The Triune God invites the whole creation to the Feast of Life, through Jesus Christ who came “that they may have life, and may have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10, REB), through the Holy Spirit who affirms the vision of the reign of God, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth!” (Isaiah 65:17, KJV). We commit ourselves together in humility and hope to the mission of God, who recreates all and reconciles all. And we pray, “God of Life, lead us into justice and peace!”

Historic Meeting in between Orthodox and Evangelicals to Discuss Mission James J. Stamoolis and Bradley Nassif

n September 2–6, 2013, the Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative varying degrees of intensity and purity as the Orthodox moved OConsultation met at the monastery of St. Vlash, Albania, east and eventually into Russian Alaska and Japan. to consider the theme “The Mission of God.” What made this gathering different from previous consultations was that it was Significance of the Consultation hosted by His Beatitude Anastasios of Albania, the foremost practitioner of Orthodox mission in the world.1 It was For many, this is just history. To be able to witness the resurrec- also different in that it was held in a country where the Orthodox tion of the Albania Church, however, was not merely a moment Church has made a remarkable recovery from years of systematic in mission history but, for these participants at least, a time of destruction by the Albanian Communist leadership.2 great spiritual blessing. The setting of the conference contributed In the 1950s and 1960s Archbishop Anastasios restarted Greek as much as the content of the papers that were presented to this missionary work after centuries of the Greek Church being unable historic gathering. The planning committee wisely included to participate in mission. As students of Orthodox mission his- opportunities both for local evangelicals to participate in the ses- tory will know, the Muslim conquest of the Byzantines brought sions and for attendees to meet with Albanian evangelicals. One the once-flourishing Greek Orthodox missionary enterprise to a such meeting involved transporting the delegates to downtown halt. The torch, which passed to the Slavic peoples, burned with to worship together with evangelicals and to hear testi-

James J. Stamoolis consults with educational and Bradley Nassif, a theologian of the Antiochian Ortho- missionary agencies. After serving as a missionary in dox Archdiocese of North America and the Patriarch- South Africa (1972–80), he was theological secretary of ate of Antioch, Syria, is Professor of Biblical and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students Theological Studies, North Park University, Chicago, (1981–89). He is the author of Eastern Orthodox Illinois. He coedited The Philokalia: A Classic Text Mission Theology Today (Orbis Books, 1986) as of Orthodox Spirituality (Oxford Univ. Press, 2012) well as journal and encyclopedia articles. and wrote Bringing Jesus to the Desert (Zondervan, —[email protected] 2012). —[email protected]

70 International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol. 38, No. 2 monies of their conversions from atheism. Another opportunity better understanding, and encourage reconciliation and healing for interaction was at a dinner hosted by the archbishop during where wounds exist.” Two years in preparation by a working which both Albanian evangelicals and expatriate missionaries committee representing both Eastern Orthodox and Oriental could interact with members of the consultation. As one result Orthodox as well as evangelicals, the Lausanne-Orthodox Initia- of the consultation, evangelicals and Orthodox working in tive Consultation explored common themes in mission, as well prison ministry gathered for a joint workshop on how better to as looking frankly at hard and divisive issues. minister to the inmates. The workshop provided an example of The consultation itself was held at the Monastery of St. Vlash, ecumenism, not only as meetings, but also of ministry together. near the ancient city of Durrës, affording opportunities to see the While there have been numerous consultations and symposia rebirth of the church in a country officially atheist for a quarter to discuss theological agreements and points of contention, these century. Beginning in 1967, when all religions were banned and have generally taken place between denominational families and all places of worship were desecrated, churches were either representatives of the Orthodox Church.3 Usually discussions destroyed, turned into warehouses, or used for other secular on mission between Eastern Orthodox and evangelicals, if they purposes. At times we needed to remind ourselves that with the occur at all, take place in the context of rival missionary activity. exception of a couple of historic monastery churches, none of the Therefore, the September consultation in Albania was historic church buildings we saw, and particularly the spectacular Cathe- for breaking new ground in ecumenical discussions. It arose dral of the Resurrection, existed before 1992. Many of the churches out of the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, the delegates visited were even more recently constructed. The held in October 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa, and had as same is true of various industries that the Orthodox Church its goal “to reflect constructively on the history of relationships has developed to support its ministry, such as a candle-making between Orthodox and Evangelicals in order to work towards operation, a factory where all the church furniture is constructed,

