Hilarion (Alfeyev)

Hilarion Alfeyev (alternative spelling Hilarion Alfeyev, born Grigori Valeriyevich Alfeyev, Russian Григорий Валерьевич Алфеев; born July 24, 1966 in Moscow) is Russian Orthodox Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and head of the Foreign Office of the Moscow Patriarchate. Between 2003 and 2009 he was Bishop of Vienna and Austria.

Career

Hilarion Alfeyev studied violin, piano and composition at the Moscow State Conservatory. From 1984-1986 he performed military service. He joined in 1987 the convent of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, where he was ordained a priest on August 19. In 1989 he graduated from the Theological Seminary in Moscow, in 1991 by the Theological Academy in Moscow. Until 1993, he taught Homiletics, Dogmatic Theology, New Testament Studies and Byzantine Greek at the theological schools in Moscow. In 1995 he received his doctorate at the University of Oxford in Bishop Kallistos Ware. In addition, he received his doctorate in theology at the Institut de Théologie Orthodox Saint- Serge in Paris.

From 1995 to 2001 he was secretary in the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. On 14 January 2002 he was consecrated at Christ the Saviour Cathedral of Alexy II, Patriarch of Russia to the bishop. He was the first assistive Bishop of the Diocese of Sorouzh in the UK and from July 2002 the head of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions in Brussels. In addition to this position he was appointed on May 7, 2003, Bishop of Vienna and Austria.

He habilitated in 2005 in a proper habilitation at the University of Fribourg, was involved in the Prof. Nicolas Lossky by the Institut de Théologie Orthodox Saint- Serge as an external expert. As Habilitationsschrift handed Bishop Hilarion a French language examination to the debates on the Imjaslavie, the name of God - worship, one that existed at the beginning of the 20th century from Mount Athos. This study was published in the Ecumenical booklets of the Freiburg Institute for Ecumenical Studies, 2007. On 19 February 2005, he got his venia legendi solemnly handed over and received the authorization to teach the dogmatics.

As of the summer semester 2005, he took up teaching as a lecturer of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Fribourg. In February 2011, the appointment as professor of dogmatic theology at the University of Fribourg was made.

On 31 March 2009 he was appointed Bishop of Volokolamsk and head of the Foreign Office of the Moscow Patriarchate (a position that the current Patriarch Kirill I before his election held ). As such, he is an ex officio member of the Holy Synod. February 1, 2010, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. On 5 October 2011, he was appointed Head of the biblical- theological commission of the Moscow Patriarchate, which it belongs since 1996.

Ecumenical views

He calls for bilateral and strategic alliances between the various Christian groups and churches. He thinks mainly of the Roman Catholic Church. For Protestantism he expresses himself very critical. Many Protestants have developed a light version of Christianity, which manages to Christian moral standards without apostolic succession, without sacraments, without dogmatic teachings and without binding.

Memberships

  • Bishop Hilarion is a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches Executive Committee.
  • He is a member of the Presidium of the Faith and Order Commission.
  • In addition, he acts among others in the Orthodox-Catholic Commission.

Publications

Bishop Hilarion is the author of thirty books that have been published in Russian, English, French, Italian, German and Finnish. In 2003 he published his Introduction to the Orthodox dogmatic theology under the title The Mystery of Faith.

The Christmas Oratorio by Bishop Hilarion was listed on 22 December 2008 in Vienna Konzerthaus under the direction of Vladimir Fedosseyev with Archdeacon Viktor Schilowsky as an evangelist.

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