News Notes

Vol. 6, No. 2, Spring 1998, Covering the Former Soviet Union and East Central Europe

News Notes

Leaders from Eastern Orthodox and Evangelical churches gathered from around the world for the second international "Orthodox-Evangelical Consultation," Hamburg, Germany, 30 March - 4 April 1998. It was a follow-up to a previous meeting sponsored by the World Council of Churches in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1995. The consultation, which had an informal character marked more by relationship building than in-depth theological dialogue, examined the increasing tensions between Orthodox and Evangelicals since the fall of communism. Participants did not intend to make formal recommendations to their respective communities, but only to share experiences and engage in open and frank discussions. Disagreements remain, but hopes were heightened for a more unified witness throughout the world. Bradley Nassif, representing North America and the Society for the Study of Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism (SSEOE), noted that solutions to confessional and legal problems in Eastern Europe ultimately will have to be settled by the churches of the region. However, Dr. Nassif hopes to contribute to better relations through SSEOE's continuing annual meetings and through several of his own recent publications:

"New Dimensions in Eastern Orthodox Theology" in New Dimensions in Evangelical Thought, ed. by David Dockery (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998);
"An Eastern Orthodox Response to J. I. Packer" in Reclaiming the Great Tradition: Evangelicals, Catholics, and Orthodox in Dialogue, ed. by James Cutsinger (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997); and
"Evangelical Missions in Eastern Orthodox Lands," Trinity World Forum (Winter, 1996), with "Response" by Mark Elliott.
Dr. Nassif hopes that these efforts "will serve as a model for transforming tensions into positive resources for reconstruction and renewal."

Countries represented included Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and India. Participants included Evangelicals Theodor Angelov, Sergei Sannikov, Elaine Storkey, Vinay Samuel, John Briggs, Albrecht Hauser, Gennadi Sergienko, and George Sabra; and Orthodox Fr. George Tsesis, Fr. Ioan Sauca, Hiermonk Philip Veniamin, Fr. Nareg Alemezian, Fr. Luke Veronis, Professor Petros Vassiliadis, and Professor Ivan Dimitrov. For proceedings published by the World Council of Churches, contact Dr. George Lemopoulos, Executive Secretary, 150 Route De Ferney, Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland; tel/fax: 022-791-03-61; e-mail: lmw@wcc-coe.org.

The objective of the Crisis Children Coalition--Russia Project is to promote ministries working with Russian street children, orphans, and other children in crisis. At a 28 March 1998 strategy meeting in Dallas, TX, representatives of seven organizations set the following priorities: prevention of conditions putting children in crisis; intervention for defenseless children in the early stages of crisis; rescue of exploited children; and restoration of children experiencing long-term trauma. For more information contact Allen Faubion, 407 Candlelight Ave., Duncanville, TX 75137; tel. 972-283-6771; fax 972-283-7949; e-mail: Afaubion@compuserve.com.

News Notes, East-West Church & Ministry Report 6 (Spring 1998), 12.

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