International Conference 2026: Participants and Program

Broadening the Horizons of Metropolitan John Zizioulas’s Theology International Conference on the Thought and Legacy of Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon
Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Hildesheim, Germany
October 15–18, 2026
Announcement

Participants & Abstracts

  • Alexander Hurtsellers – Tradition in Tension: Rupture and Continuity in Dialogue with the Contemporary World
  • Aristotle Papanikolaou – Human Rights and the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon: Continuity and Discontinuity
  • Augustin Viorel Coman – The Future and Prospects of Eucharistic Ecclesiology
  • Dario Chiapetti – Trinitarian Freedom and the Monarchy of the Father: Ecclesiological and Anthropological Implications within the Horizon of Eschatological Ontology
  • Dionysios Skliris – Communion and Polity: Toward a Democratic Political Theology in the Thought of Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Zizioulas)
  • George Tserodze – Relational Ontology and the Problem of “Quasi-Causality” in Human Communion
  • Georges El-Hage – The Reception of the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon in French and Antiochian Orthodox Contexts
  • Isidoros Katsos – John Zizioulas on Natural and Human Rights
  • Jack Pappas – Re-reading Remembering the Future: Ontology and Personhood in Contemporary Context
  • Jennifer Wasmuth – Transcendence of Cultural Divisions: Nation, Local Church, and Catholicity in the Theology of John Zizioulas from a Lutheran Perspective
  • Marko Vilotić – Remembering the Other: The Reception of John Zizioulas and the Forgotten Center of His Thought
  • Pantelis Kalaitzidis – Theosis in the Theology of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas and Its Anthropological Implications
  • Petr Soukal – From Protology to Eschatology: Ioannis Zizioulas’s Contribution to a Reinterpretation of the Doctrine of Original Sin
  • Pia Chaudhari – Pygmalion’s Distress: Personhood and the Rise of AI
  • Richard René – Ordained Animals: Retrieving Human Exceptionality in John Zizioulas’s Ecological Anthropology
  • Sarah Elizabeth Hunt – “No Protological Ontology”? Zizioulas and Bulgakov on Creation from the End
  • Thomas Ruston – Eucharistic Ecclesiology and Social Trinitarianism in the Theology of John Zizioulas

Program

Day 1 · Thursday

October 15

  1. 10.00–16.00
    Arrivals
  2. 16.00–17.00
    Registration
  3. 17.00–17.30
    Welcome addresses and introduction to the conference questions
Session 1

Reading Zizioulas Today

Tradition, reception, and the human condition

  1. 17.30–18.00
    Alexander HurtsellersTradition in Tension: Rupture and Continuity in Dialogue with the Contemporary World
  2. 18.00–18.30
    Marko VilotićRemembering the Other: The Reception of John Zizioulas and the Forgotten Center of His Thought
  3. 18.30–19.00
    Sarah Elizabeth Hunt“No Protological Ontology”? Zizioulas and Bulgakov on Creation from the End
  4. 19.00–19.30
    Discussion
  5. 19.30
    Dinner

Day 2 · Friday

October 16

Session 2

Eucharist and Eschaton

The Church in light of the Kingdom

  1. 09.00–09.30
    Augustin Viorel ComanThe Future and Prospects of Eucharistic Ecclesiology
  2. 09.30–10.00
    Thomas RustonEucharistic Ecclesiology and Social Trinitarianism in the Theology of John Zizioulas
  3. 10.00–10.30
    Coffee break
Session 3

Freedom and Communion

Trinitarian foundations and human relations

  1. 10.30–11.00
    Dario ChiapettiTrinitarian Freedom and the Monarchy of the Father: Ecclesiological and Anthropological Implications within the Horizon of Eschatological Ontology
  2. 11.00–11.30
    George TserodzeRelational Ontology and the Problem of “Quasi-Causality” in Human Communion
  3. 11.30–12.00
    Joint discussion of Sessions 2 and 3How do Trinitarian communion and eschatology shape our understanding of the Church and human freedom?
  4. 12.00–13.30
    Lunch
Session 4

Catholicity Across Boundaries

Ecumenical and contextual reception

  1. 13.30–14.00
    Jennifer WasmuthTranscendence of Cultural Divisions: Nation, Local Church, and Catholicity in the Theology of John Zizioulas from a Lutheran Perspective
  2. 14.00–14.30
    Georges El-HageThe Reception of the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon in French and Antiochian Orthodox Contexts
  3. 14.30–14.50
    Discussion
  4. 14.50–15.20
    Coffee break
Session 5

Communion and Political Life

Rights, freedom, and democracy

  1. 15.20–15.50
    Isidoros KatsosJohn Zizioulas on Natural and Human Rights
  2. 15.50–16.20
    Aristotle PapanikolaouHuman Rights and the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon: Continuity and Discontinuity
  3. 16.20–16.50
    Dionysios SklirisCommunion and Polity: Toward a Democratic Political Theology in the Thought of Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Zizioulas)
  4. 16.50–17.20
    Discussion
  5. 17.20–17.35
    Short break
Session 6

Human Personhood and Its Limits

Creation, technology, and the question of human uniqueness

  1. 17.35–18.05
    Richard RenéOrdained Animals: Retrieving Human Exceptionality in John Zizioulas’s Ecological Anthropology
  2. 18.05–18.35
    Pia ChaudhariPygmalion’s Distress: Personhood and the Rise of AI
  3. 18.35–18.55
    Discussion
  4. 20.00
    Dinner

Day 3 · Saturday

October 17

Session 7

Remembering the Future

Theosis, personhood, and the overcoming of sin

  1. 09.00–09.30
    Petr SoukalFrom Protology to Eschatology: Ioannis Zizioulas’s Contribution to a Reinterpretation of the Doctrine of Original Sin
  2. 09.30–10.00
    Pantelis KalaitzidisTheosis in the Theology of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas and Its Anthropological Implications
  3. 10.00–10.30
    Jack PappasRe-reading Remembering the Future: Ontology and Personhood in Contemporary Context
  4. 10.30–11.00
    Discussion
  5. 11.00–11.30
    Coffee break
Plenary

Concluding Plenary Discussion

Unresolved questions and priorities for further research

  1. 11.30–12.30
    Three opening responses of no more than five minutes each, followed by discussion with all participants. Respondents to be confirmed.
    • Which tensions identified during the conference remain unresolved?
    • Which connections between ontology, ecclesiology, and ethics need stronger argument?
    • What should future research on Zizioulas investigate?
  2. 13.00–14.00
    Lunch
  3. 16.30–19.30
    ExcursionVisit to the city
  4. 19.00
    Dinner in town

Day 4 · Sunday

October 18

  1. 10.00–12.00
    Divine Liturgy
  2. After the Liturgy
    Refreshments
  3. After refreshments
    Departures

Registration

For those who wish to take part not as speakers but as members of the audience, joining the sessions and the conference’s shared life, registration is now open.

Conference registration includes attendance at all conference sessions, conference materials (folder, notebook, etc.), coffee breaks, and meals.

Register