The Marketing Manager of our St. Vladimir's Seminary Bookstore, Dn. Gregory Hatrak, will be taking a traveling bookshop on the road this summer and fall. He will be setting up temporary bookstalls—filled with St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (SVS Press) titles—at some key gatherings and places, nationally and internationally:
Titles printed by SVS Press and distributed by SVS Bookstore include a wide range of topics: theology, history, ecclesiology, ecumenism, hagiography, iconography, spirituality, scriptural studies, music, pastoral theology, Christian education, philosophy, biography, and Patristics. Additionally, SVS Press produces CDs, video and audio programs, greeting cards, and children's books, such as the upcoming St. George and the Dragon by Jim Forest.
If you'll be in the vicinity of our traveling bookshops, please stop by to browse our fine titles!
Our student-less, slower-paced summer routine here at St. Vladimir's will soon yield to an incredibly active schedule, as we welcome new students and returning seminarians to campus for Orientation. The annual August orientation sessions are crucial for seminarians and their families, preparing them for living within Christian community, and especially, for the particularities that mark our rhythm of life here at SVOTS.
Resident Advisers (RAs) are scheduled for orientation sessions on Saturday, August 20th and Sunday, August 21st. Middler (2nd-year) students will be arriving with the RAs on Saturday, August 20th and Sunday, August 21st; they then will be introduced to their hospital ministry program in sessions running from Monday, August 22nd through Friday, August 26th. Rev. Dr. Sarah Fogg, Director of the Pastoral Care Department at nearby St. John's Riverside Hospital will prepare Middlers for the 100 hours of hospital ministry that will be required of them during their second year at seminary. On Sunday, August 28th, Middlers will join Senior (3rd-year) students for two more sessions—"Back to Chapel and Class" and "Student Formation and Community Life"—which will offer returning students new information, as well as acclimate them to campus life.
New students are slated to arrive on August 22nd and will be offered a full introduction to seminary life, including: spiritual development and formation, the vision of theological education at SVOTS, the rhythm of liturgical life in our chapel, instructions for using the library, field education, and the daily routine of seminarians. New students also will undergo writing evaluations, language examinations, and voice testing. Chancellor and CEO of the seminary, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, will give three keynotes: "Introduction to Seminary Life," "One Thing Needful," and "Clay Vessels." Orientation for new students will conclude on Saturday, August 27th.
Additionally, married incoming students and their wives will enjoy a field trip to Emmaus House in New York City, and a reception and introduction to the Wives Program at St. Vladimir's.
Read a Welcome Letter by Dr. John Barnet, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Rev. David Mezynski, Associate Dean for Student Affairs here.
The Opening Address of our summer conference, "The Joy to Serve," by Matushka Juliana Schmemann, is now available as a podcast on Ancient Faith Radio. Mat' Juliana's talk commenced the conference titled "Women Disciples of the Lord," held on our campus from June 17–19, 2011.
Hear many other "Voices from St. Vladimir's"—including faculty and guest speakers to our campus—on Ancient Faith Radio. Listen in to spiritual meditations, scriptural exegesis, and more by clicking here.
Our seminary community marked its Patronal Feast with a celebration that included fellowship, fun, and worship. Neighboring alumni joined our staff, faculty, and resident summer students for Great Vespers on Thursday evening, followed by a cookout on the grassy knoll below Three Hierarchs Chapel.
The next morning, our Dean, Archpriest John Behr presided at the Divine Liturgy and presented a homily that highlighted the life and work of the seminary's patron, the Holy and Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the Apostles and Enlightener of the Russian Lands. In his sermon, Fr. John recounted the story of St. Vladimir's conversion to belief in Christ and his missionary zeal.
Father John also reminded those gathered that the founders of St. Vladimir's Seminary embraced the Russian prince at their patron, not because of ethnicity or nationalistic reasons, but because of the saint's quest to discover Jesus Christ as the "Pearl of Great Price" (Matt 13:45–47) and because of his dedication in spreading His gospel to the people of Rus'. Following Divine Liturgy, the seminary community then celebrated a Memorial Service (Pankhida) to mark the anniversary of the falling asleep of Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, who served as Professor of Church History and Patristics at St. Vladimir's Seminary from 1959–1962 and as Dean from 1984 until his death in 1992.
We sincerely thank the alumni and friends who came to pray and picnic with us during our Patronal Feast!
Our Alumni Office is organizing a cookout to follow Great Vespers for the Feast of the Holy and Great Prince Vladimir this Thursday evening. Great Vespers begins at 6:30 p.m. and the cookout will follow immediately afterwards on the seminary grounds.
All alumni in the area are invited to join our faculty, staff, students, and community members. Come pray, sing, and enjoy the evening with us!
For more information, contact Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, Director of Alumni Relations and Recruitment: jmatusiak@svots.edu or (914) 961-8313 EXT 342.
