Metropolitan Stylianos Harkianakis - bishop and theologian in the service of reconciling the Churches

Wacław Hryniewicz

Metropolitan Stylianos Harkianakis

-bishop and theologian in the service

of reconciling the Churches

Collectanea Theologica 57/Fasciculus specialis, 25-32

C o lle c ta n e a T h e o lo g ic a 57 (1987) fa sc . sp e c ia lis W A C Ł A W H R Y N IEW IC Z OMI, LUBLIN

METROPOLITAN STYLIANOS HARKIANAKIS — BISHOP AND THEOLOGIAN

IN THE SERVICE OF RECONCILING THE CHURCHES*

As a p a rtic ip a n t in th e d ialo gu e b e tw e en th e Rom an C atholic C hurch and th e O rth o d o x C hu rch I w ould like first to e x p re s s my g re a t jo y of g ran tin g this h o n o ra ry d o c to ra te to th e tw o chairm en of th e J o in t C om m ission, in rec o g n itio n of th e ir g re a t c o n trib u tio n to th e re c o n c iliatio n of th e C hurches, as w ell as for th e ir e x c ep tio n a l resp o n sib lity for th e sh ap e of th e C h ristia n ity of tom orro w . W e a re ap p ro a c h in g th e e n d of th e seco n d m illenium of C h urch h isto ry w hich h a s w itn esse d th e g re a te s t divisions am ong th e C hristians. A t th e sam e tim e, th e e n d of th is m illenium has b e e n m ark ed by p a rtic u la rly in te n siv e efforts to w a rd s reu n io n an d th e re sto ra tio n of "th e an c ie n t b e a u ty of th e one an d u n d iv id ed C h u rch " (A th en a­ g o ras I. A d d ress of 3rd A pril 1965). It is im possible n o t to se e in this th e b lessing an d g race of th e H o ly Spirit.

H avin g b e e n for m an y y e a rs en g a g ed in ecum enism , an d r e ­ se arc h w o rk on th e th eo lo g y an d sp iritu a lity of th e O rth o d o x C hurch, I feel sp ecial jo y in th e fact th a t m y A lm a M a te r is to d ay distin g u ish in g w ith th e h ig h e st academ ic h o n o u r one of th e m ost ecu m en ically a c tiv e O rth o d o x bisho p s an d th eo lo g ian s of th e p re ­ sen t day, M e tro p o lita n S tylianos, th e G reek O rth o d o x A rch bisho p of A u stralia. M y jo y is m ade e v e n g re a te r by th e fac t th a t this cerem ony, as a p a rt of th e session of th e C o o rd in atin g C om m ittee of th e J o in t R om an C atholic ·—■ O rth o d o x C om m ission w h ich has ju st m et in O pole, is tak in g p lace a few m onths before M etro p o litan S ty lian o s's 50th birthday.

1. A rchb ish o p S ty lian o s is a w ell-kn o w n figure in th e in te rn a ­ tio n a l ecu m en ical m ovem ent. H e is a m an of dialogue, ac tiv ely en g ag ed in th e h o ly ta s k of "re b u ild in g th e frien d sh ip b etw e en G od's C h u rch es" (St. Basil th e G reat, Ep. 70). H e k n o w s from th e inside th e difficulties and hopes c o n n ected w ith this g re a t ta sk w hich he se rv e s as a bishop an d th eo lo g ian . It is ind eed a serv ice to God no t o nly w ith all h e a rt, b u t also w ith all m ind (cf. M t 22,37). In a c e rtain sen se h e is, alo ng w ith o th ers in th e C hu rch h iera rc h y ,

* A d d r ess o n th e o c c a s io n of g ra n tin g an h o n o ra ry d o cto ra te at th e F a cu lty of T h e o lo g y of th e Caitholic U n iv e r s ity of Lublin (8th Ju n e 1985).

