On Monday, November 20th, 2023, through a joint initiative by the National Council of Churches and St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary, a discussion meeting on ecumenical issues took place at the aforementioned seminary. The gathering included priests and university lecturers actively engaged in the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the National Council of Churches.
Given His Holiness’s extensive experience in the field, Catholicos Aram I was invited to share his insights.
During the meeting, His Holiness outlined five major challenges facing the ecumenical movement:
- Transition from an individual-centered to a church-centered movement.
- Concerns of Orthodox churches regarding the secularization of the ecumenical movement.
- Recession of multilateral cooperation in favor of bilateral cooperation.
- Dominance of theological dialogue in the ecumenical field.
- Marginalization of church unity in the face of the gradually increasing prevalence of ethical issues.
His Holiness provided thorough explanations and analyses of these issues, addressing questions from the attendees.
Subsequently, a luncheon was organized.
