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!

At the heart of the St. Vladimir's Seminary campus stands Three Hierarchs Chapel. While most of the congregants of the Chapel are seminary students, faculty, and staff, others from the surrounding community of Crestwood and beyond also call Three Hierarchs their spiritual home.

Long-time member Bettye Malone is one such person. For over thirty years she has participated in the life of the Chapel, contributing her soaring, professional soprano voice to the choir throughout many of those years. Ms. Malone brought her children to church school and eventually, her grandson Skye Andrew Malone, an altar server at the Chapel since the age of eight, and also an avid Boy Scout. Currently, Skye is member of Yonkers Troop 4 (Westchester Putnam Boy Scout Council).

On Sunday, September 30, 2012, friends and family gathered in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. for Skye's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Only two percent of Boy Scouts reach the Eagle Scout level, and along the way they must accumulate twenty–one merit badges and complete a major service project, all by the time they are eighteen years old.

"Skye Andrew Malone has spent his entire life as part of our chapel community and it was pure joy to see him honored by his spiritual family and the Boy Scouts at an event that is really rather rare. We are all very proud of him," said The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, seminary Chancellor/CEO.

The Eagle Scout ceremony included the Scout Presentation of Colors, the flag pledge and the Scout Oath, presentation of the Eagle Scout medals, and a charge given by fellow Eagle Scout Dn. Evan Freeman, SVOTS Class of '09. Mr. Sean M.A. Hatfield, Esq., journeyed from Wichita, Kansas to deliver the keynote address.

"This will become increasingly meaningful for you in the years ahead," said fellow Eagle Scout Hatfield. "It's a long road to become an Eagle Scout, but in earning that rank, you have demonstrated to your troop, your friends, and family, and to your community, outstanding qualities of leadership and dedication."

Attorney Hatfield pointed out that 2012 is the 100th year anniversary of Eagle Scouts in America, and thus a propitious time for Skye to achieve the honor. "It is a very special time to be called into this rather exclusive group," he noted. "For 100 years Eagle Scouts have been the gold standard of youth and community leadership. Recently The Wall Street Journal compared earning an Eagle Scout rank to that of earning a 'doctorate in boyhood.'"

The Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project requires each scout to lead a team in a collaborative effort demanding hours of labor and organization. Skye and his seven other workers corrected a flooding problem on the Seminary's front campus, completing the project in two phases. First, he and his crew installed a drainage pipe, and then, they constructed two new benches to replace a fast-decaying marble bench. The team logged over one hundred hours on the beautification effort, the results of which will be enjoyed for many years.

Read more about Skye's project in Synaxis, the Seminary's blog

View the photo gallery of the Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony

On Monday, October 1, 2012, His Grace The Rt. Rev. Michael, bishop of New York, and New York and New Jersey, celebrated a special Service of Thanksgiving (Molebien) marking the 60th Anniversary of the priestly ordination of The Very Rev. Daniel Hubiak, St. Vladimir's Seminary Class of '51. The service took place at 1:00 p.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Jersey City, NJ.

A reception in the church hall followed and was attended by a delegation from the Seminary, which included Associate Chancellor for Advancement Theodore Bazil, Associate Chancellor for Finance Melanie Ringa, SVS Press and Bookstore Marketing and Operations Manager Dn. Gregory Hatrak, and Director of Admissions and Alumni Relations Pdn. Joseph Matusiak.

On behalf of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Mr. Bazil congratulated Fr. Daniel for his 60 years of priestly ministry, and presented him with a gramata [certificate of recognition] honoring him for his years of unselfish support. Father Dan has been Director of the Alumni Association, a member of the St. Vladimir's Theological Foundation, and a long-time member of the Board of Trustees, including membership on the Executive Committee.

Mr. Bazil remarked that "Father Dan is a man of integrity, optimism, and good cheer, and both he and his wife Dunia always brighten one's day by their infectious smiles and joy in life. Their guidance and wise counsel have been deeply appreciated."

Father Daniel and his wife, Matushka Evdokya—affectionately known as "Dunia"—have served the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) in several parishes: Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord, Brooklyn, NY; Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, East Meadow, LI; Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel, Oyster Bay Cove, NY; and Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Jersey City, NJ. Currently, he is serving as Temporary Rector of the Church of the Mother of God, in Mays Landing, NJ.

Father Daniel also served as Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) for fifteen years. In 1970, he was a member of the official delegation sent to Russia to receive the Tomos of Autocephaly from Patriarch Alexis. For several years in the 1990s, he served as the OCA's Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate, and as the first rector of the OCA's Representation Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr, in Moscow. 

Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, associate professor of Systematic Theology and editor of the SVS Press Foundations Series, will be the keynote speaker at the Orthodox Institute, an educational conference hosted at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, PA, November 1–4. The theme of the institute is "Culture. Morality. Spirituality." Participants and speakers will survey current cultural views and how they conflict with the teachings of the Church. In breakout sessions, attendees will discuss the challenges facing today's youth.

