Interfaith Symposium on Creation and the Man as its Guardian

The Albanian Orthodox Church – May- June 2016

In the wake of the long cooperation between “Resurrection of Christ” Theological Academy and “Mother of Good Counsel” Romano-Catholic Seminary, the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of Beder joined the interfaith symposium held on May 12, at the premises of the Academy, in the New Monastery of Saint Vlash on the theme: “Creation and Man as its Guardian.”

There were present at the event His Eminence Ilia Ketri, Bishop of Philomel in the United States, His Eminence Nikolla, Metropolitan of Apollonia and concurrently Director in Charge at the Theological Academy as well as prof. dr. Fredinand Gjana, the Rector of Beder University, Don Mario Imperatori, the Dean of the Roman Catholic Seminary, and also professors and students from the three theological schools.

First there was a reception which took place at the premises of the Theological Academy and then the participants moved to the conference room at the Holy Myrrh-bearing Skete. After the welcoming speech held by His Eminence Nikolla and the welcoming word of His Eminence Ilia, two other greetings followed by Prof. Dr. Gjana and Don Mario. In this symposium there were three presentations, one from each participating school, presented by the respective speakers.

The first speech was entitled “Creation as the Main Argument for the Existence of God”, and it was held by Mr. Veton Tulla, a lecturer at the University of Beder. Then another lecture continued on the topic: “Providence of Nature for a Real Breakthrough” by Don Lorenzo Rossetti, professor at the Roman-Catholic Seminary. While Mr. Nathan Hoppe, professor at “Resurrection of Christ” Theological Academy, delivered the lecture “Creation as A Communion with God”. The symposium ended with questions and discussions about topics that were referred.

It was a worth-attending event, as the participants claimed, because it allowed the mutual recognition and brought to attention the common points of the three religions, as well as the respective viewpoints of each religious group regarding theological issues and more specifically in relation to creation and the role of man in it which was also the theme of the symposium. Also, the event allowed representatives of the three theological schools and mainly students to exchange their concepts and knowledge of theology as well as their respective beliefs.

Finally, all participants in the symposium had lunch together at the canteen of the Theological Academy with the common hope that activities of this kind would be organized again in the future.

Translated by: Juljana Kodheli

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