Misplaced Pages

#963036

114-800: The PAOI is chartered by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in modern-day Istanbul, Turkey , and is named in honor of Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople , the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1948 to 1972. The PAOI offers the Master of Arts in Eastern Orthodox Christian Studies as a two-year degree program. It is the only MA program in Orthodox theology in North America outside of those offered by

228-461: A church council in 754 , which condemned the worship of images, after which many treasures were broken, burned, or painted over with depictions of trees, birds or animals: one source refers to the church of the Holy Virgin at Blachernae as having been transformed into a "fruit store and aviary". Following the death of his son Leo IV in 780, the empress Irene restored the veneration of images through

342-774: A patriarchate , numbering Moscow's bishop as fifth in rank behind the ancient patriarchates . The Russian Orthodox Church became the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world. As Ottoman rule weakened, various parts of the Orthodox Church that had been under the direct influence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be independent. These churches at first usually declared their independence without universal approval, which came after Constantinople gave its blessing. The rate at which these new autocephalous ("self-headed") churches came into being increased in

456-476: A "long history of interfaith dialogue". However, a 2014 article in The Huffington Post stated "religious intolerance is still a concern that threatens to undermine the hard work of devoted activists over the decades". Nevertheless, the article expressed hope that continuing "interfaith dialogue can change this". A PhD thesis Dialogue Between Christians, Jews and Muslims argues that "the paramount need

570-469: A book Sons of Abraham: A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims . Schneier and Ali write about the importance of civil interfaith discussions. Based on their experience, Schneier and Ali believe that other "Jews and Muslims can realize that they are actually more united than divided in their core beliefs". Interests in interfaith relations require an awareness of

684-457: A diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, declared its independence in 1448 shortly before Constantinople fell owing to its protest over the Council of Florence , in which representatives of the patriarchate had signed onto union with Rome , trading doctrinal concessions for military aid against the encroaching Ottomans. The military aid never came and those concessions were subsequently repudiated by

798-610: A great deal of interfaith work throughout his life. He believes that the "common aim of all religions, an aim that everyone must try to find, is to foster tolerance, altruism and love". He met with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican in 1973. He met with Pope John Paul II in 1980 and also later in 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, and 2003. During 1990, he met in Dharamsala with a delegation of Jewish teachers for an extensive interfaith dialogue. He has since visited Israel three times and met during 2006 with

912-543: A large scale, something which is new in a political sense. The declaration A Common Word of 2007 was a public first in Christian-Islam relations, trying to work out a moral common ground on many social issues. This common ground was stated as "part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour". The declaration asserted that "these principles are found over and over again in

1026-405: A particular religion, interconnection, empathy, and hospitality". In full, they include the following: Breaking down the walls that divides faiths while respecting the uniqueness of each tradition requires the courageous embrace of all these preconditions. In 2016, President Obama made two speeches that outlined preconditions for meaningful interfaith dialogue: On February 3, 2016, he spoke at

1140-537: A radiant future between Jews and Christians." Moravian born Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise , who founded the Reform movement in the United States, sought close relations with Christian church leaders. To that end, he published a series of lectures in 1883 entitled "Judaism and Christianity: Their Agreements and Disagreements". Wise emphasized what he believed linked the two religions in an inextricable theological and human bond:

1254-594: A satellite television channel MTA International Live Streaming, on its internet website, and by its Islam International Publications. A 2010 story in the BBC News said that the Ahmadi "is regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical", The story also reported persecution and violent attacks against the Ahmadi. According to the Ahmadiyya understanding, interfaith dialogues are an integral part of developing inter-religious peace and

SECTION 10

#1732854575964

1368-822: A town a church should not be larger in size than the largest mosque. Many churches were converted into mosques (among them the Hagia Sophia and Chora Church in Constantinople , and the Rotunda and Hagios Demetrios in Thessaloniki ) or served for other uses (e.g. Hagia Irene in Constantinople, which became an armory for the Janissaries, and the Gül Mosque [Hagia Theodosia or Christ Euergetes], also in Constantinople, which after

1482-550: Is Christocentric , meaning that Christ is held to be the sole full and true revelation of the will of God for humanity. In a Christocentric view, the elements of truth in other religions are understood in relation to the fullness of truth found in Christ. God is nevertheless understood to be free of human constructions. Therefore, God the Holy Spirit is understood as the power who guides non-Christians in their search for truth, which

1596-516: Is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points: In the eighth and ninth centuries the iconoclast movement caused serious political unrest throughout the Empire. The emperor Leo III issued a decree in 726 against images and ordered the destruction of an image of Christ over one of the doors of the Chalke, an act which was fiercely resisted by the citizens. Constantine V convoked

1710-810: Is a sponsor of the Cal Berkeley chapter of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship . The InterOrthodox Press is the publishing arm of the institute; it makes available for purchase books and other materials reflecting the work of the Institute as well as works written by scholars on topics of concern to the Orthodox Church. The Institute regularly offers educational programs to the faithful of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. These range from courses in Byzantine Chant, seminars and workshops, to

