Ecumenical Patriarch addresses WCC

In a video message shown at the opening of the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Busan, South Korea, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, called on Christians to “pray for the peace of the whole world and for the unity of all”. More than 2,000 participants from […]

Orthodox reflections on mission and the WCC

As the next General Assembly of the World Council of Church (WCC) approaches some Orthodox missiologists have been reflecting on the WCC and particularly its understanding of mission. The General Assembly will be held in Busan, Korea, from 30 October – 8 November and one of the major documents to be considered will be their […]

Evangelism, Proselytism and Ethics

Stephen Hayes has just written an interesting short article on the differences between evangelism and proselytism – from his Orthodox perspective – on his blog. Click here to read it.  If you have not come across Stephen before he is an Orthodox missiologist based in South Africa who hosts a missiology Yahoo group and writes […]

United to serve prisoners

We have just heard this encouraging news from Albania. Last week Orthodox and Evangelical leaders who work in prisons in Albania were able to meet together (perhaps for the first time?) to share common concerns and learn from each other. One Evangelical leader comments, “It was a very pleasant time together, studying several aspects on […]

Anglican and Oriental Orthodox leaders meet

Anglican and Oriental Orthodox Church leaders meeting in the UK have shared their fears about the future of Christianity in the Middle East. This was the first Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission in 12 years. The dialogue’s central topic was the Holy Spirit, but Christian persecution in countries across the Middle East was inevitably a key […]

Course on Christianity released for Bulgarian schools

We have just received news from Ventislaz and Zlatina Karavaltcheva (Bulgarian Orthodox missionaries who have worked previously in Georgia and Ukraine) that the first stage of an imprtant reseource for Bulgarian schools has been released.  This year nearly 2,000 first graders in Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria will have the opportunity to learn the basic […]

Bishop attacked in Egypt

LOI are sad to hear of the attack on the Coptic bishop, Bishop Makarios of Minya, in Egypt, on Monday morning (30 September) when he and his vehicle came under fire. The bishop, according to a statement issued by the Minya Diocese, was visiting the village of Garees in Abu Qerqas to offer condolences to the family […]