The serious student of the Bible who is also an Orthodox Christian always had a particular quandary. They could try the commentary of the Church Fathers, which were soundly Orthodox, but might struggle with an awkward translation. They could turn to the over-abundance of Protestant and Catholic Biblical scholarship but those might not reflect the mind of the Orthodox Church.
Into this dilemma comes the highly anticipated SVS Press release, Taught by God: Making Sense of the Difficult Sayings of Jesusby Fr. Daniel Fanous, an Orthodox Biblical scholar and priest. Fanous tackles fifteen of the most difficult sayings of Jesus by expertly weaving together the work of modern scholarship, his own examination of biblical and historical texts, and important cultural and linguistic analyses.
Fanous first always defines both the Galilean and first century Palestinian context of who Christ is as well as the flavor of the Aramaic language that he spoke. He is not afraid to consult the best of Catholic and Protestant Biblical scholarship, and he mines the Old Testament and other Jewish texts for further context and understanding. His conclusions, however, are solidly in line with the mind of the early Church Fathers and with Orthodox theology.
For centuries the difficult sayings of Jesus have confused even accomplished theologians. The question has always been: what did Christ really mean? Taught by God is a triumph for students of the Bible who want to make sure that they are getting a solidly Orthodox interpretation.
Taught by God may be purchased at SVSPress.com or by calling 1-800-204-BOOK (2665).
About the Author
Rev. Dr. Daniel Fanous is dean and lecturer in Theology & Biblical Studies at St. Cyril’s Coptic Orthodox Theological College in Sydney, Australia. He is the author of The Person of the Christ (Regina Orthodox Press) and A Silent Patriarch (SVS Press).
Saint Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press & Bookstore will be closed from Thursday, June 25 until Monday, July 6, 2020 for inventory and auditing work and observance of the July 4 national holiday.
Customers may still place orders online, at SVSPress.com, during this extended closure, but all orders will be held for processing and shipping until the Press & Bookstore reopen July 6. Summer business hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday.
The SVS Press & Bookstore staff thank you for your patronage and understanding.
St. Vladimir’s will bid a fond farewell this summer to renowned theologian, St. Vladimir’s Seminary dean from 2007 to 2017, and prolific author and speaker Very Rev. Dr. John Behr. Father John and his family will move to Scotland where he has accepted the position of Regius Professor of Humanity at the University of Aberdeen. As part of his duties he will be directing doctoral students in the study of theology.
While working on his doctorate at Oxford University, Fr. John was invited to be a visiting lecturer at St. Vladimir’s in 1993, where he has been a permanent faculty member since 1995, tenured in 2000, and ordained in 2001. Before becoming dean in 2007, he served as the editor of St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly; he also edited the Popular Patristics Series for SVS Press.
While dean at St. Vladimir’s, Fr. John oversaw a complete overhaul of the curriculum. The Seminary used to have an undergraduate structure with classes that were one hour in length. Students went through several topics in the course of one day. Father John reorganized the curriculum to a true graduate structure by having students spend three hours on one topic.
Working with Fr. Alexander Rentel, Fr. John also enhanced and improved liturgical instruction. He also made supervised field work in the Clinical Pastoral Education program a requirement.
When asked what he seeks to impart to his students, Fr. John answers simply, “A love of Christ and an encounter with Christ through the study of theology.” He also wants them to have “a willingness to engage with ways of thinking that might be different. We talk so much about the fathers but we tend to choose the quotes we like,” he said. “But I want to impart to them an encounter with the fathers on the fathers’ terms by actually reading their texts and trying to understand what they are saying.”
Alumna Arpi Nakashian (Class of 2015, Master of Arts) said that “Fr. John opened my eyes to read the scriptures in Christ’s light. He opened the book for many seminarians to understand truly ‘Which God are we talking about?’ Today as an alumna, I truly feel honored and blessed to still be called Fr. John’s student as I pursue my doctorate in theology.”