Dr. Bouteneff, who has chosen to speak on the topic, "Contemporary Culture and Religion," has explored similar issues in his SVS Press book, Sweeter than Honey: Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth, which examines the nature of truth in the face of today's challenging cultural landscape. Noted Dr. Bouteneff in an interview with September's The Word magazine: "...if you're talking with high school or college-aged kids about it (relativism and tolerance), especially if they're in kind of pluralistic settings or diversely populated schools (like my kids are), you have to be genuinely receptive and affirmative to their inquisitiveness about other people, other faiths, what people believe and stand for. You have to agree with them that we're against religious violence and extremism. But then you have to show them why and how tolerance doesn't mean giving up your own truth claims. You can actually believe that the other person's faith gets it wrong in some key areas and still coexist in genuine mutual esteem. If you can convey to people the difference between 'tolerance' and 'relativism,' as well as the difference between 'faith conviction' and 'violence,' that's a huge step!"

Alumnus The Very Rev. Joseph Purpura, D.Min. (SVOTS '79), director of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America's Department of Youth and Parish Ministries, is also leading a session at the Institute, titled "Youth Ministry Programs, Substance Abuse." Under Fr. Joseph's leadership, the Orthodox Christian Coalition for Healthy Youth (OCCHY), a national alliance established to combat substance abuse in youth, was awarded a five–year government grant to fund a Chicago–based coalition of organizations and churches.

Read The Word magazine's interview with Dr. Bouteneff and a review of his book Sweeter than Honey

Download the conference registration form 

The Department of Youth, Young, Adult, and Campus Ministries of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) recently announced its 2012 YouTube Challenge for high school and college students. "A new program of the department, the YouTube Challenge invites high school and college students to respond to scriptural questions with a short video," said Department Chair Andrew Boyd, SVOTS Class of '12. "Videos may be submitted either by individuals or by groups, such as an OCF chapter or parish youth group."

Individual and team videos will be evaluated by a panel of four judges led by The Rev. Dr. J. Sergius Halvorsen, assistant professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St. Vladimir's Seminary and Class of '96. Two other Seminary alumni will serve on the panel: Fr. Theophan Whitfield (SVOTS '10) and Dn. Jason Ketz (SVOTS '12).

Fr. Sergius explained, "The YouTube Challenge carries the venerable tradition of Orthodox oratorical festivals into the digital age.  High School and collegiate participants will post videos to YouTube reflecting their experience of Christian life in the twenty–first century. Orthodox Christian youth from all Orthodox jurisdictions have been invited to respond to one of two questions, and to be as creative as possible."

Added Fr. Sergius, "Young people today are fluent in online media in ways that were inconceivable ten or twenty years ago, and YouTube is a powerful influence in their lives. Why not teach our young people to use this remarkable resource as means for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ? God willing, the YouTube Challenge will help youth and young adults to discover their God–given voices as Christian witnesses." 

Participation is welcome for the high school division (ages 14–18) and the college division (ages 18–28) by all Orthodox Christians in North America.

"The highest scoring individual submission will be offered a trip to the 2013 Festival of Young Preachers in Atlanta, GA from January 2–5, 2013," Department Chair Boyd noted. "We hope this challenge will encourage our youth and young adults to think seriously about their faith and how to articulate it in the online environment."

Those wishing to participate should contact the Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries at yyacm@oca.org by October 20, 2012. All video entries are due by midnight on November 10. Additional information, including rules, guidelines, judging criteria, and challenge questions can be found here.

The Orthodox Theological Society of America (OTSA) held its annual meeting at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary between September 20 and 22, 2012. The presenters addressed various aspects of the theme, "Orthodoxy and the Political." Among other topics, the participants discussed a holistic approach to morality, outlining an Orthodox perspective that goes beyond the existing tendency towards division in today's public discourse. While emphasizing the need for a prophetic attitude, the speakers also cautioned against a unilateral association with politics. The diversity of participants' opinions enriched their fellowship and collaboration.

On Friday evening, September 21, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics of St. Vladimir's Seminary, delivered the annual Father Georges Florovsky Lecture in the Metropolitan Philip auditorium. The Florovsky Lecture, held in different locations each year, honors The Very Rev. Dr. Georges Florovsky, eminent Orthodox theologian, historian, and Slavic scholar, who served as the dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary from 1949–1955.

Speaking to a full house of distinguished Orthodox academics, Fr. John discussed the changing ways in which the Fathers have been read over the last half century, in his talk "Reading the Fathers Today."

"In my lecture, I looked at the breakdown in the discipline of theology into fragmented fields," explained Fr. John. "I wanted to lay the foundation for understanding today's context and challenge, which is this: we need to be able to read the Fathers again from a clean theological perspective, and to understand what makes theology, theology."

In another conference feature, St. Vladimir's faculty members The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, The Rev. Dr. J. Sergius Halvorsen, and Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, participated in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Tony Kireopoulos. The panelists discussed the Seminary's public "face," and how the Seminary presents itself within the Orthodox world and the wider society.

