Békés Gellért Ecumenical Institute (BGÖI)

Established in 2001 by the Archabbot VÁRSZEGI Asztrik OSB, this Benedictine Institute is a place to pray and work for the visible unity of the Church by means of publications, conferences, lectures and workshops. Our young theologians are involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue internationally and in Hungary.

Research and formation
In its specific comprehensive, distinctive and systematic way, ecumenical theology is a part of the ecumenical movement which deeply transforms Christians and their denominations. Ecumenical theologians understand the endeavours for unity as the main concern; therefore they listen to the words of Jesus Christ calling for unity and talk about what this means and how to achieve it.
The researchers of the institute take part in formation at different levels: informal education of student and youth organisations, practical education of those engaged in pastoral work, and theoretical education of students of theology. The institute is developing a Hungarian and international library, databank and homepage on the results of ecumenical dialogue and related endeavours.

Conferences
Our researchers have given several lectures on the Hungarian and international scene; furthermore, they also organize national and international conferences:

• Pannonhalma (2002, with WSCF-CESR): Central Europe and Ecumenism
• Tihany (2002, with WSCF Europe): Celebrating Diversity of Spiritualities
• Budapest (2005, with Goldziher Institute): A Broken Community? Relations Between Israel and the Church in the Scriptures and in the (Art) History of the Middle Ages
• Budapest (2006): Workshop on George Arthur Lindbeck's "The Nature of Doctrine"

Publications
By editing and publishing periodicals and anthologies, the Institute contributes to Hungarian and international theological research. Besides numerous articles, since 2002 our researchers have published Central European ecumenical anthologies in co-operation with WSCF-CESR, in English with Czech, Polish, Hungarian, German and Slovak summaries.

• A Pentatonic Landscape: Central Europe, Ecology, Ecumenism (Budapest, 2002)
• The River Book: Identity, Culture, Responsibility (Białystok, 2003)
• medi(t)ations, (re)conciliations: Conflict Resolution and European Integration (Bratislava, 2004)
• Subtle as Serpents, Gentle as Doves: Equality and Independence (Praha, 2005)
• Dreaming Our Neighbour: The Shoa and the Utopia of Yesterday (Warszawa, 2006)