On Saturday, St. Vladimir’s Seminary celebrated the patronal feast of the Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel and hosted the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture.

The Seminary community gathered in the morning for Divine Liturgy for the Synaxis of the Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, patrons of the Seminary chapel. Seminary Academic Dean Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie delivered the homily, his first at Three Hierarchs Chapel.

On Saturday afternoon, New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher delivered the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture, which was held in an online format. More than 650 people participated in the online event.

Dreher’s lecture was titled “Living in Truth: How the Communist-Era Suffering Church can Prepare Us to be Dissidents.” In it, Dreher defined the challenges and explored the gifts the suffering church has for a complacent West.

"The world today either wants us to abandon Christianity, or substitute a very modern Christianity...which amounts to the same thing," said Dreher. "Parishes that live the true faith, though, will be a beacon in the night to those who long for Jesus Christ.

“These are parishes that don't give themselves over to cultural fads or to the politics of the left or the right, but seek nothing but unity with Christ—no matter what it costs."

Dreher’s talk coincided with the publication of A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Vol. 1, featuring an English translation of Schmemann’s broadcasts into the Soviet Union that began in 1953. This first volume of the two-part series, being published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, features a foreword by Dreher.

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  Click HERE to preorder a copy of A Voice for Our Time

Saturday’s Schmemann Lecture and the forthcoming book are part of “The Year of Schmemann” celebrations at St. Vladimir’s. In 2021, the Seminary is honoring 100 years since the birth of Fr. Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983), its beloved former dean and renowned theologian.

On Thursday, St. Vladimir’s Seminary took part in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)’s Virtual March for Life, to rally against abortion and pray for the unborn.

The OCA’s Virtual March mirrored the March for Life in Washington, D.C. this year, which also moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Metropolitan Tikhon led a moleben at Three Hierarchs Chapel to begin the Virtual March for Life.

The event began with a prayer service at St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel, led by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. His Beatitude then offered a message to those gathered at Three Hierarchs and the Virtual March attendees watching online.

"The children destroyed by abortion have no action that they can take or voice to speak with,” said His Beatitude. “They have done nothing right or wrong. They have committed no crime. They have no power. They are truly the most vulnerable among us, and so it is up to us to act and speak for their protection.

“This is a sacred task…because God Himself is a protector—the Father of the fatherless and protector of widows; He is a rescuer, a savior, especially of the vulnerable."

Metropolitan Tikhon’s message was followed by a talk from Dr. Ana Iltis, professor and director of the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society at Wake Forest University and professor of philosophy at St. Vladimir’s.

"What actions will I take...," Dr Iltis challenged viewers, "to cultivate a life-giving and life-affirming culture, one in which abortion is not the answer to difficult questions pregnant women may face?"

Virtual March for Life host Fr. Thomas Soroka brought the event speakers together for a brief discussion before the conclusion of the March.

The Virtual March also featured words from His Eminence, Archbishop Michael and representatives from three pro-life organizations: Orthodox Christians for Life, Zoe for Life, and Vision for Life. The representatives described the work their organizations do to support pregnant women in crisis. They also challenged Orthodox Christians to get involved in pro-life work throughout the year, and offered examples of how to do so.

Watch the recording of Thursday’s Virtual March for Life below.

Seminarians once again showcased some of their outstanding work at St. Vladimir’s third Graduate Conference (formerly known as the Academic Symposium). The latest edition of the biannual conference was held Friday, January 15, 2021, in an online format.

The conference provides a platform for seminarians to present and discuss the best academic work done by students the previous semester.

“I'm able to see improvement from our first [conference] in January 2020…,” said Academic Dean Dr. Ionut Alexandru Tudorie. “And I'm very happy and thankful to our students and our professors.”

Seminary faculty, led by Dr. Tudorie, nominated nine papers to be featured during the conference. Authors of select papers will be encouraged to submit them for publication in St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly. The papers addressed a wide range of topics, including the need for an authoritative catechism for the Orthodox Church in America and biblical exegesis of Christ’s commandment to buy a sword in Luke’s Gospel.

"Obviously, a sword is unusual considering the character of Jesus and his mission—how do we make sense of this?” asked Subdeacon Daniel Hanna, a second-year seminarian, as he introduced his paper, “You Are in a War, Sell All You Have and Buy a Sword: Exegesis of Lk. 22.35–38.” He then argued if one is to interpret the sword allegorically, the same approach must be applied to the other provisions—purse, bag, and garment—mentioned in the narrative.

