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.

Find out more about our conferences: IOTA 2019 | IOTA 2023 | IOTA 2025 

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that IOTA’s third mega-conference will take place on 17-21 January 2027 in the cities of Poti and Kobuleti of the Republic of Georgia, on the Black Sea coast. The overarching theme of the conference is “Tradition and traditions.” The conference will be hosted by New Georgian University and the Diocese of Poti and Khobi of the Orthodox Church of Georgia. We are profoundly grateful for their organizational support and cooperation. We expect over 300 participants from forty countries. The Call for Papers will become available on IOTA’s website after 15 Jan 2026. For general information, see here. 

In cooperation with the International Orthodox Theological Association (IOTA) and in the framework of its Future Leaders Program, the Volos Summer Institute (VSI) 2026 was successfully organized by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies on July 6-16, 2026, on the general theme: “Orthodoxy in transition: Tradition, Ecumenism, and Modernity.”

The VSI provided an international cohort of students with an advanced curriculum integrating a high standard of academic study, liturgical prayer, and inter-Orthodox engagement.

This summer, nine students from Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Kenya, Serbia, and Ukraine were able to join the program. By attracting post-graduate students and junior scholars from diverse Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches and academic institutions worldwide, the VSI facilitated rigorous reflection on the intersection of Orthodox tradition and a variety of modern challenges.

Furthermore, by fostering academic networking and peer exchange, the VSI examined leadership methodologies alongside strategies for pastoral care and psychological support within communities impacted by geopolitical conflicts, technological advancements, and the climate crisis.

Additionally, the program engaged critically with core dimensions of Orthodox tradition, including doctrine, liturgy, and asceticism, ultimately aiming to equip future ecclesial leaders with the analytical framework and skills requisite to navigate a rapidly evolving global landscape.

For more information on IOTA’s Future Leaders Program, visit this page.

In order to support different modules of the Future Leaders Program, IOTA needs to raise $200,000 annually. Please spread the word and support the program by making a gift on this page.

 The Board of Directors wishes to express our profound gratitude to the benefactors, whose generous contributions to IOTA Future Leaders Program have enabled us to receive a $82,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor. To-date, this is the largest amount IOTA has received from a single benefactor. The grant will make possible several modules of the Future Leaders Program, including the Volos Summer Institute and the Georgian Winter Institute.

Author Teresa Obolevitch presents an intellectual biography of one of the most prominent Orthodox women theologians of the twentieth century, Myrrha Lot-Borodine (1882–1957). The volume discusses her creative path, her ecumenical and charitable activities, and the major topics of her research in medieval literature and patristics. It also considers Lot-Borodine’s relations with the prominent Russian émigré thinkers of the 20th century, such as Nicolas Berdyaev, Fr. Georges Florovsky, and Vladimir Lossky.

For anyone interested in the ongoing engagement between Orthodox East and Catholic West, this book is not to be missed.

IOTA consists of 29 groups, each representing a distinct knowledge domain pertinent to Orthodox Christian Studies. The groups are led by 60 internationally respected Orthodox scholars from over twenty countries.

IOTA Groups