Richard Schneider (1938–2022) fell asleep in the Lord on the evening of November 11. Professor Schneider enjoyed a long teaching career, including two decades spent at St Vladimir’s Seminary as Professor of Hermeneutics and Liturgical Art. He was initially invited in 1995 by Fr Thomas Hopko to lecture on iconology, and, beginning in the 2001-2002 academic year, he returned every spring semester until 2019 to teach a variety of subjects, including iconology, hermeneutics, church history, and academic writing. His courses were perennially popular, and he opened up the eyes of many Christians to begin to read the iconography, architecture, liturgy, and tradition of the Church for themselves.
During his time at St Vladimir’s, he was a vital member of the community. Professor Schneider lived in the dorms, ate meals with students, led trips to museums and concerts in Manhattan, and always engaged seminarians in thoughtful and provocative conversations. He was notable in his dedication to students, and could be found at almost all hours either grading assignments or meeting with students to discuss their written work. He was beloved by generations of seminarians, advised dozens of theses, and encouraged many students to pursue further doctoral studies.
Professor Schneider lived a rich life. He was born into a Jewish family in St Louis, MO, converted to Roman Catholicism as a young man, and eventually joined the Orthodox Church. He completed his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College in 1959, did graduate work in musicology at Princeton University (MFA ‘61), and in art history at Columbia University (MPhil ‘63).
In his academic career, Professor Schneider was primarily a professor of history and church history at York University in Toronto, with teaching stints at a few other universities before York, as well. He also established the program in Orthodox Theology at Trinity College, University of Toronto, where he taught until spring 2022. He represented the Archdiocese of Canada on the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America, and served on the Canadian Council of Churches for decades,representing the OCA. He was devoted to the cause of Christian unity, and served as president—the first Orthodox president in its history—of the Canadian Council of Churches from 2003 to 2006. Above all, Richard Schneider was a man of deep, personal faith, who embodied and represented for many the gentleness, forgiveness, and love that he and they experience in Christ.
Professor Richard Schneider is survived by his wife, Lisa, and 7 children. May his memory be eternal!
Please note that several members of Richard's family are severely immuno-suppressed. COVID-19 social distancing and masking rules will be followed. If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or seasonal viruses in the past 7 days, or if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or seasonal viruses, we ask you to refrain from attending.
Memorial Service (Panikhida) Thursday, November 17, 7 PM EDT Visitation following the memorial service with reading of the Psalter until 9PM EDT
Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted its1st Annual Academic Symposium on October 27-29, 2022. The Symposium topic, Liturgy and Theology, drew leading scholars in liturgical theology from around the globe, each of whom gave talks presenting their own research in the field. The opening event of the Symposium was a public keynote address held in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, by the Rev. Canon Maxwell E. Johnson, PhD, a leading voice in the academic field of liturgical theology. The talk was well attended both in person, by Seminary Faculty, staff, and the student body at SVOTS, as well as online, with over 150 participants streaming the presentation via Zoom.
Professor Johnson entitled his talk Lex orandi est lex credendi: Alexander Schmemann’s Liturgical Theology in Ecumenical Context. He opened his talk by speaking to the unique contributions Fr Alexander Schmemann made to the field, “especially his use of the formula ‘lex orandi est lex credendi’ and his articulation of the Ordo as the basic underlying structure and theology of liturgy, in relationship to the classic articulation of ‘ut legem credendi lex statuat supplicandi’ of Prosper of Aquitane.”
The Latin phrase in the title of Dr Johnson’s address is most commonly cited as Lex orandi, lex credendi - i.e. “the law of prayer, the law of belief,” implying that the set ways in which Christians pray and worship are related to their beliefs and dogma. However, Dr Johnson proposed, Fr Schmemann’s approach to liturgical theology necessitates the emphatic addition of the est. Not only is Christian liturgical prayer and worship related to Christian beliefs and dogmas, but Christian worship actually is Christian belief - the beliefs of the Church are embodied by the liturgical worship of the Church - the two are inseparable, according to Fr Schememann’s view.
Dr Johnson went on to describe several ways in which he believes some modern liturgical theology scholars have misunderstood Fr Schmemann, and elaborated on possible directions for the field of liturgical theology to grow and expand in the future.