1824-619: Is also a difficulty faced by the Patriarchate. In 2024, after the protests from Turkey, the signature of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been removed from the statement of the June 2024 Ukraine peace summit . The affairs of the patriarchate are conducted by the Holy Synod , presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The synod has existed since some time prior to the fourth century and assists

1938-549: Is an issue of debate. Friar James L. Heft, in a lecture on "The Necessity of Inter-Faith Diplomacy," spoke about the conflicts among practitioners of the three Abrahamic religions ( Judaism , Christianity and Islam ). Noting that except for the Convivencia in the 14th and 15th centuries, believers in these religions have either kept their distance or have been in conflict, Heft maintains, "there has been very little genuine dialogue" between them. "The sad reality has been that most of

2052-470: Is composed of twelve hierarchs, each serving a year-long term, with half of the synod's members changing every six months in March and September. Interfaith dialogue Interfaith dialogue , also known as interreligious dialogue , refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both

2166-478: Is for barriers against non-defensive dialogue conversations between Christians, Jews, and Muslims to be dismantled to facilitate development of common understandings on matters that are deeply divisive". As of 2012, the thesis says that this has not been done. Interfaith and multi-faith interactivity is integral to the teachings of the Baháʼí Faith . Its founder Bahá'u'lláh enjoined his followers to "consort with

2280-492: Is held to be a search for the mind of Christ, even if "anonymously", in the phrase of Catholic theologian Karl Rahner . For those who support this view, anonymous Christians belong to Christ now and forever and lead a life fit for Jesus' commandment to love, even though they never explicitly understand the meaning of their life in Christian terms. While the conciliar document Nostra aetate has fostered widespread dialogue,

2394-534: Is now Greece , Asia Minor , Pontus , and Thrace . With the development of the hierarchical structure of the Church, the bishop of Constantinople came to be styled as exarch (a position superior to metropolitan). Constantinople was recognized as the fourth patriarchate at the First Council of Constantinople in 381, after Antioch , Alexandria , and Rome . The patriarch was usually appointed by Antioch. Because of

SECTION 20

#1732854575964

2508-541: Is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church . It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople . Because of its historical location as the capital of the former Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its role as the mother church of most modern Orthodox churches, Constantinople holds a special place of honor within Orthodoxy and serves as

2622-577: The Albanian Orthodox Church declared its autocephaly, being granted recognition of it in 1937. In addition to these churches, whose territory had been agreed upon by all as within Constantinople's jurisdiction, several other disputed areas' Eastern Orthodox churches have had recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate as either autocephalous or autonomous , including the Finnish Orthodox Church and Estonian Orthodox Church in 1923,

2736-548: The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate , usually important laymen who make large donations for the upkeep of the Patriarchate. In turn, they are granted honorary titles which once belonged to members of the Patriarchal staff in centuries past. The Patriarchate acts in the capacity of being an intermediary and facilitator between the Orthodox churches and also in relations with other Christians and religions. This role sometimes brings

2850-468: The Council of Chalcedon in 451 recognized an expansion of the boundaries of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and of its authority over bishops of dioceses "among the barbarians", which has been variously interpreted as referring either to areas outside the Byzantine Empire or to non-Greeks. The council resulted in a schism with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. In any case, for almost a thousand years

2964-684: The Islamic Society of Baltimore and on February 4, 2016, at the National Prayer Breakfast . The eight principles of interfaith relations as outlined by Obama were as follows: The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is an initiative to prevent violence and support social cohesion by promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. The UNAOC was proposed by the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at

3078-531: The Journal of Interreligious Studies and Interreligious Studies and Intercultural Theology . Religious sociologist Peter L. Berger argued that one can reject interfaith dialogue on moral grounds in certain cases. The example he gave was that of a dialogue with imams who legitimate ISIS , saying such discussions ought to be avoided so as not to legitimate a morally repugnant theology. The theological foundations of interreligious dialogue have also been critiqued on

3192-564: The Latin Empire of Constantinople was established, and Byzantine refugees founded their own successor states, the most notable of these being the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore Lascaris (a relative of Alexius III ), the Empire of Trebizond , and the Despotate of Epirus . The new seat of the Patriarchate was established in the city of Nicaea until in 1261, when Constantinople was reconquered by

3306-643: The Polish Orthodox Church in 1924, and the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church in 1998. The majority of these disputes are a result of the expansion of the Russian Empire , which often included a subjugation of the Orthodox churches in conquered lands to the Moscow Patriarchate. Due to this, the Moscow Patriarchate often disputes the Ecumenical Patriarch's role as prime representative and spiritual leader of

3420-468: The emerging church , these doctrinal constraints have largely been cast off. Many theologians, pastors, and lay people from these traditions do not hold to uniquely Christocentric understandings of how God was in Christ. They engage deeply in interfaith dialogue as learners, not converters, and desire to celebrate as fully as possible the many paths to God. Much focus in Christian interfaith dialogue has been put on Christian–Jewish reconciliation . One of

