"Being fully in the world but not of this world"

This article reports on the plenary lecture delivered by Lebanese lay theologian Assaad Elias Kattan at an Orthodox theology symposium. In the form of a theological lecture, the text develops an argument for a creative renewal of Orthodox thought in the face of the challenges of postmodernity. The central idea is that Orthodox theology must overcome any temptation toward intellectual abdication by building bridges between ecclesial Tradition and contemporary reality. The article makes a threefold contribution: it proposes a dynamic rereading of Tradition, distinguishing its essential message from its transitory historical forms; it rehabilitates reason as a legitimate theological instrument; and finally, it calls for the development of new hermeneutics of foundational texts. Taken together, this constitutes a significant contribution to the debate on the positioning of Orthodox theology in the contemporary world.