The Most Reverend Chrysostomos Metropolitan of Messenia

Ven . Metropolitan of Messinia, Chrysostomos was born in Peristeri Attica . He graduated from the Higher Ecclesiastical School of Athens (1980-1983) and the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens School of Theology ( 1983-1987 ).

The year 1988 was ordained a Deacon and received a scholarship from the Roman Catholic Church (Comite Catholique pour la Collaboration Culturele) for graduate studies in Rome (Pontificio Instituto Orientale and Pontificio Universita Gregoriana, 1988-1990).

In 1990 he received the M.Sc. (Master of Science) in Patristic Theology and the Ecumenical Movement , with Honors (Summa cum Laude).

During 1990-1991, as a fellow of the Roman Catholic Church , attained his Doctorate of Philosophy ( PhD ) at the University of Strasbourg (Faculté de Théologie Catholique).

In November 1990 he was ordained a priest and received the offikio Archimandrite .

In the year 2007, he was elected Metropolitan of Messinia by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Greece .

The year 1995 was proclaimed Doctor of Theology , Department of Theology , University of Athens .

In 1999 he was elected Professor of the Department of Theology at the Theological School of Athens, Department of Patristic Studies, History of Dogma and Theology in the field of " Patristic Theology with the publication of texts Ecclesiastical Writers ."

In 2002 he became Assistant Professor of the above-mentioned Department in the field of " Patrology " In May of 2008 he was elected Professor of the field of " History of Dogma & Theology " .

In 2014 the Metropolitan of Messinia elected him President of the Board Theological Faculty of the University of Athens .

Marios Begzos

Mr. Marios Begzos Pericles was born on November 27, 1951 in Athens) . He studied theology and philosophy at the Universities of Athens (1969-1973) , Geneva (1973-1974) and Tyvigkis (1979-1981) with grants Scholarship Foundation ( State Scholarships Foundation ), the World Council of Churches (WCC), the German State Agency Cultural Exchange (DAAD) and the Research Foundation Alexander von Humboldt. Also studied (1973-1977) at the Law School of Athens University.

He teaches Comparative Philosophy of Religion at the University of Athens ( Faculty of Theology ) as a Lecturer since 1986 , Assistant Professor in 1991 , Associate professor since p999 and Professor in 2003. In parallel he is giving lectures in the fields of philosophy of religion at the University of Marburg in Germany (Marburg an der Lahn) each spring semester (1991-1997), as well as in the fields of psychology of religion and sociology of religion at the University of Athens .

Since 2011 he is Dean of the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens.

He has been distinguished for his essay work (P. Fotes Award , 1999 , Best Greek Centre PEN Club, 2007). His essays have been translated in many languages ​​(English, French, German, Italian, Hungarian, Chinese) and has composed original essays in English and German.

Adamantios Avgoustidis

Protopresbyter Adamantios Avgoustidis is an Associate Professor at the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens with area of expertise in the "Pastoral Theology and Psychology."  He was born in 1957 in Piraeus, where he completed his studies at Ecole St-Paul (Greek-French College of Piraeus, praise Firsts). The 1975 started his education at the Medical School of Athens University and graduated in 1981 taking diploma for his outstanding performance from the A’ Surgery Clinic of the University of Athens.  During his specialization in Psychiatry (Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Athens), he continued his studies at the Theological School of the University of Athens (1981) and graduated (1986) with a diploma grade “very good”, and in 1990 acquired the title of Psychiatry specialty.   In 1999 was proclaimed Doctor of Theological School of Athens University in the field of Pastoral Psychology by subjecting for approval PhD thesis on "Human aggressiveness, pastoral and psychological study on John Sinaitou’s Scale”.   He has taught Pastoral and Pastoral Psychology in Higher Ecclesiastical School of Athens (1998-2001). He was elected Lecturer (2003) and then Assistant Professor (2010) 'Pastoral Theology and Psychology "of the Department of Theology at the Theological School of the University of Athens. He is fluent in English and French language.   In 2010 he was appointed General Director of the "Institute of Pastoral training '(RPF) of the Archdiocese of Athens.

Constantinos Zarras

Mr. Constantine Zarras was born in Lamia and studied in Greece and UK .

He is a member of the Greek Bible Society, the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the European Association of Biblical Studies.

He participates as a speaker in international conferences in our country and abroad ( Jerusalem , Vienna , Prague, Sambata, Minsk ). He is a Lecturer in the Theological School of Athens University since 2003, originally in the Department of Social Theology and afterwards in the Department of Theology.

His area of specialization is the period of the Second Temple Judaism and the Mystery of the Throne and the Palace of God (Maaseh Merkavah and Heikhalot), where his doctoral dissertation .

Main works are: The Ancient Secret Tradition of Jewish Throne ( 2000 ) , History of the Era of the New Testament, Vol . A (2005) • History of the Era of the New Testament , Vol . B: Jews and Christians in Search Limits (2008) • Peoples and Cultures of the Second Temple Period

(2008 rev.)

Michalis Marioras

Michael Marioras born in Athens and studied at universities in Greece, Switzerland and Germany .

In 2005 was proclaimed a PhD with specialization in History of Religion and from 2008 is a Lecturer at the Theological School of the University of Athens. In the period 2009 - 2011 he served as special advisor to the Ministry Education and Religious Affairs for matters based on his specialty.

His research interests include the religion of Islam, Islamic communities in Europe and in Greece, familiarity of indigenous populations to the changing parameters of the modern environment, mainly because of immigration.

