Metropolitan Hilarion chairs Round Table meeting of 6th International Theological Conference
On 18 November 2010, the last day of the 6th International Theological Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church on “Life in Christ”, a Round Table meeting on topical problems of common Orthodox witness to the world was held. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the DECR chairman, chaired the meeting and delivered a report on “The Meaning of Monasticism for Orthodoxy at present.”
While opening the meeting, the DECR chairman noted that “theology, its development and ability to give an Orthodox answer to the new and sometimes difficult problems and challenges of modern life is undoubtedly a subject of common concern and responsibility of all Orthodox Churches and all Orthodox community, as Orthodox theology is universal.”
Taking part in the Round Table meeting were representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church which was represented by Bishop Serafim of Bobruisk and Bykhov; professor archpriest Vladimir Bashkirov of the Minsk Theological Academy; archpriest Vladimir Shmaliy, vice-rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Postgraduate and Doctoral School of the Russian Orthodox Church; Rev. Mikhail Zheltov, head of the chair of practical science of the same school; executive editor of the “Church Herald” newspaper S. Chapnin, and others.
The participants underscored the importance of apostolic preaching in the modern world as it shows spiritual richness of Orthodoxy to people and discussed problems of Orthodox theology in different countries.