Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște received the delegation of the “Faith and Order” Commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Friday at the Patriarchal Palace.
The visit to the Patriarchal Palace was part of a broader programme of the delegation, which also included the organisation of an international symposium held on Wednesday and Thursday at the “Andrei Șaguna” Theological Faculty in Sibiu.
Moral discernment in the age of digitalization
Metropolitan Nifon emphasized the importance of theological dialogue in the context of contemporary challenges: “Today’s topic aimed to discuss moral discernment in an era in which cyber-sciences are extremely interesting and important.”
“That is why the ecumenical consultation in Sibiu sought to clarify, from the Churches’ perspective, what we now call the challenges of artificial intelligence and beyond,” said Metropolitan Nifon.
He also spoke about the role of the WCC in promoting dialogue among denominations: “The ecumenical movement has the mission of fostering dialogue between the various Churches that make up the World Council of Churches in different areas, all of which must lead to achieving the visible unity of the Church of Christ the Saviour. Orthodoxy firmly affirms its values.”
The importance of receiving ecumenical dialogue
Metropolitan Job of Pisidia (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Vice-Chair of the “Faith and Order” Commission, expressed his appreciation for the consultation held in Romania. He highlighted the importance of dialogue among Orthodox theologians participating in the Commission’s work: “We had a very good exchange of ideas and I believe it will strengthen the Orthodox contribution to the work of the Commission.”
Andrei Geftik, Director of the “Faith and Order” Commission, underlined the need for theological texts produced within the Commission to be received and applied in academic and ecclesial life.
“One of the key priorities of our work has become facilitating and strengthening the reception of what we produce, taking into account the richness of the material generated, so that it does not remain merely on library shelves, but is adopted by the academic institutions and Churches to which these scholarly texts are addressed.”
The Director of the Commission stated that he had developed very important relationships in Romania, particularly given the significant role of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the ecumenical movement.
Recognition of merit
At the end of the meeting, members of the delegation received the Diploma and the commemorative medal for the year 2026 from Patriarch Daniel of Romania, presented by Metropolitan Nifon.
The delegation’s programme also included visits to the National Cathedral, the Pasărea Monastery, as well as a meeting at the “Patriarch Justinian” Orthodox Theological Faculty in Bucharest.
The “Faith and Order” Commission, founded in 1927, is the theological body of the World Council of Churches that promotes doctrinal dialogue between various Christian traditions.
Photo: Ziarul Lumina / Mihnea Păduraru
Source: basilica.ro
