I am greatly honored that you have invited me to give this lecture in memory of Father Alexander Schmemann...When I began to read the work of Father Alexander, I was able to glimpse, in a small way, what the liturgy meant from the inside, and reading his Journals, I caught something of the Orthodox world view. I managed to find again a couple of sentences in his 1965 book Sacraments and Orthodoxy,  which link closely to what I have prepared for today: "The liturgy of the Eucharist is...the journey of the Church into the dimension of the Kingdom...'Dimension'...seems the best way to indicated the manner of our sacramental entrance into the risen life of Christ."

With these words, our guest speaker Dr. Margaret Barker commenced the 29th annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture, transporting her audience into the liturgical world of the first Jewish Temple—a world remarkably familiar to Orthodox Christian worshipers. Her lecture was titled "Our Great High Priest: The Church as the New Temple." The audience listened with intense interest as Dr. Barker described with vivid imagery the furnishings, appointments, and keepers of that temple—the anointing oil, cherubim, bread of the presence, seven-branched lampstand, Melchizedek priest-king, and so forth—as they were drawn deeper and deeper into its ancient liturgical life.

As Dr. Barker focused on the structure of the first temple and on the figure of the high priest within that temple, she led her audience along "the trail that leads from Solomon's Temple to the Christian Church," her premise being that both the first temple and its high priest were restored by the coming of Jesus Christ. "The Christian community was the temple of the Messiah," she noted, "the original temple restored, and it was a living temple." Further on, she stated, "There is good evidence in the gospels that Jesus did see himself as the great high priest, and that his ministry was shaped by that ideal."

Upon her closing words, "Christians are the anointed ones of the restored temple, and our covenant is the eternal covenan," the audience exploded with sustained applause in gratitude for her presentation. At the close of her talk, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), presented Dr. Barker with a beautiful icon of "Christ the High Priest."

Other hierarchs in attendance at the lecture were His Grace The Right Rev. Benjamin, bishop of San Francisco and the West (OCA), and His Grace The Right Rev. Maxim, bishop of the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church of North and South America.

To get a sampling of Dr. Barker's research, and to hear her on YouTube, visit her website www.margaretbarker.com.

Read Dr. Barker's 29th annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture, "Our Great High Priest: The Church as the New Temple," here.

Listen to the podcast of Dr. Barker's lecture, "Our Great High Priest: The Church as the New Temple," here.

Priest John E. Parker III, newly appointed chair of the Department of Evangelization for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), will be speaking Tuesday, January 31st, at 7:30 p.m. in the Bashir Auditorium on the seminary campus. A dynamic presenter, he will address the topic, "The Realities of Life in Orthodox Mission Churches."

The talk is free and open to the public, and Father John especially welcomes all SVOTS seminarians who have an interest in inter-jurisdictional cooperation among Orthodox Christians in planting new missions across the U.S.

Note: the Bashir Auditorium is directly across from the SVS Bookstore, on the second floor of the Education Building.

"St. Matthew Orthodox Church was very blessed to have Archpriest Chad Hatfield come to speak to our parish," noted Fr. Maximus Cabey, rector of the parish, and his wife, Matushka Photini, as they recounted the weekend of January 7–8 at their church in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "On Saturday, Father Chad gave a talk about baptism titled 'Putting on Christ,' which greatly edified our congregation."

The following day, Fr. Chad, who is the Chancellor/CEO at St. Vladimir's, celebrated the Divine Liturgy with both Fr. Maximus and Fr. Michael Herrick, who was the first full-time rector at St. Matthew's; Fr. Chad also delivered the homily. After Divine Liturgy he shared a brief presentation about the seminary and conducted a Question & Answer session.

"Father Chad was very well received by our congregation," said Fr. Maximus, a 2011 graduate of St. Vladimir's.

View Fr. Chad's 2012 travel schedule here, to see if he is coming to your locale!

"You've made my day!" exclaimed His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, as our seminary dean, Archpriest John Behr, presented him with a signed copy of his newly translated and published On the Incarnation, the classic 4th-century treatise by St. Athanasius the Great. Father John had dedicated the volume to His Eminence, with the words: "Faithful Guide, True Teacher, Genuine Lover-of-Words"; he presented the work to His Eminence in an informal meeting at the Archbishop's office on Tuesday of this week.

The book, published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in December 2011, expounds with simplicity the theological vision defended at the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople: that the Son of God himself became "fully human, so that we might become god." Its influence on all Christian theology thereafter, East and West, has ensured its place as one of the few "must read" books for all who want to know more about the Christian faith.

"The book has already experienced quick sales from many professors of introductory Christian religion college courses throughout the United States," noted Dn. Gregory Hatrak, marketing manager of SVS Press and Bookstore. We have received excellent feedback on this title."

Two features especially distinguish the volume: a preface written by C.S. Lewis, and the fact that the book contains English and Greek parallel text.