3534-653: The "Great Church of Christ" and it was the touchstone and reference point for ecclesiastical affairs in the East, whether in terms of church government, relations with the state, or liturgical matters. In history and in canonical literature (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives ( πρεσβεία , presveía ) that other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have. Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references. The following

Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute - Misplaced Pages Continue

3648-590: The 19th century, particularly with the independence of Greece. In 1833, the Church of Greece declared its autocephaly, which was subsequently recognized by the patriarchate in 1850. In 1865, the Romanian Orthodox Church , against the protests of Constantinople, declared its independence, which was acknowledged in 1885. A year before Greece's autocephaly was self-proclaimed, the Serbian Orthodox Church

3762-681: The 59th General Assembly of the United Nations in 2005. It was co-sponsored by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan . In 2008, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury said: "Interfaith dialogue is absolutely essential, relevant, and necessary. ... If 2009 is to truly be the Year of Interfaith Cooperation , the U.N. urgently needs to appoint an interfaith representative at a senior level in the Secretariat." The Republic of

3876-563: The 65th UN General Assembly and proposed the idea for a ' World Interfaith Harmony Week ' to further broaden his goals of faith-driven world harmony by extending his call beyond the Muslim and Christian community to include people of all beliefs, those with no set religious beliefs as well. A few weeks later, HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad presented the proposal to the UN General Assembly, where it

3990-593: The Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, where a significant minority of Arabs are Christian. The Modern Orthodox movement allows narrow exchanges on social issues, while warning to be cautious in discussion of doctrine. Reform Judaism , Reconstructionist Judaism and Conservative Judaism encourage interfaith dialogue. Building positive relations between Jews and members of other religious communities has been an integral component of Reform Judaism's "DNA" since

4104-487: The Baháʼís, issued a letter to the religious leadership of all faiths in which it identified religious prejudice as one of the last remaining "isms" to be overcome, enjoining such leaders to unite in an effort to root out extreme and divisive religious intolerance. Buddhism has historically been open to other religions. Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda stated: Buddhism is a religion which teaches people to 'live and let live'. In

4218-550: The Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos . In accordance with the traditional custom at the time, Sultan Mehmed II allowed his troops and his entourage three full days of unbridled pillage and looting in the city shortly after it was captured. Once the three days passed, he would then claim its remaining contents for himself. However, by the end of the first day, he proclaimed that the looting should cease as he felt profound sadness when he toured

4332-572: The Chief Rabbi of Israel. In 2006, he met privately with Pope Benedict XVI . He has also met the late Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Robert Runcie , and other leaders of the Anglican Church in London, Gordon B. Hinckley , late President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), as well as senior Eastern Orthodox Church , Muslim , Hindu , Jewish , and Sikh officials. In 2010,

4446-643: The Conquest served for a while as a naval dockyard). Such rules, however, although very strict in the beginning, with time and the increasing importance in the Ottoman Empire of the Rum millet were increasingly disregarded, so that in the 19th century in Istanbul there was a veritable building boom of Orthodox churches, many among them having high bell towers and brick domes, both of which had previously been strictly Since 1586

4560-737: The Dalai Lama was joined by Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, and Islamic scholar Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University when Emory University 's Center for the Study of Law and Religion hosted a "Summit on Happiness". Traditional Christian doctrine

4674-570: The Ecumenical Patriarchate has had its headquarters in the Church of St George in the Fener (Phanar) district of Istanbul. The current territory of the Patriarchate is significantly reduced from what it was at its height. Its canonical territory currently includes most of modern Turkey , northern Greece and Mount Athos , the Dodecanese and Crete . By its interpretation of Canon 28 of Chalcedon, Constantinople also claims jurisdiction over all areas outside

Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute - Misplaced Pages Continue

4788-656: The Ecumenical Patriarchate, primarily in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America . The Patriarchate also enjoys an even greater majority in the United Kingdom . Furthermore, the Albanian, Rusyn and Ukrainian jurisdictions in America are also part of the Patriarchate. Most of the Patriarchate's funding does not come directly from its member churches but rather from the government of Greece, due to an arrangement whereby

4902-452: The Great moved his residence to the town renaming it Nova Roma ( Νέα Ῥώμη ), or "New Rome". Thenceforth, the importance of the church there grew, along with the influence of its bishop. Prior to the moving of the imperial capital, the bishop of Byzantium had been under the authority of the metropolitan of Heraclea , but from the 4th century on, he grew to become independent in his own right and even to exercise authority throughout what

5016-400: The Latins were astounded at the riches they found. Though the Venetians had an appreciation for the art which they discovered (they were themselves semi-Byzantines) and saved much of it, the French and others destroyed indiscriminately, halting to refresh themselves with wine, violation of nuns, and murder of Orthodox clerics. The Crusaders vented their hatred for the Greeks most spectacularly in