"When it comes to academics, I must say that he taught me how to think and approach patristic texts,” said Fr. Stefan Djoric (Class of 2018 and 2019; Master of Arts and Master of Theology). “In that sense, just to be around him was a privilege! To pick up his theological mind as much as possible and to form myself theologically under his guidance was indeed a priceless experience!"
"Through his early publications with SVS Press and his later publications with Oxford University Press, Archpriest John Behr has developed a theological platform that raised his profile and now takes on a new chapter at the University of Aberdeen,” said St. Vladimir’s President Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield. “There, he will be overseeing doctoral work that is much needed in the English-speaking Orthodox world. Like Archpriest Georges Florovsky (1893-1979), he now transitions to the university setting where his presence will be more accessible in the international arena.”
The Seminary honored Fr. John at his final Faculty Council meeting at the conclusion of the 2019-2020 academic year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a more public farewell reception as initially planned was not possible.
The entire community of St. Vladimir’s Seminary—seminarians, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—wishes Fr. John and his family many years!
Over 200 church musicians from Europe, Australia, and North America gathered in online presentations and discussions to explore the theme of “Music as Liturgy.” The three-day 2020 Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium, held June 11-13, was co-hosted by the International Society for Orthodox Church Music (ISOCM) and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS).
As choirs and churches around the globe face the uncertainty of how to remain physically safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants at the Symposium looked at the question of how clergy, faithful, and in particular singers and chanters “do the liturgy.”
“I have never taken part in a music event outside of my parish before now, so the Introduction to Liturgical Conducting Masterclass has given me confidence to conduct when our two choir directors are not available,” said David Galloway of St John of the Ladder Orthodox Church, Greenville, SC, “I have made connections with many Orthodox conductors and music educators to help me learn even more.”
The work of church musicians has become particularly difficult in 2020 with the pandemic restricting both the method and number of church musicians who can sing responses during liturgical services. One of the most attended sessions during this year’s Symposium explored ways to move forward in a post-pandemic world.
“With many of our churches and schools having been partially or completely closed, the pandemic is challenging us to find ways to pray and make music while also taking care of one another,” said Robin Freeman, director of music at SVOTS and member of the Symposium organizing committee. “This online Symposium highlighted for many of us the growing possibilities of technology for teaching, learning, and making music together.”
While participants were unable to gather in person to celebrate the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy, this year’s event featured masterclasses on eight different topics to develop skillsets in advance of a return to the kliros and choir lofts in their home parishes.
Coursework, led by Dr. Peter Jermihov, Chicago, IL; Dr. Tamara Petijevic, Novi Sad, Serbia, John Boyer, Portland, OR; and Nazo Zakkak, San Diego, CA, and others explored conducting at varying levels of experience, vocal technique, Byzantine chant, composition, and engaging young people with church music.
“The conference addressed both the spiritual and technical issues that we face as church musicians,” said Ruth Rutledge, head chanter at St. Barnabas Orthodox Church, Costa Mesa, CA, adding, “The spirit of charity and genuine care was very evident among all the speakers who were of the highest caliber and professional excellence. It was a beautiful, profound, and practical three days of education and time to contemplate the larger perspective of our work in the church.”
Dr. Susan Ashbrook Harvey of Brown University offered a keynote presentation titled “Ancient Models from Ancient Syriac Christianity” wherein she explored how musical traditions were shaped by liturgical experience and are carried forward into today’s worship among Syriac Christians.
Other presentations included “The Rites of Hagia Sophia” by Dr. Alexander Lingas of City, University of London; a piano performance by Dr. Paul Barnes, “A Bright Sadness,” featuring original piano selections written by Victoria Bond, David von Kampen, Philip Glass, and Father Ivan Moody, inspired by Orthodox chant; and a second keynote presentation by Protopresbyter Ivan Moody exploring the theme in reverse, “Liturgy as Music.”
