The Excercise of Primacy in the Church: An Orthodox Theological Perspective, Philip Kariatlis

Abstract: This paper explores the theological justification of approaching the reality of primacy from within the context of koinonia ecclesiology. After surveying twentieth century contributions to the theological vision of primacy from an Orthodox perspective and seeing that its proper exercise in no way undermines the communal mode of the church's existence, the paper necessarily attempts to delineate an Orthodox theological vision of primacy from within the context of the Trinitarian communal relations and in so doing draws out in a more concrete way how this ministry might be exercised on a universal level.

Bio: Philip Kariatlis is Academic Secretary and Lecturer in Theology at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College. He received his Doctor of Theology degree from the Sydney College of Divinity having examined the notion of koinonia in Orthodox ecclesiology as both gift and goal. His research interest lies in Church doctrine, specifically its existential and salvific significance. He translated the doctoral dissertation of Archbishop Stylianos (Harkianakis) The Infallibility of the Church in Orthodox Theology (2008) and has written in several peer reviewed journals within Australia and abroad. 2011 will see the publication of his first book entitled Church as Communion: The Gift and Goal of Koinonia, published jointly by ATF and St Andrew's Orthodox Press.