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
Germany, October 15–18, 2026

Participants & Abstracts

  • Georges El-Hage – The Reception of the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon in French and Antiochian Orthodox Contexts
  • Pia Chaudhari – Artificial Intimacy: Ontology, Eros, and the Threat of Despair
  • Dario Chiapetti – Trinitarian Freedom and the Monarchy of the Father: Ecclesiological and Anthropological Implications within the Horizon of Eschatological Ontology
  • Augustin Viorel Coman – The Future and Prospects of Eucharistic Ecclesiology
  • Alexander Hurtselles – Tradition in Tension: Rupture and Continuity in Dialogue with the Contemporary World
  • Isidoros Katsos – John Zizioulas on Natural and Human Rights
  • Pantelis Kalaitzidis – Theosis in the Theology of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas and Its Anthropological Implications
  • Sarah Elizabeth Hunt – Re-reading Remembering the Future: Eschatology and the Human Condition Today
  • Aristotle Papanikolaou – Human Rights and the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon: Continuity and Discontinuity
  • Jack Pappas – Re-reading Remembering the Future: Ontology and Personhood in Contemporary Context
  • Richard René – Ordained Animals: Retrieving Human Exceptionality in John Zizioulas’s Ecological Anthropology
  • Thomas Ruston – Eucharistic Ecclesiology and Social Trinitarianism in the Theology of John Zizioulas
  • Dionysios Skliris – Communion and Polity: Toward a Democratic Political Theology in the Thought of Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Zizioulas)
  • Petr Soukal – From Protology to Eschatology: Ioannis Zizioulas’s Contribution to a Reinterpretation of the Doctrine of Original Sin
  • Marko Vilotić – “Remembering the Future” and Its Unrealized Potential in Contemporary Theology and Ecclesial Life
  • Jennifer Wasmuth – Transcendence of Cultural Divisions: Nation, Local Church, and Catholicity in the Theology of John Zizioulas from a Lutheran Perspective
  • George Tserodze – Relational Ontology and the Problem of “Quasi-Causality” in Human Communion

Program

Day 1 · Thursday

October 15

  1. 10.00–14.00
    Arrivals
  2. 16.30–17.00
    Registration
  3. 17.00–17.30
    Welcome addresses and introduction to the conference questions
Session 1

Personhood and Communion

Foundations and tensions

  1. 17.30–18.00
    Dario ChiapettiTrinitarian Freedom and the Monarchy of the Father: Ecclesiological and Anthropological Implications within the Horizon of Eschatological Ontology
  2. 18.00–18.30
    George TserodzeRelational Ontology and the Problem of “Quasi-Causality” in Human Communion
  3. 18.30–19.00
    Pia ChaudhariArtificial Intimacy: Ontology, Eros, and the Threat of Despair

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

Tradition and the Future

Theological method and renewal

  1. 10.30–11.00
    Alexander HurtsellesTradition in Tension: Rupture and Continuity in Dialogue with the Contemporary World
  2. 11.00–11.30
    Marko Vilotić“Remembering the Future” and Its Unrealized Potential in Contemporary Theology and Ecclesial Life
  3. 11.30–12.00
    Joint discussion of Sessions 2 and 3How does eschatology inform ecclesial life and theological method?
  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. 14.30–15.00
    Coffee break
Session 5

Communion and Political Life

Rights, freedom, and democracy

  1. 15.00–15.30
    Isidoros KatsosJohn Zizioulas on Natural and Human Rights
  2. 15.30–16.00
    Aristotle PapanikolaouHuman Rights and the Theology of the Metropolitan of Pergamon: Continuity and Discontinuity
  3. 16.00–16.30
    Dionysios SklirisCommunion and Polity: Toward a Democratic Political Theology in the Thought of Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Zizioulas)
  4. 16.30–16.45
    Short break
Session 6

Humanity and Creation

Exceptionality, evil, and death

  1. 16.45–17.15
    Richard RenéOrdained Animals: Retrieving Human Exceptionality in John Zizioulas’s Ecological Anthropology
  2. 17.15–17.45
    Petr SoukalFrom Protology to Eschatology: Ioannis Zizioulas’s Contribution to a Reinterpretation of the Doctrine of Original Sin
  3. 20.00
    Dinner

Day 3 · Saturday

October 17

Session 7

Remembering the Future

Theosis, personhood, and the human condition

  1. 09.00–09.30
    Pantelis KalaitzidisTheosis in the Theology of Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas and Its Anthropological Implications
  2. 09.30–10.00
    Jack PappasRe-reading Remembering the Future: Ontology and Personhood in Contemporary Context
  3. 10.00–10.30
    Sarah Elizabeth HuntRe-reading Remembering the Future: Eschatology and the Human Condition Today
  4. 10.30–11.00
    Coffee break
Plenary

Concluding Plenary Discussion

Unresolved questions and priorities for further research

  1. 11.00–12.00
    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. 12.00–13.00
    Lunch
  3. 13.00–18.00
    Excursion
  4. 19.00
    Dinner

Day 4 · Sunday

October 18

  1. 08.00–10.30
    Divine Liturgy
  2. After the Liturgy
    Departures