a sym bol an d a p erso n ificatio n of the ecu m en ical effo rts of th e E cu­ m enical P a tria rc h a te . T his P a tria rc h a te , re p re se n te d b y M e tro p o ­ litan Stylianos, h ad to u ch e d in its en c y clic a ls upo n th e q u estio n of rela tio n s b etw e en th e O rth o d o x and o th er C h ristian s as e a rly as the b eg in n in g of th e 20th c e n tu ry (Encyclicals of 1902 and 1904). T he en cy clical of 1920 called for th e form atio n of a so rt of L eague of C hurches, or "fellow ship b e tw e en C h u rch es" (koinonia m etaxi

ton E k k le s io n ), on th e m odel of th e e sta b lish m e n t of th e L eague of

N ations, and aim ed at o v ercom in g th e sp irit of b itte rn e ss an d m u ­ tu al m istrust. As is know n, th is id ea becam e re a lity in 1948 w ith th e esta b lish m e n t of th e W o rld C ouncil of C hurches.

His life, studies and p o sitio n s of resp o n sib ility p re p a re d M e tro ­ p o litan S ty liano s w ell for becom ing a m an of d ialogue. H e w as b o rn on 29th D ecem ber 1935 in R ethim non in C rete. H e stu d ied p h ilo so ph y and th eo lo g y at th e T heolo g ical A cad em y of th e E cum enical P a tria r­ c h ate in C halki, re c e iv in g his th eo lo g ical d e g re e in 1958. O n th e 28th A u g u st 1958 h e w as o rd ain ed and w en t on stu d y in g fu n d am e n ­ ta l th eo lo g y and th e p h ilo so p h y of re lig io n at Bonn U niv ersity . In F e b ru a ry 1964 h e becam e th e igum en of th e V la ta d o n p a tria rc h a l m o n aste ry n e a r T hessalonik i, w h e re th e In stitu te of P a tristic Studies w as estab lish ed. In 1965 h e o b tain ed his d o c to ra te in th eo lo g y at A th en U n iv e rsity for his th esis on th e in fallib ility of th e C hurch in O rth o d o x theo lo gy . H e o b tain ed his p o st-d o cto ral d e g re e in 1969 w ith a th esis d e v o te d to th e D ogm atic C o n stitu tio n on th e C hurch of th e S econd V atican Council. O n 6th D ecem ber 1970, h e w as o rd ain ed bishop, and in 1975 w as m ade th e G reek -O rth o d o x A rc h ­ bishop of A ustralia.

His y e a rs of stu d y in W e st G erm an y p re p a re d him for his e n ­ c o u n te r w ith W e ste rn th eo log y . H e is w ell v e rse d in Rom an C atholic theology. H e is able to com bine a th o ro u g h g o in g k n o w led g e of th e th eo lo g y and sp iritu a lity of th e East w ith an ecu m en ical o p enn ess to th e tra d itio n s of th e C h ristian W est. H e could nam e J. A u er an d J. R atzinger, his p ro fe sso rs of dogm atic th eo lo g y from th e U n iv e r­ sity of Bonn, his " d e a re st te a c h e rs an d frien d s". A fter m an y y e a rs he adm its his d eep in d eb te d n ess to them . T h e y m et ag ain du rin g M etro p o litan S ty lia n o s's le c tu re s w h en he w as in v ited by his form er pro fesso rs le c tu rin g th e n at th e F a c u lty of C atholic T h eo log y at R egensb urg U n iv ersity . T he in tro d u c tio n to th e M e tro p o lita n 's bo ok

O rth od o x e Kirche und Katholizism us (M ünchen 1975), a collection

of th e R eg en sb urg lectu res, w as w ritte n b y n o n e o th er th a n J. R a­ tzinger.

M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s is one of th e m ost re p re s e n ta tiv e p e r ­ son alities of co n te m p o ra ry O rth o d o x y . H e h as b e e n a fre q u e n t r e ­ p re s e n ta tiv e of th e E cum enical P a tria rc h a te at in te rn a tio n a l m e e t­ ings and ecum en ical conferen ces, am ong th em th e IV G e n e ral A ssem bly of th e W o rld C ouncil of C hu rch es in U ppsala (1968) to

