goodin McGill University Montreal

121 Dr. Candace Hetzner Boston College Boston

122 Dr. Fellow. Dr. Christina Nellist Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics London, UK

123 Dr. Alexei Bodrov   Moscow, Russia

124   Cécile Joris   Belgium

125 Dr. Cergan Daniel Bucharest University Romania

126 The Rev. C. Brent Hoy-Bianchi ELCA Reno, Nevada, USA

127 Private citizen Michael Żurowski none Warsaw, Poland

128 Associate Professor Kyriakos Kalaitzidis University of Ioannina Greece

129 Assoc. Prof. Athanasios Papathanasiou Highest Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens Greece

130 Colin Justin Grimmond   Windsor, Ontario, Canada

131 Professor Joseph Famerée Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve) Belgium

132 PhD Archdeacon Vsevolod Borzakovsky Member Archdiocesan Council – Archdiocese of Western Europe Rome

133 Rev. Bohdan Hladio Toronto School of Theology Toronto

135   Metropolitan of Nigeria Alexander Gianniris Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa Nigeria

136 Assistant Professor Theodor Avramov Sofia University “St. Kliment of Ochrid” Bulgaria

137 Doctor in Theology de Saint Chamas Loys Studium Notre-Dame de Vie France

138 Dr Vitalii Tkachuk City Museum “Spiritual Treasures of Ukraine” Ukraine

139 Archimandrite Alexis Milyutin Métropole Orthodoxe en France ( PO). Vicariat de St Marie et St Alexis d’Ugine France

140 Margaret Klarer St.Anthony Orthodox Church in Bergenfield NJ Jersey USA United States of America

141 Aleksandar Miljkovic   London

142 Doctor Isaia Gazzola Theologicum – Institut catholique de Paris Paris

143   Richard Crook   Jackson, NH USA

144 Dr. jur. Diogenis Karagiannakidis None Thessaloniki – Greece

145 Revd. Dr. Mark Roosien Yale Institute of Sacred Music CT, USA

146 Christian A. Schwarz NCD International Emmelsbüll, Germany

147 Miss Susan Parkinson Bachelder Trinity Episcopal Church Lenox, Ma.

148 Prof. Nathan Dinneen Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York, USA

149 DESS Droit public Javanni Jean Retired PARIS

150 Dr. and Mrs. Raymond and Irene Benton Loyola Iniversity Chicago Chicago, Illinois, USA

151 Professor Antoine Courban Higher Education Council LEBANON

152 Dr Nadia Delicata Faculty of Theology, University of Malta Malta

153 Dr Tornike Metreveli Lund Universitz Sweden

154 Mr. Michael Koulos   NAPERVILLE, IL USA

155 Basil Lourié Scrinium. Journal of Patrology and Critical Hagiography Russia

156 Sîrghi Ana-Maria   Bucharest, Romania

157 Mykola Osypenko University of Fribourg Switzerland

158 Assistant Professor Stavros Yangazoglou National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece Athens

159 Dr. Georgios Basioudis   Germany

160 Dr Deirdre Good Stevenson School of Ministry Harrisburg, PA

161 Professor Daniel Struve Paris Cité University Paris, France

162 Rossitza Osthus   Bochum, Germany

163 Msc, Teacher of Theology Leonidas Telios Lykeum of Larissa Larissa Greece

164 LMSW Demetra DeFeo Fordham University United States

165 Dr. Ioannis Kaminis Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Sofia

166 Prof. Dr. Norbert Hintersteiner Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster Germany

167 Dr. Dominika Kurek-Chomycz Liverpool Hope University UK

168 Hugh Allen Orthodox Parish of the Holy Prophet Elias Exeter

169 PhD. Petr Jandejsek Charles University Prague Czech Republic

170 Prof. dr. Didier Pollefeyt Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies KU Leuven Belgium

171 Professor Gregory Bloomquist Faculty of Theology of Saint Paul University Canada

172 Ph.D. Mary Jane Maxwell USAID Washington DC

173 Professor Lyle Mook University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI, USA

174 Professor Anne Vandenhoeck KU Leuven Belgium

175 Prof. Dr. Reimund Bieringer Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Belgium

176 Rod Miller-Boyer   Landers

177 Layperson Deborah (Malacky) Belonick graduate of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, USA Warren, OH