Dr. Tsapogas Michalis

Mr. Tsapogas Michael is a graduate of Law at the University of Athens (1985), a PhD of Law from the University of Munich (1991). He is also member of the Piraeus Bar Association (1987), of the Greek Union for Human Rights (1993) and of the Union of Greek Constitutionalists (1994).

He served as a research associate at the Research Institute of Greek Constitutional History (1993-1996) and a visiting researcher at the Max-Planck Institute for European History of Law in Frankfurt (1996-1998) and since 1998 he works as scientist for the Ombudsman (Sinygoros tou Politi).

He published his works in the scientific fields of constitutional law, human rights protection, Greek and comparative constitutional history.

His most important works are: «Staatsrationalisierung und Verfassungsbewegung in Griechenland 1832-1843» (1992), "The rights in Greece by the end of the civil war to the end of the political changeover" (co-curated with D. Christopoulos, 2004),«Blasphemy and justice in a Greek Orthodox context» in the volume of the Council of Europe,  «Tackling blasphemy, insult and hatred in a democratic society» (2008), "Tolerance and supervision under the shadow of the dominant religion" in the volume "The unmentionable issue of minorities in the Greek legal order '(2008).

Gabriel Negrin :

Gabriel M. I. Negrin (1988) grew up in Athens where he completed his secondary education. At the same time, from the age of religious majority (being 13 years), studied alongside the former chief rabbi of Athens Sofologiotato Jacob Mr. Arar.

He continued to higher education, studying in the Department of Music Technology and Acoustics (Rethymnon, Crete). During his studies there, he was attending classes remotely in theological - religious schools in England (Montefiore College) and in Israel (Machon Meir, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Aish ha'Torah Mr. A.).

After completion his academic studies, he went to Holy City of Jerusalem to continue his studies at the Rabbinic school Shehebar Sephardic Center (Abe M. & Geri Cohen Rabbinical College). There he was ordained Rabbi, Spiritual Director and Ierodidaskalos, under the guidance of major Rabbis, such as Rabbi Sofologiotatos Mr. Jacob I. Peretz.

Additionally his principal mentor was the former Chief Rabbi Sofologiotatos Chalkidos Menasse Mr. Cohen, who was an important source of knowledge and sufficiently experience.

Rabbi Negrin is also 'Moel' (an authorized operator of religious circumcisions), obtaining his degree from Sofologiotato Rabbi Sslomo Mahfud (head of the religious court «Yoreh Deah» and «Municipal Rabbi" in the town of Bnei Braque in Israel).

His research interests is focused on the specific traditions, religious practices and in rabbinic literature of the Jews in Greece. Finally, the influences and the close relationship between the Jewish and Greek philosophical theology have significantly affected his work.

 

Theodoros Kontidis

Father Theodore Kontidis born in Yannitsa of Pella in 1956 . He graduated from the Leontios School in 1974.

In 1988 he was ordained priest in the Catholic Church of Athens and since then, he has been working in Athens.   He served as Parson in the Parish of Christ the Savior in Athens, pastoral care of youth. He was Director of the magazine "Sychrona Vimata".

He is the Director of the Magazine " Open Horizons" and  he is also Head of  the Cultural Center "Manresa"  in Enoe Attica organizing conferences, seminars etc.

He collaborates with the organization "Faith and Light", which brings together families and children with mental disorders. He is responsible for the preparation program in marriage for couples who are planning a Catholic wedding in the Catholic bishopric of Athens.

Reverend Boukis Dimitrios

The Reverend  Dimitris Boukis was born in 1965 in Athens .

He studied History and Theology in Greece and in the U.S. of America .

He served as a Pastor of the Greek Evangelical Church in Los Angeles, USA and since 1996 he has served as a spiritual head for the Youth Center of the Greek Evangelical Church.

He is Secretary of the Executive Committee of the General Synod for the Greek Evangelical Church since 2002 and as a visiting professor of Church History and Biblical Theology in the Greek Bible College.

In 2012 he was elected member of the Central Committee of the Community Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE).

He is married to Lorraiin Kefalas and they have got 2 children, Demosthenes and Alexander.

Savant Imam Dr Abd Rasoul Mounir

 

Daniel Esdras

Daniel Esdras is a graduate of the University of Sussex, LaSalle, and Ohio State in International Relations, Public Relations and Business Management.

He is a regular member of the Special Preparatory Committee for Combating Human Trafficking set up by the Ministry of Justice, tasked with proposing legislative amendments with the aim to improve the assistance provided to the victims and planning educational activities for law enforcement personnel. He started serving as a Chief of the Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Greece.

He was Director of the Office of the IOM in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as well as in FYROM .

He served as General Coordinator of the Humanitarian Operations in North Caucasus, during the Chechnya conflict.

In cooperation with OSCE, he served as one of the IOM Officers responsible for the elections in Bosnia and Kosovo, in the framework of the Out-of-Country Voting program.

From 1998 until today, he serves as a Chief of the IOM Office in Greece. He usually serves as speaker at numerous conferences and capacity building activities on migration management and counter trafficking issues. 

ALexandros Vellios

Alexander Vellios is a Journalist and a Political Consulting.

He studied Philosophy at the University in Paris. He has worked as a columnist and political editor in several newspapers and magazines in Greece.

Today, he works as a television producer in the 'Contra' channel. In parallel he is advisor of issues and columnist in the “Paraskinio” journal.

He serves as  a director and consultant in “ROES” editions and for the series of essays “Micromedia”.