w hich he d e v o te d one of his books (He I V G e n ik e S y n e le u s is tou

P ankosm iou S y m b o u liu ton Ekklesion, T h essalo n ik e 1969). U ntil 1976

he w as th e co-ch airm an of th e A n g lican -O rth o d o x J o in t D octrinal Com m ission, an d b e tw e e n 1977 and 1978 a m em ber of th e C om m is­ sion. Since 1980, alo n g w ith H. Em. C ard in al J. W illeb ran d s, he has b een th e co -p resid en t of th e J o in t In te rn a tio n a l C om m ission for th e th eo lo g ical d ialo g u e b e tw e en th e Rom an C atholic C hu rch and the O rth o d o x C hurch. His w id e-ran g in g stud ies and re s e a rc h w o rk p r e ­ p a re d him w ell to rise to th is difficult, d e lic ate ta sk of dialog ue b e tw e en O rth o d o x y and C atholicism , lad en as it is w ith unu su al resp o nsibility. U nder th e ch airm an sh ip of C ard in al W ille b ra n d s and M e tro p o lita n S tylianos, th e C om m ission p ro d u ce d its first d o cum ent e n title d The M y s t e r y of the C hurch and the Eucharist in the Light

of the M y s t e r y of the H o ly Trin ity p u b lish ed sh o rtly after th e se ­

cond p le n a ry sessio n in M unich (1982). It h as also p re p a re d anoth er, e n title d Faith, Sacra m ents and the U nity of the Church.

D uring th e th ird p le n a ry sessio n of th e J o in t C om m ission in C re te in J u n e 1984, its p a rtic ip a n ts h a d th e c h an ce to m eet th e m o th er of M e tro p o lita n S tyliano s (he lost his fath er d u rin g the Second W o rld W ar). In th e final sp eech giv en at th e O rth o d o x A c a ­ d em y in G onia an d in th e p re se n c e of his m other, th e M etro p o litan said: "W h e n I com e to C rete, w h e re I w as b o rn and w h e re my m other lives, I feel re b o rn and b ecom e m ore h um ble". In th ese sim ple w ords, w hich h a v e rem a in e d deep in m y m em ory, I d iscern ed a d isc re et p a y in g of ho m age from a son to a m other, full of resp e c t and ad m iratio n for h e r lo v e and self-sacrifice. Is n o t w h a t w e are in la rg e m ea su re d e p e n d e n t on w h a t w e h a v e re c e iv e d from our m oth ers an d fath ers?

Since 1975 th e M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s has b een lec tu rin g O rth o ­ dox th eo lo g y an d sp iritu a lity at th e U n iv e rsity of Sydney. In 1979 he fou nd ed th e m o n th ly "V oice of O rth o d o x y ", w h e re h e h as b een publish in g re g u la rly m ain th eo lo g ic a l p ap ers. Soon his g re a te st dream w ill becom e a rea lity : St. A n d re w 's G re ek -O rth o d o x T h eo lo ­ gical School w ill beg in in S y d n ey its a c tiv ity in J a n u a ry 1986. This is going to be th e first O rth o d o x high school on th e so u th e rn h e m i­ sphere.

It often h a p p e n ed in th e past, th a t m any g re a t th in k e rs, th e o lo ­ gians and m y stics of th e E astern C hurch, no t finding a full e x p re s ­ sion of th e ir relig io u s e x p e rie n c e in re a so n in g and arguing, h ad had re c o u rse to p o etry. Suffice it to m en tio n only St. G re g o ry th e T h e o ­ logian (St. G re g o ry of N azianzus), an in sp ired sin g er of th e m y ste ry of th e H o ly T rin ity , and St. S ym eon th e N ew T h eo lo g ian (Î 1022), p raisin g co n tinu ally, e sp e c ia lly in his H y m n s, th e H oly Spirit of God. W h en th e lan g u a g e of inform ation, a n a ly sis an d sy stem atic r e ­ flection fails, th e n com es p o e try to o n e's aid. His E m inence M etr. S ty lian o s is also a poet. H e has pu b lish ed e ig h t little volum es of his

poem s, b o th relig io u s and w o rld ly in content. A co llectio n of first five of th em h as o nly re c e n tly b een p u b lished u n d e r th e title: En ge

allotria ■— In F o reig n Land (Poiemata I, A th e n s 1985). T h e first little volum e h a s b een tra n s la te d into English (Soil and Ashes) b y Prof. P e te r Been, a w ell-kn o w n tra n s la to r of th e n ew G reek L ite ratu re (e.g. of th e w ritin g s of N . K azantzakis). In 1980 th e M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s w as aw a rd ed b y th e A cadem y of A th en s for his tw o first little volu m es of poem s. E arlier, in 1973 h e got th e in te rn a tio n a l a w ard of G o ttfried v o n H e rd e r for th e w h o le of his activ ity .