This year’s Symposium was dedicated to the life and work of the Archpriest Sergei Glagolev, the noted priest and musician who led efforts beginning in the 1950s to exclusively use English throughout the church year. A commemorative video was shown, and Father Sergei joined attendees during the special session at this year’s event.
“It would be difficult to imagine a more successful Symposium, and the extraordinary fact of its occurring in the present challenging circumstances seems only to have made participants the more inspired,” said Father Ivan, chairman of the ISOCM. He added, “it is to be hoped that this pan-jurisdictional event will inspire further work that brings people together in this way—one of the central aims of ISOCM—working for the glory of God.”
With a record number of participants attending this year’s Symposium, representing nearly every Orthodox jurisdiction in North America across thirty-nine states, and attending from twelve countries, organizers expect future events will be considered in the coming months.
Encouraged by the positive engagement by participants, organizers suggested an openness to new, positive possibilities, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, guiding our efforts to be more attuned to each other—musically and personally—with hope in God blessing our effort in building up the universal Church through sacred liturgical music.
Presentations and Addresses from the Symposium will be included in a future edition of the ISOCM’s online Journal.
About the International Society for Orthodox Church Music
Founded in 2005, the ISOCM seeks to provide an open platform for musicians, musicologists, singers, and composers that encourages dialogue, the exchange of information and ideas, and inspires cooperation. The Society sees the promotion of communication between East and West as one of its priorities, and hosts biannual conferences at the University of Eastern Finland on its Joensuu campus. The Society also hosts regional symposia and gatherings elsewhere throughout the world to help create opportunities for collaboration and the sharing of knowledge in the field of Orthodox liturgical music.
For more information about the ISOCM, visit www.isocm.com.
The late Metropolitan Philip (+2014) of the Antiochian Archdiocese once famously said that Orthodox Christianity “remains the best kept secret in America because of our laziness.” In the years since he uttered those words, have we made any progress in spreading the Gospel in North America, including to minority communities such as African-Americans? What can we do differently to evangelize more effectively?
Join us Wednesday, June 17, for the free webinar, “Expanding the Tent: Restoring Orthodoxy to Africans in the Diaspora.” The online event will be led by Priest Samuel Davis (Orthodox Church in America) and St. Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee Dr. Carla Thomas. The discussion begins at 7 p.m. EDT.
Father Samuel Davis is the priest of St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission (Orthodox Church in America) in New Brunswick, NJ and an alumnus of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA. He is the first African-American to be ordained to the priesthood in the New York and New Jersey Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America. Father Samuel was born to Panamanian immigrants on March 25, 1980 in Brooklyn, NY. One evening, after hearing a sermon, entitled “Prerequisites of His Presence” by Archbishop Veron Ashe, Samuel made a commitment to the Lord to serve the Holy Church in whatever capacity God would lead him. In September 2010 Fr. Samuel was baptized into the Orthodox Faith. After receiving the blessing of his then hierarch, Fr. Samuel prayerfully began St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission as a homeless outreach to meet the needs of the city of New Brunswick’s “untouchables.” The mission was later received into the Orthodox Church in America. His Eminence, Archbishop Michael ordained Samuel to the holy diaconate and then to the priesthood in 2018.
About Dr. Carla Thomas
Carla Thomas, M.D. practices family and emergency medicine in Anniston, AL. She is a member of St. Luke’s Orthodox Church in Anniston. She sits on the boards of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. She founded the Anniston Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black and runs the Abba Moses Free Clinic. The Abba Moses Clinic serves the portion of the population that is most likely uninsured, those from 19 to 64 years of age. Dr. Carla, who was baptized Panteleimona after the Great Unmercenary Healer Panteliemon, charges no fees for her work at that clinic.
Even if you missed out on registering for the upcoming, online Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium, you can still catch three incredible Symposium events that have been opened up to the public! Two keynote addresses and a special musical performance will be livestreamed, courtesy of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and Symposium cohosts The International Society for Orthodox Church Music (ISOCM). Information on each event and where to watch is below.
