Ștefan Buchiu (; born March 27, 1953) is a

Romanian Orthodox The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; , ), or Romanian Patriarchate, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates in the Eastern Orthodox Church. S ...

cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

known for his work in

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

dogmatic theology Dogmatic theology, also called dogmatics, is the part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and God's works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Chu ...

. He is an

emeritus professor ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

at the

University of Bucharest The University of Bucharest (UB) () is a public university, public research university in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in its current form on by a decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza to convert the former Princely Academy of Bucharest, P ...

's Faculty of Orthodox Theology and holds the position of Honorary Diocesan Vicar at the

Archdiocese of Bucharest In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

within the

Romanian Orthodox Church The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; , ), or Romanian Patriarchate, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates in the East ...

. He served as dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology from 2008 to 2018. As a disciple of the prominent Romanian Orthodox theologian Father

Dumitru Stăniloae Dumitru Stăniloae (; – 4 October 1993), also Anglicized as Demetrius Staniloae, was a Romanian Orthodox Christian priest, theologian and professor. He worked for over 45 years on a comprehensive Romanian translation of the Greek Philokali ...

, his academic work builds upon and expands his mentor's theological insights, with a focus on understanding and communicating Orthodox theology.

Biography

Early life and family

Born in Pitești,

Argeș County Argeș County () is a county (''județ'') of Romania, in Muntenia, with the county seat at Pitești. Demographics At the 2021 Romanian census, 2021 census, the county had a population of 569,932 and the population density was . At the 2011 Ro ...

, Ștefan Buchiu was raised in a family deeply ingrained in the Orthodox faith, being the son of priest Piru Buchiu and presbytera Viorica Buchiu. The family environment emphasized religious service, with Ștefan being the youngest of five children, four of whom pursued clerical careers.

Education

Ștefan Buchiu began his theological studies in 1968 at the

Theological Seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and Christian theology, theology, generally to prepare them for ordinatio ...

Craiova Craiova (, also , ) is the largest city in southwestern Romania, List of Romanian cities, the seventh largest city in the country and the capital of Dolj County, situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It i ...

, graduating in 1973. He continued his education at the University Theological Institute in Bucharest from 1973 to 1977, where he distinguished himself academically, graduating as

valedictorian Valedictorian is an academic title for the class rank, highest-performing student of a graduation, graduating class of an academic institution in the United States. The valedictorian is generally determined by an academic institution's grade poin ...

. He pursued advanced theological studies, completing doctoral research at the same institution from 1977 to 1980, with further studies at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute,

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public university, public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a Theology, theological seminary. It rema ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, during 1983–1984. In 1993, Buchiu defended his doctoral thesis, titled ''Incarnation and Unity. The Restoration of the Cosmos in Jesus Christ'' at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology,

. This work was supervised by Fr. Prof. Dumitru Popescu and is noted for contributing to the field of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology.

Academic career

Teaching career

In 1990, Ștefan Buchiu began his tenure at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the

, initially serving as a university assistant. Throughout the years, he progressed through academic positions, from lecturer to associate professor, and was appointed as a university professor and doctoral advisor in Orthodox Dogmatic Theology in 2007. During his professorship, he worked on enhancing the theological curriculum to offer a comprehensive education in Orthodox studies.

Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology

From 2008 to 2018, Buchiu served as the Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, and from 2009 to 2013, he also took on the role of Director of the Doctoral School. Similar to graduate programs in the US, this school oversees the research and studies of Ph.D. students.

International impact and collaborations

During his tenure, Fr. Ștefan Buchiu actively engaged in fostering international collaborations, expanding faculty collaborations with Orthodox theological institutions globally. His efforts were directed towards facilitating academic dialogues, exchanges, and cooperative projects, contributing to a more interconnected Orthodox academic community. Buchiu was involved in establishing partnerships with various Orthodox theological academies and universities around the world, including

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

Balamand The Balamand Monastery (historically called Belmont, Bellimontis ultra Mare, or Bellus-Mons), is a monastery for the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch founded in 1157 in Balamand (Belmont), the Crusader County of Tripoli, now in the Koura Distri ...

