I don't believe this was just an ecumenical "favor". There is much more to this...the training of their future "priests"; so that by the next generation, the ship will sink even faster.
Jesuit Named Chairman Of Patristic Institute At Holy Cross, Orthodox
Professors Passed Over
By Theodore Kalmoukos
Special to The National Herald
BOSTON - A Roman Catholic Jesuit priest has been named chairman of the newly established Orthodox Patristic Institute of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.
Rev. Robert J. Daly, professor emeritus of Theology at Boston College, was chosen by Holy Cross to organize the Institute. Archbishop Demetrios of America, Chairman of the School, and Holy Cross President Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou signed off on the decision.
The Stephen & Catherine Pappas Patristic Institute is named after its
founders. The Pappas family has donated close to two million dollars.
The donation was made 13 years ago, when Metropolitan (then Bishop)
Methodios of Boston was President of the School. Stephen Pappas has since passed away, but his wife Catherine continues to support the Institute.
The purpose of the Institute is "to promote and advance the study of the Fathers of the Church," Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Clapsis, Dean of Holy Cross, told the National Herald.
Roman Catholics and Protestants, along with Orthodox members, have been appointed to serve on the Administrative Board of the Institute, while Dr. George Bebis, professor of Orthodox Patristic Studies who taught at Holy Cross for more than 40 years, was completely ignored.
Among the Orthodox members of the Board are Rev. Dr. Theodore
Stylianopoulos, professor of New Testament Studies, and Rev. Pavlos
Koumatianos, who was appointed professor of Liturgical Theology this past May. Rev. Koumatianos has suddenly departed from Holy Cross (and from the U.S., as well), however, for unspecified reasons, thus far.
"The delay of establishing the Pappas Patristic Institute is due to a series of problems that the School faced which did not give Holy Cross a chance to develop all its programs and potentialities," Rev. Clapsis said.
On October 15-16, the Pappas Patristic Institute organized "Apocalyptic
Themes in Early Christianity," its first conference, to which neither Dr.
Bebis nor Rev. Dr. George Dragas, both well respected professors of
Patrology, were invited to speak.
Rev. Stylianopoulos presented on Orthodox Patristic Theology and Thought.
"We invited all the experts that deal with Patristic Studies in New
England," Rev. Clapsis said.
In response to the Herald’s question how and why a Jesuit priest has been placed at the helm of an Orthodox Institute, Rev. Clapsis said that Rev. Daly "has experience in Institutes. He is one of the founders of the Boston Theological Institute, as well as the first Director of the Jesuit Institute at Boston College," adding that "we appointed a Roman Catholic to help us so our Institute is not a small grocery store, but to have a serious structure.
We (the Orthodox) are only a handful, and sometimes there are personal sensitivities and animosities."
In reference to the passing over of Dr. Bebis, Rev. Clapsis told the Herald that "he was my professor. I respect him, and I support him, as he supports me, but some choices had to be made."
Rev. Clapsis said he is assuming "personal responsibility for those choices, which were approved by the Archbishop and Father Triantafilou."
As far as the speakers of the Institute’s inaugural conference, Rev. Clapsis said, "we are not looking how many are Protestants and how many Orthodox. We tried to find the best Patrologists who deal with that topic."
Dr. Bebis, on the other hand, in interview with the Herald, protested all
that has transpired with the Pappas Patristic Institute at Holy Cross, so
far:
Speaking about the appointment of Rev. Robert Daly as chairman of the
Institute, Dr. Bebis said "for me, he does not represent the spirit of the
Greek Fathers of the Church."
Dr. Bebis considers his virtually total jostling from the Institute and its
recent Conference as "discrimination against me," he said. "I was surprised not to see my name on the Administrative Board. I see individuals who have contributed nothing special to the Patristic Studies at our Theological School and in the study of the Fathers."
As to why a Jesuit was appointed chairman of an Orthodox Institute at Holy Cross School, Dr. Bebis said, "I do not have any disfavor against Fr. Daly, but for me, he does not express the spirit of the Greek Fathers of the Church. I know he has written books related to Origen, but beyond that, I am not aware of any other contribution towards the study of the Fathers."
Dr. Bebis also disclosed that he has both verbally and in writing complained to the Archbishop, but nothing came of it: "His response to my verbal complaint was, yes you are right Dr. George, and he smiled. He never replied to my written complaint."
Asked if there is any Orthodox Theologian appointed as chairman in any Roman Catholic Institute, Dr. Bebis said that, "from whatever I know, there is none."
Professor Bebis refused to attend the Institute’s inaugural conference last week.
"The Faith which I was taught by the Holy Fathers, which I taught at all
times without adjusting it according to the times, this Faith I will never
stop teaching; I was born with it and I live by it."
—St. Gregory the Theologian