178 George Bedrin   United States

179 Dr. Adjunct Professor, Retired William Samsonoff SUNY Albany School of Public Health USA

180 Dr. Will Cohen University of Scranton U.S.

181 Tony Chakar   Beirut, Lebanon

182 Dr Patrick Hampshire FRSA United Kingdom

183 The Very Rev. Dr. Michael Sniffen Cathedral of the Incarnation Garden City, NY

184 John Paterakis Vice Chairman, The Ecumenical Trust New York

185 John Babetas   Montreal, Canada

186 Prof. Lavinia Stan St. Francis Xavier University Canada

187 Igor Babich   Ukraine

188 Colin MacIntyre Calvary Community Church Canada

189 Dr. Charalambos Dendrinos Royal Holloway, University of London United Kingdom

190 ArchPriest Daniel Guenther Orthodox Church in America Saskatoon, Canada

191 Yelena Bolshakova   Belgium

192 None Dale Simison None United States

193 Dr Chrysovalantis Kyriacou Theological School of the Church of Cyprus Cyprus

194 V. Revd. Prof. Sergio E. Mainoldi   Milan, Italy

195 Artist and Icon Painter Edith Mary Isabel Reyntiens Thyateira Diocese of the Greek Patrirchate Scotland

196 Rev’d Fr. David Austin Anglican Manchester UK

197 Michael Berrigan Clark Editorial Staff, The Wheel USA

198 ABD Dr. Theology Pantelis Levakos National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece

199 Mark Anthony Sweere OCA United States

200 V. Rev. Dr. Isaac Skidmore Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR, USA

201 The Rev. Robert Michael Pickel   Brunswick, Maine USA

202 Dr Nikolaos Raptis Mary Raptou School SA Larissa Greece

203 Orthodox Christian Carol Kerler   USA

204 Jack Darakjy Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch USA

205 Revd Dr Helen Paynter Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, Bristol Baptist College UK

206 Professor Michael Budde DePaul University Chicago, USA

207 Mary Werbiansky   United States

208 Rev. Constantine Wright   Athens, GA USA

209 Lecture in Orthodox Canon Law Vladimer Narsia Ilia State University (Georgia) Georgia

210 Aiad Jabbour   Germany

211 Prof. Terence Cuneo University of Vermont US

212 Reader Daniel (Maximus) Nicholas Archangel Gabriel Orthodox Church (OCA) Ashland, Oregon, USA

213 Rt Revd Dr Lynn Elizabeth Walker Orthodox Catholic Church of America New York

214 Dr. Chrysostom Koutloumousianos Cambridge Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies Naxos, Greece

215 Dr. Maria Calisi St. Peter’s University Jersey City, NJ, USA

216 Mth Guram Lursmanashvili Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University Tbilisi

217 V. Revd. Dr. Leonide Ebralidze Pontifical Lateran University Rome, Italy

218 VRev. Professor Denis J. M. Bradley Bradley Georgetown University /St. Nicholas Cathedral Washington

219 M.A, ThM Claire Koen Fordham Boston

220 Jacob Pederson St Gregorios Orthodox Church Spokane

221 Journalist following religious issues Riccardo cristiano Reset doc Rome

222 Student Steven Roberts Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological School United States

223 ΜΑ Maria Nanou University of Thessaly Volos, Greece

224 Dr Norman Russell St Stephen’s House, University of Oxford France

225 Just another sinner Kathleen Licoppe St-Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Winnipeg Canada

226 Professor, DPhil Kalin Yanakiev Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Sofia

227 Dr. Gocha Barnovi Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani Univeristy Tbilisi, Georgia

228 Professor of Clinical Medicine Emeritus Christopher Mathews University of California San Diego United States

229 Anna Pasechnik   UK

230 Rick Zajac   USA

231 Father Gabriel Talley Retired Orthodox Priest USA