The remainder of the 1st Annual Academic Symposium at SVOTS was held in-house, in order to facilitate the high volume of scheduled presentations followed by in-depth dialogue between the invited scholars, SVOTS Faculty, and seminarians. The following speakers gave presentations during the in-house portion of the symposium:
As long as he can remember, businessman and St Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee Dan Abraham’s life has been integrated into both the local and national Church, from his beginnings as an acolyte at St Nicholas in Grand Rapids, MI, where he still is involved today.
In addition to serving as a St Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee, Dan is a member of his Parish Council, a Trustee of the Antiochian Archdiocese, and a Director of the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative. In his former role as Chair of the Order of St Ignatius in his Archdiocese, he traveled all over North America encouraging people towards generous philanthropy.
In 2021, Dan almost died of COVID-19; through his near-death experience, forty days in a coma, and subsequent recovery, Dan was upheld by his lifelong faith and the prayers offered by the clergy and faithful all around the U.S. Through Zoom and email, Dan shared his unique perspective with us as a Trustee and experienced leader and fundraiser in the Church.
As a lifetime Orthodox Christian, what have been the highlights in your spiritual journey?
I grew up in a typical Middle Eastern family church environment; along with my four sisters, we were the third of what is now five generations of our family to participate at St Nicholas in Grand Rapids, MI. We are firmly rooted. My parents’ social friends were their church friends and their connections were in the Church.
My parents were very devout. I remember the first day on a Palm Sunday when I became an Altar Boy after months of practice. A lady in our church made our robes by hand. I was 7 or 8 years old, and was thrilled to participate in the Great Entrance for the first time. My father kept a very disciplined fast and as I entered my teen years I started to emulate him. I still remember the oration I gave when I was 15. The topic was "My Priest and Me."
Give us a sketch of your professional life.
I earned a bachelor degree from the University of Michigan, then an MBA from Western Michigan University and a degree in Law from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Working during the day, I attended school at night and did my studying early in the morning before work. Nobody forced me; I did it because I wanted to, and I am proud of accomplishing that.
Once I was done with school I jumped in with both feet to the family businesses. My family life included my father's two brothers and their families; they continued the business my grandfather started. It evolved into a large wholesale grocery distribution company. In 1982 we purchased one of our retail customers, which I was assigned to manage for 30 years. During this time I started a manufacturing business, which I eventually managed exclusively after leaving the family firm. Our main customer channel was school and sports fundraising; through this, I accumulated 30 years of business fundraising.
As a young married couple, how did you first become active in Church leadership?
Kathy and I have been married for 35 years. Right from the start, my new wife was very active in church and she pulled me back into the church after my years of graduate school and career development.
When we got married, Kathy was very involved in the Fellowship of St John Divine leadership (the former Antiochian young adults organization). We were nudged to become members of the Order of St Ignatius, and then I was asked to serve on the national council. From there I moved up the ranks. One of my proudest moments was when Metropolitan Philip of blessed memory asked me to be the Chair of the Order of St Ignatius after serving for 25 years as Chair of Membership Development.
I’m concerned that today’s young adult world is so dominated by secularism and people are being pulled away from the Church. Because I was raised in the Church, it was natural for me to stay with it later. There were times when Kathy and I were away from each other even on our anniversary, due to church responsibilities!
How have you been shaped by the battle with COVID-19 that brought you to death’s door?
I came within four hours of death, but God chose I should live. After my illness, I realized that God chose me to live and I had to ask myself why? Why me? I began to be reconciled with the knowledge that we don’t know why God does what He does. We have to accept that he chooses some to live, and some to pass on. For a while after my near-death experience, I struggled that I wasn’t the person I used to be, and there was an empty feeling. It took time and patience for me to let God administer the healing that He brings.
Slowly my heartbeat and my deep breathing came back, I regained strength in my muscles, and my damaged vocal cords began to heal. Writing was hard, talking was hard; all of the rehab had to happen simultaneously. Thank God I’m a lot better than I was!
Every day I ask myself, “What are your plans for me, Lord?” I lost my business and most of my assets, yet God continues to lead me on a path of service. The question that all of us need to ask every day is, how do we tune in to His will? It’s something that we have to work towards as we begin to understand how He transforms us. So maybe part of my purpose is to share with others what I learned through my experience and what it can mean to others. There is suffering all around us, but we can learn from our suffering and can find relief from it by trusting in God’s will.
