A critique of metropolitan John's (Zizioulas) ecclesiology in Miroslav Volf

Abstract

In this research the main points of metr. John (Zizioulas’) Eucharistic ecclesiology have been brought into light, which are criticized by Miroslav Volf, a protestant “Free Church” theologian. Both theologians are famous as experts in Inter-Christian dialogue of modern days: the former from among Orthodox, the latter as representative from the Protestants. Metr. John (Zizioulas’s) aim is to show through systematic development the necessity of Eucharistic communion in the Church as the Body of Christ for a human individual. Volf’s purpose is grounding the right of Free Protestant Church ecclesiology to be equally represented in ecumenical dialogue along with that of the Orthodox and Catholics. For this purpose he tries to abandon every exclusivist view even within his own tradition using methods of Moltmann’s theological school. When metr. John suggests treating trinitarian relations “one-many” as grounding for hierarchical relations in the Church, Volf, on the contrary, suggests seeing in its institution the reflection of perichoresis of Divine Persons. He formulates his own criterion of openness: only congregation which is open to all churches is a church in the full sense of the word. The reasons why and basis on which he still remains far from Orthodox point of view (in Zizioulas’ coordinate system) are shown in the article.