Father John was appointed to the newly created Chair by the Executive Board of VU on September 1, 2016. He retains his position as Dean of St. Vladimir’s, but will visit ACOT a number of times each year to give instruction.
The schedule of inaugural festivities at ACOT includes:
10:00 a.m. Theology and Scripture: This dialogue will be between Father John Behr and his Dutch colleagues about his academic work. The public is invited to register to receive by email the texts that will be discussed, and to listen in.
The Right Reverend Paul Doyle, a St. Vladimir’s Seminary alumnus, reposed on Saturday, December 17, 2016. He was a priest of distinction in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA).
In April 2016, Father Paul, who was retired, had received the high honor of the Gold Order of St. Raphael for his more than four decades of priestly ministry in a variety of capacities, which included being the founding pastor of St. Matthew Antiochian Orthodox Church in Torrance, CA; dean of the Southern California Deanery; and Protosyngellos (episcopal vicar) in the AOCANA.
His Eminence Joseph, archbishop of New York and metropolitan of all North America (AOCANA), announced Fr. Paul’s repose on the archdiocesan website. His Eminence stated: “It is with a sorrowful heart, lightened only by confidence in the abundant mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that I announce the passing of the Right Reverend Protosyngellos Paul Doyle. For almost 42 years, Fr. Paul has led an exemplary life as a priest of the Holy Orthodox Church, and, I dare say, is one of the most profoundly humble men I have ever met. Read Metropolitan Joseph’s entire text.
The St. Vladimir’s Seminary community prays for the soul of Father Paul. Memory Eternal!
Our St. Vladimir’s Seminary community extends its deepest sympathy to our Coptic Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters in Cairo, Egypt, after hearing of the deadly explosion inside St. Peter Church early Sunday, December 11, 2016. At least twenty-three people were killed instantly in the bombing, and another 49 were injured, including three critically wounded. The current death toll stands at 25.
The church, which is attached to the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark, was built in 1911 on the tomb of Boutros Ghali, who was Egypt's prime minister from 1908 to 1910. The blast occurred in the church's “ladies section,” according to local media. The Cathedral of St. Mark was left undamaged. A security source stated that the explosion was caused by a 12 kilogram TNT bomb.
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing so far. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that the country will observe three days of mourning following the explosion.
His Grace Anba Suriel, an alumnus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary and currently the Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Melbourne, Canberra, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand, traveled to Cairo for the funerals of the victims and posted a reflection about the tragedy on his Facebook page.
Archpriest John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, is also traveling to Cairo, to deliver a previously scheduled presentation at the Anafora Conference, titled, "Saint Irenaeus and Enlightened Humanity," with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, and His Eminence Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Cardinal of Lyon in attendance. Father John will be in Cairo from December 14–15.
The Seminary community offers prayers for Fr. John’s safe travels, and prays for the eternal rest of the new martyrs in Cairo.
On Monday, December 12, at 4:30 pm, in the Seminary’s Three Hierarch’s Chapel, immediately prior to Great Vespers, the annual memorial service (panikhida) for the repose of Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann of blessed memory will be held.
Father Alexander was Dean and Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir’s Seminary from 1962–1983 and was instrumental in educating a generation of Orthodox priests. During his tenure, the Seminary achieved wide recognition as a center of Orthodox theological studies
Besides teaching at St. Vladimir's, he held positions as adjunct professor at Columbia University, New York University, Union Seminary, and General Theological Seminary in New York, and was a popular guest lecturer at many universities throughout the country. He was also active as a representative of the Orthodox Church in the ecumenical movement, and held positions in the Youth Department and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
Father Alexander published more than a dozen books which received wide circulation, including For the Life of the World, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, Ultimate Questions, and Church, World, Mission, and numerous articles and tracts. For the Life of the World, a volume on Christian faith as reflected in liturgy, has been translated into numerous languages and remains one of the most popular works on Orthodox Christianity for the general public. His major study, The Eucharist, was completed only weeks before his death.
On the anniversary of his death, December 13th, words from his work The Services of Christmas: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (eds. David Anderson and John Erickson, Department of Religious Education, Orthodox Church in America, Syosset, New York, 1981) remind us of his vibrant faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"Christ is born, glorify Him!"
With these words something changes in our life, in the very air we breathe, in the entire mood of the Church’s life. It is as if we perceive far, far away, the first light of the greatest possible joy—the coming of God into His world! Thus the Church announces the coming of Christ, the Incarnation of God, His entrance into the world for its salvation.
Father John was appointed to the newly created Chair by the Executive Board of VU on September 1, 2016. He retains his position as Dean of St. Vladimir’s, but will visit ACOT a number of times each year to give instruction. This year he is beginning his teaching in Amsterdam on December 9, 2016, with a special public study of the Paschal Sermon by Melito of Sardis. In his new capacity, he also will have the opportunity to supervise doctoral students.
“It is a great honor to be installed as the Metropolitan Kallistos Chair in Orthodox Theology by the Vrije Universiteit, named after my beloved teacher,” said Fr. John, “and also now to have the opportunity to work for the theological formation of students in the Netherlands and to be able to take doctoral students from around the world.
