17th Century Ecumenical Activities between Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Early Protestant Churches
Author ORCID Identifier
0009-0009-7323-2666
Abstract
The ecumenical activities and contacts between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Protestant churches in the 17th century were largely shaped by two remarkable figures of the Orthodox Church–the Patriarch of Constantinople Cyril Lucaris and Metrophanes Kritopoulos, who later became the Patriarch of Alexandria. Their sincere desire for contact with Protestant theologians, along with their commitment to open dialogue and cooperation was the most important factor in Orthodox-Protestant relations in that era. However, while the political climate in Europe initially allowed for some rapprochement between Christians in the Ottoman Empire and those who had embraced the Reformation, things eventually changed after nearly two decades of active ecumenical efforts. In the end, Patriarch Cyril became a martyr for his involvement in ecumenical dialogue with the Protestant churches, while Metrophanes Kritopoulos went on to be elected Patriarch of Alexandria. Although their efforts toward inter-Christian dialogue were subsequently suppressed, the memory and respect for their contributions endure among the faithful of the Ecumenical Patriarchate within the broader Christian community.
Recommended Citation
Ribolov, Svetoslav Dr. Assoc. Prof.
(2024)
"17th Century Ecumenical Activities between Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Early Protestant Churches,"
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 44
:
Iss.
5
, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2521
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol44/iss5/4
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