You keep busy with family, your parish, and your business life; so why did you say yes to serving as a SVOTS trustee?
The short answer is Fr Chad invited me and I can never say no to the Church. The timing was interesting: I was elected at the November 2020 meeting and it was just a few months later that I was hospitalized for 120 days with COVID-19. Today I view one of my most important responsibilities as serving St Vladimir's Seminary. I hope to continue as a Trustee and as a positive contributor in the future.
All of us are significantly impacted by the dominant secularism in our country. Unfortunately, we also see fundamentalism growing as well which is not necessarily a good direction. More than anything, we need balanced young men who will dedicate their life to Christ.
What did you learn as a longtime leader within the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese that is complementary to your leadership role at St Vladimir's?
I traveled extensively for the Order. I met many people over those years, many of who are still friends today. Early on I discovered that I was most successful when I invited people to join in the cause of generosity. Everyone wants to feel wanted, needed, and important. Orthodox Christians who give are inherently generous people and if we can help connect them with our cause we increase the likelihood of the individual making a donation. Raising money for the church theoretically should be very easy, once we understand what’s behind the giving.
Giving to the Church is very different from giving to the Cancer Society or disaster relief. When you give to the Church, God multiplies that gift. He takes our gifts, and then the equation is 1 + 1 = 3 in His eyes. That’s how we multiply our impact; we combine our resources and work together, and God gives the increase..
What have you learned about the Seminary in your time as a trustee that you didn't know before?
Stewarding the whole enterprise that is St Vladimir’s Seminary is much more complex than I imagined; this was apparent to me from my first Board meeting. Hopefully, I can contribute to the compelling vision that is currently guiding Seminary leadership. Training men and women of all ages how to serve Christ through the Church is such an important reason for existence.
Those who work and give their life to the Seminary are amazing people who are filled with the love of Christ. The stellar accomplishments of our Board of Trustees are impressive.
There are so many aspects of the school. For one thing, meeting the requirements and traditions of the various jurisdictions is very complex. As an institution of higher learning, St Vladimir’s Seminary functions as a university with housing departments, community concerns, and classroom experience with highly skilled professors. Additionally, SVOTS administers other programs like Ed Day to bring ongoing educational opportunities to the general Orthodox public, while also producing books and audio resources. Those entrusted with leading the Seminary carry a heavy weight on their shoulders.
How would you describe the key challenges and opportunities the Seminary is facing as we approach the 85th anniversary?
The overriding challenge of not just the Orthodox Church but Christianity in general is the power and influence of secularism. We simply can't avoid it but we can resist its temptations if we are properly instructed both at home and through the Church. While its primary objective is to teach theology, St Vladimir’s Seminary is also looking more seriously at teaching seminarians about leadership, administration, and public speaking. We simply cannot minimize the impact of these three characteristics. A man can be the most pious Orthodox priest, but if he cannot lead and administer, his success at parish life will be limited.
For people considering a gift to SVOTS I would say: You take it for granted that if your priest retires or moves on that there will be someone there to step in. Without St Vladimir’s Seminary, this wouldn't be the case. We also need the resources to reach out to young men, to open their minds to a future life of serving the Church. There are many worthy organizations, but the Church should always come first in our giving.
From your perspective, why should someone consider being a regular donor to St Vladimir’s Seminary?
Today we “compete” with many Christian and non-Christian organizations. We must lay a strong financial foundation for future viability. Every Orthodox Christian will be impacted by the caliber of education and successful formation produced by our seminaries, particularly St Vladimir's Seminary.
And every $25.00 donation is as important as the $100,000 donation! We must all be invested in the future of our faith in America. Generosity comes from the heart—God calls us to be cheerful givers.
With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Great Economos Antony Gabriel, an alumnus of St Vladimir’s Seminary (M.Div. ’62). Fr Antony Gabriel’s priestly ministry spanned six decades, four parishes and a host of Antiochian Archdiocesan organizations. He reposed in the Lord on Wednesday, November 2, in Tucscon, AZ, at the age of 82.
