Jean Zizioulas

This article transcribes a lecture delivered in 2011 by Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon, a major figure in contemporary Orthodox theology. It is a programmatic intervention in which the author outlines the directions that Orthodox theology should take during the twenty-first century. The central idea is the necessity of achieving a synthesis between the ecclesiological gains of the 1960s and their embodiment in the institutional structures of the Church, so that the Church may live more fully in the dynamic of the Holy Spirit. The article also emphasizes the importance of a creative return to the patristic tradition in order to respond to contemporary challenges, particularly the one posed by virtual reality to the local and incarnate conception of the Church. The theological contribution lies in the articulation between the patristic heritage, ecclesiological renewal, and discernment of current cultural and technological transformations.