Subdn. Daniel Hanna is a second-year seminarian in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program.

The other seminarians whose papers were featured with Subdn. Daniel were Alexander Earl (“No One Can See My Face and Live: Theophanic Hermeneutics in Scripture and the Eastern Christian Tradition,” and “Hiddenness and Manifestation: Theophanic Realism and Divine Energeia in St. Gregory Palamas”); Hieromonk Michel Mikhail (“God’s Inscrutable Providence: Understanding The Inclusion Of Women In Mathew’s Genealogy”); Blake (Silouan) Cohen (“The Need for An Authoritative Catechism for the Orthodox Church in America”); Tiberiu-Georgian Opriș (“Mark 15.39 – A Confession of Faith or a Sarcastic Comment?” and “Theophanies as Weapon against Ideology and Criterion of Authentic Christianity: The Vision of Hieroschemamonk Nil Dorobanțu”); Subdn. Basil Paul (“The Nuptial Mystery of the Cross in the Gospel of John”); Fr. Abey George (“An Analysis of the Theological and Rhetorical Components of the Homilies of Metropolitan Mathews Mar Barnabas”); Dn. Tesfay Rezene (“A Comparative Study of Indian and Abyssinian Church History: From the Apostolic Age to the Arrival of the European Missionaries”); and Subin Shaji (“An Analysis of the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Church Relationship as a Model for Reconciliation in the Malankara Church”).

The presentation of each student paper was followed by questions and discussion with other seminarians and faculty. 

Dr. Rossitza B. Schroeder, the Seminary’s associate professor of art history, delivered the keynote address, “Contemplating Paradox and Asymmetry: Looking at Monosandaloi in Late Byzantium.”

The Graduate Conference is currently an intramural event, but the Seminary plans to invite other Orthodox seminaries to participate in the future.

Are science and Christianity in conflict? Father Christopher Knight—a theologian who also holds a doctorate in astrophysics—tackles that question in his new book, Science and the Christian Faith: A Guide for the Perplexed.

The book, published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, released to the public Friday, January 15, 2021.

• Buy a copy of Science and the Christian Faith

In it, Fr. Christopher argues that not only is there no conflict between faith and science, but our contemporary scientific worldview can be deepened and refined by engagement with the riches of the ancient Orthodox tradition. 

"Christopher Knight is the world's leading scholar on the relationship between contemporary science and Orthodox theology,” writes Sarah Lane Ritchie, Ph.D., of The University of Edinburgh. “A must-have for the Orthodox, this book also provides key new perspectives for all Christians wrestling with scientific challenges to faith.”

Christopher C. Knight holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics and serves as a priest of the Orthodox Church. He is a Senior Research Associate of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, England.

Science and the Christian Faith is the eighth volume in SVS Press’s Foundations Series. 

The book may be purchased online at SVSPress.com or by calling 1-800-204-BOOK (2665).

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Archpriest James Doyle, who fell asleep in the Lord January 12, 2021, at the age of 80.

He was born on August 2, 1940, to James and Marion Doyle, in Providence, RI, and is survived by his sister, Rose, of North Providence.

He took classes at St. Vladimir's Seminary between 1958 and 1962. He then enlisted in the United States Army, in which he served until 1967. Among his other duties, he studied Russian and other Slavic languages in the Army's language schools.

After his Honorable Discharge from the Army he went to Paris, France, to study at Saint Sergius Theological Institute, from which he graduated in 1969, with additional studies at Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. While at Saint Sergius, he worked closely with Father Nicholas Afanasiev, the noted Orthodox theologian.

Father James was ordained to the Diaconate on June 25, 1969 at Saint Sergius, and then to the Priesthood, on June 28, 1969 at Saint Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Paris, by Archbishop George, of Syracuse. Over the years of his ministry, he received a number of special recognitions, including his elevation to archpriest, and his award of the Jeweled Cross.

After his ordination he served parishes in Brussels, Belgium, until his return to the United States in 1975 to teach patristics and Old Testament at Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary, South Canaan, PA. He served at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Leavitt Street, Chicago, from 1979, concluding his ministry there as its dean, in 1983. From 1983 until his death he was on staff at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, fondly remembered there by a generation of fellow staff, faculty, and students.

