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BOOK LAUNCH

Encountering the Mystery, Istanbul: Istos Publications, 2016

(Galata, Istanbul, May 13, 2017)

Fr. John Chryssavgis

(i) Introductory Remarks

It is a distinct honor for me to be included in this evenings event,

and I am deeply grateful to the organizers for inviting me to address the
importance of their translation of the book by His All-Holiness,
Encountering the Mystery.

This book launch is a timely presentation in essence, it is a

community celebration of the Turkish translation of a book written by His
All-Holiness and originally published by Doubleday Books in New York eight
years ago in 2008. Encountering the Mystery was published some four years
before the emergence of the creative and impressive publishing house of
Istos in 2012. I believe that, in some way, it was the destiny of Istos to
produce this book just as it promotes texts and translations of significant
Greek authors for the benefit of the Turkish literary community.

Since its first appearance, Encountering the Mystery has seen the
light of publication in numerous languages throughout the world, including
French and Greek, Russian and Italian, and subsequently Finnish and
 11

Norwegian, Spanish and Portuguese. At this moment, a Georgian as well as

a German translation is being prepared for publication, the latter on the
occasion of the 500th anniversary since the Protestant Reformation and in
time for the forthcoming official visit by the Ecumenical Patriarch to
Germany.

(ii) Two Bookends of a Unique Vision

The two key terms that comprise the title stand like two pillars of
support that hold up and hold together the ministry of Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew. They comprise two bookends of the unique vision
of His All-Holiness. Like bookends, they are more than merely decorative;
they are functional. They are more than simply ornamental; they are
essential. One reviewer (Prof. Richard Steele) described the two dimensions
as the heavens above and the world around.

The first bookend depicts the depth of mystery of the Orthodox faith,
while the second bookend denotes the determination of encounter
through dialogue; or, in other words, one bookend presents the beauty of
the Orthodox faith, while the other represents the priority of ecumenical
dialogue. This is arguably why the first chapters of Encountering the
Mystery describe the rich tradition of the Orthodox Church its history,
theology and spirituality. It is also why the remaining chapters define the
conversation between the institutional church and the wider world
peace, climate change, human rights and social justice.
 12

The patriarch speaks of modern challenges not as progressive issues,

but rather as springing from the core conviction of Orthodox Christianity.
He defines his church and tradition as very much alive and not antiquated,
as rooted in the past but also looking to the future. This is surely also the
reason why and the context within which former State Secretary of the
United States of America, Madeleine Albright, also appreciated and
officially endorsed the patriarchs book. On the back blurb of the original
English publication, she wrote: The Ecumenical Patriarch is renowned as a
bridge-builder. And Encountering the Mystery is a bridge in book form.

These two bookends of the patriarchs ministry encounter and

mystery are also the most fundamental and vital tensions within the
Orthodox Church itself. Encounter and mystery inform and affirm one
another because encounter is never merely outward conversation, and
mystery cannot just be reduced to inward contemplation. These two
aspects of the Orthodox theology and Orthodox tradition consolidate into
and constitute a creative and constructive tension in the Orthodox Church,
which has historically struggled to maintain a balance between the two.
Emphasis on one dimension alone whether on the outward or ecumenical
aspect of dialogue or else on the inward or contemplative aspect of
mystery ultimately leads to imbalance and a tendency to extremism.

This is precisely the context within which we must perceive the

historical meetings of His All-Holiness with Pope Francis in the holy city of
Jerusalem to celebrate the intimate relations between the Roman Catholic
and Orthodox Churches over the last fifty years; on the island of Lesbos to
 13

call the attention of the world to the plight of countless refugees from the
Middle East and Northern Africa; and most recently to the ancient church
of Egypt to mourn the loss of life and protest against the violence resulting
from religious extremism.