2. As a theologian, M etropolitan Stylianos favours a system ac a p p ro a c h to th e q uestio n s he d e a ls w ith. H e d o e s not, h o w ev er, m i­ nim ize th e v a lu e s of th in k in g in h isto ric a l term s. H e is w ell a w a re th a t an a u th e n tic and c ritic a l k n o w led g e of th e p a st h a s a purify in g fo rce (k atharsis) and lib e ra te s th e p re s e n t from th e w eight of bad ex p e rien c e s. As a sy stem atician , he ta k e s th e v ie w th at, in re la tio n to c o n tro v e rsial q u e stio n s in p a rtic u la r, it is n e c e s s a ry to se p a ra te th e h isto ric a l e le m en ts (das G eschichtliche) from th e fu n d am en tal e le m en ts (das Prinzipielle) in th e e v o lu tio n of a g iv en problem . In d ia lo g u e w ith A nglicans, h e stre sse d th a t co n te m p o ra ry O rth o d o x y does no t re je c t a critical ap p ro a c h to th e H o ly S cripture, fea rin g only lib e ral and m o d ern istic ten d en cies. T he G ospel is n o t sim ply th e le tte r of th e Bible, b u t th e e n tire tea c h in g of C h rist living to d a y in th e C h u rch an d w hose m ain in te rp re te r (H e r m e n e u s ) is th e H oly Spirit. Likew ise, h e d re w a tte n tio n to th e fu n d am en tal significance of th e "m ind of th e F a th e rs" (ph ro n em a ton Patron) for a h e a lth y C h ristian theolo gy . T his re fe rs to th e w itn ess of th e F a th e rs b o th in th e East an d in th e W est; no w o n d er th en, th a t in th e w ritin g s of th e A rch bisho p th e se w itn esse s a p p e ar som etim es side b y side: C yprian, A ugu stin e, J o h n of D am ascus.

A fa v o u rite th em e of M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s is th e rela tio n sh ip b etw e en th e d o c trin e on th e H o ly T rin ity and th e d o c trin e on th e C hurch, i.e. ecclesio lo g y . H e d e a ls w ith q u e stio n m ost often in a c o m p arativ e p ersp ectiv e, p o in tin g o u t th e sim ilarities and diffe­ re n c e s /b e tw e e n O rth o d o x an d Rom an C ath olic theo log y . H e raise s difficult an d c o n tro v e rsia l problem s w h ich h a v e a cru cial sig n ifican ­ ce for d ia lo g u e b e tw e en th e tw o C hurches. This he h as done both in his d o c to ra l th esis e n title d Peri to alatheton tes Ekklesias en te

orthodoxo theologia (On th e In fallib ility of th e C h urch in O rth o d o x

T heology), A th en s 1965, and in his p o st-d o cto ral th esis To dogmati-

коп sy n ta g m a "Peri E k k le sia s" tes В' B atikanes S y n o d o u (Dogmatic

C o n stitu tio n on th e C h urch of V atican II), A th en s 1969. In his w orks, he does n o t d isg u ise th e differen ces an d co n tra d ic tio n s b e tw e en th e tw o C hurches, b u t at th e sam e tim e ta k e s ca re to n o te th o se th in g s w hich th e y h a v e in com m on. His m eth od of a p p ro a c h in g p a rtic u la r problem s allow s us to feel th e need of a m u tu al in te rd e p e n d e n c e of

th e tw o C hu rch tra d itio n s an d th e n e e d to th eo lo g ize a c co rd in g to th e in te g ra l trin ita ria n p a tte rn of C h ristian R evelation. It is n o t a su ­ perficial co m p a rativ e m etho d w h ich w ould b lu r th e differen ces in teachin g and p ra c tic e of th e tw o C h u rch es. R ather, he a tte m p ts to ap p ro a c h problem s from th e inside, in v estig a tin g th e fo u n d atio n s of p a rtic u la r v iew s an d circu m stan ces condu cin g to them . H is openn ess to th e v a lu e s of o th er tra d itio n s m akes him p a rtic u la rly se n sitiv e to th e p rob lem of C h ristian unity.

