One of St. Vladimir's Seminary's foremost road warriors, Dean and Professor of Patristics, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, accumulated more frequent flier miles from October 17 through October 22. Father John first traveled north to the Toronto School of Theology in Ontario, Canada, and then across the Atlantic Ocean to London for an embassy reception and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Moscow Patriarchate's Diocese of Sourozh.

While in Toronto, Fr. John spoke at the Wycliffe Centre for Scripture and Theology, which is under the auspices of Wycliffe College, one of the colleges in the Toronto School, Canada's largest ecumenical consortium. As a featured guest for the conference on "The Rule of Truth," on Friday, October 19, Fr. John spoke on "Irenaeus on the Rule of Truth," about which he has written much. Father John also presented a special open lecture on the Wednesday evening, entltled "Becoming Human: In the Image of Christ," which encompassed the theme of his upcoming SVS Press book Becoming Human, slated for release in the first half of 2013. He also met with Ph.D. students on Thursday morning. Additionally, he spoke at Trinity College, another member of the Toronto School, on the nature of theology, asking students to reflect on the question, "What do we mean, talking about God?"

After wrapping up his time in Toronto, Fr. John flew to London to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Sourozh and the fifth anniversary of the reunification between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). Following the Saturday evening Vigil on October 20, a "Jubilee Divine Liturgy" was celebrated on the morning of October 21, at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in London. The festive services were presided over by His Eminence The Most Rev. Hilarion (Alfeyev), metropolitan of Volokolamsk and chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, together with His Eminence Hilarion, metropolitan of Eastern America and New York and first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, as well as other hierarchs present for the occasion.

"It was wonderful to be able to attend these celebrations," noted Fr. John. "My family has been associated with the community in London and the Cathedral at Ennismore Gardens for generations, ever since my great–grandfather, Fr. Nicholas Behr, was sent to London in 1926 by Metropolitan Evlogy."

Listen to Fr. John's lecture series, "Becoming Human," presented at the summer 2012 Eagle River Institute in Alaska:
Part I
Part II 

Read more from the Diocese of Sourozh

St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is very pleased to announce a new, accredited Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program. Priests, chaplains and professionals in ministry from across the US, Canada, and from throughout the English speaking world, now have an opportunity to earn a Doctor of Ministry from an Orthodox Christian seminary in this new hybrid program, which uses distance learning and one–week, on–campus intensives.

"Pastors today face immense challenges," emphasized The Rev. Dr. J. Sergius Halvorsen (SVOTS Class of '96), assistant professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric, and the program's director. "The depth and intensity of suffering and spiritual darkness in the lives of the people we serve is startling. Facing such serious challenges, there has never been a greater need for excellence in pastoral ministry."

In November 2012, St. Vladimir's will begin accepting applications for the first cohort of fifteen students who will begin their studies in the fall of 2013. The cohort will go through the program as a community of learners who support one another academically, spiritually, and personally. The cohort will serve as an essential support network for the students during the course of the program and will model a form of collegial ministry in which pastors lift up and inspire one another in the ongoing work of building up the Body of Christ.

The D.Min. will strengthen pastoral ministry by integrating doctoral level academic work with applied pastoral praxis. Members of the SVOTS faculty, along with Orthodox scholars from other institutions, will teach the eight core courses:

• Ministry in a Secular Age
• Ministry to the Sick and Dying
• Advanced Preaching and Communications
• Counseling in the Parish
• Missiology
• Scripture: Exegesis for Preaching
• Youth Ministry
• Bioethics for Ministry

Each academic term, students will do preparatory work via distance learning, and then will come together on the SVOTS campus for one–week intensives to work with their
colleagues and professors. Throughout the program students will integrate their academic work with their pastoral ministry, thus gaining valuable feedback from the faculty, their peers, and the people they serve. The final phase of the program will be a project which combines research at the doctoral level, with the intentional application of pastoral theory in pastoral ministry.

