Pitesti: study seminar ... but not only
(7-9 maggio 2008)
The cooperation of ISE with other study centres is becoming an established habit.
At Pitesti, in Rumania, four professors from our Institute (Giraldo, Burigana, Syty and Vetrali) participated with their contribution to an international symposium organized by our Institute and by the Faculty of Theology from the University of Pitesti. Professors from nine of the fourteen Orthodox theological faculties of Rumania also attended. The date chosen (7-9 May) was fortuitous, as it coincided with the ninth anniversary of the meeting in Rumania between Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Teocrist, reason enough to schedule it as a permanent date for future annual symposia.
The theme of the symposium was: 'Itineraries and contents of an Ecumenical formation'. The broad topic allowed the participants to point out methodologies and subjects for the continuation of the dialogue, beginning with some unavoidable assumptions like: mutual understanding, overcoming many stereotypes, listening without prejudice, in order to share the treasures of one own traditions.
The meeting place was the historic Bratianu cultural Centre (Villa Florica) immersed in a forest on a hill in the suburbs of Pitesti, and this favoured the working progress. But the keen presence of the host, Bishop Calinic of Curtea de Arges, with his persona and consistent encouragement and call to love and joy, really created an atmosphere of serene fraternity.
The professors from ISE offered the following contributions: Ecumenism: from the crisis of mission to the misinterpretation of identity (Tecle Vetrali); The papal supremacy in an Ecumenical perspective (Roberto Giraldo); A truly Ecumenical history? Projects for a history of a truly Ecumenical Church (Riccardo Burigana); The Church as sacrament in the Ecumenical documents (Janusz Syty); Pompeo Piva, who was prevented from coming due to health reasons, sent his paper on Debate on ethics in the Ecumenical movement.
At the end of the seminar the topic for next year was selected: The Church according to the New Testament and the first Fathers.
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