A t th e beg in n in g of th e 20th c e n tu ry th e fam ous P ro te sta n t th eo lo g ia n O. D ibelius w ro te th a t it w as to be th e " c e n tu ry of th e C hurch", m obilizing all C h ristian d enom inations. Later, th e P ro te ­ sta n ts b eg a n to cau tio n a g a in st becom ing e x c e ssiv e ly in te re s te d in ecclesiology. A n ap p eal w as m ade to c o n c e n tra te on th e fa ith in th e d iv in e T rin ity (E. Schlink). A n e x a g g e ra te d in te re st in th e C hurch on th e p a rt of C atholic th eo lo g ia n s w as criticized as eine Überpro­

d u k tio n an E kklesiologie (K. G. Steck, G. M aron). M e tro p o lita n S ty ­

lian os ta k e s th e v iew th a t th is ty p e of criticism w ould be ju stifiab le o nly in re la tio n to a p o sitiv istic an d ratio n alistic u n d e rsta n d in g of th e C hurch, c h a ra c te riz e d b y im m anentism . All d ep end s on w h at so rt of e c cle sio lo g y one criticizes an d reje cts. In th e P ro te sta n t c ri­ ticism of e c cle sio lo g y one can see an e le m en t of w a rn in g a g ain st th e d a n g e r of placin g th e C h u rch in th e v e ry c e n tre of C h ristian faith, and th u s a g a in st ecclesio lo g ical narcissism . T he a n sw e r M e­ tro p o lita n S ty lian o s g iv es is cle a r: w h o e v e r co n scio u sly d e v e lo p s a n a u th e n tic te a c h in g on th e H o ly T rin ity , reco g n izes th e n eed and im p o rtan ce of ecclesio lo g y, an d v ice v e rsa . In this co n tex t h e ra th e r ten d s to sp e ak w ith R. S len czk a of an " u n d erd e v e lo p m en t of e c c le ­ siology in all C h ristian C h urch es". T he m ost d ev elo p ed asp ec t in A rchbisho p S ty lia n o s's th eo lo g ical w ritin g s is p re c ise ly th e show ing of n ew p e rsp e c tiv e s for fu lly trin ita ria n ecclesio log y, se ek in g th e m ain p rin cip les of ecclesio lo g ical th in k in g in th e lig h t of th e Bible and p a tristic te a c h in g on th e C hurch as a reflec tio n of th e m y ste ry of th e T rin ity (e ik o n is m o s ).

T he co n te m p o ra ry th e o lo g ia n c o n cern in g him self w ith e c c le ­ siology m ust rea liz e th e m ean in g fulness of th e se reflection s. The C hurch d o es n o t stan d in th e c e n tre of faith; ra th e r, it se rv e s to in ­ d icate a re a lity la rg e r th a n h erself, th a t of th e T riu n e God. M e tro ­ p o litan S ty lian o s justifies th e th eo lo g ic a l im p o rtan ce of e c c le sio lo ­ gical reflectio n th ro u g h stre ssin g a strict co n n ectio n b e tw e e n te a c h ­ ing on th e C h u rch an d te a c h in g on th e H o ly T rinity. It is in trin ita ­ ria n dogm a th a t h e sees th e core of C h ristian th eo lo g y and th e tru e c e n tre of ecclesio lo gy . A cco rdin g to him, all th eo lo g ical th in ­ k ing is a th in k in g in th e lig h t of th e m y ste ry of th e T riu n e God, and thus it is b a sic a lly trin ita ria n (trinitarisches Denken). It is faith in th e H oly T rin ity w h ich gives th e u n iq u e c h a ra c te r to C h rist's te a c h ­ ing, p o in tin g to its n e w n e ss in re la tio n to all o th er relig io n s an d

