Dr Stephen Yates attended IOTA’s Inaugural Conference, the largest International Gathering of Orthodox Scholars in Modern History.

From 9-12 January 2019, the inaugural conference of the International Orthodox Theological Association was held in the city of Iasi, Romania.

The Conference involved several hundred scholars from over 40 countries and all six continents.

It was the ‘largest and the most representative gathering of Orthodox Church leaders, scholars, and professionals in modern history’ (https://iota-web.org/).

Papers covering a huge variety of topics were read and discussed at the conference, in a number of specialist groups.

Dr Stephen Yates, the Programme Director for the Maryvale MA in Catholic Applied Theology, participated in the conference along with many other scholars from outside the Orthodox communion.

His paper — The Identity of the Resurrection Body with the Pilgrim Body, and the Significance of the Cult of Relics: The Contribution of Sergius Bulgakov — was presented in the Philosophical Theology Group, and was extremely well-received.

Dr Yates was subsequently invited onto the steering committee for IOTA’s Philosophical Theology Group, and will play a part in helping prepare the next conference, due in about four years time.

Caption: Dr Yates with Dr Rev Deacon Ananias Sorem who also presented a paper in the Philosophical Theology Group

Caption: IOTA scholars on a pilgrimage to the Bukovina monasteries

Caption: IOTA’s Inaugural Conference. Opening Ceremony at the National Theatre of Iasi, Romania