"We are convinced that both points should be affirmed at the Sixth Assembly in Vancouver-that the Jesus Christ to whom we bear witness is not simply, as his unbelieving contemporaries thought, the man from Nazareth, the carpenter son of a carpenter, but the only begotten Son of God; and that it is for the life of the world that he has come and taken our humanity-the whole of our humanity-unto himself."

That is from a statement drawn up by participants at an Orthodox theological symposium on the theme: "Jesus Christ-the Life of the World". The statement is reproduced in full here, along with a varie- ty of contributions from well-known Orthodox theologians on aspects of the theme. They deal with the theme from the perspective of Eastern Christology and patristic tradition, and they study the celebration of Christ as the life of the world in traditional iconography and Orthodox liturgy.

Prof. Ion Bria, a Romanian Orthodox theologian, is Depu

tor of the Commission on Mission and Evangelism of

Council of Churches, and CWME Secretary for Orthod

and Relationships.