1. Full name: Saarinen, Risto Juhani

2. Date and Place of Birth: June 7, 1959, Helsinki

3. Current position: Professor of Ecumenical Theology, Department of Systematic Theology, University of Helsinki

4. Education and Training:

Dr.theol. 1988 University of Helsinki

Dr. phil. 1994 University of Helsinki

Ordained Pastor of Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church 1985

Diplomatic training course in Finnish Foreign Office 1986

5. Professional Appointments:

Dec 1983 - Jul 1992 assistant, University of Helsinki

Jun 1989 - Jul 2001 docent of ecumenical theology, University of Helsinki (habilitation)

Aug 1992, Dec 1993 - March 1994 senior assistant (yliassistentti), University of Helsinki

Sep 1992 - Nov 1993, Aug 1999 - Jul 2001 acting professor for social ethics, University of Helsinki

Apr 1994 - Jul 1999, research professor, Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, Aug 2003- Dec 2007 adjunct visiting professor there

Aug 2001 - professor of ecumenical theology, University of Helsinki

Jan 2004 - Dec 2006 vice-dean (research and international affairs), faculty of theology, University of Helsinki

Jan 2004 - National Matriculation Examination Board (Ylioppilastutkintolautakunta), member

2005-2010 honorary professor, University of Aarhus

Aug 2006 - Jul 2008 Research Fellow, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies

Aug 2008 - Dec 2009 Scientific Council of the University of Helsinki (Tieteellinen neuvosto), member

6. Research Awards, Research Honours and Major Funding of Research Projects

- 1981 University of Münster, 4 months personal stipendiate

- 1982 Bayrische Landeskirche, 4 months stipendiate in Erlangen

- 1983-1985 Institut für Europäische Geschichte, Mainz, postgraduate stipendiate and visitor for 16 months

- 1984-1987 Prof. Mannermaa's Luther Research Project Secretary, Academy of Finland

- doctor primum locum tenens, Helsinki Faculty of Theology promotion 1990

- dissertation award, Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia 1990

- 1998-2001 "Early Modern Thought" network funded by the European Science Foundation, member of the coordination committee

- 2001 - 2004 "Churches and European Integration" Project Funded by European Commission Research Directorate, member of the steering group

- 2002 - 2007 Medieval Team Leader of the "History of Mind" Center of Excellence, funded by Academy of Finland

- 2005-2007 Beyond Fideism, 3-year research grant for postgraduate students, University of Helsinki

- 2006-2007 Senior Researcher one-year grant, Academy of Finland ("varttunut tutkija")

- 2007-2008 Senior Researcher one-year grant, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies

- 2008 - 2013 Renaissance and Reformation Team Leader of the "Philosophical Psychology, Morality and Politics" Center of Excellence, funded by Academy of Finland

7. Editorial Board Membership

Teologinen Aikakauskirja (Finnish Journal of Theology), Assistant Editor 1984-1987, Editorial Board 2001-

Theophilos (Journal of Lutheran University in Brazil), Editorial Board 2001-

Dialog, A Journal of Theology, USA, Editorial Council 2003-

Pro Ecclesia, USA, advisory council 2005-

Berliner Zeitschrift für Theologie, advisory council 2009-

Neue Zeitschrift für systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, editorial council 2009-

8. Membership in Scientific Societies

Societas Oecumenica, Board Member 1994-1998, (Congress Participation in Driebergen 1994, Strasbourg 1996 and Salisbury 2002)

Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Theologie, Member 1992-

Suomalainen Tiedekatemia (Finnish Academy of Science and Letters), Member 1999-, Secretary of Theology and Religious Studies Section 2004-

Suomalainen Teologinen Kirjallisuusseura, Board Member 2002-

Societé Internationale pour l'Étude de la Philosophie Medievale, Member 1992- (Participation in World Congresses in Helsinki 1987, Ottawa 1992, Erfurt 1997, Porto 2002 with a plenary lecture)

Luther-Gesellschaft, Member 1992- (World Congress of Luther studies, participation in Oslo 1988, St:Paul 1993, Heidelberg 1997, Copenhagen 2002, Canoas 2007, Local Committee Chair for the planning of Helsinki 2012 World Congress)

