VOLOS ACADEMY FOR THEOLOGICAL STUDIES AT THE 21st INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR OF THESSALONIKI
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, two round tables focusing on the recent publications of the Volos Academy were held in the 21st International Book Fair of Thessaloniki. Both events took place with the support of “En Plo” publications, at their stand.
The first round table was “Spiritual Guidance in the Church: From the Past, to the Present and to the Future” and referred to the publication of George Demacopoulos’ book “Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church”. The speakers were Rev. Vasilios Thermos, Dr.T., Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, former Professor at the Supreme Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens, and Theofilos Abatzidis, Dr.T., Research Associate of the Volos Academy. The event was moderated by Nikolaos Asproulis, Dr.T., Deputy Director of the Volos Academy. Theofilos Abatzidis, taking the book as a starting point, referred to the historical conditions of the era and the context in which each of the individual models emerged, while Rev. Vasilios Thermos brought the book into dialogue with the dialectic of institution and charisma experienced in contemporary church life, and the role of monasticism. Both speakers highlighted the strong presence of the phenomenon of elderism, as it has prevailed in our days, in contrast to the diversity that appeared in the life of the early church.
The second round table was “From conflict to encounter: Religious education in the Greek schools today” and referred to the book by Vasso Gogou, Apostolos Barlos, Nikos Tsirevelos and Christos Fradellos “From conflict to encounter: Educational paths for addressing violence, fanaticism and intolerance”. Speakers were Petros Panagiotopoulos, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, President of the Greek Theological Association “Kairos”, Maria Syrgiani, Dr.T., Consultant for Religious Education of Eastern Thessaloniki and the Prefecture of Lesvos, and Nikos Tsirevelos, Dr.T., lecturer of the Department of Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and member of the educational team of the Volos Academy. The event was coordinated by Nikolaos Asproulis, Dr.T., Deputy Director of the Volos Academy. Petros Panagiotopoulos described the broader challenges that theological education is called upon to face today, in which the book presented can be a useful tool. Maria Syrgiani referred to the philosophy and practical applications of the book's teaching scenarios in the context of a modern inclusive classroom, while Nikos Tsirevelos presented the history of the European Educ8 program, of which this publication is a product.
The video recordings of the events are available at the links https://www.facebook.com/enploeditions.gr/videos/1197022001961222/ and https://www.facebook.com/enploeditions.gr/videos/1486286339046594 , respectively.