(iii) The Story behind the Book

On the tenth anniversary of the election of His All-Holiness as

Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, the religious editor
of Doubleday/Random House, a world-renowned publishing company in
New York with over one century of acclaimed publications, wrote to His All-
Holiness, inviting him to consider producing a manuscript on a subject of
his choosing in order to introduce the institution, theology and spirituality
of the Orthodox Church to an international public.

His All-Holiness approached His Excellency Metropolitan Kallistos

[Ware], professor at the University of Oxford, my own teacher, and one of
the foremost contemporary theologians in the Orthodox Church
worldwide. Metropolitan Kallistos contributed the foreword to the book,
establishing the context within which the patriarchs words would resonate
with readers and setting the scene for the first time that the words of an
Orthodox primate would be published by such a prominent and prestigious
publisher. Since the overwhelming travel and commitment schedule of His
All-Holiness was prohibitive to him drafting an entire manuscript from
nothing, the objective was to assemble material that could be
systematically arranged under key themes for the proposed book.
 14

In 2006, His All-Holiness and Metropolitan Kallistos proposed that I

assist in the publication process by researching and collecting the abundant
archival material in the form of official documents and speeches delivered
over the then fifteen-year patriarchal tenure of His All-Holiness. The files of
official speeches delivered in various settings religious and secular were
mostly stored in the offices of the Chief Secretariat (for the Greek texts)
and the English Office at the Phanar. However, a large number of lectures
and interviews were either not officially recorded or else preserved in
conference proceedings and local church annals in various parts of the
world where the patriarch had travelled.

Thus, the book was put together like pieces to a puzzle or, better,
like bricks to a house in the form of a compilation or construction
actually, an intricate weaving together of fifteen years of encyclicals and
addresses by His All-Holiness since he was elected and elevated to the
historical Throne of the Church of Constantinople. This meant that, while
the crafting of the manuscript was the result of an editorial team, the
words belong to His All-Holiness as the author and authority behind the
final publication.

For this reason, then, the book clearly maintains the personal
warmth and gracious spirit of the Ecumenical Patriarch, which are reflected
in so many of his talks and texts. Anyone who has received a personal letter
from His All-Holiness can attest to the high level of his erudition and his
skillful command of language. It also conveys the focus of his patriarchal
ministry on so many diverse contemporary issues, such as human rights and
 15

freedom of worship, social justice and climate change, as well as

nationalism and fundamentalism. Catholic Book Reviews wrote: *This
book] is Orthodox theology at its best: boldly prophetic and yet
encouragingly pastoral in its application of church dogma to our time. In
his foreword, Metropolitan Kallistos notes: As the reader of these pages
will quickly discover, he speaks with a voice that is gentle yet firm, humble
yet authoritative. Above all, his standpoint is compassionate and pastoral.
In this book, the Patriarchs words are based, not upon speculation or
academic research . . . but upon his lived experience . . . Doctrine and life go
hand in hand.

(iv) Bartholomew in Book Form

In brief, to adapt the words of Secretary Albright, Encountering the

Mystery is Bartholomew in book form. If it is an exceptional book, as Jane
Goodall has written, it is because the Ecumenical Patriarch is an
exceptional human being. Or, as the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr.
Rowan Williams, explains: In this exceptional book, Patriarch Bartholomew
inducts his readers into this wisdom and demonstrates with authority how
it bears upon a range of global issues. There is nothing archaic here,
though plenty that is traditional; nothing merely fashionable, though plenty
that is sharply contemporary. It is a treasury of sane and generous
theology, from one of the truly great figures in the Christian world today.

It was a distinct blessing and special honor for me to be associated

with the editing and production of this groundbreaking and extraordinary
 16

book by an exceptional spiritual leader and visionary of the worldwide

Orthodox Church. I am delighted that it has today also appeared in the
language of his native homeland, which deserves to hear time and time
again just how privileged and blessed it is to have among its distinguished
citizens someone of the patriarchs global reputation. It is my hope that this
book will facilitate greater understanding and appreciation of the historical
role that the Orthodox Church has played and will continue to play in this
City.