On 13th December 2014 metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) received the honorary doctorate from Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies (Moscow Patriarchate). The ceremony was chaired by metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Apostolic Nuncio to Russia Ivan Yurkovich and the Serbian bishop Irinej of Bačka (on the photo from left to right). Previously, metropolitan Kallistos was given the same honour by St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, NY) on 8th September 2011.

In the acceptance speech, His Excellency spoke about theological endeavour as an “entry into the living mystery of the living and personal God.” He described this journey as a path from light into “luminous darkness” – a mystery and union with God. Theology uses human intellect as a gift from God, but at the same time recongises that its subject lies beyond the reasoning brain. Metrop. Kallistos particularly emphasised that to be a theologian means “to follow, never to rest satisfied, always to move further; the essence of perfection is that we never become perfect, we always reach out to what lies in front of us.”

The news report and extracts from metrop. Kallistos’ keynote address in English are available on Pravmir. The original publication in Russian with protocol photography is available on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Oxford Orthodox Christian Student Society warmly congratulates His Excellency on the receipt of this honorary degree!