Keynote Address 1 - Music as Liturgy: Models from Ancient Syriac Christianity
In addition, this year's Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium is dedicated to Archpriest Sergei Glagolev in honor of his life and legacy in the field of Orthodox Church music. A public dedication ceremony will be held this Thursday, June 11 at 5 p.m. EDT.
The 2020 Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium is the third of its kind hosted in North America hosted by the Finland-based ISOCM, and the first co-organized with the New York-based St. Vladimir’s Seminary. As one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox church musicians anywhere in the world over the last 20 years, this year’s event has garnered interest from Orthodox and non-Orthodox musicians alike. Over 200 people from twelve countries, thirty-nine US states, and six Canadian provinces are set to participate.
With hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Seminary Alumna Matushka Nadine Eskoff Brown, wife of the late Priest Thomas Brown. Matushka Nadine fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday, June 4, 2020, at the age of 73.
Born to Michael and Natalie Eskoff on January 17, 1947 in Binghamton, NY, she is survived by immediate family: sister Natalie Stavrevsky, niece Victoria Stavrevsky, and great-niece Layla Natalie Cole. Interment will be at the Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, South Canaan, PA, beside her deceased husband.
Nadine was born and raised from infancy to love God, the Orthodox Christian Church, and music. These lifelong devotions shaped her life and hope in Christ’s resurrection. She pursued a life in musical education at SUNY Potsdam’s noted Crane School of Music while launching a ministry in becoming a master liturgical choir director. Beginning her music education career in Kings Park Long Island, NY, completing a full career to retirement, she simultaneously conducted the large choir at Holy Trinity Church, East Meadow, NY. Also while living on Long Island, she completed her Master’s degree in musicology from CW Post (LIU) and attended St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. She graduated from the Seminary in 1980 with an M.A., with a focus in liturgical music. She also authored resources for youth and choirs which can be found in the Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries. In addition to her many activities in religious and music education, she served as both “cook and choir director” at Saint Andrew’s Orthodox Camp in Jewell, NY.
Following her marriage to Fr. Thomas Brown and his ordination to the priesthood, their collaborative ministry together led them to the Midwest where they found a pastoral family at the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, Gary, IN. Matushka Nadine conducted the choir, labored with various church organizations, educated children, and continued her vocation in the Indiana educational system. Becoming accredited in public school administration, she then enjoyed her work as a high school administrator, a position from which she reached full retirement.
The sudden passing of Fr. Thomas in 1991 found Nadine in the consoling hearts of their parishioners. Her several years in the parish following her loss were marked by a vibrant music ministry and parish involvement. Eventually, she relocated to be with her immediate family in Rochester, NY. There she again rooted herself in the church and the parish community of St. John the Baptist. Conducting the choir as needed, in every way she was generous and supportive of parish ministries. Her presence was especially precious to great-niece Layla and her niece, Victoria. She is predeceased by her husband, Fr. Thomas
Matushka Nadine now joins the heavenly chorus and, if the past predicts eternity, her voice resounds with faith, love, and joy.
With faith in Christ and hope in the Resurrection, we share news of the repose of Hieromonk David (formerly Archimandrite Daniel Griffith), who fell asleep in the Lord on May 31, 2020. He was 74 years old. Hieromonk David graduated from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1971 with a Master of Divinity degree.
Hieromonk David was baptized a Protestant and grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania. After being shocked by the teachings of a Protestant bishop and by the teachings as a whole of that particular denomination, Hieromonk David began to study Holy Orthodoxy and by God’s grace was received into the Orthodox Church by Chrismation at St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church (OCA) in Nanticoke on December 23, 1967. Following graduation from Wilkes College in 1968 with a BA in Sociology, he entered St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
With the encouragement of his spiritual father, Fr. John Meyendorff, he entered the Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies of the Ecumenical Institute (Celigny, Switzerland) of the World Council of Churches, receiving a certificate in ecumenical studies from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. As part of the year-long program, he did three months of field work, researching monastic communities in France while a resident of Le Centre S. Dominique (a retreat house of the Dominican Province of Lyons), in Eveux sur l’Arbesle. Returning to the States in 1972, he did further studies at St. Vladimir’s. He was fluent in English, Greek, and French.
