Orthodox Scholars Reflect on Crete Council Ten Years Later

Photo: svots.edu

YONKERS, NY — A decade after the convening of the Council of Crete, Orthodox scholars and church leaders will gather at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary to reflect on the council’s continuing significance and contested legacy.

The June 12 Florovsky Lecture, organized by the Orthodox Theological Society of America (OTSA), will feature several participants who were directly involved in the 2016 council proceedings in Crete. Scheduled speakers include Bp. Maxim Vasiljević of Los Angeles and Western America; Protopresbyter Dr. Nicolas Kazarian of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH); Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou of Boston College; and Archpriest Dr. Alexander Rentel of St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

The event will be held on the seminary campus and will be open to the public both in person and online at no cost. A reception is planned following the lecture. Registration for the event can be found here. 

Organizers say the discussion will revisit the long-term impact of the council convened by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 2016, which sought to address pan-Orthodox cooperation and contemporary church concerns. While some hailed the gathering as a historic milestone, others within the Orthodox world questioned aspects of its authority and reception.

The Florovsky Lecture forms part of OTSA’s 2026 annual meeting, taking place June 11–13 at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Most conference sessions will be publicly accessible, though certain meetings may be restricted to members.

Previously, the UOJ reported that SVOTS honored Fr. Thomas Hopko on the anniversary of his passing.

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