ideologies. W h o e v e r asks ab o u t th e c o n n ectio n b e tw e en ecclesio- logy and tea c h in g on th e H o ly T rin ity , m ust p e rc e iv e th a t th e m y ­ s te ry of th e C hurch is ro o te d in th e e x e m p la ry w a y of b eing of God H im self b o th as one and th e m any. T he C hurch is a com m union (.k o ino n ia) of h u m an p e rso n s c re a te d to th e im age and lik en ess of the C reato r. In h e r e x iste n c e she m ust im itate th e w a y of b e in g of the d iv in e P erso n s liv in g in co n tinu in g com m union an d in re la tio n to others. E cclesiological p erso n alism b ases itself on trin ita ria n p e r ­ sonalism . It re v e a ls th e p e rso n a l n a tu re of h u m an e x iste n ce in th e C hurch. E cclesiology is in se p a ra b le from th e te a c h in g on th e H oly T rin ity an d an th ro p o lo g y . N a tu re and g race thus p e rm e a te e a ch other.

A s for th e m ain p ro b lem of all th eo lo g y in th e h isto ry of th e C hurch, th e M e tro p o lita n re g a rd s it to be th e qu estio n of th e r e la ­ tion sh ip b e tw e en th e one (unity) an d m an y (plurality). This is th e k e y to th e so lu tio n of m any th eo lo g ical problem s. T he one C hurch founded b y C h rist ex ists in m an y p a rtic u la r C hurches. M an y p erso n s in th e C h u rch form one body, one liv in g organism . O nce again, then, w e see h e re th e sign ifican ce of th e trin ita ria n dogm a for M e tro p o ­ lita n S tylianos. T he H o ly T rin ity is an ex e m p lary w ay of b ein g of th e d iv in e P erso ns in in n e r-trin ita ria n unity , an d th e d e e p est fo u n d a­ tio n of all C hu rch u n ity . In th e opinion of th e A rchbishop, C h rist's w ords: "m ay th e y all be one: as thou, F ath er, a rt in m e an d I in th e e ” (Jn 17:21) h a v e a n o rm ativ e c h a ra c te r for th eo lo g ic a l th in k in g a t all tim es. In th is p ersp e c tiv e , th e com m union of th e d iv in e P e r­ sons becom es th e first, definitive, onto log ical justificatio n of th e C hurch. In ecclesio lo g y, one can n o t sim ply see C hrist, as it seem s to be in th e in ca rn atio n al-ch risto lo g ic a l or th e sa cram en tal-eu ch a- ristic m odels (the la tte r b ein g d e v e lo p e d in th e so-called e u c h aristie ecclesiology). A fully trin ita ria n m odel is n e c e ssa ry to show all th re e d iv in e Persons, th a n k s to w hich one can av o id th e d a n g e r of christo- m onism . It co m plem ents ch risto lo g ical m odels w ith an in te g ral t r i ­ n ita ria n approach.

In its tea c h in g on th e H oly T rin ity th e e a rly C h ristian ity solved th e pro blem of u n ity an d p lu ra lity in an e x e m p la ry w ay. T he con- su b sta n tia lity of th e d iv in e P erso n s (h o m oo u sia ) and th e ir m utu al p e n e tra tio n into one a n o th e r (p e ric h o iesis) do n ot infrin ge up o n their autonom y, th u s ex clu d in g all form s of su b o rdinatio n. In th e sam e w ay, th e u n ity of th e C hurch can n o t en cro a c h upo n th e a u to ­ nom y of p a rtic u la r C h u rch es (the p rin c ip le of au to cep haly) and p a r ­ ticu lar p e rso n s w ith in th e C hurch, w hich th u s ex c lu d e s an y e c c le ­ siological subordinationism . In th e e y e s of M e tro p o lita n Stylianos, th e te a c h in g on th e T rin ity im plicitly co n tain s tw o m ain, c o rre la te d e cclesio lo g ical prin cip les: th e p rin cip le of c o lleg iality and th e p rin ­ ciple of a u to c e p h a ly or autonom y, w hich to g e th e r link freedom w ith a u th o rity . Thus, trin ita ria n and so terio lo g ical re a so n s ju stify th e

a tta ch m e n t of O rth o d o x y to th e collegial and syn od al s tru c tu re of th e C hurch.