He assisted at a number of parishes in the Greater Chicago area over the years, for the last twenty years serving in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Of very special note was his service at Assumption Church, Hegewisch, from 2004 to very shortly before his death. Of all his pastoral ministries, none was closer to his heart. He was deeply loved by the congregation, there, and it was, for him, a cherished spiritual home.

With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Paul, Fr. James will be buried from the parish he served, Holy Assumption, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Nathanael of the Greek Metropolis of Chicago.

Services will be at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Hegewisch, IL. A wake will be held Monday, January 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Tuesday, January 19, Orthros begins at 8 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy.

May the memory of Fr. James be eternal!

(This article was adapted from OCA.org)

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has issued an encyclical entitled, “We Rejoice Even in Tribulation”: An Encyclical of Hope. The Holy Synod offered the work out of love and gratitude to its faithful at the end of this year. The Synod also intends for the encyclical to be seen as an encouragement for the year to come.

In the encyclical, the Synod seeks to find meaning in the year that has past, which has been marked by a pandemic, political polarization, economic anxiety, and civil unrest, and calls the faithful to a renewed faith and hope in Jesus Christ and service to one another.

Click here to download the encyclical in PDF format.

In January 2021, printed copies will be mailed to all parishes, monasteries, and institutions of the Orthodox Church in America.

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) has benefited from the recent additions of outstanding scholars to the program: Drs. Gregory J. Abdalah, Jeffrey P. Bishop, Ana S. Iltis, and John Mark Reynolds.

“We saw an opportunity to address areas we needed in the D.Min. program, and we were able, thanks be to God, to recruit professors of great quality for that purpose,” said Academic Dean Dr. Ionuţ-Alexandru Tudorie.

"The D.Min. program provides clergy and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills through critical reflection on the practice of ministry,” added Very Rev. Dr. Sergius Halvorsen, the D.Min. program director. “The tremendous wealth of experience and expertise that our new faculty bring to the program is a great benefit to our students." 

The D.Min. faculty members, who joined SVOTS at the beginning of the academic year, have brought varied and distinguished expertise to St. Vladimir’s. Dr. Gregory Abdalah, assistant professor of pastoral theology, is himself a graduate of SVOTS’ D.Min. program who has worked extensively in youth ministry and other pastoral capacities; he has been invited to speak at various camps and youth retreats around the US and Canada.  Dr. Jeffrey Bishop, professor of health care ethics, is the Tenet Endowed Chair in Health Care Ethics and director of the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University; he holds degrees in medicine and theology. Dr. Ana Iltis, professor of philosophy, is director of the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society and professor of philosophy at Wake Forest University; she is published widely in bioethics and serves on several National Institutes of Health data safety monitoring boards. Dr. John Mark Reynolds, professor of philosophy, is the president of The Saint Constantine School in Houston, TX and a fellow of the Center for Science and Culture at The Discovery Institute; he is the author of numerous books and is a frequent blogger and lecturer on a wide range of topics. All four professors are active members of the Orthodox Church.

“Over the past few years, we have been able to bring in a number of scholars who are well respected in their fields,” said SVOTS President Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield. “The addition of these newest faculty members is a major draw for our already excellent Doctor of Ministry program.”

The new faculty members join Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards as the five professors who teach exclusively for the Doctor of Ministry track. Other Seminary faculty members, including D.Min. Program Director Very Rev. Dr. Sergius Halvorsen, Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, Very Rev. Dr. Nicholas Solak, and Rev. Dr. Bogdan Bucur, also teach D.Min. courses.

About the Doctor of Ministry Program
The accredited Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary was launched in 2013 to offer continuing education to clergy and help address immense challenges facing pastors in their ministry across North America and abroad. The D.Min. program provides priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills, integrating doctoral level academic work with pastoral spirituality. The program combines distance learning, one-week onsite intensives, and an academic schedule tailored to the cycles of the liturgical year so that D.Min. students can continue to serve in their current ministries while completing their doctoral degree.

The D.Min. program recruits a new cohort every two years, with the next scheduled to begin in the fall of 2022. Contact Very Rev. Dr. Sergius Halvorsen, program director, at shalvorsen@svots.edu for more information about the D.Min. track at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

DMin program

5 pm deadline