≫I Have Not Met a More Profound and Intelligent Orthodox Theologian than Him≪: John Zizioulas in the Letters of Holy Father Justin (Popović)

Abstract

In this study, the author offers an answer to the question: what does Justin Popović think and write about his young contemporary, professor of theology, John Zizioulas? Analysing the personal correspondence of Popović, Zizioulas and Atanasije Jevtić, he concludes that all the fragments in Justin’s letters where Zizioulas is mentioned are extremely affirmative and testify to the Elder’s love for the young theologian. Professor Zizioulas is ≫dear Zizula≪ for Father Justin, he regularly sends him his greeting, prays for him, wants him to grow up in holy virtues, considers him a worthy student of Father George Florovsky, and concludes, after his personal meeting, that ≫he has never met a deeper and more intelligent Orthodox theologian≪ than him. St. Justin is also completely aware of the ecumenical activities of Zizioulas and has no problem with that. On the contrary, he gave the highest praises about him in the period when Prof. John was a very active ecumenical worker. This article proves the thesis that, according to the opinion of both Zizioulas and Popović, Orthodoxy must be present in the ecumenical dialogue, as a Church open to diversity, and not as a confession closed in on itself. Zizioulas shows this through personal engagement in ecumenical dialogue and Justin wholeheartedly supports him in this, according to their correspondence from 1966. to 1971. That is why zealot-minded anti-ecumenists cannot refer to Father Justin as a man who was against a healthy and theologically established ecumenical dialogue. Fr. Justin was actively supportive of every patristically founded ≫ecumenist≪, such as Zizioulas.

Keywords

• john zizioulas
• justin popović
• atanasije jevtić
• ecumenical dialogue
• neopatristic synthesis