Two Lungs of the Church

Abstract

This paper responds to an interconfessional dialogue between an Eastern
Orthodox and a Catholic professors, Zurab Kiknadze and Merab Ghaghanidze,
over such important issues as filioque, autocephaly, the primacy of the Pope,
etc. The dialogue has recently been published as a book called “Special in the
General”. It is noted that both parties to the dialogue demonstrate profound
knowledge of the denominations they represent, outstanding academic
reasoning and the high culture of religious belief. Some of their viewpoints,
are, however, challenged. The author of this paper qualifies the book as a
valuable contribution to the Georgian polemic literature. The new publication
is believed to play an important role in addressing problems that have appeared
in post-Soviet Georgia with respect to religion.