Orthodoxy is a faith at once rooted in the past, yet at the same time a Church looking toward the future. It is characterized by a profound sense of continuity with the times and teachings of the Apostolic Church and the Church of the Fathers; but it is also a Church that draws from its rich heritage in order to respond to modern challenges and dilemmas. It is precisely this dual nature that permits Orthodoxy to speak boldly about critical contemporary issues – precisely because it is a “living tradition.”
You are undoubtedly informed about the dialogues with which our Ecumenical Patriarchate is engaged: (1) with our sister Orthodox Churches, in an effort to coordinate greater unity and cooperation; (2) with other Christian confessions and other faith communities, in our desire to promote reconciliation and understanding; and, (3) with the scientific community, for an informed response to environmental degradation and bioethical questions.
Our faith should not be regarded as stagnant or even obsolete. It must not be conveyed as verbose or perhaps artificial. And it cannot be dismissed as merely cerebral or uninspired. Our word must express the hope and joy, the light and life of the risen Lord. It must be renewed and renewing, reviving and refreshing.
*Excerpts from Patriarch Bartholomew’s Address to the Scholars’ Meeting at the Phanar on 5 January 2016
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