The Very Reverend Maximos Vgenopoulos is currently the Grand
Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Patriarch. He completed his doctoral
studies in systematic theology at the University of London
(Heythrop College) in 2008, and has served the Ecumenical
Patriarchate as a participant in the Joint International Commission
for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church 2007-present),
and as the Codicographer of the Holy and Sacred Synod
(1995-2005).
HIS ALL-HOLINESS ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of
Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, is the spiritual
leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world and
270th successor to St. Andrew the Apostle, founder of the Church of
Constantinople.
A fine theological study of the concept and practice of primacy of
the bishop of Rome-one of the thorniest issues in the history of
relations between the Western and Eastern Churches. Fr. Maximos has
clearly mastered the subject and produced a significant
contribution to the field of ecclesiology, providing a fresh
approach from an Orthodox Christian perspective, particularly as
this has been shaped over the last century by prominent Orthodox
(both Greek and Russian) theologians.--Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis,
Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne, and author of Light through
Darkness: The Orthodox Tradition
Archdeacon Maximos Vgenopoulos is from his daily ministry familiar
with the intense ecumenical relations between Rome and
Constantinople. This book takes up the central point of the
controversy and outlines fundamental principles of ecclesiology,
many of which are unknown to theologians on both sides. This book
opens up new horizons for the dialogue and is a precious
contribution for a better and deeper mutual understanding in order
to move step by step from controversy to communion. I congratulate
him on this excellent and valuable scholarship. -Walter Cardinal
Kasper, Formerly President of the Pontifical Council for Christian
Unity, Vatican City
This is a very valuable book with particular relevance for the
current discussions on the subject of primacy in the Church. It
contains careful and original research in historical sources not
studied before, which are placed in the theological perspective of
eucharistic ecclesiology. This book constitutes a significant
contribution to the ongoing official theological dialogue between
the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Churches. We warmly recommend
it for reading by all those interested in ecclesiology.
-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon
Vgenopoulos gives us an informative and fair analysis of the
Orthodox understanding of primacy emerging from Vatican I and II.
One of the strengths of the book is that he accesses Greek-language
sources that are not available to an English-speaking audience, and
which are necessary for a fuller account of Orthodox reactions to
Catholic notions of primacy. This book is an important contribution
to a timely issue.--Aristotle Papanikolaou, Fordham University
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