Volos, 10-13 March, 2016

An international ecumenical consultation on the general theme “Eco-Theology, Climate Justice and Food Security (ETCF)”, organized by the Bread for the World, Globethics.net, United Evangelical Mission (UEM), the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies, was successfully held from 10–13 March 2016 in Volos, Greece. The 25 participants to the consultation, who are actively engaged and strongly committed to ETCF in their own professional fields, came from 15 countries and a variety of Christian traditions. They shared experiences and expertise, debated insights and challenges with regard to the themes of the consultation, and came up with strategies for future work and collaboration.

Apart from the key-note lectures given by the Assistant Professor Ekaterini Tsalampouni (University of Thessaloniki, Member of the Board of Directors of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Greece) and Professor Ernst Conradie (University of Western Cape, South Africa) on different aspects of the main topic, a survey of the project was presented by Raphael Sartorius, while diverse workshops, panels discussion and thematic presentation took place addressing various topics related to the general theme such as Contextual Case Studies,  a panel on Theological Education – Higher Education Representatives etc.

During the second day of the consultation a plenary session was organized on the topic “The Greek Orthodox Church and the Challenges of the Current Economic and Refugee Crisis”, where Dr. Nikolaos Asproulis (Volos Academy for Theological Studies), Dr. Nikos Dimitriadis (American College of Thessaloniki) and Rev. Dr. Augoustinos Bairaktaris, (Assistant Professor, Higher Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete, and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies) discussed the problems that Greece confronts because of the current economic and refugee crisis.

At the final Plenary Session, the participants strongly emphasized and further discussed future strategies that are mainly related to three areas, namely a manifesto on an ecological reformation of Christian traditions, curriculum and resource development, and international networks, partnerships and advocacy.

It is noteworthy to mention that the consultation apart from the organizers, Rev. Dr. Dietrich Werner (Bread for the World), Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Volos Academy), Rev. Dr. Guillermo Kerber (WCC), Prof. Dr. Christoph Stueckelberger (Globethics.net), Rev. Dr. Jochen Motte, (UEM) was also greeted by the Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias and the Rev. Dr. Meletis Meletiadis, pastor of the local Evangelical Church in Volos.

To view the list of the participants click here.