Annual Meeting 2003

Theme: Authority and Ministry

May 29-31, 2003
St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

Elisabeth Behr-Siegel to Deliver Annual Florovsky Lecture on "Women and Authority in the Church"

The meeting will examine the topic of Authority and Ministry within the life of the Church. The highlight of the Annual Meeting will be the delivery of the Georges Florovsky Lecture by Madame Elisabeth Behr-Siegel of Paris, France. Behr-Siegel will speak on "Women and Authority in the Church." Behr-Siegel is a most highly respected theologian in Europe. She has been actively involved in ecumenical dialogues on women in the Church. She has written extensively on the topic, but only four of her works have been translated into English, including Discerning the Signs of the Times, The Ministry of Women in the Church, and The Ordination of Women in the Church. Known as the "gradmother of western Orthodoxy", Behr-Siegel has been the friend of many of the great Russian Orthodox emigres in France, including Vladimir Lossky, Paul Evdokimov, Mother Maria Skobtsova, Sergius Bulgakov, and Lev Gillet. Madame Siegel's lecture will be Friday May, 30 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Vladimir's.

Other presenters at the Annual Meeting are scheduled to be Dr. George Demacopoulos (Fordham University) "Spiritual Direction in the Early Church"; Rev. Dr. Stanley Harakas, "Reflections on Authority in Ethics"; Sr. Nonna Verna Harrison (St. Paul School of Theology) "Leadership in the Orthodox Tradition"; V. Rev. Dr. Leonid Kishkovsky, "Reflections on Ecumenism and Authority"; Dr. George Parsenios (Princeton University) "Canon, Creed, and Contemporary Biblical Studies"; and Dr. James Skedros (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology), "'Give Me Your Blessing': Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Authority in Byzantine Hagiography""Blinded by the Enlightenment?" All the papers will have respondents. A more detailed schedule can be found elsewhere on this site. The papers are open to the public.

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