, and

Fribourg or is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Canton of Fribourg, Fribourg and district of Sarine (district), La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, adminis ...

. These collaborations aimed to enhance academic dialogue and support unity within the global Orthodox theological education network. Under his direction, a collaboration was initiated with

Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is an Eastern Orthodox seminary in Yonkers, New York. It is chartered under the State University of New York and accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. It is a pan-Eastern Or ...

in the US, starting in 2013. This partnership included student and faculty exchanges, alongside joint dialogues and publications, and was aimed at contributing to theological education and fostering understanding between Orthodox communities in Romania and the United States. In 2017, under the guidance of

Patriarch Daniel of Romania Daniel (; born Dan Ilie Ciobotea on 22 July 1951) is the Patriarch of All Romania, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The elections took place on 12 September 2007. Daniel won with a majority of 95 votes out of 161 against Bartolomeu A ...

and with significant contributions from Buchiu, the "Patriarch Justinian" Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the

initiated an educational extension in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, Italy. This initiative was designed to meet the interest of the Romanian diaspora in pursuing Orthodox theological studies in their native language. Buchiu was instrumental in establishing this extension, which offers a curriculum similar to its parent institution in Bucharest, thereby facilitating theological education for Romanian Orthodox students living abroad.

Infrastructure and development

In 2015, the 'Patriarch Justinian' Faculty of Orthodox Theology added a new level to its building, increasing the number of classrooms and advancing the restoration of its century-old building. These developments, which occurred during Fr. Prof. Buchiu's tenure as dean, aimed to improve the faculty's infrastructure. His role in these projects was acknowledged with the Diploma of Honour of

Saint Andrew the Apostle Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of Jo ...

during the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the

's elevation to

Patriarchate Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, referring to the office and jurisdiction of a patriarch. According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria—were establi ...

status.

Theological contributions

Father Ștefan Buchiu has authored over 100 academic studies and articles in the field of Orthodox theology, engaging in theological discourse and exploring complex theological concepts.

Influence and legacy of Father Dumitru Stăniloae

Buchiu's theological work is significantly shaped by the teachings of

, a distinguished figure in Romanian Orthodox theology. As one who has closely studied under Stăniloae, Buchiu has extensively engaged with and built upon his mentor's theological concepts, underscoring their importance for both the Romanian Orthodox tradition and the broader Christian community. In discussions on theological perspectives, Buchiu has highlighted Stăniloae's shift from theoretical academic study to a theology that is more experiential and personal. This approach emphasizes a direct and personal encounter with Christ, aiming to foster a living faith within the community of the Church. Father Ștefan Buchiu contributed to honoring Father Dumitru Stăniloae's legacy through the "Rev. Academician Dumitru Staniloae" Theology Contest. This annual contest, targeting theological students, promotes the study of Stăniloae's theological works, encouraging a new generation to explore his profound contributions to Orthodox theology. For example, in 2015, the winners were recognized by the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, highlighting Buchiu's role in connecting Staniloae's teachings with contemporary theological scholarship. Prof. Buchiu's anthology, ''Father Dumitru Stăniloae, the Theologian of Divine Love'' gathers 20 articles that delve into Stăniloae's significant theological contributions. This collection not only highlights Buchiu's engagement with Stăniloae's theology but also its application to modern Christian life, promoting an experiential faith deeply rooted in the

Holy Tradition Sacred tradition, also called holy tradition, Anno Domini tradition or apostolic tradition, is a theological term used in Christian theology. According to this theological position, sacred Tradition and Scripture form one ''deposit'', so sacred T ...

of the Orthodox church. On the 30th anniversary of Stăniloae's death, Buchiu underscored the ongoing relevance of his work for today's theological discourse and Orthodox practice. He encourages engagement with Stăniloae's writings as a pathway to deepen theological understanding and enhance faith practice, reflecting on Stăniloae's approach to theology that encompasses contemplation as well as social engagement.