5130-423: The Lombard catepan of Italy , Argyrus , who had spent years in Constantinople, originally as a political prisoner. Patriarch Michael I Cerularius ordered a letter to be written to John, the Bishop of Trani in which he attacked the "Judaistic" practices of the West, namely the use of unleavened bread. The letter was to be sent by John to all the bishops of the West, including the Pope. John promptly complied and

5244-427: The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. As Bishop Kallistos Ware writes, "Even after 1054 friendly relations between East and West continued. The two parts of Christendom were not yet conscious of a great gulf of separation between them. […] The dispute remained something of which ordinary Christians in East and West were largely unaware". In fact, efforts were made in subsequent centuries by Popes and Patriarchs to heal

5358-427: The Orthodox seminaries in the Eastern United States. The Paul Manolis Distinguished Lecturer Series brings prominent Orthodox scholars from throughout the world. Previous lecturers include Metropolitan Kallistos Ware and former vice-rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, Fr. Robert Taft. The institute's Campus Ministry assists with the social and spiritual needs of Orthodox Christian students, and

5472-413: The Patriarch of Constantinople presided over the church in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its missionary activity that brought the Christian faith in its Byzantine form to many peoples north of the imperial borders. The cathedral church of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), was the center of religious life in the eastern Christian world. The Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be called

5586-399: The Patriarchate had transferred property it had owned to Greece. In exchange, the employees, including the clergy, of the Patriarchate are remunerated by the Greek government. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America provides substantial support through an annual contribution, known as the logia , and its institutions, including the American-based Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society and

5700-407: The Patriarchate into conflict with other Orthodox churches, as its role in the church is debated. The question centers around whether the Ecumenical Patriarchate is simply the most honored among the Orthodox churches or whether it has any real authority or prerogatives ( πρεσβεία , presveía ) that differ from the other autocephalous churches. This dispute is often between Constantinople and Moscow,

5814-454: The Philippines will host a Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development from March 16 to 18 in Manila. During the meeting, to be attended by ministers of foreign affairs of the NAM member countries, a declaration in support of interfaith dialogue initiatives will be adopted. An accompanying event will involve civil society activities. In 2010, HM King Abdullah II addressed

SECTION 50

#1732854575964

5928-411: The Turks, had they taken the city, would not have been as cruel as the Latin Christians. The defeat of Byzantium, already in a state of decline, accelerated political degeneration so that the Byzantines eventually became an easy prey to the Turks. The Crusading movement thus resulted, ultimately, in the victory of Islam, a result which was of course the exact opposite of its original intention. Meanwhile,

6042-444: The United States became more numerous, especially in the suburbs, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism , URJ) created a department mainly to promote positive Christian-Jewish relations and civic partnerships. Interfaith relations have since been expanded to include Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and members of other faith communities. In 2013, Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali coauthored

6156-407: The agency of the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. The iconoclast controversy returned in the early 9th century, only to be resolved once more in 843 during the regency of Empress Theodora, who restored the icons. The relations between the papacy and the Byzantine court were good in the years leading up to 1054. The emperor Constantine IX and the Pope Leo IX were allied through the mediation of

6270-411: The annual Summer Institute. The institute has been active with local history groups, working to collect, preserve, and share the history of the Greek-American community in the United States. Metropolitan Tarasios (Antonopoulos) was the most recent director of the Institute . The institute was incorporated as an Affiliate Member of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California in 1981, under

6384-449: The authority of the legates to issue such a bull is unclear. The legates left for Rome two days after issuing the bull of excommunication, leaving behind a city near riot. The patriarch had the immense support of the people against the emperor, who had supported the legates to his own detriment. To assuage popular anger, the bull was burnt, and the legates were anathematised . Only the legates were anathematised and, in this case too, there

6498-421: The beginning of the schism. The full schism was not actually consummated by the seemingly mutual excommunications. The New Catholic Encyclopedia reports that the legates had been careful not to intimate that the bull of excommunication implied a general excommunication of the Byzantine Church. The bull excommunicated only Cerularius, Leo of Achrida, and their adherents. Thus, the New Catholic Encyclopedia argues that

6612-433: The biblical "Sinaitic revelation" as "... the acknowledged law of God". Rabbi Leo Baeck , the leader of the German Jewish community who survived his incarceration in the Terezin concentration camp , offered these words in his 1949 presidential address to the World Union for Progressive Judaism in London: "...as in a great period of the Middle Ages, [Jews and Muslims] are ...almost compelled to face each other... not only in

6726-450: The canonically defined territories of other Orthodox churches, which includes the entire Western hemisphere , Oceania , the United Kingdom , Western Europe , Northeast Asia , Southeast Asia . This claim is disputed by other autocephalous churches with dioceses in those areas, as well as the Turkish government. The Orthodox presence in Turkey itself is small; however the majority of Orthodox in North America (about two-thirds) are under