Dr. Bouteneff explained, "As a faculty, we're constantly reflecting on what our role ought to be—as a church institution and an academic institution—in the Church and in the world. When it comes to divisive issues, whether in the Church or in the political world, we do have a role to play: not in making public pronouncements, but by fostering a genuine and constructive dialogue, by insuring that the right voices are at the table, but also by informing that dialogue with voices from the Church's tradition." 

"OTSA is deeply grateful to St. Vladimir's Seminary for their hospitality and participation in the works of the Society," said The Rev. Dr. Radu Bordeianu, OTSA's president and associate professor of Theology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. "We were received with great warmth. Our special thanks go to the faculty who addressed our theme in a panel, to Fr. John Behr, who gave the Georges Florovsky Lecture, and to the students and staff who hosted the public reception following the lecture."

Listen to the lecture on Ancient Faith Radio

The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, arrived in the British Columbia lower mainland on September 14 to present a lecture at Trinity Western University the following Monday, entitled "Patristic Humanism: The Beginning of Christian Paideia."

The weekend preceding the lecture, Fr. John served at Saturday Vespers at the parish of St. John of Shanghai in Vancouver with its Rector, The Rev. Justin Hewlett, and at Sunday Divine Liturgy at the parish of St. Herman of Alaska in Langley, with its Rector, The Very Rev. Lawrence Farley. At both parishes he made himself available afterward for an informal question and answer session with the parishioners. Among other topics, Fr. John addressed the subject of what it means to be human, the focus of his upcoming December book release with St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.

The faithful of both parishes gathered around Fr. John for an extended period of time, asking questions and pondering his challenging answers.  Despite the generously lengthy sessions, Fr. John left both communities wanting more, and parishioners expressed the hope that this may be the first of many visits to the area. "As one long-time member of St. Herman’s whispered to me mid-way through the session, 'This is great! We have to have him come back again!'" said Fr. Lawrence.

On Monday, September 17, Fr. John presented his lecture as the first of four lectures which will be offered in a series at Trinity Western University titled "Reinvisioning Christian Humanism & Higher Education." The series' goal is "to help Christians and non–Christians understand humanism as a religiously founded concept that has shaped Western views of education and the humanities"; as such, the lectures explore current cultural issues in the light of the humanistic worldview, "as informed by history, literature, theology and philosophy," notes The Humanist Lens website.

"Early Christianity had a very particular and exalted vision of what we are called to be...to aspire to attain the stature of a human being required exercise and growth in all aspects of our existence, a full paideia. This talk will explore the overarching framework of this paideia [=education, child-rearing], and many of the particular aspects of its discipline, to challenge us, today, to become human," explained Trinity Western's introduction to Fr. John's lecture, "Patristic Humanism: The Beginning of Christian Paideia." 

Listen to Fr. John's August 2012 Lectures, "Becoming Human," (Eagle River, Alaska):

Part I

Part II

The 2012-2013 academic year has ushered in an increase in participation in the student-led interest groups at St. Vladimir's Seminary. Created two years ago, the interest groups provide an opportunity for students to pursue common interests and contribute to seminary life in unique ways. One of the groups, the Orthodox Ecology Group, kicked off the academic year on September 18, 2012 with their first meeting, in which they discussed ideas and laid out plans for the coming year.

The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO, serves as the group's faculty representative. He opened the meeting by recalling the commitment of St. Vladimir's Seminary to green initiatives such as the installation of solar panels on campus, and the Seminary's recycling program. He also reflected on the deep connection between Orthodox theology and the inherent value of the created world, a connection that makes ecological awareness a necessity for Orthodox Christians. The Ecology Group is excited to continue the Seminary's commitment to green initiatives, practicing stewardship of the world created by God.

The first project of the Ecology Group will be a clean-up of the lakeside area of the seminary campus, which will be planned for the fall semester. In addition, members of the Ecology Group will investigate ways to reduce waste on campus. Looking ahead to the coming semesters, the Ecology Group would like to sponsor a lecture or symposium on Orthodox Ecology, providing an opportunity for reflection on the role of Christians in caring for the created world. In the recent meeting, the Ecology Group also elected officers for the coming year: Seminarian Jesse Brandow (President), M.A. Student Gabrielle Kushlan (Treasurer), and Seminarian Nicholas Roth (Liaison to Student Council).

In addition to planning the year's activities, members of the Ecology Group have also begun collaborating with the Orthodox Fellowship of the Transfiguration. St. Vladimir's Seminary is a member of the Fellowship, one of the leading Orthodox groups focusing on ecological awareness and stewardship. On September 20, four members from the St. Vladimir's Ecology Student Group met with Professor Alfred Siewers, a member of the Steering Committee for the Fellowship of the Transfiguration, and associate professor of English at Bucknell University. Prof. Siewers discussed ways that the members of the Ecology Group could work together with the Fellowship of the Transfiguration in the coming months.

Read more from our seminarians in Seminarians Speak.