Publications

Books

* ''Incarnation and Unity (Intrupare și unitate),'' 1997, * ''Orthodoxy and Secularization (Ortodoxie și secularizare)'', 1999 * ''Apophatic Knowledge in the Thought of Father Stăniloae (Cunoașterea apofatică în gândirea Părintelui Staniloae)'', 2002, * ''The Christian and Social Apostolate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 1925-2005 (Apostolatul creștin și social al B.O.R. 1925-2005)'', co-author, 2005, * ''Dogma and Theology, Vol. I'' (''Dogmă și Teologie, vol. I''), 2006 * ''Dogma and Theology, Vol. II'' (''Dogmă și Teologie, vol. II''), 2006 * ''The Mother of God. An Introduction to Orthodox Theotokology (Maica Domnului. O introducere în teotokologia ortodoxă)'', 2006, * ''Father Dumitru Stăniloae – The Theologian of Divine Love (Părintele Dumitru Stăniloae – teologul iubirii dumnezeiești)'', 2022,

University courses coordinated

* ''Orthodox Dogmatic Theology vol. I (Teologia Dogmatică Ortodoxă vol. I)'', 2017, * ''Orthodox Dogmatic Theology vol. II (Teologia Dogmatică Ortodoxă vol. II)'', 2022, * ''Dictionary of Orthodox Theology (Dicționar de Teologie Ortodoxă, co-author)'', 2017,

Edited volumes

* ''Research Methods in Dogmatic Theology (Metode de cercetare în Teologia Dogmatica)'', 2008, * ''God the Father and the Life of the Most Holy Trinity (Dumnezeu-Tatăl și viața Preasfintei Treimi)'', 2010, * ''The Mystery of Holy Unction and the Care of the Sick (Taina Sfântului Maslu și îngrijirea bolnavilor)'', 2012, * ''The Meanings and Importance of the Holy Mysteries of Confession and the Holy Mystery of Communion (Sensurile și importanța Sfintei Taine a Spovedaniei și ale Sfintei Taine a Împărtășaniei)'', 2015 * ''Lights of the Centenary (Lumini de Centenar)'', 2018, * ''Thematic Guide on the Lectures of Courses for Clerical Degree II (Ghid tematic privind prelegerile cursurilor pentru Gradul II clerical)'', 2021,

Selected works in international journals

* "La relation entre le Christ et l’Esprit Saint dans la theologie orthodoxe contemporaine," in ''Contacts'', No. 222, April–June 2008, LX Année, pp. 103–116. * "The Relationship Dogma-Theology according to Father Stăniloae," in ''Tradition and Dogma: What kind of Dogmatic Theology do we propose for nowadays?, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology Symposium 2nd International Edition'', Universitatea "Aurel Vlaicu", Arad, 2009, pp. 34–46. * * "Le rôle et les limites de la raison dans la connaissance apophatique dans la pensée du Père Stăniloae," in ''The function and the limits of reason in dogmatic theology. I.A.O.D.T. Third International Symposium'', Thessaloniki, 23 to 26 June 2011, Astra Museum, Sibiu, 2012, pp. 319–330. * "La signification du terme Theotokos dans la théologie orthodoxe contemporaine," in ''Dogma and Terminology in the Orthodox Tradition Today, 4th International Symposium of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology'', Sofia, 22–25 September 2013, Astra Museum, Sibiu, 2015, pp. 187–200. * "La dimension christologique de l’escathologie orthodoxe et sa signification pour la théologie actuelle," Université de Balamand, Lebanon, 2018, 12 pp.