Fr Antony was born in Syracuse, New York. He attended St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) immediately before its relocation from its former housing at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan to the present campus in Yonkers, NY. He studied under foundational SVOTS professors such as Fr Alexander Schmemann, Fr John Meyendorff, Dr Veselin Kesich, and Dr Nicholas Arseniev, and shared a room with Fr Thomas Hopko for a time. Upon the occasion of his retirement in 2015, Fr Antony reflected on his time at St Vladimir’s Seminary in an article for the Antiochian Archdiocesan website, describing daily life in the early days of the Seminary in many poignant and humorous vignettes.
In Montreal, he facilitated the welcomes and relocations of Lebanese refugees from their homeland's "uncivil war," as Fr Antony called it, in the 1980s. He did the same for Syrian refugees fleeing the war in their homeland in the 2010s. St George Church doubled in size to 1,000 families during his tenure, and he helped establishSt Mary Church in Montreal.
Fr Antony often accompanied Metropolitan Philip Saliba to the Middle East. Sayidna Philip led the celebrations ofFr Antony's 50th anniversary in the holy priesthood in 2012. Fr Antonyretired from active ministry in 2015 and moved to Tucson, Arizona.
Funeral services are pending. Please keep Fr Antony in your prayers for the departed and his wife, Kh. Lynn, and their family in your prayers for the living.
May the memory of Fr Antony Gabriel be eternal!
This article was adapted and reprinted from Antiochian.org.
On October 22, over one hundred teens and parents gathered at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) for a Teen Society of Orthodox Youth Organizations (SOYO) retreat, hosted by St Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, NY.
Fr Nicholas Belcher (M.Div. '05, former lecturer on Antiochian Liturgics) gave the primary talk for the retreat, encouraging the teens in living out their faith with the support of a “matrix” of godly friends, teachers, and spiritual advisors. Fr Nicholas is Chair of the Youth & Young Adult Ministry Task Force for the Antiochian Archdiocese, former Dean of Students at Hellenic College Holy Cross, and an experienced counselor and speaker for youth programs and events.
Following the main talk, ten SVOTS seminarians from the Antiochian Archdiocese and three from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) shared their experiences at the Seminary with the teens. The male and female seminarians who spoke represented a diverse cross-section of the SVOTS student body and several of the degree programs offered at St Vladimir’s Seminary. Students introduced themselves, talked about the daily routine at Seminary, and discussed their decision-making process in coming to study at St Vladimir’s.
Dn Joseph Thornburg (3rd year, M.Div.), reemphasized Fr. Nicholas Belcher’s earlier point about cultivating a “matrix of people you can go to, who can speak into your life, and pray with you through the difficult choices” in discerning a possible vocation in Church ministry.
“When you’re doing the thing that God wants you to do, he creates the path for you,” Fr Nicholas Fine (3rd year, M.Div.) remarked, encouraging the teens to seek out their future paths with trust in God.
After a lively discussion with SVOTS seminarians, the retreat participants enjoyed lunch on the seminary grounds and participated in various service projects to help beautify the campus. Service projects included picking up trash along the roadside bordering the campus, as well as putting together furniture.
To close out the day, the group celebrated an early Vespers service in Three Hierarchs Chapel, with the teens joining seminarians in reading and chanting.
Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is now partnering with Ancient Faith Radio to share homilies recorded live during services on campus, in a new podcast called Give Me a Word, Homilies from Three Hierarchs Chapel.
Featured clergy include SVOTS Faculty, honored guests, and students. The podcast is set to be released weekly, offering an opportunity for the wider SVOTS community and alumni to stay in close communion with life here at the Seminary.
Give Me a Word is available to stream via Ancient Faith Radio, or via the Apple Podcasts app.
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) has announced Seminarian Dn Silouan Parchert as the winner of the 5th Annual St Matthias Merit Scholarship Essay Contest.
Seminarians were invited to submit essays for the contest in September 2022. After careful deliberation, the panel of anonymous donors awarded the $3,000 scholarship to Dn Silouan for his essay, titled “God is Greater than our Hearts”.
