Rethymno: The 2nd day of work of the Bioethics Conference of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
On Saturday, 30 November 2024, the proceedings of the Bioethics Conference of the Ecumenical Patriarchate continued, with the presence of the President of the Synodal Committee, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the local Shepherd, His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, a multitude of academics, clergy, members of monastic brotherhoods and interested parties from the local community and beyond. The proceedings of the Conference were preceded by a Divine Liturgy, in the Church of the Four Holy Martyrs of Rethymno, in memory of the holy glorious Apostle Andrew the First-Called and the Thronal Feast of the Mother Church of Constantinople, at the end of which His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia and His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, spoke briefly about the significance of the day and wished for the health and longevity of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
During the first session, entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Orthodox Theology” and chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Hierapytna and Siteia, the following people offered their presentations: His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Mesogaia and Lavreotika, President of the Special Synodal Committee on Bioethics of the Church of Greece, Professor of the School of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Mr. Miltiadis Vantsos, and Ms. Nino Sadzaglishvili, candidate for a doctorate in Theology. Subsequently, after lunch, in the second thematic session entitled “Artificial Intelligence: Sociological and Philosophical Approaches” and chaired by Mr. Ioannou Lilis, Asst. Professor of the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete, the following spoke: Archon Didaskalos of the Nation Mr. Konstantinos Delikostantis, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of Athens and Mr. Konstantinos Kotsiopoulos, Professor of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Mr. Evangelos Protopapadakis, Professor of the Philosophy School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
This was followed by the third thematic session entitled “Artificial Intelligence: A Broader Challenge”, chaired by Dr. Konstantinos Zorbas, General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete, during which the following people spoke: Mr. Isidoros Siderides, CEO and co-founder of the Pobuca Company and Archon Dikaiophylax, Criminologist Mr. Athanasios Kechagioglou.
All speakers, with a rich and well-documented discourse, developed the extremely modern and relative topic of Artificial Intelligence, always with reference to Orthodox Theology and with interesting and multi-level extensions and references to the fields of Philosophy, Sociology, Ethics and Law.
From the Conference Secretariat
