Papal message to Catholic-Orthodox symposium on St. Augustine

September 04, 2009

The 11th Inter-Christian Symposium, an initiative of the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical University Antonianum and the Aristotle Orthodox Theological Faculty of Thessalonica, is meeting in Rome from September 3-5 to examine St. Augustine and his influence. In a message to Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Pope Benedict noted that “the Saint of Hippo, a great Father of the Latin Church, is, in fact, of fundamental importance for theology and for the West’s very culture, whereas the reception of his thought in Orthodox theology has revealed itself to be rather problematic … I express cordial wishes that your Symposium be fruitful in that it discovers doctrinal and spiritual convergences that are useful to build together the City of God, where his children can live in peace and in fraternal charity, based on the truth of the common faith.”

 

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Further information:

• Messaggio Del Santo Padre Al Presidente Del Pontificio Consiglio Per La Promozione Dell’Unità Dei Cristiani In Occasione Dell’XI Simposio Intercristiano (Holy See)
• Pope's Message to Inter-Christian Symposium (Zenit)
• Symposium program (Antonianum)