On November 12^th a Public Lecture, organized by the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics (LSE), was delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias, on the theme "The Orthodox Church of Greece and the Economic Crisis". The Metropolitan was introduced by the Director of the Hellenic Observatory Professor Kevin Featherstone, who also moderated the event. In his brief introduction, Professor Featherstone pointed out the relevance and the difficulty of the topic highlighting the important work that is performed by the Metropolis of Demetrias and the Volos Academy for Theological Studies. Historically a central pole of national identity, the way in which the Orthodox Church of Greece is impacted by Greece's economic crisis and how it responds to it, is of major importance to the nation's public and social affairs. In his lecture, Metropolitan Ignatius, after briefly describing the tragic consequences of the economic crisis on the lives of the Greek people and outlining some basic aspects of the different theo-political understanding offered by the Church, he described some specific actions that the Church has implemented from the beginning of the crisis in response to the urgent needs and challenges of the people, while he did not avoid a sincere attitude of self-criticism for the "wrongs" which, unfortunately, found their way even into the body of the Church. In the end, Metropolitan Ignatius mentioned the new challenges brought about by the current crisis that the Orthodox Church in a spirit of dialogue is called to address, including, among others, the issue of the Church's role in the Greek public sphere and the alternative ways to staff parishes and pay the clergy.

Apart from the personnel of the Hellenic Observatory, the University Professors and several students, Bishop Athanasios of Tropaia (representing His Eminence Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Gregorios - Ecumenical Patriarchate), the Anglican Bishop of Ebbsfleet Jonathan Goodall, Bishop Doyé Agama, Director of the Ecumenical Organization "Churches Together in England", the Anglican chaplain of the LSE Rev. James Walters, the Orthodox chaplain of King's College and the LSE Fr. Alexander Fostiropoulos, the Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis, many people attended the lecture.

 This lecture, a part of a series of public lectures, round tables and meetings organized by the Hellenic Observatory, focusing on diverse political, economic, social and intellectual aspects of modern Greece, took place at Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House of London School of Economics. In the success of the whole event, Rev. Dr. Demetrios Bathrellos' (Lecturer at the Hellenic Open University, Visiting Professor at the Orthodox Institute of Cambridge, and member of the Board of Directors of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies) contribution was of great importance both regarding the reading of a part of the English paper, as well as the translation of the quite important discussion that followed the lecture. For more information on this series of events please visit http://www.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/hellenicObservatory/home.aspx, where the video and the English text of the lecture will be shortly posted.

During their stay in London, His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatius and his associates were warmly received by His Eminence Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Gregorios (Ecumenical Patriachate), the Anglican Bishop of London the Rt Revd & Rt Hon Richard Chartres, and Fr. Alexander Fostiropoulos, Orthodox priest of the Exarchate of the parishes of Russian origin (Ecumenical Patriarchate), and Orthodox chaplain of King's College and London School of Economics.

To read the abstract of Metropolitan Ignatius' lecture, please click here

Photography supplied courtesy of Antonios Fiala