From June 10–21, 2017, Archpriest Alexander Rentel, assistant professor of Canon Law and M.Div. program director at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, travelled to Italy to participate in two different seminars and to attend the First European Academy of Religion, a large member-based research network, connecting organizations that deal with religious studies in Europe. During this time he was able to meet with SVOTS Alumni, SVS Press authors, and friends of our school.

In Vatican City, from June 12–13, Fr. Alexander participated in a workshop at the Congregation for Oriental Churches on the subject, “‘Ancestral Traditions’ (Orientalium Ecclesiarum 6): Status Questionis, Problems, Challenges.” At this workshop, Fr. Alexander presented a reflection entitled “The Orthodox Vision on the Concept of ‘Ancestral Traditions.’” The workshop was organized by Fr. Thomas Pott, OSB, and included participants from the different Byzantine Catholic Churches. His Eminence Archbishop Job of Telmessos, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, also participated as an Orthodox observer at this event.  

From Rome, Fr. Alexander traveled to Bologna and took part in a seminar at the John XXIII Foundation for the Study of Religious Science, from June 14–16. The international seminar was held in honor of the Giuseppe Alberigo on the subject of Election of Bishops throughout history. During this colloquium, Fr. Alexander gave a formal paper titled, “Father John Meyendorff and the Election Procedures for the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America: Theology in Action.” In his paper, Fr. Alexander discussed a series of editorials that Protopresbyter John Meyendorff had written in 1977 for The Orthodox Churchnewspaper, concerning the election of a new metropolitan for the Orthodox Church in America, following the resignation of Metropolitan Ireney. The paper compared the 1971 and 1974 Statutes of OCA with the Decisions of the 1917–18 Moscow Council and demonstrated the influence of Fr. Nicholas Afanasiev on both the drafting of the OCA Statute and the writing of Fr. John.

After this seminar, Fr. Alexander attended the opening of the European Academy of Religion–Ex nihilo “Zero Conference.” At this conference, Fr. Alexander was able to meet with SVOTS Alumnus, Dr. Brandon Gallaher (M.Div. 2003), lecturer of Systematic and Comparative Theology, University of Exeter. By happenstance both Fr. Alexander and Dr. Gallaher were able to visit with our alumnus John Shoji (M.Div. 2007), who was traveling in Italy at the same time of the conference.

The Reverend Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc, professor of Scripture and Semitic Languages at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, spread the Word of God far and wide during his trip to Romania in May 2017—both through major media, and through a virtual classroom.

Trinitas TV, the official media station of the Romanian Orthodox Church, broadcast a 2-hour interview with Fr. Eugen in nine segments of programming. In that interview, Fr. Eugen spoke about his work on the first digital Study Bible, The Bible in its Traditions, created by the École Biblique et Archéologique Française in Jerusalem, to which he contributed a new translation of the Book of Hosea, with footnotes. He also spoke about the importance of Scripture in the Orthodox Christian Church, and the connection between the Old and New Testaments.

Additionally, Fr. Eugen led a section of a Bible translation workshop in Bucharest, Romania, titled, “The Role of the Bible in Orthodoxy,” which was attended virtually by students from Romania, Greece, Russia, Serbia, and Albania. The workshop was part of an online master’s program organized by the NIDA Institute (American Bible Society) and the Foundation of San Pellegrino.

While in Bucharest, Fr. Eugen was received in a private audience by His Beatitude Daniel, patriarch of Romania, who conferred upon him the Order of St. John Chrysostom in recognition of his contribution to Orthodox theology in America. Father Eugen is also Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Holy Cross School of Theology, Brookline, MA.

Axios, Fr. Eugen, and many blessed years!

On Tuesday, April 5, 2016, SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology Dr. Peter Bouteneff visited St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary to offer a lecture, “Understanding Oneself as Sinner: Finding the Healing Way.” He spoke in the classroom of Dr. Christopher Veniamin, professor of Patristics, addressing guests from within and outside the St. Tikhon’s community. In turn, on April 18 Professor Veniamin lectured in Professor Bouteneff's "Prayer and Sanctity" class on the topic, “Prayer in St. Silouan the Athonite and Father Sophrony.”

