Teaching

I am teaching seven courses this coming academic year 2023-2024. Please sign up and follow the courses on the University website (ecclas.uoa.gr). If you have any specific questions about course topics, feel free to message through ecclas.uoa.gr. Also you can follow the open academic courses, opencourses.uoa.gr.

Undergraduate Program - Department of Theology, NKUA: "General Church History I".

Semester: Winter

Offered: 2023-24. Required.

The course has a fundamental and preparatory character, it contributes to the understanding of both the action of ecclesiastical figures from the first centuries, as well as the Christian experience, as theory and practice, with the parallel deepening of the historical context and the use of basic theological terms and concepts.

The reception of the historical process that was the ripe fruit of many struggles against heterodoxy, but also facilitated by the selective selection of elements from the rich heritage of classical Greek antiquity, which was used as the instrument par excellence for recording and projecting content of the Christian faith. It is not a simple citation of historical events, but mainly as an objective and with a strict methodology complex presentation of the self-awareness of the Church expressed through historical events synchronously and through time.

The "General Church History I" course now covers a long period of the Church's progress in the world, which begins on the day of Pentecost and ends with the fall of Constantinople by the Ottomans (1453). With a key methodological criterion being the normal consciousness of the persons responsible for dealing with occasional ecclesiastical crises, the foundation of the Church and the spread of the Gospel message are presented, the Polity of the Ancient Church is examined, but also the various attempts to alter the apostolic preaching and split it unity.

A dominant position is held by the seven Ecumenical Councils, through which doctrinal truths were formulated and answers were given with direct reference to the life and organization of the ecclesiastical body. The events and synods convened from the 8th to the 10th century do not develop only in the context of the Eastern Church, but cover issues of the whole of Christianity. The individual topics cover a wide range of issues related to the overall dialogue that develops within the course.

The possible ignorance or misunderstanding of the ecclesiastical conditions or criteria, which were in force during the formation of the specific historical events, limits the universality of the perspectives of the idiosyncratic ecclesiastical events and consequently does not attribute their true meaning to the genetic sequence of historical changes.

The Course is complemented by rich supporting material (notes, texts, etc.) and by the use of audio-visual media.

Students are assessed with final written or oral exams. In addition, optional assignments or presentations within the course contribute to the assessment.

Undergraduate Program - Department of Theology, NKUA: "Principles and Institutions of Church Administration".

Semester: Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

The aim of the Course is for the students to recognize that the tragic ecclesiastical and ecclesiological consequences of the schism of the 11th century (1054), but also of the Reformation afterwards, became fully conscious after the interruption of the communion of the Churches of the East and West, because the papal throne lost the normal ecumenical radiation of the "first throne" over the entire Church due to the institution of the Pentaarchy of the patriarchs, while the patriarchal thrones of the East lost the solidarity synodical cooperation of the papal throne within the framework of the institution of the Pentaarchy of the patriarchs.

Undergraduate Program - Department of Theology, NKUA: "Christian Constantinople".

Semester: Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

The course has a constructive character, it contributes to the understanding of both the action of ecclesiastical figures from the first centuries, as well as the Christian experience, as theory and practice, in the new capital of the empire and the formation of New Rome as a political, ecclesiastical and spiritual center. The reception of the historical process of the transformation of a pagan city into a huge ecclesiastical and spiritual center. Understanding the institutional functions that contributed to the continuous development of the Christian identity of the City is the expected result.

The transformation of the emblematic city of Byzantium into the new capital of a changing empire, and its transformation specifically into "Christian Constantinople", is a journey that the whole world was invited to follow.

The foundation of the city of Byzantium and the pagan environment; the Roman period and its importance.
The establishment of the Apostolic Church of Byzantium and the persecutions of the Ancient Church in Byzantium.
The foundation of New Rome and its religious composition. The rebuilding of Christian churches and Martyrs; the Church of the Holy Apostles and Constantine the Great.
The creation of the Archbishopric of Constantinople and the Arian strife.
The new Imperial idea, the Emperor, the Church and the people of Constantinople.
Regime factors and their Importance for the City.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Hagia Sophia, its function and its importance.
The Monasteries of Vasilevousa
The lot of the City
The property of the Church
The charitable and educational work of the church of Constantinople
The establishment of the City as Christian.

The Course is complemented by rich supporting material (notes, texts, etc.) and by the use of audio-visual media.