Church roles and academic projects

Role in the re-establishment of the military chaplaincy in Romania

In 1994, Fr. Ștefan Buchiu was appointed by the Romanian Patriarchate to reinstate the chaplaincy service in the Romanian military, following the fall of the communist regime. This effort involved significant research and documentation, as the military chaplaincy had existed in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

prior to the

communist era A communist era is a sustained period of national government by a single party following the philosophy of Marxism–Leninism. Many countries have experienced such a period of communist rule. Current communist states China The Chinese Communist ...

. As part of this process, Fr. Buchiu participated in initiatives to study chaplaincy programs in other countries. This work marked a key step in restoring religious assistance within the Romanian armed forces, aiming to support the overall well-being and spiritual needs of military personnel.

Awards and honors

He has received recognition both from academic institutions and the Church for his contributions to theology and higher education. For his commitment and exceptional contributions in the theological field, Fr. Ștefan Buchiu has received multiple distinctions and recognitions throughout his career.

Ecclesiastical, academic, and civic honors

* The Cross for Priests, awarded by Holiness

Karekin I Karekin I (Armenian: ) (August 27, 1932 – June 29, 1999) served as the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1994 and 1999. Previously, he served as the Catholicos of Cilicia from 1983 to 1994 as Karekin II (Armenian: ). Be ...

Catholicos A catholicos (plural: catholicoi) is the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and, in some cases, it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient Greek ( ...

of the

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

Echmiadzin Vagharshapat ( ) is the 5th-largest city in Armenia and the most populous municipal community of Armavir Province, located about west of the capital Yerevan, and north of the closed Turkish-Armenian border. It is commonly known as Ejmiatsin ...

, Armenia, 1996 * Elevation to

Archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...

, awarded by Patriarch Teoctist of Romania, 2005 * Honorary Citizen of Corbu,

Olt County Olt County () is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (the regions are separated by the Olt River, Olt river). The capital city is Slatina, Roma ...

, since 2011 * President of the College of Deans of the Faculties of Orthodox Theology of the Romanian Patriarchate (2012 – 2018) * The Order of Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, 2017 * Vice President of the International Association of Orthodox Dogmatists, continuously serving since 2018, participating in various international conferences to contribute to the global Orthodox theological dialogue * The title of

conferred by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

of the

, 2018 * The rank of Honorary Diocesan Vicar granted by His Beatitude

, 2018 * Right to wear the Patriarchal Cross of Romania, the highest ecclesiastical distinction in the

, awarded by His Beatitude

* The Order of Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs, 2020 * The title of

Doctor Honoris Causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

awarded by the

University of Craiova The University of Craiova () is a public university located in Craiova, Romania. It was founded in 1947, initially with four institutes, in the Palace of Justice of Craiova. It is the largest university in the historical Oltenia province of Roma ...

, 2022

Commemorative events

Prof. Buchiu's 70th birthday was marked by a commemorative event at the "Patriarch Justinian" Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Bucharest. This event celebrated the launch of a

festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

titled ''In the Light of Christ: Homage to Fr. Prof. Ștefan Buchiu'', featuring contributions from academic scholars and ecclesiastical officials. Notably,

provided a foreword, stating: The event was attended by bishops, prominent academics, and students, reinforcing the professor's esteemed standing in the theological academic community. Additional accolades included a blessing from

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Casian Crăciun and the delivery of Patriarch Daniel's message by

Vicar Bishop An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions. ...

Timotei of Prahova.

External links

Father Professor Ștefan Buchiu - University of Bucharest

International Association of Orthodox Dogmatic Theologians - Official website

Editorial Team of the International Journal of Orthodox Theology - University of Bamberg, Germany
*

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buchiu, Ștefan 1953 births Living people People from Pitești Romanian Orthodox priests Romanian theologians 21st-century Romanian educators University of Geneva alumni 20th-century Romanian clergy Romanian academics Eastern Orthodox theologians 21st-century Christian theologians 20th-century Christian theologians Academic administrators