6840-495: The challenge of conflicting passages in the Qur'an some of which support interfaith "bridge-building", but others can be used "justify mutual exclusion". In October 2010, as a representative of Shia Islam , Ayatollah Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad , professor at the Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran , addressed the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Catholic Bishops. In the address he spoke about "the rapport between Islam and Christianity" that has existed throughout

6954-405: The crusaders inflicted a severe sacking on Constantinople for three days, during which many ancient and medieval Roman and Greek works were either stolen or destroyed. Despite their oaths and the threat of excommunication, the Crusaders ruthlessly and systematically violated the city's holy sanctuaries, destroying, defiling, or stealing all they could lay hands on; nothing was spared. It was said that

SECTION 60

#1732854575964

7068-401: The day the Turks made a great slaughter of Christians through the city". According to historian Philip Mansel , widespread persecution of the city's civilian inhabitants took place, resulting in thousands of murders and rapes, and 30,000 civilians being enslaved or forcibly deported. George Sphrantzes says that people of both genders were raped inside Hagia Sophia . After Constantinople

7182-471: The declaration Dominus Iesus nevertheless reaffirms the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ in the spiritual and cultural identity of Christians, rejecting various forms of syncretism . Pope John Paul II was a major advocate of interfaith dialogue, promoting meetings in Assisi in the 1980s. Pope Benedict XVI took a more moderate and cautious approach, stressing the need for intercultural dialogue, but reasserting Christian theological identity in

7296-413: The defense of Orthodox Christian traditions. Prominent issues for the Ecumenical Patriarchate's policy in the 21st century include the safety of the believers in the Middle East , reconciliation of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches, and the reopening of the Theological School of Halki , which was closed down by the Turkish authorities in 1971. In the year 330 the Roman Emperor Constantine

7410-453: The desecration of the greatest Church in Christendom. They smashed the silver iconostasis, the icons and the holy books of Hagia Sophia, and seated upon the patriarchal throne a whore who sang coarse songs as they drank wine from the Church's holy vessels. The estrangement of East and West, which had proceeded over the centuries, culminated in the horrible massacre that accompanied the conquest of Constantinople. The Greeks were convinced that even

7524-451: The dispute need not have produced a permanent schism any more than excommunication of any "contumacious bishop". The schism began to develop when all the other Eastern patriarchs supported Cerularius. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, it was the support of Emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos that impelled them to support Cerularius. Some have questioned the validity of the bull on the grounds that Pope Leo IX had died at that time and so

7638-586: The establishment of peace. The Ahmadiyya Community has been organising interfaith events locally and nationally in various parts of the world in order to develop a better atmosphere of love and understanding between faiths. Various speakers are invited to deliver a talk on how peace can be established from their own or religious perspectives. In her 2008 book The Im-Possibility of Interreligious Dialogue , Catherine Cornille outlines her preconditions for "constructive and enriching dialogue between religions". In summary, they include "doctrinal humility, commitment to

7752-441: The existence of the believer" but instead is a "profound and indispensable expression ... [of] faith [that] is not intransigent, but grows in coexistence that respects the other." In traditional Christian doctrine, the value of inter-religious dialogue had been confined to acts of love and understanding toward others either as anonymous Christians or as potential converts. In mainline Protestant traditions, however, as well as in

7866-458: The faith have encouraged this, including specific verses in the Quran, such as: "O people! Behold, we have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware" [Qur'an 49:13]. In recent times, Muslim theologians have advocated inter-faith dialogue on

7980-418: The followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship". Baháʼís are often at the forefront of local inter-faith activities and efforts. Through the Baháʼí International Community agency, the Baháʼís also participate at a global level in inter-religious dialogue both through and outside of the United Nations processes. In 2002 the Universal House of Justice , the global governing body of

8094-415: The founding of the Interfaith and Interreligious Studies Group at the American Academy of Religion , Office of Religion and Global Affairs at the United States Department of State , and a call for an interfaith studies field was published by Eboo Patel , founder of Interfaith Youth Core , who subsequently helped the funding of academic programs at U.S. universities. Academic journals were started, including

8208-599: The history of Islam as one of "friendship, respect and mutual understanding". In 2013, Rabbi Marc Schneier (Jewish) and Imam Shamsi Ali (Muslim) coauthored a book Sons of Abraham with the subtitle A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims . As Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali show, "by reaching a fuller understanding of one another's faith traditions, Jews and Muslims can realize that they are actually more united than divided in their core beliefs". By their fuller understanding, they became "defenders of each other's religion, denouncing

8322-502: The history of the world, there is no evidence to show that Buddhists have interfered or done any damage to any other religion in any part of the world for the purpose of introducing their religion. Buddhists do not regard the existence of other religions as a hindrance to worldly progress and peace. The fourteenth century Zen master Gasan Joseki indicated that the Gospels were written by an enlightened being: The 14th Dalai Lama has done

