Nikolaos Nissiotis

Nikolaos Nissiotis earned a PhD in theology in 1956 from the University of Athina, and later became a theology professor. He taught at the University of Genève from 1962-74, where he served as Dean of the Postgraduate School of Ecumenical Studies from 1966-74. He had dual roles for several years, serving on the faculty at the Athens School of Theology from 1968-86. Nissiotis was Dean of the Faculty of Theology from 1976-77 and was President of the School of Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology from 1982-86. He was a frequent visiting professor, serving in that role at Neûchatel (SUI), Manchester (UK), and Boston, Chicago, and the Universities of Pennsylvania and California in the United States.

Nissiotis was known for his work with the World Council of Churches and the Ecumenical Institute in Switzerland from 1956-74. He held many positions at the Ecumenical Institute, serving as director from 1965-74. He was deputy Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches from 1968-72.

In sports Nikolaos Nissiotis was a basketball player for Greece in the 1950s. He then coached the Greek national team from 1954-58 and is credited with developing Greek basketball to a professional standard. Nissiotis became President of the International Olympic Academy (IOA) from 1977-86. He was Vice-President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee from 1975-86, and was co-opted onto the IOC in 1978, serving until his untimely death in 1986 in a car accident.