Father John's volume, which is part of the Press's Popular Patristics Series (PPS, numbers 44a and 44b), has been published in two formats: in English (PPS 44b) or in English with the original Greek text presented in parallel text on the facing page (PPS 44a). The bilingual version (978-0-88141-409-7) is 174 pages, and sells for $22.00; the English-only version (978-0-88141-427-1) is 112 pages, and sells for $16.00.

Order this title here.

During the second week of Great Lent, March 10–11, 2012, which commemorates St. Gregory Palamas, our seminary Men's Choir will be singing at two parishes in Western Pennsylvania: St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Allison Park, Pennsylvania (OCA), at Vespers and Divine Liturgy, and   Holy Trinity Church, State College, Pennsylvania (OCA), at Sunday evening Vespers. The choir is under the direction of Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak), lecturer in Liturgical Music and Chapel Music Director at St. Vladimir's Seminary.

The choir will be accompanied by Archpriest Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO of the seminary.

The traveling SVS Press & Bookstore will accompany the choir, stocked with CDs, books, and more!

Click here to listen to our Men's Choir!

On Saturday, February 4th at 1 p.m. a prayer service for the sick will be held at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Three Hierarchs Chapel. The Paraclesis (or, lesser supplicatory canon) to the Mother of God will be sung by the seminary community choir, as an intercessory service for all those who are ill, and the seminary invites friends and alumni to attend.

The Paraclesis will be sung to a new setting by composer Robert Sirico, who is the founder of the Orthodox Christian Music Project (OCMP), and a private student of our Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music at the seminary, Dr. Nicholas Reeves. 

The Paraclesis has a long historical precedent for being sung in times of pestilence. Its use today is still widespread in the Orthodox Christian Church, and it provides many with solace in times of need through the intercessions of the Mother of God.

This service will be the culmination of a two-day Master Class on chamber group vocal technique, which will be led by Matushka Robin Freeman, who holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to years of working with the choirs at St. Vladimir's Seminary, she has conducted church choirs, children's choirs, community choirs, university choirs, opera choruses, and chamber ensembles. Matushka Robin also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and has studied with singers Marietta Simpson, Gale Fuller, and Susan Brooks. The Master Class she is teaching at the seminary will emphasize the interpretation of Znamenny Chant in a variety of choral textures.

"One of the primary goals of this Master Class," notes Dr. Reeves, "is to encourage the use the Paraclesis on a regular basis in the parish or in the home, on behalf of those who are ill.

"Moreover," he continues, "the score of this particular arrangement is malleable, and thus allows for an ensemble of any size to sing the service properly and convincingly. Upon request, the music can be made available for liturgical use."

For an arrangement of the music for this particular Paraclesis, please contact Dr. Nicholas Reeves.

Learn about the ministry of the Orthodox Christian Music Project on their Website, Facebook Page,  and YouTube Channel.

More than 120 young preachers from more than 25 states in the U.S. gathered to preach, to learn, and to be inspired by the gospel of Jesus Christ, at the 3rd Annual National Festival of Young Preachers, held from January 2–5, in Louisville, Kentucky. At the event, Jason Ketz, 3rd-year seminarian from St. Vladimir's, preached a sermon entitled “I can’t imagine paradise without you.”

"Seminarian Ketz's sermon was enthusiastically received," said Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, assistant professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St. Vladimir’s, who also attended the festival, both as Jason’s preaching mentor and as a sermon evaluator. Father Sergius further remarked on this year’s festival, saying, “The quality of preaching was truly remarkable, and the faith and zeal for the gospel among the participants was inspiring. Jason did a fantastic job with his sermon. Being exposed to a variety of preaching styles is incredibly valuable not only for young preachers, but for preachers of any age.

"St. Vladimir’s Seminary is a National Partner with the Academy of Preachers, and and we look forward to continuing participation and cooperation with the academy as we work to foster excellence in preaching among young Orthodox Christians," he concluded.

The annual festival is sponsored by the Academy of Preachers, a trans-denominational organization whose mission is to identify, network, inspire, and support young people who sense a vocation for preaching the gospel. The Academy of Preachers was launched in 2009 through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment.

The first Festival of Young Preachers in 2010 was attended by our seminary Chancellor/CEO, Fr. Chad Hatfield, and seminary alumnus Fr. Lucas Rice. The sermon that Fr. Lucas delivered at the festival was included in a published volume of collected sermons, and the title of his sermon also served as the title for the volume: A Beautiful Thing: Sermons from the Inaugural Festival of Young Preachers (Chalice Press, 2010). 

Read about Seminarian Jason Ketz's experience at the Festival of Young Preachers, and the text of his homily, "I can't Imagine paradise without you," here.

Our Dean, Archpriest John Behr, has been appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund, a non-profit organization committed to rebuilding church and social life in Kosovo. The relief fund sponsors myriad humanitarian projects, including the one hundred fifty-three Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries that have been destroyed in Kosovo and Metohija since 1998; to date, only three of these church institutions have been repaired, and the Decani Monastery Relief Fund has undertaken the ambitious task of restoring them.

