MThA Professor Hegumen Dionysius (Shlenov) Presents His New Book "In Defense of the Conciliar Structure of the Orthodox Church"

On November 26, 2025, a presentation of the book "In Defense of the Conciliar Structure of the Orthodox Church: The Theory of Primacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople and Its Criticism" was held at the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius. The author is the Head of the Postgraduate Studies of the Moscow Theological Academy, Director of the Synodal Library of the Russian Orthodox Church named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, Member of the Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission, Vicar of the St. Andrew's Stavropegial Monastery in Moscow, Hegumen Dionysius (Shlenov).

The event was attended by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Ionathan (Eletskikh), Member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture; Bishop Seraphim of Istra, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs; Protopriest Nikolai Balashov, Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; specialist in the history and culture of Byzantium, Protopriest Valentin Asmus; Head of the Department of Classical Philology at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Alexei Solopov; employees of the Department for External Church Relations, the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies, and other representatives of the academic community.

Hegumen Dionysius's book was written over six years and was published in October 2025 as a joint project of the St. Andrew's Monastery and the Moscow Theological Academy. The book's title reflects its content, which is particularly relevant in an era of lost unity in world Orthodoxy. The complex question of the relationship between conciliarity (sobornost) and primacy is illuminated in the publication in a multifaceted manner — based on the traditional values of Orthodoxy and taking into account contemporary issues. 

Opening the event, Metropolitan Anthony noted the importance and relevance of studying the topics examined in the book. According to His Eminence, "the book investigates a question that is currently the most painful both in the sphere of inter-Orthodox relations and in the sphere of inter-Christian relations".

Hegumen Dionysius's presentation was accompanied by a slideshow. Explaining the book's title, the author noted: "The primacy of Constantinople violates the conciliar tradition of the Church as the tradition of the Ecumenical Councils and comes into conflict with the conciliar spirit of the Church, with the principle of catholicity — with what is accepted by all".

Then the history of writing the book was presented, and the main problems examined in it were outlined. The book uses books, articles, and internet publications from both proponents of the theory of primacy and defenders of conciliar ecclesiology, which are regularly systematized and analyzed at the St. Andrew's Stavropegial Monastery. The book's materials are presented in seven parts (in fourteen chapters):

I. The Authority of Councils and Customary Law.

II. The Conciliar Structure of the Orthodox Church and Its Distortions.

III. Primacy, Hierarchical Relations Among Primates.

IV. Appeal and Diaspora.

V. Accusations Against Russia and the Russian World.

VI. The Uncanonical Creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

VII. Opponents and Defenders of Conciliar Ecclesiology in the World of Greek Orthodoxy.

The publication has received high appraisal from the church hierarchy. Following Hegumen Dionysius's speech, remarks were made by participants of the presentation. Metropolitan Ionathan noted the relevance of the undertaken work against the backdrop of recent statements by the Patriarch of Constantinople regarding judicial authority over the entire territory of the earth. Constantinople's claims border on heresy and also distort the patristic teaching on the co-equality of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. Bishop Seraphim of Istra noted the timeliness of the research. Protopriest Nikolai Balashov emphasized not only the timeliness but also the significance for the Church of Hegumen Dionysius's addressing a topic that concerns all Orthodox Christians. Protopriest Valentin Asmus pointed out that the theory of primacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople contradicts the principles of the structure of the Byzantine Empire itself, where the guiding role in the life of the Church was played not so much by the Bishop of Constantinople as by the Emperor.

After the official part, participants had the opportunity to continue exchanging opinions over tea in an informal setting. Guests and participants were presented with copies of the new book.
Source:Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church