The International Annunciation-St. Justin-Conferences (IAJC) provide a platform for Orthodox theologians and philosophers (in the wide, traditional, and thus interdisciplinary sense of the term) to discuss presentations on the topics chosen for each successive year. These topics are to invite high-quality work on issues relating to the challenges involved in maintaining the integrity of Orthodox life and teaching under conditions imposed by a post-Christian world.

Participants are encouraged to disregard any “political correctness-” or “Zeitgeist-” requirements framing today’s academic and cultural mainstream and tending to obfuscate faithfulness in view of Holy Tradition. Given the ecumenist framework of today’s Erasmus-culture, the invitation also includes PhD students.

Invitations are extended both to presenters and to guests who merely wish to take part in the conversation. Papers are to be handed in three weeks before the conference. This allows all participants to prepare instructive questions, critical remarks, and helpful suggestions beforehand, so that a mere summary presentation can be followed by an in-depth discussion. Presentation and conversation are thus given equal weight.

Participants should – as far as possible - extend their presence throughout the duration of the meeting. The goal is to facilitate personal face-to-face togetherness, allowing all guests to get to know each other in a context of mutual encouragement and support. The conferences (and hospitality meetings after Vesper) invite the formation of ‘alternative’ cooperation networks with theologically like-minded colleagues. Participants are invited to make their voice heard through publication of their presentations in IAJC’s (peer-reviewed) open-access online Annals .

The monastic setting serves as a reminder of the fact that theology and the philosophical quest for true wisdom are at bottom a matter of prayer and spiritual guidance, and only secondarily a matter of academic research and instruction.