Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns

Anglican Theological Review, Summer 2004 by Mills, William C

Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns. By Anastasios Yannoulatos. Translated by Paul Gottfried. Geneva, Switzerland: WCC/Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2003. 208 pp. $15.95 (paper).

Facing the World is a collection of essays by the Orthodox theologian Anastasios Yannoulatos. For the past decade, Yannoulatos has been engaged in missionary work in Albania trying to rebuild the Orthodox Church that was literally destroyed during the Communist years. Guided by the leadership of Yannoulatos and his fellow missionaries, hundreds of churches and monasteries have been rebuilt and are now functioning, seminaries have been training new clergy to lead missions and parishes throughout the country, monasteries have been reopened, schools and clinics have been built, and many villages and towns have full-time parish clergy. The work in Albania will certainly continue.

In addition to his missionary activities, Yannoulatos has been a guest speaker at hundreds of parishes, seminaries, and universities throughout the world and has received numerous honorary degrees. Likewise, many of his essays and articles have appeared in scholarly journals. Recently, Yannoulatos's life and missionary work have been highlighted in his book Resurrection of the Church in Albania.

However, in Facing the World, we see another side of Yannoulatos, that of the theologian. The seven essays in this anthology reflect global concerns facing not only the Orthodox Christians in Albania, but also Christians throughout the world. The themes of the essays reflect universal problems, such as human rights issues, the relationship between culture and the gospel, Christianity's dialogue with Islam, the role and purpose of other religious traditions, and the nature of religious experience. I found the last section, "Instead of an Epilogue," to be the most prophetic. Here, in a personal and pastoral tone, he provides an "open letter" to Christianity in an attempt to affirm the true importance of the gospel if it is to be proclaimed and lived out in a genuine manner. he says that the Orthodox churches must transcend their traditional historical barriers and work together on global issues and in a way that he hopes will result in a spirit of unity and love. Yannoulatos also addresses the need for the various Orthodox Church jurisdictions to once again take an active role in the ecumenical movement rather than remaining on the sidelines. I hope his vision of united Orthodox Christians will someday be a reality.

The essays reveal a creative theologian who is not afraid to speak his mind on a variety of issues which affect not only those within a European mi lieu, but also those in third-world countries. I hope that spiritual leaders and theologians will take heed and begin to reflect on the themes of this book. If anything, this book will be a good place to start thinking about how Orthodox theology can be a prophetic voice in a heterogeneous Christian environment. Overall, this collection of essays is a welcome contribution to Orthodox Christian theology and to the wider ecumenical movement.

WILLIAM C. MILLS

The Union Institute and University

Cincinnati, Ohio