Europäische Melanchthon-Akademie, Bretten, academic board (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat), 2003-

Institut für Europäische Geschichte, Mainz, academic board (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat), 2005-

9. Ecumenical Activities

- Lutheran World Federation: Finnish delegate in 1984 Budapest assembly. LWF advisor in 1997 Hongkong assembly and responsible there for the ecclesiology working group. Delegate of Finnish Church in Winnipeg assembly 2003. Member and drafter of the LWF ecclesiology group 1994-1996. Adventist - LWF theological conversations 1994-1998, advisor and drafter. Lutheran - Orthodox Joint Commission, 1995-1998 advisor, 1999- delegate, 2004- vice-chair, since 1995 in the drafting group. - At the Lutheran World Federation's ecumenical institute in Strasbourg, my main duty was to organize and to lead ecumenical study projects. I had the responsibility in planning "Baptism and the Unity of the Church" consultation 1996 and the resulting publication, as well as the Societas Oecumenica conference in Strasbourg 1996. In addition, I was active in the study "Ecumenical Ventures in Ethics" (consultation 1996, publication 1997) and followed the Lutheran - Roman Catholic dialogue process "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification". Participation in Strasbourg's theological Klingenthal meetings regularly since 2001 - In the LWF, participation in Dubuque 2002 meeting "Justification Today" and Malta 2002 meeting on Lutheran dialogues. - Since 2004, advisor to the council of the LWF and member in its board of Theology and Studies.

- World Council of Churches: Participation in 1991 Canberra assembly as reporter and editor of the Finnish documentation volume. "Common Understanding and Vision" project: secretary of 1996 Nordic Meeting in Copenhagen. Drafting group of Porto Alegre unity statement, Cyprus 2005.

- Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church: since 1983 member of the preparatory group of theological conversations with the Russian Orthodox Church. 1988-1991 secretary of the working group "the Church and Jewish people". Since 2000 member of the working group "Theology of Religions", since 2002 of the Advisory Board of Theology and of the Ecumenical Relationships group. Finnish delegate in Leuenberg-Orthodox consultations, Helsinki 2001, Crete 2002, Istanbul 2006.

10. Opponent in doctoral dissertations

Kalevi Tanskanen, University of Helsinki (theology) 1990
Sakari Toiviainen, University of Helsinki (theology) 1993
Rauno Heikola, Åbo Akademi (theology) 1996
Kari Kopperi, University of Helsinki (theology) 1997
Manfred Zeuch, University of Strasbourg (theology) 1997
Esa Rannikko, Åbo Akademi (philosophy) 1997
Risto Jukko, University of Helsinki (theology) 2001
Gatis Lidums, University of Helsinki (practical theology) 2004
Katja Juntunen, University of Helsinki (exegetics) 2008

11. Referee for docent appointments (Habilitation)

Gert Rüppell, University of Helsinki (theology), 1994
Martin Hauser, University of Strasbourg (theology), 1997
Antti Raunio, University of Helsinki (theology), 2000
Virpi Mäkinen, University of Helsinki (theology), 2002
Esko Ryökäs, University of Joensuu (theology), 2003
Maarit Hytönen, University of Joensuu (theology), 2006
Antoine Lévy, University of Helsinki (theology), 2008

12. Doctoral Dissertations in Helsinki Ecumenics, 2001-

Risto Jukko 2001
Raine Haikarainen 2002
Vesa Hirvonen 2002
Pekka Kärkkäinen 2003
Olli-Pekka Vainio 2004
Jari Jolkkonen 2004
Ari Hukari 2005
Anja Ghiselli 2005
Matti Pikkarainen 2006
Ari Ojell 2007
Minna Hietamäki 2008

13. Contributor to Encyclopedias:

The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought, Theologische Realenzyklopädie, Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Historisches Wörterbuch der Philosophie, Dictionnaire critique de Theologie, Dizionario enciclopedico dell' Oriente Cristiano, Encyclopedia of Christianity, Routledge Encyclopedia of Christian Theology, Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity (forthcoming), Global Dictionary of Theology

14. Personal Interests:

Butterflies and Moths website here