8436-462: The importance of the position of Constantinople's church at the center of the Roman Empire, affairs involving the various churches outside Constantinople's direct authority came to be discussed in the capital, particularly where the intervention of the emperor was desired. The patriarch naturally became a liaison between the emperor and bishops traveling to the capital, thus establishing the position of

8550-412: The individual and institutional levels. Throughout the world there are local, regional, national and international interfaith initiatives; many are formally or informally linked and constitute larger networks or federations. The often quoted statement "There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions"

8664-505: The influence of the patriarchate at its capital. This influence came to be enshrined in Orthodox canon law , to such an extent that it was elevated even beyond more ancient patriarchates: Canon 3 of the First Council of Constantinople (381) stated that the bishop of that city "shall have primacy of honor after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is the New Rome." In its disputed 28th Canon,

8778-517: The largest Orthodox church in terms of population, especially as expressed in the Third Rome theory which places Moscow in the place of Constantinople as the center of world Orthodoxy. Such disputes sometimes result in temporary breaks in full communion , though usually not for very long. The relationship between Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire was frequently bitter, due in no small part to

8892-1077: The leadership of (then) Bishop Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco and The Very Reverend Dr. Leonidas Contos. In 1987 the Alexander G. Spanos Chair of Eastern Orthodox Christian Studies was established through a generous donation by Alexander and Faye Spanos. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( Greek : Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως , romanized :  Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos , IPA: [ikumeniˈkon patriarˈçion konstandinuˈpoleos] ; Latin : Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constantinopolitanus ; Turkish : Rum Ortodoks Patrikhanesi, İstanbul Ekümenik Patrikhanesi , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul")

9006-555: The legates' authority legally ceased, but they effectively ignored this technicality. In response to Michael's refusal to address the issues at hand, the legatine mission took the extreme measure of entering the church of the Hagia Sophia during the Divine Liturgy and placing a bull of excommunication on the altar. The events of the East-West Schism are generally dated from the acts of 1054. However, these events only triggered

9120-454: The letter was passed to Humbert of Mourmoutiers , the cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida , who translated the letter into Latin and brought it to the Pope, who ordered a reply to be made to each charge and a defence of papal supremacy to be laid out in a response. Although he was hot-headed, Michael was convinced to cool the debate and thus attempt to prevent the impending breach. However, Humbert and

9234-620: The looted and enslaved city. Hagia Sophia was not exempted from the pillage and looting and specifically became its focal point as the invaders believed it to contain the greatest treasures and valuables of the city. Shortly after the defence of the Walls of Constantinople collapsed and the Ottoman troops entered the city victoriously, the pillagers and looters made their way to the Hagia Sophia and battered down its doors before storming in. Throughout

9348-509: The movement was founded in Germany during the early 19th century, according to Rabbi A. James Rudin. It began with Israel Jacobson, a layman and pioneer in the development of what emerged as Reform Judaism, who established an innovative religious school in Sessen, Germany in 1801 that initially had 40 Jewish and 20 Christian students. "Jacobson's innovation of a 'mixed' student body reflected his hopes for

9462-579: The name interbelief dialogue , while other proponents have proposed the term interpath dialogue , to avoid implicitly excluding atheists, agnostics, humanists, and others with no religious faith but with ethical or philosophical beliefs, as well as to be more accurate concerning many world religions that do not place the same emphasis on "faith" as do some Western religions. Similarly, pluralistic rationalist groups have hosted public reasoning dialogues to transcend all worldviews (whether religious, cultural or political), termed transbelief dialogue . To some,

9576-522: The ninth and tenth centuries. Córdoba was "one of the most important cities in the history of the world". In it, "Christians and Jews were involved in the Royal Court and the intellectual life of the city". Thus, there is "a history of Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other religious traditions living together in a pluralistic society". Turning to the present, Hussain writes that in spite of Islam's history of "pluralism and interfaith dialogue", Muslims now face

9690-737: The oldest successful dialogues between Jews and Christians has been taking place in Mobile, Alabama . It began in the wake of the call of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) of the Roman Catholic Church for increased understanding between Christians and Jews. The organization has recently moved its center of activity to Spring Hill College , a Catholic Jesuit institution of higher learning located in Mobile. Reconciliation has been successful on many levels, but has been somewhat complicated by

9804-473: The patriarch as one involving the unity of the whole Church, particularly in the East. In turn, the affairs of the Constantinopolitan church were overseen not just by the patriarch, but also by synods held including visiting bishops. This pan-Orthodox synod came to be referred to as the ἐνδημοῦσα σύνοδος ( endemousa synodos , " resident synod "). The resident synod not only governed the business of

9918-493: The patriarch in determining the affairs of the possessions under his jurisdiction. The synod first developed from what was referred to as the resident synod , composed of the patriarch, local bishops, and any Orthodox bishops who were visiting in the imperial capital of Constantinople. After the fall of Constantinople , the synod's membership became limited to bishops of the patriarchate. The Holy and Sacred Synod, presided over by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,