“What is life?” is one of the great questions that has stimulated and confounded human thought for centuries. From Platonism to naturalistic pantheism, from Judaism to Tenrikyo, and from the Death Anxiety supposition to the RNA world hypothesis, human beings have developed theories in attempts to offer the Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question.
Our Dean, Fr. John Behr, as a theological scholar in the Orthodox Christian tradition, recently added to the age-old discussion by attending the "What is Life?" conference in sponsored by the Centre of Theology and Philosophy at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. There, he joined philosophers and scientists in an “immensely stimulating and rewarding discussion” about the mystery of life.
“I gave a paper entitled ‘Let Us Make a Human Being: Divine Initiative and Human Response,’ ” said Fr. John, “exploring, through the writings of St. Irenaeus of Lyons and St. Maximus the Confessor, how while every other aspect of creation was spoken into existence—'Let there be, there was, and it was good—the work which God specifically sets himself to—'Let us make a human being in our image'—requires a fiat, a 'Let it be,' from the creature, to be born anew in Christ, living the life that he grants by his resurrection through taking up the cross.”
The conference was the sixth in a series of conferences that the Centre has sponsored, including one in Rome (2008) on "The Grandeur of Reason: Religion, Tradition, and Universalism"; and Granada (2006) on "Belief and Metaphysics." This year’s conference was led by Professor John Milbank, the leader of a group of Christians from a number of church traditions known as “Radical Orthodoxy,” and Conor Cunningham, the author of the recent book "Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists both get it Wrong."
“The point of these conferences,” said Fr. John, “is to bring together theologians, philosophers, and scientists to discuss areas of common interest relating to the witness of Christianity in the contemporary world. It is very important that we bring an Orthodox presence to such gatherings, to be part of the broader discussions going on.”
The gathering was cosponsored by the Uniwersytet Papieski Jana Pawla II, Kraków, Baylor University, and Brigham Young University.
Two trustees from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Board Chair Anne Glynn-Mackoul and The Rev. Dr. Philip LeMasters, recently attended an international conference titled “Christian Presence and Witness in the Middle East Today: Theological and Political Challenges." The conference was held June 20–23, 2011 in Volos, Greece at the invitation of the World Council of Churches and the Volos Theological Academy and was hosted by Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias. The thirty participants included theological scholars, social scientists, politicians, and church representatives.
At the Volos conference, participants first examined the relevance and the different aspects of the “Kairos document” issued in December 2009 by Palestinian Christians from all church traditions. Second, they analyzed the socio-political challenges facing the Christians in the Middle East against the background of the recent uprisings in the Arab World. And finally, they listened to Christian witnesses from different parts of the region.
During his presentation, Fr. Philip, priest of the Orthodox Antiochian Archdiocese of North America and dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at McMurry University, spoke on "Orthodox Approaches to Non-violent Resistance." After first reviewing the roots of the conception in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, he turned to the martyrs and confessors who, with their non-violent resistance, confronted and refused to obey the secular powers’ demands that they abandon their faith.
“Though I had the honor of presenting a paper on non-violent resistance,” commented Fr. Philip, “my main function at the conference was to learn by hearing firsthand accounts of the struggles and opportunities faced by our brothers and sisters in Christ in the land of our Lord’s birth. I came away from Volos with a heightened interest in the complex political and religious dynamics of the region and a number of new insights to share with my students and parishioners.”
Mrs. Mackoul, who moderated a session at the conference, noted, “It was an interesting and important gathering, with broad significance particularly in its timing, as it took place so immediately following the public remarks of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the BBC about the Christians of the East, which remarks received such strong negative reaction from among Christians living in the area.
“Conference attendees,” she continued, “were reminded that Christians in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Israel—rooted in those areas since the time of Christ—are constantly and forcefully confronted with the importance of defining the relationship between communal loyalty and national identity, not only in the realm of ideas but in their daily lives. It is important to remember that religious identity and communal identity are not one and the same. Meaningful identities are multiple.
“Support in prayer and understanding from the Christians of the West of the actual situations in those communities and the aspirations of the Christians in the East as members of pluralistic societies is critical for maintaining this traditional Christian presence,” she concluded. “Alarmism and resignation about migration of Christians from the area will have the tendency to accelerate the very result that is feared.”
The conference was followed worldwide through an Internet live stream, intv.gr. The meeting comes in advance of a second meeting with religious leaders to take place in the Middle East in November 2012.
Read more about the conference and view more photos on the Website of the Volos Theological Academy here.
Three of our seminarians recently traveled to Albania, both to observe the phenomenal "resurrection" of the Orthodox Church since the fall of communism in that country and also to study missiology. Their extraordinary journey included an audience with His Beatitude Anastasios, archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania; meetings, bible studies, and social time with university students; tours of churches, church agencies, seminaries, and monasteries; and a visit with Metropolitan John of Korça.