A trin ita ria n p e rsp e c tiv e in ecclesio lo gy , in th e opinion of the M etropo litan , p ro te c ts th e C h urch a g a in st th e te m p ta tio n s of r a tio ­ nalism an d activism , triu m p h alism and feelings of self-sufficiency. H aving as h e r m odel th e H oly T rin ity , ra th e r th a n a n y th in g on this earth , th e C h u rch c o n tin u o u sly finds h e rse lf on th e ro a d to w a rd s final fulfilm ent. She rem ain s fo re v e r th e pilgrim C hu rch h ead in g to w ard s th e triu n e God. This fundam ental, trin ita ria n rela tio n sh ip rev e a ls itself in th e sa cra m e n tal and litu rg ic al life of th e Church, esp ecially in th e Eucharist. A rch bisho p H a rk ia n a k is h a s c le a rly m ade a v a lu a b le co n trib u tio n in ex p lo rin g th ese them es.

In a th o ro u g h a n d careful a n a ly sis of th e docum ents of th e S e­ cond V a tic a n C ouncil, M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s w as g lad to discern tra c es of its " trin ita ria n open in g " (L u m en g entium , 4; Unitatis re­

dintegratio, 2). T h rou gh th is in itial trin ita ria n p e rsp e c tiv e he sees

th e m ain a c h ie v e m e n t of V atican ΓΙ in th e field of ecclesiology, th an k s to w h ich th e re b e g an a p ro cess of d raw in g n e a re r to O rth o ­ d ox ecclesio logy . A t th e sam e tim e, h o w ev er, he p o in ts out w ith som e sad n ess th a t in th e te a c h in g of th e C ouncil th e re rem a in " p a in ­ ful tra c e s " (s chm erzliche Spuren) of th in k in g in ju rid ical term s. This applies in p a rtic u la r to th e p rim a cy of th e Bishop of Rome, being the m ain o b stacle on th e ro a d to w a rd s unity. S o on er or la te r it will h av e to becom e th e su b je c t of a serio u s dialo g ue b e tw e en th e tw o C hurches. "V a tic a n II w as th e beginning, and n o t th e e n d ”. A c c o rd ­ ing to th e M etro p o litan , a b asis for h o p e e x ists in a n ew relig io u s consciousness, am ong th e peo p le of God in th e Rom an C atholic C hurch, a w a k e n e d and d e e p en e d by V a tic a n II.

3. T he task w h ich M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s se rv e s is n o t an e a sy one. N o t w ith o u t difficulties an d ten sio n s goes on th e p ro ce ss of listen in g to e a c h other, and of g ro w ing to g e th e r in m u tual k n o w ­ ledge and trust. For e a ch C h u rch th e m om ent of tru th has come. D ialogue dem an d s a g en u in e ex ch an g e: giving and taking, offering sp iritu a l v alu es and le a rn in g from others. The w ork of M etro p o litan S ty lian os show s th a t O rth o d o x y b rin g s to th is d ialo g u e d eep th e o lo ­ gical in sig h ts com ing from cen tu ries-o ld tra d itio n of sp iritu a lity and theology. A cco rd in g to Fr. Y ves C ongar, an a d m irer of E a ste rn t r a ­ dition, th e C h ristian E ast is "a fo rg o tte n half of o u rselv es w hich ought to be p re s e n t an d fertile a n e w w ith in our C h ristian ity " {Es­

sais oecum éniques, P aris 1984, p. 108). O n th e o th er hand, w h oever know s O rth o d o x y m o re d e e p ly w ill adm it th a t F a th e r C on gar is rig ht w h en h e sta te s th at, in rela tio n to C atholicism , "all is in the v e ry d e p th of th in g s id e n tic a l an d all is d ifferen t — e v e n th at w hich is id en tical" (p. 107). D ialogue is g re a t ch ance an d a g re a t prom ise for b o th sides. It h as n o t b een w ith o u t th e b en eficial

in-fluence of th e E astern tra d itio n th a t all C h ristian s h a v e re d isc o v e re d c e rtain fo rg o tte n tru th s and v alu es. T h ro u g h o p en n ess to e a c h other, the C h u rch es to d a y a re com ing to a b e tte r u n d e rsta n d in g of th e p r e ­ se n ce of th e H o ly Spirit, in v o k in g H im w ith in cre asin g in te n sity in ecum en ical epiclesis.

