St. Vladimir's Seminary Professor of Hermeneutics and Liturgical Art Richard Schneider recently led a group from his Orthodox Iconology class to New Haven, CT, for a day of viewing Christian art and icons. The class started at an exhibit of Russian icons at the Knights of Columbus Museum. The next stop was the Yale University Art Gallery,where the group viewed wall paintings from the earliest surviving Christian house church at Dura-Europos. Finally, the class visited Yale Divinity School to view an exhibit of icons by the contemporary Greek iconographer George Kordis.
Noted Professor Schneider, "Throughout our day, we moved from the origins of Christian iconography, to Byzantine and post-Byzantine development, to the most recent expressions. In so doing, we saw both the continuity and creativity in iconography as a living and creative language."
The field trips are a vital part of introducing students to Iconology and are indicative of St. Vladimir's ongoing commitment to the liturgical arts. Professor Schneider's regular Spring term class is always open not only to students but to the general public. "This is especially useful for iconographers who are interested in exploring the theological basis for their work," he explained.
Also in the spring, The Rev. Dn. Evan Freeman (SVOTS M.Div. '09, Th.M. '12), Yale University doctoral student in Byzantine and Medieval Art History, offered a talk hosted by the St. Juliana's Society at St. Vladimir's. In his May 19 presentation, "Taste and See: Iconographic Programming in the Liturgy," Dn. Evan encouraged the women of the Society to consider how icons are used in churches and in the Liturgy. Why, forexample, are certain icons located in specific parts of the church building? What is the relationship between images and liturgical actions? How do liturgical texts and hymns influence icons?
"As future leaders and teachers in the Church, it is important that we seek to understand the role of icons in the Liturgy and be prepared explain icons to those around us," noted Dn. Evan.
On October 24th, 2014, St. Vladimir's seminarians and their spouses, together with a number of clergy and clergy-wife registrants from outside the seminary community, attended a seven-hour, multi-part presentation by Dr. Theresa Burke, Ph.D., LPC, NCP, the founder of Rachel's Vineyard ministries, an event sponsored by St. Vladimir's student-run pro life St. Ambrose Society. Dr. Burke's presentation, though focused on post-abortion trauma, touched on wide-ranging issues: the brain chemistry underlying trauma, the psychology of trauma victims, how men are affected by abortion, and the role of the clergy in healing, among others.
Through scientific and statistical analysis, as well as through personal stories garnered from a long career in post-abortion healing, Dr. Burke introduced students to some of the little-known negative consequences of abortion as well as to strategies that can facilitate healing, made possible in and through Christ. Will Rettig, one of the seminarians who elected to attend the entire seminar, commented, "The event offered a good deal of insight how those coping with the loss of a child in pregnancy, by abortion or otherwise, might be processing the ordeal. That such insight would be valuable to those engaged in Christian ministry is clear."
Rachel's Vineyard, now operating throughout the United States and in dozens of countries, is the world's oldest and largest ministry for post-abortion healing. More information about the sponsor, the St Ambrose Society, St. Vladimir's own student-run pro-life group, can be found on its website.
On a cool October evening, faculty, staff, students and their families gathered in the Germack building to participate in the annual campus Chili Cook-off & Kids Costume Party. Contestants brought crock pots featuring their special version of chili recipes, and the kids enjoyed showing off their costumes and participating in fun activities.
On Sunday, December 7, the Three Hierarchs Chapel community enjoyed a favorite St. Vladimir's tradition when they sang a collection of carols and then welcomed St. Nicholas to campus. The carol "All who love Nicholas the saintly" ushered in the good saint, whose identity was hidden under his flowing white "beard." During the celebration, grown ups and kids alike also enjoyed a potluck meal, and St. Nicholas presented each child with a gift.
On Tuesday evening, December 16, a group of about 25 members of St. Vladimir's community, from 15 months to 55, convened in the lobby of the Sunrise Senior Living facility for an evening of caroling. The group of musicians sang a repertoire of familiar carols for about an hour, and were well received by the residents. "We could all see the joy a little singing brought to the residents of Sunrise," noted SVOTS Lecturer in Choral Conducting Mat. Robin Freeman. "I so appreciated how our students and staff gave of their time in this very busy season."