In addition to the rebuilding of a seminary, monasteries, and churches in the region, the organization supports six soup kitchens and one bakery. It also assists in providing daily lunches to four schools as well as shoes and clothing for youth. Moreover, the fund provides scholarships to the University of Northern Kosovo as well as scholarship assistance for Serbian youth attending Boise State University, and Orthodox Christian seminaries in America.

The Relief Fund also provides humanitarian aid to refugee centers, funds for the special needs of the elderly, payment of electric bills, provision for firewood, financial aid necessary for medical and surgical procedures, and help to purchase farm equipment and livestock.

"I am deeply honored to be on the Board of Directors of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund. The Fund is at work in many diverse ways in Kosovo and Metohija, supporting the needy with food, clothing, and shelter, and attending to the educational needs of the children and the spiritual life of the faithful," Fr. John said. "Additionally, there has long been a very close relationship between St. Vladimir's Seminary and the Serbian Orthodox Church; I look forward to seeing this flourish and to doing what we can to support the efforts of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund."

"It truly is honorable of Father John to be a part of our fund," said Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, president of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund. "His great talents will indeed be a favorable contribution. The Board of Directors looks forward to working with him and his beloved seminary."

Father John's arrival on the Board of Directors comes at an opportune time. In October 2011, the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija announced that Ss. Cyril & Methodius Serbian Orthodox Theological Seminary in Prizren, destroyed during the war of the 1990s, was being reconstructed and will be reopened.

In celebration of the announcement of the seminary's re-opening, Father Nektarios and the Decani Monastery Relief Fund’s Executive Director, J. Basil Dannebohm, will visit the region in February 2012, where the two will be lecturing to the newly enrolled seminarians. On behalf of the fund, Fr. Nektarios and Mr. Dannebohm hope to raise $25,000 before the upcoming trip, which will provide humanitarian aid during the frigid winter months.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us in 2012, but the fund has truly enjoyed God's blessings this year," said Mr. Dannebohm. "Our seminary is being reopened, we are able to provide educational assistance to students, food and livestock and, most importantly, love—something money can't buy."

Dannebohm continued, "I am honored that Father John accepted the nomination to serve on our board. He brings a tremendous amount of education, experience and expertise to the team."

Read the original press release from PRWeb, here.

Donations to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund can be made by mail to: 2618 West Bannock Street, Boise, ID 83702 or online at www.decanifund.org/donate.
 

He held honorary degrees from Butler University, General Theological Seminary, Lafayette College, Iona College, and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Besides teaching at St. Vladimir’s, Fr. Alexander held positions as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, New York University, Union Seminary, and General Theological Seminary in New York, and he 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.

Dean of St. Vladimir’s from 1962 until his death in 1983, he was instrumental in educating a generation of Orthodox priests. During his tenure, the seminary achieved wide recognition as a center of Orthodox theological studies.

In 1970, he was active in the establishment of the Orthodox Church in America as an autocephalous church, which at that time became officially independent from the Russian Orthodox Church, and dedicated itself to the unity of Orthodox ethnic jurisdictions in this country.

While committed to the cause of an Orthodox Church that would be united and American in character, Fr. Alexander always remained concerned with the fate of believers in the Soviet Union. For 30 years, his sermons were broadcast in Russian on “Radio Liberty” and gained Fr. Alexander a broad following across the Soviet Union. Alexander Solzhenitzyn, who while still in the Soviet Union was one of his admirers, remained his friend after emigrating to the West.

Father Alexander published over a dozen books which received wide circulation, including For the Life of the World; Introduction to Liturgical Theology; Ultimate Questions; Church, World, Mission; and numerous articles and tracts. For the Life of the World, a popular volume on Christian faith as reflected in liturgy, has been translated into numerous languages and remains one of the most popular works on Christianity for the general public. He completed a major study on the Eucharist only weeks before his death.

May Fr. Alexander’s memory be eternal!

For a wealth of additional information and links please visit www.schmemann.org.

They sang "Jingle Bells" en français, recited poetry—both classic and post-modern—told jokes, and even played Jewish Klezmer music. Displaying a multitude of artistic gifts, various members of our campus community came together this past weekend for our traditional Christmas Talent Show, to take a breather just prior to final exam week, to discover each other's hidden talents, and to break the monotony of the short, dark winter days.

Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, associate professor Systematic Theology here at St. Vladimir's—who plays bass fiddle, piano, and guitar—acted as Master of Ceremonies for the occasion, as young and old(er) alike tried to rival Broadway.

Watch a musical collage of our 2011 Christmas Talent Show, with the background music "45 Minutes from Broadway," a 1906 recording sung by Bill Murray. This popular song is from one of George M. Cohan's many patriotic musicals, and it speaks about the difference between New York City and New Rochelle, New York.

To see the slideshow of the Christmas Talent Show, click here.