As regular readers of the International Bulletin of Mis- sionary Research are aware, the Overseas Ministries Study Center (OMSC), New Haven, Connecticut, serves as home base for the IBMR. Editing and activities related to the IBMR are part of the milieu into which international residents enter when they come to OMSC. The residents themselves come to OMSC for a year of rest, renewal, reflection, and continuing education focused on the Christian world mission. Together they represent a diverse array of the peoples of the world, as well as a wide spectrum of Christian traditions. Despite their diversity and wide distribution, however, most participants in OMSC’s study program arrive in New Haven having had lit- tle, if any, direct contact with the Orthodox Christian tradition. When the program committee of OMSC’s board of trust- ees recently recommended strongly that the community travel offsite for a retreat, an opportunity arose for just such contact. Through the efforts of program committee member Father Luke Veronis, a Greek Orthodox priest, professor, and missionary to Albania, a number of staff and most of the residents of OMSC traveled in mid-October 2013 to the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and to the St. Methodius Faith and Heritage Center in Contoocook, New Hampshire. Through liturgical sessions, classroom discussions, and personal interaction with Orthodox seminary students, Father Luke introduced the OMSC community to Orthodox life and spirituality. The visitors from OMSC also heard clear and passionate presen- tations by Father Iakovos Bakos, a native Bostonian who had recently returned to New England after twenty-three years of monastic life on revered Mount Athos, in . For the majority of this year’s residents, practically all of whom are Protestant or Independent, this retreat experience constituted their first exposure to Orthodoxy. Their reflec- tions signaled their appreciation, apprehension, insights, and boundary-stretching experiences. Many wrote of their admi- ration for what they had seen and experienced, recording, for example, “The practice of utter devotion to Christ by the Greek Orthodox monks and priests is admirable and to be a