In 1973, with the encouragement of Fr. Thomas Bitar (now abbot of the Monastery of St. Michael, Mount Lebanon) and of Fr. Paul Schneirla, he approached Metropolitan Philip and was received into the Antiochian Archdiocese and ordained a celibate by His Eminence, deacon at St. Mary’s, Cambridge, MA in 1973, and presbyter at St. Mary’s, Wilkes-Barre in 1973. Between 1975 and 1985, he pastored the following parishes: St. George, Albany, NY, Ss. Constantine and Helen, Dallas, TX and St. George, Lowell, MA. In Lowell, he was instructor in liturgical theology in the St. Stephen’s studies program. On Pentecost, 1986, he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite by Metropolitan Philip.
In October 1986, with the blessing of His Eminence, he went to Greece to gain a better knowledge of Greek and to understand more deeply the Orthodox Church in context. After a spiritually fruitful year in Thessalonica, he moved to Athens in 1987, where, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius, he was appointed assistant priest in the parish of St. Anne, Chalandri, in the archdiocese of Athens, a position which he held until returning to the US. While studying Modern Greek and working as a Th.D. candidate at the University of Athens, he resided at and was celebrant of daily services at the Metochian of the Ascension, a dependency in Athens of Simonopetra Monastery, Mount Athos.
Feeling constrained to return to active service within the Antiochian Archdiocese, he returned to the US in 1994. After a brief pastorate at St. George, Utica, NY, in 1995 he became pastor of St. Michael’s, Geneva, NY. In 2002, he was assigned to the pastorate of All Saint’s, Salina, KS, and its daughter-mission of St. Mary Magdalene, Manhattan, KS.
May his memory be eternal!
--
[Sections of this article have been reprinted from Antiochian.org]
Saint Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press’s biggest sale of the year is underway! The Press is offering 50% off all SVS Press titles and CD’s from June 1 through June 7.
To get the discount, head to the SVS Press website and enter the coupon code “Summer2020” at checkout (the code is NOT case-sensitive).
During the summer months, SVS Press hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. Customers placing orders over the phone, at 1-800-204-BOOK (2665), may leave a message if calling after hours. Orders may be placed online at any time.
When the highly anticipated 2020 Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium was going to be held on the campus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, the Seminary planned to offer three scholarships to cover the cost of airfare, hotel, tuition, meals, etc. But then Covid-19 turned the Symposium into an entirely online event, and the change in registration costs allowed the Seminary to offer thirty scholarships instead. The added scholarships mean that many more people, from different Orthodox jurisdictions, will now be able to take part in the Symposium.
Robin Freeman, director of music and lecturer in choral conducting at St. Vladimir’s, says that the scholarship winners were a varied group. “The majority of the applicants are interested in growing their singing and conducting skills,” said Freeman. “Some are already conductors in parishes and want to address what they perceive to be gaps in their liturgical knowledge. Some are second-string conductors in parishes, or budding singer/conductors in parishes, and they want to gain confidence as they grow into new positions.”
St. Vladimir’s was able to make these scholarships available through a gift made by the Prokofiev Music Endowment. The endowment was established specifically for the education and training of church musicians.
The Symposium is a joint effort sponsored by St. Vladimir’s Institute of Sacred Arts and The International Society for Orthodox Church Music (ISOCM). Exploring the theme of "Music as Liturgy," the Symposium, which will be held from Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 13, 2020, will feature masterclasses, workshops, liturgical worship, and presentations. Nearly 200 people from around the world are participating.
