My task in this essay is simple: to critically examine the relation between councils and episcopal primacy in light of eucharistic ecclesiology. The critical lens will be on both eucharistic ecclesiology (is it theologically correct to say that the church is most church in the celebration of the Eucharist?), and on conclusions about the relation between councils and episcopal primacy (even if the church is realized in the eucharistic celebration, does the logic of eucharistic ecclesiology lead toward the affirmation of a universal episcopal primate who presides over a pan-Orthodox council?). The hope is that this question will not be driven by the psycho-dynamics of self-identification vis-avis the proximate other, and that theology could serve a critical tool that challenges the Church to be the Church. Keywords: church, eucharistic ecclesiology, baptismal ecclesiology, councils, bishops, primacy, theology. This article is a specially prepared version of the publication for this journal: Papanikolaou, A. (2016)" Primacy in the Thought of John [Zizioulas], Metropolitan of Pergamon", in Primacy in the Church: Reflections on the Office of Primate and the Authority of Councils, ed. John Chryssavgis. Volume 1: Historical and Theological Perspectives. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press. page 358ORTHODOX people like to boast that they are in a sacramental unity of faith, and this allows them to maintain independent jurisdictions of individual churches, which in turn meet in councils to address the current problems and challenges facing the world church, and to show visible unity in faith. However, it is obvious to everyone-both Orthodox and non-Orthodox-that there are painful divisions between the churches, even on the most insignificant issues. It is also obvious that the question of primacy, which is essentially connected with the theology of councils, has become an integral part of Orthodox self-identification. To be Orthodox means to identify oneself in cont ... Читать далее