Occasional Lecture

Occasional Lecture delivered to Students of St Andrew’s Theological College
to Mark the Recent Historic Decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
to Grant the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia the Right to be Governed by an EPARCHIAL SYNOD

On Friday 8 March 2024, Assoc. Prof. Philip Kariatlis, the College’s Sub-Dean presented a lecture to all on-campus students to mark the historic decision by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which granted the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia the right to be governed by a newly constituted Eparchial Synod. The Chair of the Eparchial Synod will be the incumbent Archbishop and his assistant Bishops now recognised as ‘Regional Bishops [chorepiskopoi]’.

The significance of this event has to do with a foundational ecclesiological principle in Orthodox theology, one that can be traced back to the Apostles themselves—as can be seen by the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (49AD) found in Acts 15—which specifically provided the synodical paradigm as that which would preserve and protect the Church’s identity and integrity throughout the centuries. The title of the lecture was: “The Church is Synodical: The Establishment of an Eparchial Synod in Australia for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese”.

Commencement of the College’s Formation Program for 2024

As part of the College’s formation program, on Friday 8 March 2024, Very Reverend Anastasios Bozikis, Lecturer in Church History, presented a Bible study to students of St Andrew’s focusing his attention on an excerpt from St Paul’s letter to Timothy; more specifically 1Tim 4: 11-16 which provides important pointers to all those called to Christian ministry and leadership.

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The objective of the College’s formation/field education program for campus students of theology is underpinned by the conviction that theological studies (namely the ‘intellectual’ formation of students) are inextricably connected with Church life—more specifically, worship and loving service to our neighbour. More specifically, the purpose of this extra-curriculum program is to give students an appreciation that Orthodox theology goes hand in hand with a concern for God’s people and the world more broadly.