The essay topic for this year’s contest centered around the potential issues that arise from modern parenting trends towards a “friend” relationship with their children, as opposed to the more traditional “authority figure” relationship. Respondents were asked to discuss the implications of both parenting styles, and to consider what kind of counsel they might give if asked for advice on this matter in the future. Participants were asked to frame their responses in light of the passage from 1 John 3.18–20,
Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
The panel of donors gave specific feedback and praise for each essay submission, and expressed their appreciation for the efforts of all the participants. The decision to award Dn Silouan with the scholarship was thoughtfully made based on several points, especially for his understanding that “a parent can do all that is meet and right as a Christian parent should and be painfully rejected by their own child”. Dn Silouan invites Christian parents to take comfort and inspiration from Christ in prayer, writing,
He knows the pain of giving His very life as an offering, only to be betrayed and abandoned. If we align ourselves with our Savior, then we, as parents, can be strengthened as we set limits, model virtue, honor freedom, and above all pray for our children. Lord, give us strength!
Dn Silouan expressed his gratitude for the St Matthias Merit Scholarship, underscoring how much he and his whole family appreciate the additional support.
“My family and I are incredibly blessed to be receiving this scholarship. We are very grateful for the donors who are helping to fund my education here at St Vladimir’s Seminary,” wrote Dn Silouan. “I also appreciate the opportunity to think deeply about a pastoral matter with which many clergy and leaders within parishes are confronted: how to advise parents on boundary setting vs. leniency, and other difficult parenting topics.”
Dn Silouan is a first-year seminarian in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and is projected to graduate in May 2025. He was ordained a deacon in July 2020, after completing the OCA Diaconal Vocations Program. All Saints of North America Orthodox Church, in Albuquerque, NM is Dn Silouan’s home parish;he is currently attached as a deacon at Three Hierarchs Chapel on the St Vladimir’s Seminary campus. Dn Silouan and his wife, Mat. Emilia, have three children, Colin, Brendan, and Sebastian.
Congratulations, Dn Silouan!
About the St Matthias Merit Scholarship Essay Contest
The St Matthias Merit Scholarship Essay Contest is offered annually, thanks to the generous contributions of a family of anonymous donors. These donors also select the topic of the essay contest each year and develop thorough and thoughtful criteria to determine the winner.
The contest is one of many offerings by the Seminary to help its seminarians graduate tuition-debt free as they go forth to serve the Church. SVOTS also administers need-based tuition grants, need-based scholarships, merit scholarships, continuing education grants, and matching grant opportunities for seminarians. These are made possible thanks to many benefactors who have graciously given funds to St Vladimir’s.
God is Greater than our Hearts, by St Vladimir’s Seminarian Dn Silouan Parchert, was chosen as the winning entry of the 5th Annual St Matthias Merit Scholarship Essay Contest. The anonymous donors who sponsor the contest each year asked participants to reflect on the potential issues that arise from modern parenting trends towards a “friend” relationship with their children, as opposed to the more traditional “authority figure” relationship. Respondents were asked to discuss the implications of both parenting styles, and to consider what kind of counsel they might give if asked for advice on this matter in the future, in light of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John’s instruction to know that “God is greater than our hearts” in 1 John 3.18–20.
God is Greater than our Hearts
What is our ultimate aim for our children? Do we want them to be hard-working and productive members of society as adults? Or better yet, do we want them to be saints? And if we desire sanctity for our children, as all Christian parents should, how do we foster and facilitate growth in Christian virtue? All discussion of parenting must begin with these fundamental questions. It is only with the end in mind that we can properly begin to discuss questions of Christian parenting.
No one would argue that limitations are necessary for daily living. Most adults have responsibilities and therefore make sacrifices for higher purposes, beyond immediate desires. For the Orthodox Christian, asceticism–the practice of self-denial–is how we attain purification from passions and communion with Christ. According to Orthodox parenting expert Dr. Philip Mamalakis, “[w]e venerate our children as icons of Christ by respecting them as persons as we set limits with them.”If we want our children to be saints, then restrictions aren’t optional; they are necessary for the acquisition of virtue.
Some freedom and leniency is also necessary for children, the degree to which will depend largely on maturity. Children need to practice virtue as an act of free will. If we, as parents, overly restrict our children, then we deprive them of opportunities to act generously, kindly, lovingly, etc. Virtue needs to be trained, and not coerced.
It is here that we get to the heart of an important pastoral question: How much stock should we put in being liked or friended by our children? It is important to remember that children are not given to us for our fulfillment. Even if we work at maintaining a peaceful household in accordance with St. Paul’s exhortation (Rom 12.18), we shouldn’t expect that our children will always be friendly with us; to demand such is narcissistic on our part.
