What Is IOTA?

Founded in 2017, the International Orthodox Theological Association is a community of scholars and professionals dedicated to the worldwide exchange of knowledge within the context of the Orthodox Tradition. IOTA organizes international conferences and facilitates group research projects; the association contributes to the growth and renewal of the Orthodox Church by supporting pan-Orthodox unity and conciliarity. As a pan-Orthodox nonprofit organization, IOTA does not belong to any one local Church and strives to maintain constructive relations with the leaders of all Orthodox Churches.

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Ukrainian soldier carrying a baby near a bridge destroyed by Russian bombs. March 5, 2022. Credit: Timothy Fadek, CNN.

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The war in Ukraine has brought about an unprecedented crisis for the people of Ukraine and indeed for the world. As scholars of religion in general, and Orthodox Christianity in particular, the IOTA Board of Directors affirms that there is no religious sanction for unprovoked war. We decry this unprovoked aggression of the Putin regime against the Ukrainian state and Ukrainian people. This aggression is also a war on memory, with the indiscriminate bombing destroying religious and cultural monuments. We offer our support to everyone affected by this hostile action, praying that God will grant protection to the people of Ukraine, the refugees, and everyone affected through family and friends, and that peace and freedom will soon prevail in Ukraine.

Some of our IOTA colleagues remain in Ukraine to provide spiritual and physical support at risk to their own lives, others are facilitating the exit of refugees, and yet others provide support from a distance through facilitating relief and aid. Some even in Russia are protesting through marches and signing of declarations and letters, including some leaders of the Orthodox Church. We appreciate our Orthodox brothers and sisters who have offered such support and spoken out against this aggression, sometimes at risk to their own lives. We have noted the many scholarly blog posts, articles, and materials that have been published by IOTA members and others pointing out the barbarous actions of the Putin regime and the sinfully complicit reaction of the Moscow Patriarchate.

We call upon the leaders of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches to condemn unanimously this fratricidal war.

IOTA asks for the continued support of the membership for our Ukrainian colleagues and all affected by this war most of all through prayer, but also through financial support.  Many relief efforts for Ukraine and refugees have been established; International Orthodox Christian Charities is a major outlet for such support, should IOTA members wish to donate.

Although the essence-energies distinction is central to Eastern Orthodox theology, it has long been a source of puzzlement and confusion. Through a careful study of its classical, biblical, and patristic sources, David Bradshaw clarifies its meaning and shows how it remains foundational for a properly Christian understanding of the relationship of God to the world. Among the topics covered are:

• How the distinction emerged from the synthesis of ancient Greek philosophy and biblical thought
• The relationship of the divine energies to other important patristic concepts such as the divine logoi, the divine processions, and the “things around God”
• How the distinction enables a new approach to issues relating to divine action and divine-human synergy
• Why the concept of the divine energies has been neglected or misunderstood in the West

IOTA consists of over twenty-five groups, each representing a distinct knowledge domain pertinent to Orthodox Christian Studies. The groups are led by internationally respected Orthodox scholars.

IOTA Groups