W e stan d b efo re n ew ch allen g es an d n ew po ssibilities. W e h a v e to reco g n ize o u rse lv e s for w h a t w e are, and in rem ain in g lo y a l to ou r ow n C hurch, h a v e th e co u rag e to ask critical q uestio n s of our den o m in atio n al trad itio n s. T he d ialo g ue b e tw e en b o th C hu rch es h elp s to fulfil this d ifficult ta s k an d to a n sw er th e call of th e H oly Spirit in our tim e. A new C h ristian e ra is opening, filled w ith chance and prom ise, an e ra rich in ecu m en ical hopes. A w a re of th e h isto ry of difficulties in th e m u tu al re la tio n s b e tw e e n W e ste rn a n d E astern C h ristian ity , M etro p o litan S ty lian o s w ith his p erso n ality , th eo lo g ical c re a tiv ity an d e cu m en ical a tta ch m e n t co n trib u te s to p av in g th e w a y for a b e tte r to m o rro w of C hristian ity.

In his ad d ress g iv en o n th e 4th of J u ly 1982 d u rin g th e T h ird P le n a ry Session of th e J o in t C om m ission in M unich, A rchb isho p S ty ­ lianos spoke on th e th em e of "th e e th o s of d ialo gu e". H e called th e C ath o lic-O rth o d o x dialo g u e "th e m ost im p o rta n t of a ll theo lo g ical d ialo g u es in our tim e ”. D ivision is alw ay s a "com m on m isfortune". N o w onder, then, th a t in th is d ialo g u e th e M e tro p o lita n sees a "h o ly u n d e rta k in g ", e v e n "litu rg y " a n d one of th e h o lie st form s of p ray e r, As such th is d ia lo g u e m ust be an act of p en an ce, than k sg iv in g , p a ­ tience, resp ect, an d p ray e r.

A t th e en d of on e of his p ap ers d ev o te d to th e prob lem of e c c le ­ siology M e tro p o lita n S ty lian o s rec o u n ts th e d eep reflec tio n s co n ­ ta in e d in th e p a sch a l m essag e w ritte n in 1971 b y th e la te E cum e­ n ical P atriarch , A th e n a g o ra s I, ju st a y e a r b efo re his d e a th (Ï 1972). In it, th e P a tria rc h e x p la in s th a t th e w ounds on th e b o d y of the rise n C hrist in d ic a te n o t only His com plete id e n tity w ith th e c ru ­ cified Je su s of N a z a re th , b u t a re also a sign th a t e v e n after th e re s u rre c tio n th e re rem a in s a p ain in th e b o d y of th e C h urch u n til th e final tra n sfig u ra tio n of th e u n iv erse. It is also a p a in caused by th e d ivision s and schism s in th e C hurch.

Let th e se w o rd s of P a tria rc h A th en ag o ras, th e g re a t cham pion of u n ity of th e "siste r C h u rch es" (adelphai Ekklesiai), e q u a lly be d u rin g to d a y 's solem n c erem o n y a sin c e re e x p re ssio n of reco g n itio n of th e ecum enical in itia tiv e s of th e v e n e ra b le C hu rch w h ich th a t u n fo rg o tte n P a tria rc h led w ith love an d w h ich to d a y is re p re s e n te d by His E m inence M e tro p o lita n S tylianos. Ecum enism need s such d istin g u ish ed p e rso n a litie s w ho h a v e w ide h o rizon s of th o u g h t an d a g re a t op en n ess of spirit. "Let us now p ra ise fam ous m en and our fath e rs in th e ir g e n e ra tio n s ... L eaders of th e p eo p le in th e ir d e lib e ­ ratio n s and in u n d e rsta n d in g of le a rn in g for th e people, w ise in th eir w o rds of in stru ctio n " (Syr 44,1.4).