OCTOBER 2013 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3 /21

EARLY CHRISTIAN CENTURIES:

A CONFERENCE TO REMEMBER
By Mario Baghos Director of the Institutum Augustinianum in Rome. Fr vited by Professor Mathijs Lamberigts and other atten-
Associate Lecturer in Patristic Studies Doru recounted with joy the fact that he uses Professor dees to further expand on aspects pertaining to the wis-
and Church History, St Andrew’s Di Berardino’s monumental Patrology: The Eastern Fa- dom of St Maximus the Confessor; this resulted in a
thers from the Council of Chalcedon to John of Damas- very lively conversation.
From 3-5 October the Very Revd Dr Doru Costache, cus in his patristic studies units at St Andrew’s. The Pro- The conference was tremendously successful, and
Senior Lecturer in Patristic Studies, and I represented St fessor also shed light on some questions pertinent to congratulations must be extended to all involved; or-
Andrew’s at the Early Christian Centuries I conference, my thesis topic, spending the one hour lunch-break ganisers, presenters, and delegates. As a final note, for
hosted by the Centre for Early Christian Studies, in con- with Fr Doru, Dr Adam Cooper, and myself, much to the Fr Doru and I this conference reinforced the significance
junction with the Asia-Pacific Early Christian Studies So- enrichment and gratitude of all. After lunch, Fr Doru de- of such events for academics who, in the presence of
ciety, at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. livered his paper entitled ‘Saintly perceptions of gen- their esteemed peers and in a spirit of mutual learning,
The conference was on the theme of ‘Men and Wo- dered humankind: Ambigua 10 and 41’ in a session on are made to feel part of a community that is truly mak-
men in Early Christianity,’ yet it covered additional top- ‘Byzantine Perspectives on Gender and the Will’ chaired ing a difference to our intellectual, and why not spiritu-
ics including Patristics, Hagiography, The Byzantine by Dr Cooper. At the end of the session, Fr Doru was in- al, culture.
Church, Byzantine Architecture, Asceticism, etc.
With no less than three keynote addresses by Pro-
fessors Elaine Wainwright (University of Auckland),
Mathijs Lamberigts (KU, Leuven), and Claudia Rapp THE
E KYTHERIAN ASSOCIA
A TION OF
ASSOCIATION O AUSTRALIA A
(ÖAW, Vienna), and a plenary address by Professor PROU DLY PRESENT
PROUDLY PRESENTSS WITH HELENN ZEREFOS O A
AM
OAM
Andrew McGowan (Trinity College, University of
Melbourne), the event was well attended by ex-
ceptional scholars in the fields of late antiquity,
Byzantine studies, patristic studies, and other dis-
ciplines.
Especially significant for Fr Doru and I was the
welcoming presence of several friends and sup-
porters of the College. It was a great joy to be able
to converse again with Professor Pauline Allen, FA-
HA (ACU, Brisbane), keynote speaker at this year’s
Patristic Symposium. Professor Allen’s paper at the
Early Christian Centuries I conference was entitled:
‘How, if at all, to write to a woman in Christian Late
Antiquity?’ Equally enjoyable was to meet Dr Bron-
wen Neil, FAHA (ACU, Brisbane), programme direc-
tor for the Early Christian Centuries conferences.
Dr Neil was keynote speaker at our 2011 Sympo-
sium on St Gregory of Nyssa and will offer another
keynote at our upcoming 2014 Symposium. Her
paper at this conference was entitled: ‘Dreaming
of men and women in Gregory the Great’s Dia-
logues and a Byzantine dream key manual.’
Another friend of St Andrew’s who welcomed us
was Dr Adam G. Cooper (JP II Institute, Mel-
bourne), who gave a keynote paper at our 2012
Symposium and will be co-convening the 2014
Symposium together with Fr Doru. His paper at
this conference was entitled: ‘Nuptial mystery or
sacrament of sin? Maximus the Confessor on mar-
riage and sexual intimacy.’ Last but not least, it
was a great pleasure to meet again Dr Anna M. Sil-
vas, FAHA (UNE, Armidale), who gave keynote pre-
sentations for St Andrew’s 2010 and 2011 Sym-
posia. Her paper at this conference was entitled:
‘Basil of Caesarea, his silence about Macrina and
his attitude to women.’
After the plenary address on day one of the con- Date Sunday
Sunday 3rd
3rd November 2013
November 2 013
ference, Fr Doru chaired the short paper session Time 3.00pm
3.00pm for start
for a 3.30pm sta
art
on ‘Patristic Exegesis on the Creation of Male and
Female.’ During the lunch-break, Dr Cooper and Dr Venue
Veenue Westside
Westside Reception Lounge
Reception Lou
unge
Silvas generously invited us to the John Paul II In- Sponsored
Sponsored
e by Address
Address 265 Illawarra
Illawarra Rd,
Rd, Marrickville
Marrickville
stitute for Marriage and Family for a coffee, where PETER
PETER & HELEN MAGIROS
MAGIROS
enlightening conversation ranging from patristics Ticket
Ticket Cost $20.00
$20.00 per ticket
ticket
&F AMIL
A LY- FRUTEX
FAMILY- FRUTEX AUSTRALIIA
AUSTRALIA
to scriptural exegesis ensued. In the afternoon, I Bookings Kathy
Kathy Samios 9349 1849
presented my paper on ‘The Christocentricity of Poems
Poems BBy
y
ecclesial art in Early Byzantium’ in a session on S. HARKIIANAKIS
HARKIANAKIS RSVP
RSVP 25th October
October 2013
‘The Byzantine Church.’ A highlight for Fr Doru was (H.E. ARCHBISHOP
ARCHB STYLIANOS)
C ISHOP STYLIAN O )
OS
a conversation with Professor Hubertus R. Drobner Limited
Limited seats available
seats available so book
book now
now to
t
(Theologische Fakultät Paderborn), whose critical Music
Music By
By
secure
secure your
your seat.
eat.
se
edition of St Gregory of Nyssa’s Apology for the EVAGGELOS
EVAGGEL LOS PAPAGEORGIOU
PA
APPAGEORGIOU
Hexaemeron he used in the publication of two re- Sung
Sung By
By CDs available
available at event
at the event ffor
or $25.00
o $25. 00 each.
cent Phronema articles. Likewise, I was thrilled to
HELEN ZEREFOS
Z OAM
OAM
meet Professor Claudia Rapp, who made some im-
portant suggestions for my current PhD research
on the city of Constantinople. Proceeds
Proc supporting
o eeds suppor ting
Continuing this note, on day two of the confer- Alzheimerss R
Alzheimer Research
ese
earch & KAA Aged
Aged
ed Care
Care Trust
Trust
ence we were overwhelmed to meet the erudite
and humble Revd Professor Angelo Di Berardino,