The St. Vladimir's community celebrated the Vigil and Feast of Theophany on January 5 and 6 with a full liturgical cycle. A longstanding tradition followed, with Dean The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr and family, Assistant Professor The Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel and family, and Director of Alumni and Admissions Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak and family, opening their homes for hospitality and fellowship. Liturgist and octogenarian Archimandrite Ephrem Lash, a seminary guest for the week, joined in for all the liturgical and community events, and offered the homily for Theophany's Divine Liturgy.
The Sunday prior to Theophany, The Rev. Kyle Parrott (SVOTS '14) also presented a homily in Three Hierarchs Chapel, titled "A Flame of Love." He noted that "Even if we have neglected our Christian calling, or are burnt out from church life, if our energy is spent from keeping faith in a culture that sees us as strange and irrelevant, if our love for our neighbor has been quenched by conflict with friend and family, or if our devotion to God has been smothered by the thousand problems in our lives, even with all this, we are unable to completely extinguish this light which Christ keeps smoldering in our souls, waiting for us to return again to the high calling of our baptism."
Continued Fr. Kyle,"To tend that light we are called to 'prepare the way of the Lord' by preparing our hearts. The Apostle Paul gives us a few ways to do this in today's epistle: 'Be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry' (2 Tim. 4:5)."
January 22, 2015 marked the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the historic Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion-on-demand in the United States. Every year hundreds of thousands of people gather for the March for Life in Washington D.C. for a peaceful protest that calls for an end to legalized abortion, and advocates for a culture of life. It has become a tradition each year for the St. Ambrose Society, St. Vladimir's pro-life student group, to rent a bus to transport seminarians, their families, and members of the wider Orthodox community, down to the March.
The March is the largest and the oldest annual civil rights protest in the world. Nearly half the people at the March for Life are under thirty, and most are there because of their faith. There are many Roman Catholics, many different Protestant groups, several rabbis and their congregations, and always a contingent of clergy and laity from the Orthodox Church.
The Orthodox Church does not see abortion as a merely "political" issue. For two millennia the Church has been uncompromising and clear in its teachingSeminary President Metropolitan Tikhon and Chancellor/CEO The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield join the marchers on abortion. Life begins at conception. This means that taking the life of an unborn child through abortion is murder. We cannot keep this truth to ourselves. The Church is prophetic, calling all to repentance, calling us to "banish all evil from our hearts and wickedness from our laws." Every year at the March for Life, Orthodox Christians witness to our Church's teaching, and invite others to find healing in Christ and his Church. Instead of chanting slogans, we march through the streets of Washington D.C. chanting the hymns of the Church. We hold and venerate icons of the Mother of God, who carried our Lord in her womb. We remember that He has assumed and sanctified every part of our lives, including our days in the womb.
The March begins at the National Mall and ends at the Supreme Court building, but the Orthodox contingent always stops short of this final destination. We gather together as our hierarchs lead us in prayer for the innocent children who have been killed in abortion, and also for the repentance and healing of all who have made the tragic choice to have an abortion.
Seminarian Ignatius GreenThird-year seminarian Fr. Mark VairI have been to the March six times, this year as the St. Ambrose Society president. Two years ago I became a father, and this deepened my experience of the March more than I can say. God plants such fierce love in a parent's heart. As my wife and I raise our toddler son, and eagerly await the arrival of his sister this May, we intimately know the infinite value of every life. It is not an abstract assertion, but a lived truth.
As beautiful and joyful as this is, it also deepens my sorrow over the tragedy of abortion. We must allow the stark reality of the millions of aborted children to break our hearts, but we must also make it strengthen our resolve to act in obedience to our Church's teachings. Let us all pray earnestly that our judges, our lawmakers, and our president heed God's law, and put an end to all unjust and evil human laws.
