SVS faculty footprints: Great Lent 2009

The V. Rev. John Behr (right), Dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, presented a Lenten retreat at St. Anthony's Church in Bergenfield, NJ (AOCANA), titled “The Tomb and the Womb: The Birth of Christ in Our Hearts.” The V. Rev. Joseph Allen, parish rector (left) and Fr. John hold a Russian icon of the Virgin of Tenderness, circa, early 18th century. Originally in St. Platon's Russian Orthodox Seminary in Tenafly, NJ, the icon was gifted to St. Anthony's and restored by Fr. Joseph. The icon serves as a link between the parish and the early seminary, which was established in 1912, and reminds the parish of the importance of Orthodox theological education.

The faculty of St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) serve the Orthodox Christian Church worldwide through their research, teaching, writing, and membership in various church ministries. Their activities throughout the globe—which include everything from presenting retreats at local parishes in the U.S. to witnessing to their faith at ecumenical venues—leave memorable “footprints,” as they spread the message of Christ crucified and continue to follow his path.

Footprints far and wide during lenten season

As part of the annual pre-Lenten series at the eminent Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, seminary dean, presented the topic "The Apostle Paul and the Mystery of the Cross” (Feb 18). Additionally, he delivered the homily for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at Ss. Peter and Paul Church (AOCANA) Potomac, MD (Mar 8). On March 14 and 20, respectively, he will act as retreat master at St. Mary Church, Brooklyn, NY and at St. Anthony Church in Bergenfield, NJ (both AOCANA) and will focus on the topic “The Tomb and the Womb: The Birth of Christ in Our Hearts.”

At St. Seraphim of Sarov Church (OCA) in Santa Rosa, CA, SVS Chancellor The Very Rev. Chad Hatfield delivered a homily at vespers, “North American Saints and Missionary Activity” (Feb 25). Additionally, he acted as retreat master at St. George Church (AOCANA) in Houston, TX (Mar7):

He also delivered the homily for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste Mission, Sugarland, TX (Mar 8). From March 12–15, Fr. Chad presented a lenten retreat to the clergy and faithful of the Kuskokwim River Deanery in Alaska (OCA). On March 20, he will present a clergy retreat titled "Renewing Our Priesthood," sponsored by the St. John Chrysostom Clergy Brotherhood of the metro-Detroit area; and on March 21, he will lead a retreat with presentations and reflections based on the lives of the North American Orthodox Saints, at St. Mary Magdalene Church (OCA), Fenton, MI. Finally, on March 28, he will lead a retreat at St. Nicholas Church (AOCANA) in Shreveport, LA.

Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, Associate Professor in Systematic Theology, will act as retreat master on April 4–5, at St. Jacob of Alaska Mission(OCA), Montpelier/Northfield Falls, VT.

Professor Alla Generalow, Director of Liturgical Music, directed a choir workshop at St. Mary’s Antiochian Church, Brooklyn, NY (Feb 28),and traveled with the SVS Men’s Choir March 14 to St. Nicholas Church in Whitestone, NY, and will travel to Christ the Savior Church, for Presanctified Liturgy in Paramus, NJ on April 1 (both OCA).

From March 11-12, 2009, Fr.Alexander Rentel, Assistant Professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies at St.Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, on behalf of the Orthodox Church inAmerica, participated in an Inter-Orthodox consultation in Sofia, Bulgaria. TheBulgarian Patriarchate invited the participants to Sofia for this consultationin response to the January 22, 2009 decision by the European Court of HumanRights in Strasbourg, France (Case of Holy Synod of the Bulgarian OrthodoxChurch (Metropolitan Inokentiy) and Others v. Bulgaria (Applications nos.412/03 and 35677/04)), which ruled against the Bulgarian government in favor ofa schismatic group. Read the full story at http://www.oca.org/news/1795.

Dr. Albert Rossi, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology, presented a retreat titled “Lent and the Christian Family” at St. Michael’sRomanian Orthodox Church, Southbridge, MA (Mar 7) and a retreat titled “Freedom and Boundaries” for alumni of the Crossroads Program at Hellenic College, Brookline, MA on March 21.

The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Tarazi, Professor in Old Testament, will present three lenten retreats: “Almsgiving, Fasting, and Prayer,” St. Paul the Apostle Church (OCA), Las Vegas, NV (Mar 14), ”The Book of Genesis,” Nativity of the Holy Virgin Church (OCA), Charlotte, NC (Mar 21); and “The Death and Resurrection of Christ,” Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church, Chicago, IL (Apr 4).

SVS invites alumni, friends, and supporters to view on our Web site the other upcoming activities of the faculty, and to attend public events that may be held within your locales, through the link “SVS in your area. ” We also invite you to read the works of our faculty, listed in the link “What we’re writing.” Come, join us on the journey!