Olivier Clément

Olivier Clément was born in 1921 in the south of France. In his youth he was a non-believer. As he grew to maturity, he was influenced by a number of Orthodox theologians in France, notably Vladimir Lossky, Nicholas Berdiaev and Paul Evdokimov, eventually receiving baptism at the hands of Fr Evgraph Kovalesvky, later Bishop Jean-Nectaire of Saint-Denis. He became a member of the faculty of St. Sergius Institute in Paris. In addition to an extensive collection of writings, he edited the theological journal ''Contacts''. Clément also enjoyed friendship and entered into dialogues on major spiritual themes with a number of imminent personalities including Patriarch Athenagoras, Pope St John Paul II, the priest and theologian Dumitru Staniloae, and the brother Roger of Taizé. Olivier Clément died on January 15, 2009 at the age of 87.