Fr. Ignatius Warren (Class of 2011, and now assigned to St. Elias Church in Sylvania, Ohio), Dn. Timothy Yates (3rd-year student), and Richard Ajalat (2nd-year student) witnessed firsthand the incredible rebirth of the Orthodox Church in Albania since December 1990, when student protestors began to overthrow the religiously repressive government. All three seminarians were there as participants in a 3-credit summer course titled "The Missiology of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) and Practical Evangelism." Students in the course analyzed the foundation and calling of missions, studied the resurrection of the Church of Albania over the past 20 years, and examined how well the Church has lived out the missiology of Archbishop Anastasios.
The course and trip were under the supervision of course leader, Fr. Luke Veronis, adjunct professor of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. The endeavor was partly subsidized by The Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity and was among the Mission Team 2011 programs offered by the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). This was the second year in a row that seminarians from St. Vladimir's have participated in a mission trip to Albania.
"It was truly a blessing to witness firsthand the rebirth of faith among the Albanian people," noted Fr. Ignatius. "Archbishop Anastasios is a modern-day Apostle, Evangelist, and Missionary par excellence. The Missions Institute under Fr. Luke Veronis provides a much-needed link between the academic study of missiology and the firsthand witness of mission in the church. In addition, it was a great blessing to be with students from our sister schools, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School, and St. Tikhon's Seminary."
View a photo gallery of the trip, by Dn. Marty Watt, in a related story on the Website of the Orthodox Church in America.
Teens participating in Hellenic College's CrossRoad program this summer got a golden opportunity to rub shoulders with three of St. Vladimir's finest: Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus and former professor of Dogmatic Theology; Dr. John Barnet, associate professor of New Testament; and Dr. Al Rossi, adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology. This year's Boston-based program offered high school students the opportunity to absorb the wisdom of the scholarly triad—and to share some of their own "Generation Z" sagacity.
"An extraordinary program!," commented Dr. Barnet. "What more can I say about an institute that brings together thirty bright, committed high school students, a half dozen smart, enthusiastic counselors, and three seminary professors for a week of study, prayer, reflection, outreach, and fun in the suburbs of Boston? Kudos to Ann Bezzerides and her CrossRoad staff."
During this year's gathering, Dr. Barnet spoke on the topic, "Through the Cross, Joy," while Dr. Rossi presented two 2-hour sessions on "Chastity Today," and Fr. Thomas addressed the subject, "Love: The Christian Understanding." Together, they comprised the academic component of the program, designed to help high school students study theology in a serious way; other equally beneficial elements of the program included experiencing a full liturgical life, serving one's neighbor, and just "hanging out" as a group for fun and fellowship.
"CrossRoad provides a wonderful experience for high school students to get closer to Christ, to their Orthodox faith, to the Church, and to each other in engaging ways," noted Dr. Rossi. "For me, a 'quotable quote' came from a student who was sent out on a 'group mission' to buy breakfast for a homeless person. When he couldn't find anyone to offer to buy breakfast for, the student—putting into practice some of the CrossRoad learning—said, 'Well then, let's pick up litter.' CrossRoad teaches youth to care for others in the most practical and loving ways possible."
View a photo gallery of fun and fellowship at CrossRoad 2011 here (click on Day 1, Day 2, and so forth to view photos).
Are you a high school student reading this? Do you want to be part of CrossRoad next year? Contact someone from the program here.
Three seminary alumnae—Susan Arida, Stefanie Yova Yazge, and Valerie Zahirsky—are contributing authors to Encountering Women of Faith, volume II, a book that tells the stories of ten women saints within the Orthodox Christian tradition. Inside the book, readers will find the lives of Ss. Christina of Tyre, Juliana, Perpetua, Felicitas, Anna, Paula, Populia, Mother Maria Skobtsova, and Mary of Egypt, among others.
Each chapter of the volume contains a three-part format: a history of the saint and her service to community; a candid meditation by each author as to how the saint has touched her own life; and "Reflection and Discussion Questions" suitable to personal or group study. Appropriately, the title's "Happy Birthday" launch recently occurred at the "Women Disciples of the Lord" conference held on our campus from June 17–19, at which contemporary women serving the Lord in areas such as theological studies, education, chaplaincy, prison ministry, hospice, pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, philanthropy, publications, and missions made presentations.
The book's authors are all members of "St. Catherine's Vision," a group founded by and open to women graduates from all Orthodox Christian theological schools, with the mission to "study and support the many ways in which the people of God are called to contribute toward the building up of the body of Christ through education, spiritual renewal, and Orthodox unity." The newly released title is published by Holy Cross Orthodox Press and edited by Dr. Kyriaki Karidoyanes FitzGerald. The book is part of a the Saint Catherine's Vision Collection. The title will be available through our SVS Press & Bookstore in the near future.
Read more about our Alumni and Alumnae in the Alumni News/Profiles section of our Website, including the recent news of Brent Gilbert's Fulbright Fellowship! Add your news to the page by contacting PDn. Joseph Matusiak, Director of Alumni and Recruitment.