“This honor will also enable a greater cooperation between St. Vladimir's Seminary and institutions of theological instruction in Europe,” he noted.
The schedule of inaugural festivities at ACOT includes:
10:00 a.m. Theology and Scripture: This dialogue will be between Father John Behr and his Dutch colleagues about his academic work. The public is invited to register to receive by email the texts that will be discussed, and to listen in.
Archpriest John Behr Orthodox Parish Amersfoort,Matthias Withoosstraat 34, 3812 ST ,Amersfoort,NL
Devotees of the church fathers will have the pleasure of hearing Archpriest John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, explicate the Paschal Sermon of Melito, second century exegete and apologist who served as bishop of Sardis near Lydia, Asia Minor.
St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and the Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University have issued a call for papers for an international conference that will explore research, practices, and creativity regarding the nexus between soundandthe sacred. The conference, entitled, “Arvo Pärt: Sounding the Sacred,” will be held from May 1–4, 2017, at McNally Amphitheater, 140 W. 62nd St., at Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus in the heart of New York City’s vibrant music scene.
The conference—a continuation of the Seminary’s Arvo Pärt Project (APP)—is also the second in a series of events planned between Fall 2016 and Spring 2018 by St. Vladimir’s Seminary, all of which are a part of its Sacred Arts Initiative (SAI) funded in part by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. Peter C. Bouteneff, professor of Systematic Theology at the Seminary and director of the SAI, is also co-director of the APP.
The conference will bring together scholars from diverse fields, such as music, theology, sacred acoustics/sound studies, architecture, religious studies, and philosophy, as well as artists experienced in the performance and recording of Arvo Pärt’s music. Musical performances, presentations, and discussion sessions will be interwoven throughout the conference.
The conference will be open to the general public to register, and registration details/fees are forthcoming through the SAI website. A separately ticketed concert to go along with the conference is being planned.
The SAI website further explains the intent of the conference, noting: “The music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is frequently connected with experiences of the sacred, and, although the composer’s religious affiliation is specifically Orthodox Christian, his music and its impact carry an appeal beyond confessional and religious boundaries—crossing over customary distinctions between classical and popular music, sacred and secular art, and liturgical space and concert hall.
“The unique impact of Pärt’s music has been explored from the discipline of musicology—and more recently through the lens of spirituality— but not yet in terms of the more basic elements of sound and embodiment.
“Through our proposed two-fold approach with more or less direct relationship to the Pärt repertoire, we seek to break new ground exploring primary questions around how music achieves its visceral and spiritual effect on human beings through the materiality of the movement of air impressing itself on the human body”—that is, sound.
Papers of ~2,000 words, exploring the connection between sound and the sacred are welcomed. Proposals of 500 words (maximum) may be emailed to Dr. Bouteneff at mailto:pcb@svots.edu by January 15, 2017. Papers accepted for delivery at the conference will also be reviewed for inclusion in the publication of its proceedings.
Archpriest John Behr, Dean St. George Greek Orthodox Church,818 Valley Road,07013,Clifton,NJ,US
On Saturday, December 3, 2016, our seminary Dean, Father John Behr, will present a free and public lecture, “Dying to Live,” at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Clifton, NJ, from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Coffee and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP at the church office 973.779.2626 or stgeorgeadmn@gmail.com
Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President Eighth Day Books,2838 East Douglas,67214,Wichita,KS,US
SVS Press fans in the Midwest will have an opportunity to attend a book launch of the latest Press offering, Patriarch Kirill in His Own Words, recently released on the occasion of the 70th birthday of His Holiness Kirill, patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The new volume is part of the Press’s Profile Series, edited by Archpriest Chad Hatfield, and is made up of short excerpts from Patriarch Kirill’s homilies, articles, media interviews, and formal speeches, laid out in a “daily reading” format. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear first-hand about Fr. Chad’s engagement with Patriarch Kirill, which resulted in this extraordinary volume. Book-lovers may attend the launch either Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Oklahoma City, OK, following 6 p.m. vespers; or Friday, December 9, 2016, at Eighth Day Books, 2838 East Douglas, Wichita, KS 67214, at 7:30 p.m.
Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church,15000 North May Avenue,73134,Oklahoma City,OK,US
SVS Press fans in the Midwest will have an opportunity to attend a book launch of the latest Press offering, Patriarch Kirill in His Own Words, recently released on the occasion of the 70th birthday of His Holiness Kirill, patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The new volume is part of the Press’s Profile Series, edited by Archpriest Chad Hatfield, and is made up of short excerpts from Patriarch Kirill’s homilies, articles, media interviews, and formal speeches, laid out in a “daily reading” format. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear first-hand about Fr. Chad’s engagement with Patriarch Kirill, which resulted in this extraordinary volume.
Book-lovers may attend the launch either Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Oklahoma City, OK, following 6 p.m. vespers; or Friday, December 9, 2016, at Eighth Day Books, 2838 East Douglas, Wichita, KS 67214, at 7:30 p.m.
