Discussion on the Church’s Mission in Zaječar
On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at 6 PM, a presentation of the books “Missionary Sketches”, and “Faith, Prayer, Mission”, written by Presbyter Dr. Oliver Subotić, head of the Missionary Department, took place in the Cathedral Church in Zaječar. These books are collections of the author’s missionary articles published over the past twenty years.
During the presentation, Fr. Oliver, alongside the host, His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Timok, engaged in a conversation with the clergy, monastics, and faithful present on the topic of the Church’s mission in the modern world. The discussion emphasized the need for an appropriate missionary vocabulary, the importance of prayerful life, and the challenges posed by contemporary technology.
Special attention was given to the missionary approach of Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović. The speaker agreed with the assertion of St. Justin of Ćelije, who regarded Bishop Nikolaj as the greatest Serb after St. Sava. Fr. Oliver pointed out that in modern times, a figure with such a broad and unique profile as Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović-who embodied multiple ecclesiastical roles and duties in such an extraordinarily authentic way-is unparalleled in any other Local Orthodox Church. According to the lecturer, as presented in one of the featured books, the significance of Bishop Nikolaj and Father Justin is such that their works have a far greater missionary impact than the writings of all the Serbian academic theologians combined.
In his lecture, Fr. Oliver especially advocated for the inclusion of the key aspects of the missionary approach of the Serbian Chrysostom, St. Nikolaj of Ohrid and Žiča, in the Serbian students’ curriculum for the subject of Missiology.
The author’s royalties from both books are entirely donated to the “Petar Mandić” Foundation, a charitable institution dedicated to preserving the memory of Tesla’s priestly ancestors.
Source: Eparchy of Timok
PHOTOS: Photo archive of the Cathedral Church in Zaječar