Hundreds of thousands of marchers participate every yearA Prayer for Sanctity of Life Sunday: O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son, Who art in the bosom of the Father, True God, source of life and immortality, Light of Light, Who camest into the world to enlighten it: Thou wast pleased to be conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary for the salvation of our souls by the power of Thine All-Holy Spirit. O Master, Who camest that we might have life more abundantly, we ask Thee to enlighten the minds and hearts of those blinded to the truth that life begins at conception and that the unborn in the womb are already adorned with Thine image and likeness; enable us to guard, cherish, and protect the lives of all those who are unable to care for themselves. For Thou art the Giver of Life, bringing each person from non-being into being, sealing each person with divine and infinite love. Be merciful, O Lord, to those who, through ignorance or willfulness, affront Thy divine goodness and providence through the evil act of abortion. May they, and all of us, come to the life of Thy Truth and glorify Thee, the Giver of Life, together with Thy Father, and Thine All-Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
For an excellent summary of the Church's teaching throughout history, see the amicus curiae brief filed with the Supreme Court on behalf of the Orthodox Church, which corrects and refutes many of Roe v. Wade's spurious claims about Christian history and teaching. It can be found online, and in pamphlet form, published by Conciliar Press (now Ancient Faith Publishing).
Let us who love their words come together with hymns
and honor the three great torch–bearers of the triune Godhead:
Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.
These men have enlightened the world with the rays of their divine
doctrines.
They are flowing rivers of wisdom,
and have filled all creation with springs of heavenly knowledge.
They ceaselessly intercede for us
before the holy Trinity!
On January 30, 2015, the members of St. Vladimir's chapel community, faculty, staff, and students, gathered to celebrate the Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs—Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom—patrons of Three Hierarchs Chapel. Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and the seminary's president and board chairman, presided over the festal Liturgy. Special guests The Very Rev. Dr. Steven Voytovich, dean of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, and The Very Rev. Eric Tosi, secretary of the OCA, joined the chapel clergy for the service.
During the Liturgy, Metropolitan Tikhon ordained seminarians Stephen Osburn and John Edward as Subdeacon and Reader, respectively. He also stayed for the evening's event, the 32nd Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Lecture.
"The liturgical superlatives ascribed to these pillars of the Church," said His Beatitude in his homily, "are almost overwhelming in their unrelenting reminder, to the rest of us mortal and fallen human beings, of the supreme perfection of life and brilliance of theology of these three exemplary saints...we might honestly look into our hearts and ask ourselves: are we so inspired?"
He answered his own question with an exhortation for his hearers, that they not "give in to despair when we uncover the passions within our own hearts, but to slowly weed them out one by one; not to be discouraged because we don’t seem to have control over our children and their behavior, but rather continually strive to love them and pray for them and not judge ourselves to be failures; not to be overwhelmed when we find it difficult to live in a community, whether it is our family, our seminary or our parish, but to find hope in the examples of the great saints who give expression to true community." (Read the full text of Metropolitan Tikhon's homily.)
Sporting team T-shirts, the St. Vladimir's Seminary Hierarchs traveled to sister school St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS) to play in the traditional winter basketball contest, on February 6 at 6:30 p.m. Prior to the game, seminarians from both institutions joined together in prayer at evening vespers. After the ball was thrown up, the Hierarchs battled with STOTS through four intense quarters, ending up victorious with a final score of 42–30. The game concluded in an exchange of handshakes, a group photo, and a communal meal. (View the Facebook photo gallery by Sara Staff)
Metropolitan Tikhon presiding at the Great Canon of St. Andrew of CreteOur campus community began Great Lent with Forgiveness Vespers, followed by a two-day retreat that included daylong lenten liturgical services punctuated by focused meditations.
Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, associate professor in Systematic Theology, presented this year's meditations for the retreat. His theme was “How to be a Sinner.”
Bouteneff said, “I was always struck by the challenge of understanding myself as ‘the chief among sinners’ [I Tim 1:15], but doing so without becoming either prideful or neurotic.
“What are the implications of giving myself that title of ‘sinner’? Is there still a part of me that is good and worthy of care?” he questioned in his exploration. “Why do the fathers experience such liberty, and even joy, in their self-condemnation — something we glimpse in the beauty of the penitential services of the first week of Lent?”
His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), presided at the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, during the retreat. Chapel clergy, including ordained seminarians, had the privilege of serving with him.
