Bishop Maxim: Metropolitan John Zizioulas helped turn theological vision into a common Orthodox voice

Bishop Maxim of the Serbian Orthodox Church highlighted the decisive contribution of the late Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon to the preparation and work of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, during the international conference taking place in Chantilly, France.

Speaking on October 6 at the conference marking ten years since the Council of Crete, Bishop Maxim drew on his personal memories, the newly published Acts of the Council and Metropolitan John’s working papers to examine how the renowned theologian sought to translate his theological vision into a common Orthodox voice.

Metropolitan John, he noted, was involved in the conciliar process for decades. He participated in the Third Pan-Orthodox Conference in Rhodes in 1964, served as a theological adviser at the First Preconciliar Conference in 1976 and later played a central role in the preparatory work leading to the Council of 2016.

Appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarch to preside over the Pre-Conciliar Preparatory Committee, Metropolitan John worked to reconcile differing positions among the Orthodox Churches and help formulate texts capable of securing consensus.

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