Students will gain deeper knowledge about the practice of serving others in Christian love as they grow in spiritual maturity as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The program intentionally combines Orthodox Christian scholarship with advanced communication skills in order to make pastors more effective in sharing the love of Christ with others. From pastoral counseling to preaching, and from scholarship to social media, students in the D.Min. program will strengthen and refine their God–given talents and abilities.

"My hope is that the D.Min. program at St. Vladimir's will provide priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering," noted Fr. Sergius. "It is also my hope that the program would foster deep and lasting friendships among the students and contribute to authentic spiritual and pastoral renewal."

Anyone interested in learning more about the program may contact Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, at shalvorsen@svots.edu, or (914) 961-8313, x367.

Read more about the distance learning D.Min. program.

Is God wholly separate from the material universe? The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics at St. Vladimir's Seminary, asks this question of his diverse, virtual audience in the highly trafficked blog, Big Questions Online (BQO). "The editors at BQO have asked a number of theologians, philosophers, and scientists to write a short essay on a 'Big Question,'" explained Fr. John. "When mine is posted on October 23, I will be logging on to the site for a week or so to answer questions posted by readers. It should be interesting to participate in this venue, given the literate and engaged readership of BQO."

Big Questions Online is a publication of the John Templeton Foundation, a philanthropic trust which funds research across academic disciplines, and is often concerned with philosophical questions, and quests for life's purpose and meaning. Fr. John serves on the Board of Advisors for the Foundation, which is particularly known for fostering informed dialogue between scientists, philosophers, and theologians.

"We are so pleased that Father Behr accepted the invitation to participate," said Ansley Roan, consulting executive editor for Big Questions Online. "His expertise and knowledge allow him to bring important perspective to this fascinating question. We're excited to see how the discussion develops. It's a wonderful opportunity for our readers to ask questions and share their thoughts with him." 

In his essay's introduction posted on October 23, Fr. John wrote, "The relationship between God and the material universe—the world in which we are born, live, and die, as embodied, material beings; and the universe beyond this world with our increasing awareness of its immensity and, correspondingly, our smallness—is truly a perennial 'Big Question.' What is the 'reality,'" he continued, "if there is such, of this material world that forms the horizon of our vision and our thinking? What meaning does the fact that we are material beings embody?"

Join the discussion with Fr. John!

FAQ about Big Questions Online 

The WCC website reported that the presiding hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nysiros, was joined by "His Eminence Metropolitan Prof. Dr. Gennadios of Sassima on behalf of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and His Eminence Metropolitan Mor Eustathius Matta Roham on behalf of the Oriental Orthodox Church."

Dr. Meyendorff attended the consultation as a representative of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and chaired the drafting committee, which prepared a common Orthodox response concerning the theme of the Assembly: "God of Life, Lead Us to Justice and Peace." The statement, which affirms the commitment of the Orthodox to work for justice and peace on the basis of the Orthodox theological tradition, will be published on the WCC website.

Meeting on the island of Kos, Greece, amidst an atmosphere of economic distress and difficulty, the theologians and hierarchs prayed for the sufferings of the Greek people, and expressed the hope that they would soon experience relief from hardship. Throughout the week of the consultation, delegates visited several local parishes for worship, to learn about the realities of daily life in Kos. 

Some of the bishops and theologians participating in the consultation hailed from the Middle East, and they spoke to the group about new developments in the troubled region. Attendees expressed "their deep concern for the escalation of violence in the region, especially in Syria, (and) prayed for peace in the Middle East," noted the WCC's report afterwards.

Read about Dr. Meyendorff's participation in March 2011's Inter–Orthodox Pre–Assembly Consultation in Aghia Napa, Cyprus.

On Sunday, October 14th, the St. Vladimir's Seminary Octet joined the community at St. Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Church, Brooklyn, NY, where they had been invited to sing the Divine Liturgy by the parish's pastor, The Very Rev. Michael Ellias, SVOTS Class of '85. Octet Director Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak), lecturer in Liturgical Music and Chapel Choir Director, noted that it is a cherished seminary tradition for the choir to minister in nearby parish communities, which they typically do at least three times each semester.

