Patterson Conference
The Solon and Marianna Patterson Triennial Conference
Every three years, the Orthodox Christian Studies Center hosts the Solon and Marianna Patterson Triennial Conference on Christian Unity.
2022 Patterson Triennial Conference
Nicaea, Conciliarity, and the Future of Christianity
May 31-June 3, 2022
Fordham University (Lincoln Center Campus)
Full conference program with schedule (pdf)
The Council of Nicaea (325) is considered to be the first ecumenical council in the Christian history and its decisive impact continues to reverberate throughout the Christian world today. The Orthodox Christian Studies Center is dedicating the sixth Patterson Triennial Conference to mark the 1700-year anniversary (2025) of the Council of Nicaea. Twenty-two scholars from the US and abroad will explore the contemporary relevance of the Council of Nicaea for Christian thought and practice.
The scheduled list of speakers includes:
John Chryssavgis, Ecumenical Patriarchate
Kathryn Tanner, Yale Divinity School
Cyril O'Regan, University of Notre Dame
Demetrios Bathrellos, Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge
Leslie Baynes, Missouri State University
John Behr, University of Aberdeen
Bogdan Bucur, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
Christophe Chalamet, University of Geneva
Emanuel Fiano, Fordham University
Brandon Gallaher, University of Exeter
Jaisy Joseph, Villanova University
Karen Kilby, Durham University
Vincent Lloyd, Villanova University
Bishop Maxim (Vasiljević), Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
Stephen Meawad, Caldwell University
Francesca Murphy, University of Notre Dame
Leonora Neville, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Caroline Schroeder, University of Oklahoma
Edward Siecienski, Stockton University
Alexis Torrance, University of Notre Dame
Erin Walsh, University of Chicago Divinity School
*Image: “First Council of Nicaea,” Theophanes the Cretan (ca. 1500–1559)
History of the Patterson Triennial Conference
In June of 2007, the Center held its first triennial conference, "Orthodox Readings of Augustine," which examined the place of St Augustine in the Orthodox Church in the hope that the Latin doctor might be seen as a bridge between East and West rather than an obstacle. You can read abou the inaugural conference on Fordham News. The proceedings from the first conference have been published in Orthodox Readings of Augustine, edited by George Demacopoulos and Aristotle Papanikolaou, available from Fordham University Press (2020).
Solon and Marianna Patterson of Atlanta, GA, who attended the inaugural conference, generously provided $100,000 and issued a challenge grant for an additional $200,000 to endow the conference series permanently. On June 28-30, 2010, we hosted the second installment of the newly renamed Patterson Triennial Conference, "Orthodox Constructions of the West." The proceedings of the second conference have been published in Orthodox Constructions of the West, edited by George Demacopoulos and Aristotle Papanikolaou (Fordham University Press, 2013).
The third Patterson Triennial Conference, "Christianity, Democracy, and the Shadow of Constantine," was held on June 11-13, 2013. The proceedings of the third converence have been published in Christianity, Democracy, and the Shadow of Constantine, edited by George Demacopoulos and Aristotle Papanikolaou (Fordham University Press, 2016). In 2017, the volume was honored with the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit honor society book award in the Humanities.
The fourth Patterson Triennial Conference, "Tradition, Secularization, Fundamentalism," was held on June 23-25, 2016. The proceedings of the fourth conference were published by Fordham University Press in 2019.
The fifth Patterson Triennial Conference, "Faith, Reason, Theosis," was held June 3-5, 2019. The conference proceedings will be published at a later time.