TH794A Issues in Theology: Colleagiality and Primacy in Orthodox Ecclesiology

Course Workload

9 credit points; 162 overall demand hours; 39 contact hours.

Prerequisites

9 TH credit points

Academic Staff

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos (Harkianakis) BD (Halki 1958) DD (Athens 1965); HonD (Lublin 1985) HonThD (SCD 2001), Professor

Dr Philip Kariatlis BTh (SCD 1995) BA (Sydney 2000) MTh (SCD 2001) ThD (SCD 2010), Lecturer

Curriculum Objective

This course unit will give students the opportunity to explore an issue which is at the forefront of Ecclesiology and ecumenical dialogue more generally.

Outcomes

Students should be able to:

  • demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the development of the communal structures of authority in the Church.
  • show a well-developed ability to articulate a critical theology of collegiality and primacy in Orthodox ecclesiology responding to contemporary challenges.
  • evaluate with insight the contemporary literature relating to this ecclesiological issue.
  • show a critical appreciation of the pertinent theological, ministerial and social implications relating to collegiality and primacy.  

Subject Content
  1. Theological foundations for the episcopacy and authority as witnessed in the Scriptures and in the first Christian communities.
  2. Modern Orthodox theologians on Collegiality and Primacy
  3. Historical and theological approaches to primacy
  4. Vatican I and II on primacy of the pope; Orthodox reactions.
  5. The justification of primacy upon the ecclesiological principle of the simultaneity between “the one and the many”
  6. Primacy as a ministry upholding the ontological integrity of the local Churches.
  7. 34th Apostolic Canon – a test case for a vision of primacy in koinonia.

Delivery Method

Classroom

Sample Assessment Methods

Annotated Bibliography (1000 words, 20%), Critical Review (1000 words, 20%), Essay (4000 words, 60%)