Today, 26 August 2010, the annual Colloquy of the International Academy of Religious Sciences began at the Patriarchal Palace. The discussions were focused on the theme “The Word of God” and would last for four days.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke, in his blessing opening speech about the importance of the theme to be debated: “The theme of the “The Word of God” Colloquy is a central subject both for the theological reflection and for the church life. The twelve diversified speeches making this Colloquy show the richness, importance and topical character of the subject. The Word of God is the divine and eternal Logos, who reveals the Mystery of the One Trinitarian God and who has created the world in view of the eternal communion with Him. The Word of God is the Word who was made flesh in order to save us from the bondage of death and to give us the eternal life, peace and joy of the Holy Trinity. For this motivation, the content of the Bible is the Mystery of Jesus Christ, our Lord, the Son of God who was made Man so that the people should become sons of God according to the grace. This is why, for the Holy Fathers of the Church to ignore the Holy Scriptures means to ignore or not know Jesus Christ”.

The International Academy of Religious Sciences was set up in 1966 and has operated within the International Institute of Theoretical Sciences seated in Brussels. The Institution was created in view of establishing contacts between theologians of various Christian nationalities and traditions.