Even with the recognition that good parents set boundaries, lead by virtuous example, and honor free-will, there is real pain when our children turn away from us. Parents can take solace in 1 John 3.20: “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” In other words, if we experience pain because of our children’s rejection, God is greater than our pain, and He understands our intentions. Children will break our hearts by rebelling and acting in ways contrary to the Gospel and our wishes. Christ knows our pain, and he knows rejection. He knows the pain of giving His very life as an offering, only to be betrayed and abandoned. If we align ourselves with our Savior, then we, as parents, can be strengthened as we set limits, model virtue, honor freedom, and above all pray for our children. Lord, give us strength!
Dn Silouan is a first-year seminarian in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and is projected to graduate in May 2025. He was ordained a deacon in July 2020, after completing the OCA Diaconal Vocations Program. All Saints of North America Orthodox Church, in Albuquerque, NM is Dn Silouan’s home parish;he is currently attached as a deacon at Three Hierarchs Chapel on the St Vladimir’s Seminary campus. Dn Silouan and his wife, Mat. Emilia, have three children, Colin, Brendan, and Sebastian.
Last month, in a joint ceremony honoring His Holiness, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) of India, several distinguished SVOTS faculty members were also honored by the announcement of faculty chairs, sponsored by long-standing endowments. These faculty awards are a major first step toward SVOTS' goal of creating faculty chairs in the various academic disciplines represented at the Seminary (and other disciplines as SVOTS looks to expand its faculty).
“The creation of faculty chairs, with support from our endowments, will give us more freedom to do other things in addition to expanding the faculty and supporting related programs and degree programs we offer,” Fr. Chad Hatfield, President of Seminary, explained.
Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will hold its 1st Annual Academic Symposium on October 27-29, 2022.
The keynote address is open to the public for in-person and online attendance on Oct. 27, 2022 at 7:00 PM EDT, hosted in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium. The address, given by The Rev. Canon Maxwell E. Johnson, PhD, is entitled: Lex orandi est lex credendi: Alexander Schmemann’s Liturgical Theology in Ecumenical Context. The remainder of the symposium is private, attendance is by invitation only.
Professor Johnson describes his upcoming talk in the following words:
This lecture will provide, first, an overview of Alexander Schmemann's approach to liturgical theology, especially his use of the formula "lex orandi est lex credendi" and his articulation of the Ordo as the basic underlying structure and theology of liturgy, in relationship to the classic articulation of "ut legem credendi lex statuat supplicandi'' of Prosper of Aquitane. The second part will focus on how some contemporary liturgical theologians have used Schmemann's approach to articulate positions which, while seeming to build on him, may actually have misunderstood him. The lecture will conclude with a focus on ecumenism and suggest a new line of liturgical theology and liturgical theologians.
The 1st Annual Academic Symposium at SVOTS focuses on Liturgy and Theology. Seminary Faculty will interact with leading voices in the liturgical studies field from around the world, and have plans to build upon this event by participating in other exchanges, as well as to publish more work in the academic sphere which contributes to Orthodox theological viewpoints on matters of liturgics, patristics, Church history, and biblical studies.
Speakers presenting during the in-house portion of the symposium include Metropolitan Job (Getcha), Fr Thomas Pott, Nina Glibetic, Dn Daniel Galadza, Stig R. Frøyshov, Dn Vitaly Permiakov, Dn Mark Roosien, and Fr Arsenius Mikhail. Portions of the Symposium will be recorded and published on the SVOTS Youtube channel after the conclusion of the event.
About Professor Maxwell Johnson:
The Rev. Canon Maxwell E. Johnson is a noted scholar, author and teacher, as well as professor of liturgical studies at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN. An ordained Lutheran minister, Dr Johnson has a doctorate in theology, with an emphasis in liturgical history, from Notre Dame; he also has master’s degrees in theology from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN, and from Notre Dame. In addition, he has a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA.
Some of Dr Johnson's main research interests include the origins and development of early Christian Liturgy, with a special focus on the early history of the rites of Christian initiation, the early eucharistic liturgy, and the feasts and seasons of the liturgical year. He has published important translations of patristic works from Greek into English, including St Cyril of Jerusalem’sLectures on the Christian Sacraments, published by SVS Press in 2017.
