Welcome!

Dear friends,

Welcome to the Areopagus website!

The Areopagus Centre is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization which seeks to analyze the religious phenomenon and to contribute to the enrichment of the role of religious communities in Romania and in southeastern Europe.  The Centre functions on an interconfessional level, offering the different traditions and religious groups of Romania an optimal context for collaboration and dialogue.

The Areopagus Centre was founded in 1997 by a group of Christians concerned with presenting the Gospel in a way that is relevant to contemporary culture and society.  The organization’s name itself—“Areopagus”—reflects this ethos, being inspired by the name of the ancient Areopagus of Athens, where Saint Apostle Paul presented the Christian message in dialogue with the philosophies of his day and as an alternative to these (Acts ch. 17).  

From an institutional point of view, Areopagus includes two distinct bodies, the “Areopagus Centre” and “Areopagus CRISDU”.  Thus, in 1997 the “Areopagus Centre for Christian Educationa nd Contemporary Culture” was founded, with education—especially the promotion of Christian education and dialogue between faith and society—as its principal scope.  Later, in 2003, the “Areopagus Regional Centre for Social Integration and Human Development” was founded, with primarily a practical and applicative social orientation.  

Our organization enjoys national and international recognition, its activities being appreciated by persons of note such as Walter Schwimmer, the former General Secretary of the Council of Europe; Professor David Robertson of Oxford University; Horia-Roman Patapievici; and Mihai-Răzvan Ungureanu, among others.

More information and resources associated with our organization are offered on this site.  We invite you to explore and hope that you will want to return with pleasure to Areopagus—meeting us not only in virtual space, but also personally, at our headquarters in Timisoara, Calea Martirilor 104!

The Areopagus Team

Departments:

• The Areopagus Center for Christian Studies and Contemporary Culture
• The Regional Center for Social Integration and Human Development CRIS-DU Areopagus
• The Areopagus Institute of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
• Training Program in Biblical Counseling
• Education Department
• Languages Department, Romanian Language and Culture
• Areopagus Library