Students are assessed with final written or oral exams. In addition, optional assignments or presentations within the course contribute to the assessment.

Master of Orthodox Theology - Department of Theology, NKUA: "The expansion of Christian faith and the importance of Martyrs in the Ancient Church".

Semester I: Winter

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

Master of Orthodox Theology - Department of Theology, NKUA: "The Iconoclastic Controversy: Antecedents, Protagonists and Consequences".

Semester II: Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

Master for "Greece: Church History and Culture", AUTh - NKUA: "Administration and Organization of the Church of Greece".

Semester II: Winter

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum

Semester II: Winter - Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

The seminar is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students who have a special interest in Church History. Within the framework of an annual cycle of meetings, which always centered on a theme, that is the presence of the participants in the annual Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum.

Since the academic year 2011-2012 the Seminar has been held with the co-organizer of the "Historical branch of History, Dogma, Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations" of the Department of Social Theology and Christian Culture of the AUTh, with Professor Vasilios Koukousas in charge, Professor of Church History Sources, and Ioannis Baka, Associate Professor of the History of the Old Patriarchates. From the academic year 2016-2017 the "Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum" in Thessaloniki is an activity of the Laboratory of History, Politics, Diplomacy and Geography of the Church, "EUSEBIUS LAB".

The Seminar aims to create a nursery of young scientists who are distinguished for their special interest in the issue of Church History. At the same time, it wishes to instill a spirit of cooperation among the graduate students and to give them a platform where they can announce their research.

It has organized the following Conferences untill today:

Meeting of Anafi, "Asking for St. Dionysius Areopagite", Thursday 27 - Sunday 30 October 2011, Holy Patriarchal and Cross Monastery of Prophet Helios Thera - Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi Anafis).
2nd Meeting of Anafi, "Saint Mary Magdalene: Life and Tradition" , July 10-12, 2012, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi Anafis).
3rd Meeting of Anafi, "Martyrs and Saints of Byzantium", August 27-29, 2013, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigis Anafi).
International Meeting of Halki, "Martyrs and Saints of Byzantium", 1-2 December 2013, Holy Trinity Monastery of Halki - Holy Theological School of Halki.
4th International Meeting of Anafi, "The Sicily of the Greeks (Saints and Ecclesiastical Personalities)", August 29-31, 2014, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigis Anafi).
Rome International Conference, "In the Ancient Rome of the Greeks", 12-14 December 2014, Sant'Egidio and Palazzo Leopardi, Trastevere, Rome.
5th International Meeting of Anafi, "Greater Greece: Calabria - Apulia - Campania", August 28-30, 2015, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigis Anafi).
6th International Meeting of Anafi, "Ravenna; between the West and the East", August 27-30, 2016, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi Anafi).
International Conference, "History and Orthodoxy: methodological criteria and ecclesiastical consciousness in dealing with crises", Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum, October 28-31, 2016, Holy Sanctuary of the Holy Forerunner Akritochorio, Serres.
International Conference, "Christian Thrace", Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum, June 9-11, 2017, St. Monastery of Saint Maximus Kaufsokalyvitou (Papikion Mountain) - St. Diocese of Maroneia and Komotini.
7th International Meeting of Anafi, "The Roman Milan of Christians", August 23-28, 2017, Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa (Monastery of the Living Spring) Anafi.
8th International Meeting of the Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum, "Venice, the new Alexandria", 30 August – 2 September 2018, Holy Metropolis of Paronaxia, Naxos.
9th International Meeting of the Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum, "The Johannine Tradition of the Church of the East", October 26-29, 2019, Kalamata.
10th International Meeting of the Studium Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum, "Hagia Sophia: the center of Christianity", 4 - 6 November 2022, Kalavryta.

Anyone interested in participating should contact with my Office.

Colloquium of Church History.

Semester II: Winter - Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Required.

Every second Monday, the PhD Candidates and Postdoctoral Researchers which I supervising, participate in a scientific meeting where they take turns developing topics of their dissertation, followed by a thorough discussion and analysis.

Academic Expeditions to Mount Athos.

Semester II: Winter - Spring

Offered: 2023-24. Free Choice.

As part of the Course, an Educational - Research Mission to Mount Athos is organized every semester, so that the students can gain the experience of the spiritual life of the Orthodox Church and get to know the wealth that Mount Athos saves.

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