"At times, something so simple as colleagues visiting each other’s classes can become hugely significant," noted Dr. Bouteneff. "For one, it’s an exchange of gifts among friends. But it’s also a sign of the united purpose and vision between two intimately related Christ-serving institutions."

On Friday, April 1, 2016, a group of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary students from Jordanville, NY, traveled to New York City in order to view the Byzantine art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The group included the seminarians enrolled in the courses of Byzantine History and Liturgical Theology; they were accompanied by St. Vladimir's alumnus Dr. Vitaly Permiakov (SVOTS '04), Instructor at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.

Following a stroll through Central Park, the Jordanville group arrived to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue for the tour of the Byzantine art collection. The tour was led by the Reverend Deacon Evan Freeman, a doctoral candidate in Byzantine Art at Yale University and the Lecturer in Liturgical Art at St. Vladimir's Seminary. The Byzantine collection at the Met houses many unique objects reflecting the religious life and material culture of the Byzantine Empire, including sixth century liturgical chalices, processional crosses, and censers; the students who study the history and the liturgy of Byzantium were offered a glimpse of the rich liturgical life of the ancient Christian empire. As Deacon Evan noted at the conclusion, "our group toured the Metropolitan's collection of Byzantine art, focusing on liturgical objects, which is among the finest in the country. Our lively discussion was enriched by the Jordanville students' knowledge of Church History, Canon Law, and Liturgics."

In the words of the fifth-year seminarian Stefan Stoyanov, “the Byzantine collection at the Metropolitan Museum holds one of the most interesting and diverse group of liturgical items that I have seen.  It was a joy to see these items up close with a thorough commentary by Deacon Evan.”

After the tour, the group was able to spend the rest of the day until their departure exploring other collections of the Metropolitan Museum.  For many seminarians, this was their first visit to the Met, enabling them to explore its rich collections of Egyptian, Asian, and European art.

Photos and text courtesy of Dr. Vitaly Permiakov: read the full story on Holy Trinity's website

In mid-February, Dr. Daniel Hinshaw, sessional professor of Palliative Care at St. Vladimir's, traveled to the University of Balamand in Lebanon with his wife, Dr. Jane Carnahan Hinshaw, a psychiatrist. Both are professors at the University of Michigan as well as visiting professors at Balamand, and while there they offered presentations at a conference on care for the elderly, organized by the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology. The event was blessed by His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

"At Balamand," noted Dr. Jane Hinshaw, "Fr. Bassam Nassif has been pioneering work in pastoral theology, placing some of his students in the nursing home, taking them to the prison during each term, and encouraging Fr. George Mokbel, the first Orthodox chaplain at the St. George Hospital in Beirut. The Institute of Theology's ministry to the sick and dying is growing, as is their connection to St. Vladimir's Seminary, since Fr. Adrian Budica, the Seminary's CPE Supervisor and Director of Field Education, has agreed to serve as a virtual mentor to Fr. George.

"We have been very impressed with the faculty and staff here at the theological institute," continued Dr. Jane Hinshaw. "Many of the students have really been searching for practical applications of their theological training in the form of pastoral ministry. We were blessed to spend this time with them introducing some options for ministry to the sick and dying, which several of them have already been demonstrating in their loving work with residents at a nearby nursing facility."

While at Balamand, the Hinshaws also taught an intensive class similar to ones they have taught at SVOTS during January terms and summer sessions. Additionally, Jane explained that "since class is in the evening we have had time during the day to visit many monasteries. We have also been able to sit and talk with many of the impressive monastics. It has been an experience of incredible beauty and warmth!" 

Both doctors spent time in teaching and conferences at Beirut's St. George Hospital before returning to their teaching posts and medical practices in Michigan. While in Beirut, they enjoyed meeting with alumnus Metropolitan Elias (Audi), who graduated from St. Vladimir's in 1969.

MORE ABOUT THE HINSHAWS
The Institute of Theology's story about the Hinshaws' visit
A seminar at St. Vladimir's
Dr. Rossi interviews Dr. Jane Hinshaw for his podcast, Becoming a Healing Presence
Dr. Hinshaw's appointment as Sessional Professor of Palliative Care

Because of its strong program in teaching and presenting Orthodox sacred arts, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary faculty were strongly represented in the panel of speakers at the 8th Sophia Annual Conference on the theme of "The Sacred Arts of Eastern Orthodoxy: Icon, Music, Rhetoric, Architecture and Artifacts" on December 4, 2015 at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. The Sophia Annual Conferences are aimed at producing scholarly volumes on major themes of Orthodox life and culture that require deeper elaboration in our modern world. One of the keynote addresses was delivered by the Seminary's Professor of Systematic Theology, Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff. Professor Bouteneff is director of the Seminary's Arvo Pärt Project (APP) as well as of its Sacred Arts Initiative, the result of  a $250,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.