Parishioners at St. Mary's have enjoyed a long history of such Octet visits. Some recalled the yearly visits of the group in previous eras, under the direction of David Drillock, professor emeritus of Liturgical Music. 

In addition to harmonious melodies offered by the Octet, seminary clergy also contributed to the day's events.The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO, offered the homily, preaching from the book of Titus on the topic, "The Living of a Virtuous Life." Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, director of Admissions and Alumni Relations, also served alongside Fr. Michael and Fr. Chad throughout the Liturgy.

One of the parishioners at St. Mary's is well known to the Seminary. Mrs. Anne Glynn Mackoul is a long time member of St. Mary's, and is also a current member of the SVOTS Board of Trustees, on which she served as Executive Chair from 2006 to 2011.

"It was a wonderful day and really gratifying to me personally to see two parts of my world coincide—St. Vladimir's Seminary and St. Mary's Antiochian parish," said Mrs. Mackoul. "I loved being present while Fr. Chad and Pdn. Joseph served alongside St. Mary's pastor Fr. Michael, and hearing the all–male Octet serve as the choir on this one special day, in lieu of St. Mary's own wonderful parish choir.

"Almost as memorable," added Mrs. Mackoul, "was the warm and generous hospitality extended to the visitors by Fr. Michael and Kh. Laila Ellias and their family at their home afterwards, which reinforced the legendary reputation of Arab Christian hospitality."

As is often the case with such musical forays, the St. Vladimir's Press's "traveling bookstore," under the supervision of Customer Service Manager Mike Baez, also accompanied the vocal ensemble.

Listen to two selections sung by the St. Vladimir's Octet

With the waning autumn light as a backdrop, nearly thirty seminarians from an evangelism class at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York), joined our seminary community for the service of Vespers. The neighboring seminarians, who are studying under the guidance of St. Joseph's Rector, the Reverend Monsignor Peter Vaccari, filled the our campus refectory afterwards and joined the "regulars" for a delicious meal prepared by Chef Nat Fasciani.

A diverse group who hailed from locations as distant as Uganda, China, and the Philippines, the St. Joseph's seminarians commented on how much they enjoyed the Vespers service. For most of them, it was their first visit to St. Vladimir's. The event came about because Msgr. Peter had invited The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, SVOTS chancellor/CEO, to teach one of the sessions for his New Evangelization class, and so Fr. Chad extended an invitation to the class for Vespers and dinner as well.

After dinner, the guests convened in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium to hear Fr. Chad's address. He spoke about the Gospel mandate to evangelize and encouraged all of the gathered seminarians—both Roman Catholic and Orthodox—to remember that divisions "are a luxury we can no longer afford." The class resonated with Fr. Chad's description of the culture, which, he explained, is moving from a post–Christian era to an aggressively anti–Christian era, not only in the United States but also around the world.

In addition, Fr. Chad discussed the error of syncretism, and how important it is to preserve the Orthodox Christian faith in its entirety. He cited several examples of positive Catholic and Orthodox mission approaches, such as the one employed by Alaskan missionaries of earlier centuries. Students also expressed great interest in the discussion of one of this century's developing challenges, the competing goals of Christian and Islamic evangelization throughout the world.

St. Joseph's Seminary was founded in 1891 to serve the needs of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for clergy. Its forty-acre campus is just minutes from St. Vladimir's, and over the years the two institutions have enjoyed a warm and cordial relationship. Recently, several greater New York Catholic seminaries merged to create one larger seminary, and St. Joseph's is currently educating over 100 candidates for Roman Catholic orders.