10032-408: The patriarchate but also examined questions pertinent to the whole Church as well as the eastern half of the old empire. The patriarch thus came to have the title of Ecumenical , which referenced not a universal episcopacy over other bishops but rather the position of the patriarch as at the center of the oikoumeni , the "household" of the empire. As the Roman Empire stabilized and grew, so did

10146-508: The patriarchate but, from 1448, the Russian church came to function independently. Within decades after the Fall of Constantinople to Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire on 29 May 1453, some were nominating Moscow as the "Third Rome" , or the "New Rome". In 1589, 141 years later, Constantinople came to recognize Russia's independence and led the Eastern Orthodox Church in declaring Russia also to be

10260-631: The period of the siege of Constantinople , the trapped worshippers of the city participated in the Divine Liturgy and the Prayer of the Hours at the Hagia Sophia and the church formed a safe-haven and a refuge for many of those who were unable to contribute to the city's defence, which comprised women, children, elderly, the sick and the wounded. Being trapped in the church, the many congregants and yet more refugees inside became spoils-of-war to be divided amongst

10374-572: The pope made no concessions and the former was sent with legatine powers to the imperial capital to solve the questions raised once and for all. Humbert, Frederick of Lorraine , and Peter, Archbishop of Amalfi , arrived in April 1054 and were met with a hostile reception; they stormed out of the palace, leaving the papal response with Michael, who in turn was even more angered by their actions. The patriarch refused to recognise their authority or, practically, their existence. When Pope Leo died on April 19, 1054,

10488-412: The present has been bluntly presented: "We human beings today face a stark choice: dialogue or death!" More broadly, interfaith dialogue and action have occurred over many centuries: The United States Institute of Peace published works on interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding including a Special Report on Evaluating Interfaith Dialogue Religious intolerance persists The above section recounts

10602-520: The privilege given to Islam . requires by law that the Patriarch be a Turkish citizen by birth, which all Patriarchs have been since 1923 – all ethnic Greeks from the decreasing Greek minority of Turkey , which is causing a shortage of priests and consequently potential candidates for the post of Ecumenical Patriarch. The closing of the Orthodox Theological School of Halki

10716-812: The range of Jewish views on such subjects as mission and the holy land. Islam has long encouraged dialogue to reach truth. Dialogue is particularly encouraged amongst the People of the Book (Jews, Christians and Muslims) as the Quran states, "Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]" [3:64]. Many traditional and religious texts and customs of

10830-509: The rest of his life, Muhammad was "engaged in interfaith dialogue" and "pluralism and interfaith dialogue" have always been important to Islam. For example, when some of Muhammad's followers suffered "physical persecution" in Mecca , he sent them to Abyssinia , a Christian nation, where they were "welcomed and accepted" by the Christian king. Another example is Córdoba, Andalusia in Muslim Spain, in

10944-422: The revelation of Jesus of Nazareth in a book published with Marcello Pera in 2004. In 2013, Pope Francis became the first Catholic leader to call for "sincere and rigorous" interbelief dialogue with atheists, both to counter the assertion that Christianity is necessarily an "expression of darkness of superstition that is opposed to the light of reason", and to assert that "dialogue is not a secondary accessory of

11058-463: The rift between the churches. However, a number of factors and historical events worked to widen the separation over time. The Fourth Crusade in exchange for promised funds attempted to help the deposed emperor Alexius IV regain his throne. After taking Constantinople, returning Alexius IV to the throne, the revolt against and murder of Alexius IV left the Crusaders without payment. On 12 April 1204,

11172-604: The sack of Constantinople by the Frankish and Venetian Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade: The Latin soldiery subjected the greatest city in Europe to an indescribable sack. For three days they murdered, raped, looted and destroyed on a scale which even the ancient Vandals and Goths would have found unbelievable. Constantinople had become a veritable museum of ancient and Byzantine art, an emporium of such incredible wealth that

11286-435: The sacred texts of Islam and Christianity". A 2003 book called Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism contains a chapter by Amir Hussain on "Muslims, Pluralism, and Interfaith Dialogue" in which he shows how interfaith dialogue has been an integral part of Islam from its beginning. Hussain writes that "Islam would not have developed if it had not been for interfaith dialogue". From his "first revelation" for

11400-527: The seat for the Ecumenical Patriarch, who enjoys the status of primus inter pares (first among equals) among the world's Eastern Orthodox prelates and is regarded as the representative and spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Ecumenical Patriarchate promotes the expansion of the Christian faith and Eastern Orthodox doctrine , and the Ecumenical Patriarchs are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue , charitable work, and

11514-530: The sphere of policy [the State of Israel in the Middle East], but also in the sphere of religion; there is the great hope... they will ...meet each other on joint roads, in joint tasks, in joint confidences in the future. There is the great hope that Judaism can thus become the builder of a bridge, the 'pontifex' between East and West." In the 1950s and 60s, as interfaith civic partnerships between Jews and Christians in

11628-614: The spiritual, administrative, fiscal, cultural and legal jurisdiction of the Patriarchate. Some of the other patriarchs came at various points to live permanently in Constantinople and function as part of the local church government. This situation, according to some of the Orientalists and historians, shows the Pax Ottomana (or Pax Ottomanica , literally "the Ottoman Peace"). The Russian Orthodox Church , which for centuries had been

11742-497: The term interreligious dialogue has the same meaning as interfaith dialogue. The World Council of Churches states: "Following the lead of the Roman Catholic Church, other churches and Christian religious organizations, such as the World Council of Churches, have increasingly opted to use the word interreligious rather than interfaith to describe their own bilateral and multilateral dialogue and engagement with other religions. [...]