232 Ryan Klein Boston College Boston

233 Barbara Coker   England

234 Adrian Tanasescu-Vlas Fundaţia Culturală “Gândul Aprins” Bucharest, Romania

235 Director of Catholic Studies Michael Baxter Regis University Denver CO

236 Dr. Raluca Arfire   Bucuresti, Romania

237 Doctoral Student Christopher Larsen Fielding Graduate Institute Santa Barbara California USA

238 Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Duncan OCCA Galveston, Texas

239 Diethelm Adlunger   Deutschland / NRW

240 James Bouse   USA

241 Maguire University Professor of Ethics D. Stephen Long Southern Methodist University USA

242 Assoc. Prof. (Emerita) Patricia Hardesty James Madison Univ. USA

243 Undergraduate student of Theology Guram Papava Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Georgia

244 Rev’d David-John Williams University of Saint Katherine and The Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge. San Diego

245 Katherina Wlasenko   Canada

246 Amber Schley Iragui   Portland, Oregon

247 Dr Alexis Richard Cooper McGill University Canada

248 Judith Phillips   Waterford, Michigan USA

249 PhD Candidate; Editor Giacomo Sanfilippo Trinity College, University of Toronto; Orthodoxy in Dialogue Toronto, Canada

250 DPT Joanna Efstathiou-Dittmar   White Plains, NY, USA

251 Mifflin Ann Saavedra Concord International Church USA

252 Professor of Theology Barry Harvey Baylor University USA

253 Dr. Aram G. Sarkisian Northwestern University Evanston, IL, USA

254 Executive Presbyter Lisa Allgood Presbytery of Cincinnati, PCUSA Cincinnati, OH

255 PhD candidate Paraskevi Arapoglou Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece

256 Dr Laura Archer   Independence, OR, USA

257 Andrew Taylor   USA

258 Bojidar Kolov University of Oslo Norway

259 Dr Thomas Arentzen Uppsala University Sweden

260 Pr. Răduț Seliște Marcel Romanian Orthodox Church România

261 M. Sc. Andre Sytnyk Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine U.S.A

262 Daniel Lightsey Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas, USA

263 Presvytera Dr. Kyriaki FitzGerald Co-founder & Exec. Director, Saint Cathrine’s Vision Sandwich, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

264 VREV Peter Baktis Orthodox Church in America USA

265 M.A. Daniel Heide McGill University Canada

266 Rev. Dr. Emanuel Chris, M.D., M.Div.   Mansfield, MA

267 Fr. Dr. Arsenius Mikhail St. Athanasius & St. Cyril Theological School Anaheim, California, USA

268   Theodore Stepp   Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands

269 Dr Razvan Porumb Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies Cambridge

270 Petra Gorisek Kiev Messianic Jewish Congregation Croatia

271 M. Rev Lazar Puhalo OCA Dewdney, Canada

272 Paul Shannon   NL

273 Mihaela Tarpa   Paris, France

274 Archimandrite James Babcock Eparchy or Newton Oceanside CA

275 David Mohler St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church Dayton, OH

276 Educator Edward Stepanian Mr   USA

277 Soultana Gargana   Greece

278 Rt. Rev. John F. Newbauer Orthodox-Catholic Church of America Fort Wayne, IN 46825

279 Mr Philip Babcock Christian Church USA

280 Professor William Cavanaugh DePaul University Chicago, USA

281 Kristjan Mänd   Estonia

282 Pauline Costianes   Westland, MI USA

283 Yvette Cuny   United States

284 Professor Stamatis Vokos California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

285 Dr. Andrew Nosal University of San Diego San Diego, CA, USA

286 Aarne Lozano   USA

287 V Rev. Dr. Gabriel Rochelle St. Sophia Orthodox Theological Seminary; New Mexico State University New Jersey and New Mexico, USA