Monsignor Peter wrote, in a letter of thanks, afterwards, "I'd like to express my gratitude for your reception of my class on Wednesday evening at St. Vladimir's. Thank you for inviting us to join your community for Vespers and dinner, for your very thoughtful and thought-provoking lecture, and the time in your great bookstore." The Monsignor added that he plans to send a reciprocal invitation for the St. Vladimir's faculty to join the community at St. Joseph's for dinner and a program, in December. 

View the photo gallery of the St. Joseph's Seminary visit

In a joyous celebration of faith and culture, St. Vladimir's Seminary pulled out all the stops for Orthodox Education Day 2012. Approximately 1,000 people traveled from distances as far as Great Britain, and in groups—priests from Eastern PA, cadets from Annapolis, MD, and collegians participating in the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) retreat. The theme this year was "Inklings of Glory: Godward Journeys with Lewis and Tolkien."

"I think this year, we struck a perfect balance between education and festival," noted The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO. "It was such a blessing to see the Chapel bursting at the seams for the services, especially for the Akathist to St. Anna in the late morning. We are so thankful to St. Tikhon's Monastery for making the miraculous icon available to our community."

The packed schedule commenced with Divine Liturgy in the Three Hierarchs Chapel, with His Eminence The Most Rev. Tikhon, archbishop of Philadelphia and the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania of the Orthodox Church in America, presiding. Other visiting hierarchs and clergy included The Rt. Rev. Michael, bishop of New York and New York and New Jersey,  The Right Rev. Mark, bishop of Baltimore, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO, and thirteen other members of the clergy.

A Hunger Games workshop for young adults, led by Dr. Kate Behr, adjunct professor of Literature at Concordia College; and a book study with The Rev. Dr. Andrew Cuneo, SVOTS alumnus (valedictorian 2010) and professor of Literature at St. Katherine College, San Diego, CA, featuring C.S. Lewis's work, The Abolition of Man, completed the morning offerings.

An Akathist dedicated to St. Anna, served in front of the weeping icon of St. Anna from St. Tikhon's Monastery, South Canaan, PA, inspired all who attended. (Listen to a talk by the icon's caretaker, Fr. Athanasy, HERE and HERE.)

Throughout the morning, workers under the tents busily prepared a smorgasbord of international food, featuring the cuisine of India, Greece, the Middle East, the United States, Serbia, and Russia. While dining at lunch, visitors could watch the Irish dancing performed by the Inishfree School of Irish Dance, featuring Zachary Barnet, son of Dr. John Barnet, associate dean for Academic Affairs at St. Vladimir's.

After lunch, Librarian Eleana Silk hosted an Open House in the Father Georges Florovsky Library. Throughout the day, an exhibit in the library of saints of the British Isles, displayed alongside a special icon collection by Sr. Joanna [Reitlinger], instructor of Leonid Ouspensky and Fr. Gregory Krug, intrigued and delighted visitors.

In the early afternoon, Dr. Christopher W. Mitchell, distinguished Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, delivered the first keynote, "Lewis and Tolkien: Scholars and Friends," to a standing room only crowd in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium. The second keynote, by C.S. Lewis Oxford scholar, The Rev. Dr. Andrew Cuneo, addressed "Christian Themes in C. S. Lewis." Rounding out the Popular Literature." A sacred music concert by the SVOTS Seminary Octet, as well as a Memorial Service (Panikhida) that especially recalled two departed members of the seminary community—Professor Veselin Kesich and Ann Holod Zinzel—preceded the Vespers at 5 p.m. 

View the photo gallery of Orthodox Education Day

 Listen to the Ancient Faith Radio audio of the keynote addresses:

   "Lewis and Tolkien: Scholars and Friends" with Dr. Christopher W. Mitchell

   "Christian Themes in C.S. Lewis" with The Rev. Dr. Andrew Cuneo

Read Fr. Alexander Rentel's morning homily, "'Ministering to God': A Reflection on the Life of St. Innocent of Alaska"

Two priests with connections to St. Vladimir's Seminary recently received 2013 Church Planting Grants from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Former Annual Gifts Officer The Rev. Jason Foster, priest of Holy Nativity of the Lord Mission, Shreveport, LA, Diocese of the South, received a second-year grant for his mission parish, as did alumnus The Rev. Dr. Joshua Lollar, priest of St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Church, Lawrence, KS, Diocese of the Midwest.

