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.

2025 Patterson Triennial Conference

Religious Nationalism

June 16-18, 2025
Fordham University (Lincoln Center Campus)

Speakers include:

Panteli Kalaitzidis, Volos Academy for Theological Studies

Cathleen Kaveny, Boston College

Charles Mathewes, University of Virginia

Rufus Burnett, Fordham University

Chris Durante, St. Peter's University

Nina Glibetic, Yale University

Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Manhattan College

Slavica Jakelic, Valparaiso University

Patrick Michelson, Indiana University

Dimitrios Moschos, University of Athens

Atalia Omer, University of Notre Dame

Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Northeastern University

Marietta van der Tol, University of Cambridge

Pamela Cooper White, Union Theological Seminary

History of the Patterson 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 about 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 in its second edition 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.