288 Professor Heather Bailey University of Illinois Springfield USA

289 Mr Daniel Li University of Exeter Exeter

290 Matt Salter None but Christian solidarity with good people around the world. United States

291 Leslie Luppino   USA

292 Dr. Charles Tieszen Fuller Theological Seminary Austin, USA

293 Dr Annette Bakker Children’s tumor foundation Usa

294 Rev. Konstantinos Sarantidis   Portland, Maine USA

295 Tamara Penwell   UK

296 V. Rev Marc Dunaway Eagle River Institute Eagle River, Alaska

297 V. Rev Marc Dunaway Eagle River Institute Eagle River, Alaska

298 Adjunct Professorial Lecturer Eric Terzuolo American University, School of International Service Washington, DC

299 Paul Pasarivakis University of Laval Canada

300 Caitilin Kane   USA

301 Albert Edward Meisenbach III   USA

302 John Congdon Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio, United States of America

303 Jeffrey Stephens   City of Durham, USA

304 Richard Mohr   Fountain Valley, California

305 Steven Fullmer   USA

306 Rev’d Dr. Theodore Pulcini   Carlisle, PA

307 Professor Caryl Emerson   Princeton University

308 Presbytera Dr. Catharine Roth independent scholar United States

309 Nicholas Palos NYS Courts New York

310 Very Reverend Matyas of Canada Orthodox Church of Canada Toronto

311 Wayne Tatusko St. Mark OCA Annandale, VA

312 Fr. Paul Schmidt Holy Wisdom Orthodox Church United States

313 Rev. Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle Brite Divinity School Fort Worth, Texas USA

314 C. Stoppa   Canada

315 Dr. Scott Ables Oregon State University Portland, Oregon, USA

316 Metropolitan EDMUND Cass Holy Cross Minastery Greenville, SC

317 Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Christian Worship L. Edward Phillips Phillips Emory University, Candler School of Theology United States of America

318 Cathy Nemtsov   United States

319 Very Reverend Joel Weir Orthodox Church in America Crawfordsville, IN

320 Fr Dragos Herescu Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies Cambridge

321 Rev. Andrew Wollitzer Berkeley Covenant Church Berkeley, Ca

322 Retired professor/ independent scholar Valerie Karras   St. Louis, Missouri, USA

323 B.Mus. Horia Vlad Guzu Guzu.ca Montreal, QC, Canada

324 Basil Varghese   India

325 The Rev. Deacon James Neal Orthodox-Catholic Church of America United States

326 Matthew Dodrill   United States

327 Dr. Oucèma Lionel Karam Ohio University USA/France/Lebanon

328 Dr. Vasyl Rudeyko Ukrainian Catholic University Lviv Ukraine

329 V. Rev. Dr. Gregory Roth Spokane Falls Community College USA

330 Dr Tarek Mitri Saint George University Beirut. Lebanon

331 Rev. Andrew Wollitzer Berkeley Covenant Church Berkeley, Ca, USA

332 Dr. Maria Rybakova Nazarbayev University Kazakhstan

333 Dr. Alison Kolosova University of Tartu Estonia

334 Enseignant-chercheur JEROME CLER Sorbonne-Université FRANCE

335 Ph Doctor in Foundametal Theology Claudio Monge Black Friars Istanbul

336 Barbara Personnaz   Montreux, Switzerland

337 Dr James Chater   France

338 Kristin Rountree   USA

339 LLM Manos Androulakakis   Heraklio Crete

340 Rev Dr Craig de Vos   North Adelaide, Australia

341 PhD Candidate Raul-Ovidiu Bodea KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium

342 Professor emeritus theological ethics Burggraeve Roger Catholic University Leuven Belgium