In his lecture, Dr. Bouteneff explained how the APP has led the Seminary towards a more focused and interdisciplinary study of the Sacred Arts. He also laid some "cairns" — trail-markers — for the theological study of the arts, highlighting especially the problems of spirit-matter dualism. "The sacred arts," he said, "are about embodiment and incarnation, but it isn't a matter of 'good' spirit cleansing 'bad' matter.

"Our theology of the human person and the world has to be consciously holistic, as the Fathers have taught," he noted. "Only in this way will our understanding of the arts be true to our teaching on the Incarnation and on the sacraments."

Among the other notable speakers was Dr. Helen Evans, Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator of Byzantine Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Professor Richard Schneider, who has taught iconology and hermeneutics at St. Vladimir's since the 1990s, and Dn. Evan Freeman, a doctoral candidate at the Department of the History of Art at Yale University currently teaching at the Seminary, both delivered important papers on innovation and tradition in icon painting, accompanied by stunning visual examples. Additionally, SVS Press's full display of books, CDs, and icons was a hub of the conference's intellectual and social activity.

SVOTS Chancellor/CEO Archpriest Chad Hatfield was invited by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow to be one of the presenters at an academic conference marking the 1000th Anniversary of the Repose of St. Vladimir. Throughout 2015 there have been various programs and conferences marking this significant anniversary. Father Chad was asked to speak specifically on “The Legacy of St. Vladimir’s Seminary” in the Orthodox world. (Read about the Seminary's celebration of the 1000th Anniversary.)

“This was a big challenge," noted Fr. Chad, "as each speaker was limited to twenty minutes.” Our Chancellor offered a brief history of Orthodox seminaries in North America, much of which was new information to his Russian audience. He also shared background on the key figures in the history of St. Vladimir's.

A second academic conference on St. John Cassian was organized with former SVOTS Trustee Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) hosting, and Fr. Chad in attendance. Two new SVS Press publications by Metropolitan Hilarion were presented at this conference: Prayer: Encounter with the Living God, and St. Isaac the Syrian and His Spiritual Legacy. The latter includes a chapter by Seminary Dean, Archpriest John Behr, on "St. Isaac of Nineveh on the Cross of Christ."

The Orthodox Church in Kenya is the fastest growing Orthodox Church in the world, numbering some 1.5 million souls in 250 parishes—30 in Nairobi alone. From November 10–17, 2015, Dr. Paul Meyendorff, The Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology, traveled to the Archbishop Makarios Orthodox Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya, accompanied by Fr. Rauno Pietarinen (SVOTS 1980). The Seminary will be the recipient of this year's #GivingTuesday tithe, following St. Vladimir's participation in this day of philanthrophy on December 1.

The primary purpose of Dr. Meyendorff's meeting was to assist the Seminary in its plans to upgrade its academic standards and to seek formal accreditation. Father Rauno and Dr. Meyendorff are founding members of an Orthodox Working Group for improving the quality of Orthodox theological education, a group that has in recent years met in Finland, Greece, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and now Kenya.

The two met with Archbishop Makarios of Kenya, as well as the Seminary's dean and faculty. Archimandrite Philip Mugadizi (SVOTS '03) serves the Seminary as its assistant dean. While there, Dr. Meyendorff also delivered five lectures on liturgical topics to groups of students, as well as a public lecture, "Towards a Baptismal Ecclesiology," to an audience of 200 persons from throughout Kenya.

On Sunday, November 15, Fr. Rauno and Dr. Meyendorff accompanied Archbishop Makarios to a small, tin-roofed church not far from the Seminary, where Fr. Mugadizi is the rector. "I was moved by the deep faith of the congregation, as evidenced by their enthusiastic singing," noted Prof. Meyendorff.

