Departments

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The School is structured under four Departments which aim at realizing, each one separately while at the same time in complete collaboration, Orthodox Theology and Culture Education.

Department of Holy Scripture and Patristics

The department covers the educational and research domain related to introductory, historical, theological, philological, and literary issues of Holy Scriptures, Patristic Literature and their pertinent fields of study as well as the domain related to the importance and significance of those texts to the contemporary life of the Orthodox Church and thought. There is a special focus on the language of Biblical and Ecclesial texts, which are examined as part of the Ancient Greek Language evolution to its contemporary form.

In particular, the issues under study are the ones appertained to the following fields:

a) of the Old Testament

b) of the New Testament and Textual Criticism studies, involving introductory issues on redaction history and hermeneutics on the basis of philological and theological exegesis, as well as the study of early and later hermeunetical approaches to the New Testament text, while at the same time focusing on their deeper theological notions. These issues are examined under an interdisciplinary approach with the other educational and research fields being offered by the School, aiming towards not only a unified but a unifying knowledge, according to the essence of the Orthodox Theology

c) of Patristics, covering the broader field of Christian Literature (from the Apostolic Era to the Turkish rule period), and Hagiology as a subdivision of Patristics dealing with the theological-literary evolution frame of Hagiological Literature, as well as its genre evolution from the period of the persecutions to post Byzantine era

d) of Religious Studies, covering introductory issues, as well as issues relating to the history of religions and the dialogue among the major monotheistic Religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam), their historical evolution and their theological content.

Director
Athanasios Paparnakis, professor
T: +30 2310 997119
M: apaparna@past.auth.gr

Members

Department of History, Doctrine, Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations

The department covers

a) the domain of studies in the historical sources, in the historical relations of the Orthodox Patriarchates and of the local churches, in church developments to the present, as well as in the institutions of the Orthodox Church over time. It also includes the interpretation of church events, particularly those that defined the course of European peoples, but also illuminate the identity and existence of the Orthodox Diaspora worldwide,

b) the domain of studies related to the interpretation of the Orthodox faith formulation; this task is accomplished through the study of the synodical and doctrinal texts within the context of the literature, church life and testimony of the church body, as well as through the study of the historical and philosophical background of faith formulations, along with all the misinterpretation and opposition which lead to Christianity’s fragmentation. The aim is towards a better understanding of contemporary world, in order to minister people as beings living in a contemporary world.

The following subdivisions are included:
  • Interpretation of Doctrinal and Symbolic texts
  • History of Doctrines
  • Doctrine of the Orthodox Church
  • Symbolic Theology – Inter-orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations
  • Philosophy and the Study of Christian heresies and sects

The Doctrine subdivision additionally aims at infiltrating international environments and studying the Ecumenicity of the Orthodox Church in dialogue with the other Christians, with cultural, social and natural sciences, with Technology and modern thought, facilitating the communication among Orthodox people all over the world and investigating the possibility of a form of solid dialogue.

Director

Panagiotis Tzoumerkas,
assoc. professor
T: +30 2310 996686
M: tzoumerkas@past.auth.gr

Members

Department of Worship, Archaeology and Art

The Department focuses on the historical, theological, and ethical examination and interpretation of Orthodox Worship, Christian Archaeology, and the Sacred Arts in all of their manifestations. It promotes the study of Liturgics, Homiletics, Hagiography, Hymnography, Heortology, Art and Architecture, Chant and Church Music, Iconography, other ecclesiastical arts, and allied disciplines, with a particular emphasis on their role as active and structural elements of the Church, which is both a living community and a timeless reservoir of verbal expression, action, and culture.

Director

Dimosthenis Kaklamanos
assoc. professor
Electronic mail address (email): tomeas-latreias@past.auth.gr

Members

Department of Law, Organization, Life, and Ministry of the Chruch

The department covers the educational and research domain of issues related to law, organization, ministry and pastoral work of the Church (Canon Law, Ecclesiastical Legislation, Pastoral work and Psychology, Pedagogics, Christian Ethics and Bioethics, Sociology, Missionary work, Confession and Counseling. The main featureis the study of the sources according to the Orthodox Theology tradition, their interpretation according to the patristic principles andthe liturgical life as well as the Church institutions combined with every cultural, political and social riches and reservoirs of the Orthodox Church which were produced along the course of history by the peoples who have lived and are still living within the broader area of the Ancient Patriarchates, the Later Patriarchates, the Autocephalus Churches and of the Diaspora of the Orthodox all over the world.

Director

Miltiadis Vantsos
professor
T: +30 2310 997163
M: mvantsos@past.auth.gr

Members