Raymond Rizk

This article examines the liturgical spoon used in the Orthodox tradition to distribute communion to the faithful. Written in the form of a historical and theological study, it takes as its starting point the debates sparked by the health crisis regarding the modalities of receiving the holy gifts. Raymond Rizk traces the origin of this instrument, attested around the eighth century, showing that it initially fulfilled a practical function: enabling communion for the sick who were unable to receive the Eucharist in their hands. The author then addresses the question of the transmission of diseases through the consecrated species, emphasizing that the bread and wine, while truly being the Body and Blood of Christ, retain their natural organic properties. The article thus sheds historical and doctrinal light on a liturgical object whose significance and use remain largely unknown.

This article by Lebanese theologian Raymond Rizk examines the current state of the Orthodox Church through the lens of the institutional and ecclesiological tensions running through it. Adopting an analytical and critical approach, the author questions the dysfunctions in relations between clergy and laity, as well as between local Churches, seeking to distinguish what constitutes a deep structural crisis from what represents circumstantial deviations. The central idea is that the fractures observed within the Church originate in the substitution of power dynamics and political calculations for the fundamental vocation of mutual service. The theological contribution of the article lies in the reformulation of an ecclesiology of service, grounded in the common search for Christ, as a normative criterion for evaluating and reforming relations between the members and institutions of the Church.

This article examines the so-called "Holy and Great" Council of 2016 from the critical perspective of a Lebanese lay theologian engaged in the Antiochian tradition. Drawing on a situated theological testimony, the text analyzes the conditions under which the Council was prepared and held, highlighting the persistent jurisdictional conflict between the Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem, to which the assembly brought no resolution. The author then proceeds to an evaluation of the conciliar documents adopted, questioning their doctrinal and ecclesiological scope. The main contribution of the article lies in shedding light on the internal tensions within Orthodoxy that marked the conciliar process, as well as in proposing a forward-looking perspective: this Council could constitute a preparatory step toward the convening of a truly pan-Orthodox council, gathering all the Orthodox Churches.

This article by Lebanese lay theologian Raymond Rizk examines the ecclesial foundations of relationships within the people of God, in dialogue with Father D'Aloisio's reflection on ministry. The author adopts a theological and ecclesiological approach, questioning the way authority is exercised in the parishes and dioceses of the Orthodox Church. His central thesis argues that ecclesial authority cannot be reduced to hierarchical order as an end in itself or to the application of disciplinary codes, but must be rooted in a spirit of love and service. The contribution of the article lies in the valorization of conciliarity as a concrete and authentic expression of this ideal, thus offering benchmarks for renewing community life and rebalancing relations between clergy and laity within the ecclesial institution.

This article by Lebanese lay theologian Raymond Rizk offers a historical and theological synthesis of the evolution of the distinction between priests and laity in the Church, from its New Testament origins to the contemporary era. Adopting a chronological and critical approach, the author shows that the New Testament is unaware of the clergy/laity categorization and affirms the royal priesthood of all the baptized. He then traces the successive shifts — monarchical episcopate, sacralization of ministry, influence of the Levitical model and the Christianized Roman Empire — that progressively marginalized the laity. The article also highlights resistance to these developments: monasticism, great spiritual figures, Orthodox brotherhoods, and lay theologians. Drawing on the works of Afanassieff and Zizioulas, Rizk advocates for an organic vision of the Church-as-communion, where clergy and laity together exercise, in a relationship of service rather than domination, their shared responsibility within the Body of Christ.