Father Jason's parish is currently meeting at a community center for Divine Liturgy, and on Wednesday evenings Fr. Jason and Mtka. Ashley host the faithful in their home, for Vespers, Bible study, and dinner.

Founded in September 2002, Fr. Joshua's parish has a current attendance of some 50 faithful, who meet on the second floor of the Ecumenical Campus Ministries Building at the University of Kansas. Father Joshua also serves on the faculty of the Midwest Diocese Catechist & Diaconal Vocation Program, where he teaches Church History, Dogmatic Theology, and Spirituality.

"Each of these missions received a substantial grant—$20,000 for the second year—matched by the missions, in order to support the full-time ministry and missionary work of their priests," said Alumnus Fr. John Parker, who chairs the Department of Evangelization of the OCA.

"Because of limited funding, the grants were more highly competitive than usual," Fr. John added. The OCA received applications from missions across the U.S. and Canada, from the South, the Midwest, Alaska, Washington, and New York. 

The annual basketball game between St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS), and St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS) in South Canaan, PA, rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy, will take place on Friday, February 22, at 4:00 p.m. The game will be held at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church gymnasium, a few miles from the Seminary on 10 Mill Road, New Rochelle, NY. Following the game, St. Vladimir's will host the players afterwards for a post–game pizza fest.

Both teams are practicing hard and anticipating the spirit of friendly competition that characterizes the event. SVOTS alumni are invited to come and support the team, for what promises to be an exciting match–up. 

Editor's Note: On Friday, September 28, 2012, a van load of third–year students from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) traveled to the campus of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA, to participate in the annual Orthodox Interseminary Retreat. This year's speaker, The Very Rev. Dr. Irenaeus (Matthew C.) Steenberg, is the founder of Saints Cyril & Athanasius of Alexandria Institute for Orthodox Studies in San Francisco, CA.

The motivation behind the retreat, which is planned by Holy Cross Dean of Students Dn. Nicholas V. Belcher (SVOTS '05), is to bring seniors from the region's Orthodox seminaries together, including St. Vladimir’s and Holy Cross, as well as St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA, and Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, NY.

"It's a chance to begin to build relationships," explained SVOTS Director of Field Education, The Rev. Dr. David Mezynski. Deacon James Parnell, president of the SVOTS Student Council, reflected upon his participation in the retreat and its significance.

"Formation" is a big part of our life at seminary. We're bombarded with this idea from day one at St. Vladimir's, but that's often seen as "growing, and changing, becoming, or being molded," and those sorts of transitional ideas. It obviously assumes a certain degree of growing self-knowledge and honesty as part of a serious self–reflection. Yet, at the same time, the stresses of seminary life can mean that there is very little time for reflection, that is, time set aside for reflection on what we've done, who we are, and where we'll be going. To be honest, I was not initially excited about spending a weekend at a "retreat." It sounded like just "one more thing," when I had a ton of assignments due and a deep desire to spend some time with my family after a busy couple of weeks.

Yet having participated in it, I am so grateful that I attended the retreat at Holy Cross. Far from congratulating us and giving us applause, Fr. Irinei (Steenberg) gave us, through his talks, a real honest look at how our life would change next year. It gave us a lot to reflect on, and the best part: we were given the chance—the time—to reflect on our journeys at seminary and our future lives as pastors outside of seminary, which will come in just a few short months.

We also had the opportunity share our stories, fears, joys and tears with other seminarians from Holy Cross, St. Tikhon's, and Holy Trinity, and begin to develop some real friendships that will hopefully continue throughout our pastoral ministry all over the United States. I sincerely hope that events like these will continue, and I can't thank the seminary enough for making it mandatory!