Prior to the African journey,  Prof. Meyendorff traveled to Chalki Seminary in Istanbul, Turkey on November 4–8, to attend the twelfth annual meeting of the St. Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group. The papers at this year's meeting dealt with the emergence of national churches in 19th-century Orthodoxy, the notion of communio/koinonia, its ecumenical relevance, and the understanding of authority in the Church. In addition, intensive work took place on the draft of a document which is meant to give an overview of the work done over the years by the Working Group. The Group is composed of 26 theologians, 13 Orthodox and 13 Catholic, from a number of European countries and the United States.  

On Saturday November 7, 2015, Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric the Reverend Dr. J. Sergius Halvorsen made a presentation on Adult Education at the Orthodox Institute held at the Antiochian Village Conference Center. Father Sergius' talk was titled, "How to Find a Continuing Education Program that is Right for You," and addressed three basic questions:

1. Know Yourself: what are your objectives, and what are your expectations?
2. Know the Program: is it accredited; who are the faculty; what kind of community does this program provide; how well are students supported; and what do alumni and current students say about the program?
3. Special considerations for online learning: what level of interaction is possible between teachers and students; is the course conducted via synchronous or asynchronous interaction; and how much technical support is provided for the students?

The session opened with a presentation from His Grace Bishop Thomas of the Antiochian Archdiocese, and also included remarks from Dr. G. Cyril Jenkins of Eastern University in St. Davids, PA, regarding the newly launched Institute for Orthodox Thought and Culture.

n a meeting with the Certification Commission on October 13, 2015, Fr. Adrian Budica, the seminary's Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Director of Field Education, became certified as an Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) Full Supervisor. While it usually takes between 4-10 years to achieve this, Fr. Adrian completed the entire process in under three years, and is now certified to supervise Levels 1 and 2, and Supervisory CPE. In recognition of his remarkable achievements and his work with ACPE Eastern Region, Fr. Adrian was recognized as an "Emerging Leader 2015" at an ACPE National Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in May.

As Director of Field Education at St. Vladimir's, Fr. Adrian has been preparing students for their CPE Units in hospitals, and meeting with them afterwards to review their progress and issue final evaluations. Currently, all Master of Divinity students are required to fulfill one unit of CPE, which represents a total of 400 hours--300 hours spent in clinical/hospital visitation, and 100 hours devoted to group and individual sessions. With Fr. Adrian on the faculty, SVOTS is stepping up its commitment to CPE training via on-campus supervision.

"As CPE Supervisor, one of my goals is to transform other existing field placements (prison, parish) and implement a superior education through a standardized curriculum and requirements," notes Fr. Adrian. "This will not only benefit our seminarians in their pastoral education, and allow them to receive additional CPE credits for their field work, but will also benefit the ministry and outreach of the Seminary and the greater Orthodox community."

St. Vladimir's has been collaborating with the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and Union Theological Seminary to become accredited by ACPE as a satellite center. The seminaries already have a long history of connection through the Inter-Seminary Dialogue (ISD) program, and their approaches to pastoral formation are harmonious.

Rabbi Mychal Springer, director of the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS, says that CPE enlivens and transforms the entire seminary experience. "CPE at our Seminary has had a profound impact on our culture these six years....Students are deeply grateful for the in-depth supervision and attention to their formation. The pastoral relationships which they form in their clinical placements ground them in the realities of the world and give them the essential opportunity to integrate their theological studies with the complex and sometimes heartbreaking experiences of real people.

"We are confident that by becoming a satellite of our CPE program" she continues, "St. Vladimir's will also experience a tremendous boost in the educational experiences of its students."

Father Adrian believes that St. Vladimir's growing commitment to CPE represents a milestone. "This will be the source of tremendous growth in pastoral education for our Orthodox Church," he notes. "We will be the first Orthodox theological school in the world using this pastoral process model for our seminarians. We plan to train and offer continuing education to future and current clergy, Orthodox chaplains in various settings, leaders of lay ministries, and CPE Supervisors. It will also bring our Orthodox pastoral caregivers and professors into the larger pastoral education field, as representatives of our faith."

Since 2011, Fr. Adrian has served as priest at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York, where the Very Reverend Thomas Zain, SVOTS alumnus and faculty member, is rector; he also serves regularly at the Three Hierarchs Chapel on campus. Father is currently pursuing additional certification as a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC).