Ecclesiology in Contemporary Orthodox Theology, 7.5 Credits

The course introduces a select number of themes in contemporary ecclesiology, taking its departure in the development of Eucharistic Ecclesiology in the twentieth century.The themes addressed are the following- the openness of the Church and the need for identifying its boundaries;- the oneness of the Church and the co-existence of various ecclesiologies within it;- the confession of the one, holy, apostolic, and catholic Church and the empirical expression of these characteristics in todays world;- the sacrament of the Church and the problem of sacramentalism;communal fellowship (koinonia) and the individual apparition of this in its mystical dimension;- the problem of the universal message of the Church and the diversity of various faiths in the world.At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:- identify and discuss positions held by various theologians in relation to the selected themes;- select, compare and determine the difference in contradictory positions;- assess the contribution of Eucharistic Ecclesiology;- formulate and defend an independent position in relation to Eucharistic Ecclesiology, and the themes presented in the course.