In the name of the Triune God and with the blessing and guidance of our Churches, the International Commission for Anglican\u2013Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD) met in Jerusalem from the 5th to the 11th of October 2023, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the first full meeting of the Commission in 1973.<\/p>\n
This meeting was hosted by the Anglican Communion, and the members of the Commission are grateful for the generous hospitality and welcome received from His Grace, The Most Revd Dr Hosam Naoum, Archbishop in Jerusalem and Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The Commission was also graciously received by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in the old City of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
The meeting was curtailed by the outbreak of military conflict in southern Israel and Gaza which extended into northern Israel. This resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and very many wounded. This tragic situation dominated our prayers during the meeting.<\/p>\n
Building on previous agreed statements, particularly the Buffalo Statement on Christian anthropology, the Commission discussed at length substantially concluded an agreed statement on Organ Donation: A Hope-Filled Gift (the Jerusalem Statement)<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The work of the Commission was undergirded by daily prayer and worship. The Commission attended the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist in St George\u2019s Anglican Cathedral, Jerusalem, and a celebration of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy in the Golgotha Chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.<\/p>\n
The Commission was blessed with visits to holy sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem as well as a solidarity visit to Mount Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration, in Galilee. Visits to other holy sites were curtailed due to the outbreak of military conflict.<\/p>\n
The work of the Commission will proceed at its next meeting in October 2024 in Boston, hosted by the Huffington Ecumenical Institute, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Commission identified the Mission of the Church in the World Today and Christian Formation as topics to consider at its next meeting, as well as a publication to mark the jubilee of the Commission outlining its history and achievements.<\/p>\n
Members of the Commission present at the meeting<\/b><\/p>\n
The Rt Revd Michael Lewis
\nThe Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & the Middle East
\nAnglican Co-Chairman<\/p>\n
His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium
\nEcumenical Patriarchate
\nOrthodox Co-Chairman<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Orthodox Church<\/b><\/p>\n
His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim of Zimbabwe and Angola
\nPatriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa<\/p>\n
The Revd Fr Jonathan A. Hemmings
\nPatriarchate of Antioch and all the East
\nThe Very Revd Professor Dr Protopresbyter George Dion Dragas
\nPatriarchate of Jerusalem<\/p>\n
Professor Dr Bogdan Lubardi\u0107
\nPatriarchate of Serbia<\/p>\n
His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon of T\u00e2rgovi\u015fte
\nPatriarchate of Romania<\/p>\n
The Very Revd Professor Dr Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze
\nPatriarchate of Georgia<\/p>\n
His Eminence Nektarios, Metropolitan of Kition
\nChurch of Cyprus<\/p>\n
Emeritus Professor Dr Miltiadis Konstantinou
\nChurch of Greece<\/p>\n
Dr Nathan Hoppe
\nChurch of Albania<\/p>\n
The Very Revd Dr Protopresbyter Christos B Christakis
\nEcumenical Patriarchate
\nCo-Secretary<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Anglican Communion<\/b><\/p>\n
The Most Revd Dr Phillip Aspinall
\nThe Anglican Church of Australia<\/p>\n
The Rt Revd Dr Humberto Maiztegui Gon\u00e7alves
\nThe Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil<\/p>\n
The Revd Canon Philip Hobson
\nThe Anglican Church of Canada<\/p>\n
The Rt Revd Graham Usher
\nThe Church of England<\/p>\n
The Revd Canon Dr Alison Joyce
\nThe Church of England<\/p>\n
The Most Revd Dr Hosam Naoum
\nThe Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & the Middle East<\/p>\n
The Revd Dr Christopher Beeley
\nThe Episcopal Church<\/p>\n
The Revd Neil Vigers
\nAnglican Communion Office
\nCo-Secretary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"