11856-565: The term interreligious is preferred because we are referring explicitly to dialogue with those professing religions – who identify themselves explicitly with a religious tradition and whose work has a specific religious affiliation and is based on religious foundations." History records examples of interfaith initiatives throughout the ages, with varying levels of success in establishing one of three types of "dialogue" to engender, as recently described, either understanding, teamwork, or tolerance: The historical effectiveness of interfaith dialogue

11970-543: The time Jews, Muslims and Christians have remained ignorant about each other, or worse, especially in the case of Christians and Muslims, attacked each other." In contrast, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University says, "Every religious tradition has grown through the ages in dialogue and historical interaction with others. Christians, Jews, and Muslims have been part of one another's histories, have shared not only villages and cities, but ideas of God and divine revelation." The importance of Abrahamic interfaith dialogue in

12084-410: The total amount looted from Constantinople was about 900,000 silver marks. The Venetians received 150,000 silver marks that was their due, while the Crusaders received 50,000 silver marks. A further 100,000 silver marks were divided evenly up between the Crusaders and Venetians. The remaining 500,000 silver marks were secretly kept back by many Crusader knights. Nicetas Choniates gives a vivid account of

12198-436: The triumphant invaders. The building was desecrated and looted, with the helpless occupants who sought shelter within the church being enslaved. While most of the elderly and the infirm/wounded and sick were killed, and the remainder (mainly teenage males and young boys) were chained up and sold into slavery. The women of Constantinople also suffered from rape at the hands of Ottoman forces. According to Barbaro, "all through

12312-478: The twin threats of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and promoting interfaith cooperation". In the book, regarding the state of Jewish-Muslim dialogue, although Rabbi Schneier acknowledges a "tremendous growth", he does not think that "we are where we want to be". The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was founded in 1889. Its members "exceeding tens of millions" live in 206 countries. It rejects "terrorism in any form". It broadcasts its "message of peace and tolerance" over

12426-440: The world's Orthodox Christians, citing that it represents the numerically largest Orthodox community. As a ruling institution, the Ottoman Empire brought regulations on how the cities would be built (quality reassurances) and how the architecture (structural integrity, social needs, etc.) should be shaped. Special restrictions were imposed concerning the construction, renovation, size and usage of bells in churches. For example, in

12540-652: Was adopted unanimously as a UN Observance Event. The first week of February, every year, has been declared a UN World Interfaith Harmony Week. The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre released a document which summarises the key events leading up to the UN resolution as well as documenting some Letters of Support and Events held in honour of the week. In the emerging field of Interreligious studies , historians, sociologists, and other scholars have conducted research on interfaith dialogue activities, methods, and outcomes. Notably, in 2013, there were several academic initiatives, including

12654-501: Was formulated by Hans Küng , a Professor of Ecumenical Theology and President of the Global Ethic Foundation. Interfaith dialogue forms a major role in the study of religion and peacebuilding . The Archdiocese of Chicago 's Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs defines "the difference between ecumenical , interfaith, and interreligious relations", as follows: Some interfaith dialogues have more recently adopted

12768-561: Was named autocephalous by the local secular government but Constantinople refused recognition until 1879. In 1860 the Bulgarians de facto seceded from the Ecumenical Patriarchate; in 1870 the Bulgarian church was politically recognized as autonomous under the name Bulgarian Exarchate by the Sultan's firman, but it was not until 1945 that it was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1922,

12882-560: Was no explicit indication that the entire Western church was being anathematised. In the bull of excommunication issued against Patriarch Michael I Cerularius by the papal legates, one of the reasons cited was the alleged deletion by the Eastern Church of the "Filioque" from the original Nicene Creed. In fact, it was precisely the opposite: the Eastern Church had not deleted anything; it was the Western Church that had added this phrase to

12996-720: Was overrun by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Patriarchate came to care more directly for all the Orthodox living in the Ottoman Empire . Mehmed II appointed Gennadios II Scholarios as the Patriarch in 1454 and designated him as the spiritual leader as well as the ethnarch or, in Turkish, milletbashi of all the Orthodox Christians in the Empire, regardless of ethnic origin; not only Greeks, but also Bulgarians , Serbs , Albanians , Wallachians , Moldavians , Croatis , Syrians , orthodox Arabs , Georgians and Lazs came under

#963036