April 2014 71 and an icon restoration facility where icons, damaged by years Readers acquainted with the problems of territorial exclusive- of neglect and abuse, are lovingly restored. We also toured a six- ness claimed by churches in traditionally Orthodox lands will floor medical clinic that houses the most up-to-date diagnostic anxiously await publication of the conference papers dealing equipment available. with this subject. Our anticipation is heightened as we witness Forty-seven Christian leaders gathered to discuss issues of the expansion of the in the West and missionary activity and potential areas of cooperation, as well as the conversion of many Protestants, especially evangelicals, to to look honestly at misunderstandings and obstacles that separate Orthodoxy. The plenary session that focused on proselytism and them. Archbishop Anastasios of Albania and seven other hierarchs canonical territory featured presentations from Leonid Kish- of the Orthodox, Coptic, and Syrian Orthodox churches were kovsky, of the Orthodox Church in America, and Kosta Milkov, present. The gathering was unprecedented in having so many an evangelical from Macedonia. Discussion of these difficult Orthodox leaders present, along with key evangelicals from questions took place in an atmosphere of listening so as to find Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America, as well as Eastern mutual understanding. and Western Europe. The papers treating doctrinal issues pertaining to Scripture During the five days of the consultation, the participants and tradition, which focused particularly on the concept of shared in Bible studies and discussion groups, and they heard salvation as understood by evangelicals and within Orthodoxy, plenary presentations on mission, problem areas between the were delivered by the authors of this report, James Stamoolis, communions, and theological differences. The participants expe- an evangelical who has written extensively on the Orthodox rienced both evangelical and Orthodox worship. The consultation Church, and Bradley Nassif, an Orthodox professor of biblical engaged local leadership from both traditions, Albania Orthodox and theological studies at North Park University (Chicago). and evangelical, to further promote dialogue and understanding. Both speakers challenged both traditions to live out their Albania, officially atheistic until 1991, was the ideal venue theological confessions. Stamoolis admitted that evangelicals for the consultation. It served both as a living laboratory for suffer from the embarrassment of differing interpretations of the survival of any faith during Communist persecution and Scripture and being divided into numerous denominations, as a living example of the resurrection of Albanian church life. many of which claim to be the pure church. Nassif challenged Opportunities were provided for hearing firsthand testimonies evangelicals to adopt the mind of the church as expounded in from both evangelical and Orthodox believers who, though they the . But he also urged his fellow Orthodox to grew up as atheists, had found faith in God. Truly there has evangelize the nominal members of their own traditions. This been a resurrection of the church in Albania, both evangelical admonition tied in with Stamoolis’s point that the essence of and Orthodox. In particular, the participants were able to see evangelicalism was a personal relationship with the living the remarkable work of rebuilding that has been accomplished God through faith in the risen Christ. by Archbishop Anastasios and the dedicated team of priests and The consultation also featured case studies of mission from lay workers under his guidance. Kenya, India, and Macedonia that demonstrated the impact of the Gospel on culture. These stories of mission were continued Topics Addressed in small-group discussions as the participants shared with each other their personal journeys in mission. Participants were Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church, cochair of moved by the presentation on the current state of Christianity the consultation, set the tone for the meeting with his opening in Egypt by Coptic Bishop Angaelos and evangelicals Leslie Doll proclamation, “Christ is risen!” Archbishop Anastasios’s key- (Lausanne Movement) and Pastor Ramez Atallah (Egyptian Bible note address stressed that an understanding of mission was not Society). Videos of the destruction of churches and the looting of something only for theologians: “Every Christian must learn and a Bible Society store were coupled with stories of no retaliation realize that missionary activity does not constitute a supplement by Christians against the perpetrators of this violence. or branch of our ecclesiastical activities but is a fundamental Having broken ground for new levels of understanding and expression of our faith.”4 This theme animated the entire confer- friendship between the participants, the conference committee ence, finding affirmation in the address by Darrell Jackson, from is planning other meetings to continue the dialogue for the sake Morling College in Australia. The two addresses articulated a of greater cooperation between the various communions as they very welcome common confession of the centrality of mission. seek to witness to the risen Christ in our troubled world. Notes 1. See details of the consultation and the Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative Honor of Fr. Georges Florovsky,” Greek Orthodox Theological Review at www.loimission.net. 41, nos. 2–3 (1996). Of particular interest is an assessment from 2. For a useful summary of Orthodox-evangelical dialogues, see Brad- the Orthodox point of view of bilateral dialogues. Also useful are ley Nassif, “Orthodox Dialogues with Evangelical Communities,” studies showing points of convergence between the traditions, in Orthodoxy and Ecumenism: A Handbook for Theological Education, such as S. T. Kimbrough, Jr., ed., Orthodox and Wesleyan Spiritu- ed. Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Thomas FitzGerald, Cyril Hovorun, Aikat- ality (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2002). erini Pekridou, Dietrich Werner, and Guy Liagre (Geneva: WCC- Another example of theological dialogue is found in James J. CEC-VOLOS Academy, 2013). Stamoolis, ed., Three Views on Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelical- 3. For example, see the reports of the consultations with the Reformed ism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), with comments by Bradley Churches. They are available in “Theological Consultations Nassif, Michael Horton, Vladimir Berzonsky, George Hancock- between Orthodox and Reformed Churches,” Greek Orthodox Stefan, and Edward Rommen on whether Eastern Orthodoxy and Theological Review 43, nos. 1–4 (1998). This volume has the papers evangelicalism are compatible. The format allows for interaction from the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Consultations. The memory of among the authors as they respond to each other’s essays. Georges Florovsky, an Orthodox pioneer in the ecumenical move- 4. Anastasios Yannoulatos, “Theological Understanding of Mission: ment, was honored by a conference in 1993 on the occasion of Variations on a Theme” (keynote address, Lausanne-Orthodox the centennial of his birth. The papers presented were published Initiative Consultation, St. Vlash, Albania, September 2–6, 2013). as “Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Movement: A Conference in

72 International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol. 38, No. 2 Evangelicalism is a broad family of the Christian faith... The word ‘evangelical’ states our rootedness in the gospel…For us, evangelicalism is a broad family of the Christian faith, and this is especially important in today’s world. We live at a time when evangelicalism is actually more present in Africa, Asia, and Latin America than it is in the United States of America.

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