As reflected in its logo, the Huffington Ecumenical Institute (HEI) seeks to become an open door for HCHC students and the wider Orthodox community (parishes and institutions) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America:
• To other Orthodox Churches on a Pan-Orthodox level
• To other Christian confessions on an inter-denominational level
• To other faith communities on an interreligious level, and
• To the contemporary world on an international level.
A divided and restless world may surrender to the temptation of withdrawing into individualism, isolation, and indifference. But for the early church and patristic tradition, closed doors were considered as eroding the fundamental and distinctive principles of compassion and community.
Therefore, the Huffington Ecumenical Institute will draw together prominent ecumenical theologians and practitioners in an effort to address shared challenges confronting religious communities locally, nationally, and internationally. Following the models of the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Geneva, the HEI will provide unique opportunities for students on the campus of HCHC and within the larger Boston area to be exposed to distinguished thinkers, international dialogues, and global issues across the ecumenical world.