Index
Overview
Biblical Studies
Historical Studies
Systematic Theology & Ethics
Liturgical Theology
Canon Law
Practical Theology
Religious Education
Liturgical Music
Languages
This Announcement of Courses page was last changed on
Tuesday, 09-Aug-2005 at 06:57 PM EDT.
Overview
Courses numbered 101-199 are "basic entry-level courses" normally required of all students in the MA and MDiv programs. They are intended to provide necessary and sufficient background for most higher level courses (200- and 300-) in the same area. Higher level courses in other areas may also presuppose familiarity with the material covered in these courses. MA and MDiv candidates therefore normally take these courses during their first year of study at the seminary. 100-level courses are given annually.
Courses numbered 201-299 are higher level courses normally required of all students in the MDiv program and elective for students in the MA program. Some, though not all, of these courses have 100-level prerequisites. Most 200-level courses also are given annually.
Courses numbered 301-399 are elective courses open to students in the MDiv and MA programs. Many of these courses have one or more 100-level prerequisites. Most of these courses are rotated on a two- or three-year cycle in order to increase the number of offerings available during a student's time at St Vladimir's. Some, such as those in national church histories, Christian education and liturgical music, are given only when student interest or needs so warrant. Normally a 300-level course will not be given for fewer than four students unless it is needed to fulfill program or jurisdictional requirements. Subject to the conditions enumerated under "Programs of Study," students have the option of taking a number of 300-level courses for either two or three credits. In most cases, a student taking a course for three rather than two credits is expected to complete a major independent project, such as a research paper, under the instructor's supervision in addition to the regular course requirements.
Courses numbered 401-499 are intended for students in the seminary's MTh program. Subject to the conditions enumerated above under "Procedures and Regulations -- Unclassified Students" and, with the recorded permission of the instructor, qualified students from other institutions, may also be admitted.
Courses numbered 501-599 are intended for students in the seminary's Doctor of Ministry program, which accepted its last students in September 2004. An MDiv candidate wishing to take a 500-level course must have the recorded permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and must show (a) the relevance of the course in question to his or her program of studies, and (b) evidence of experience in ministry and/or appropriate study which would permit him or her to participate fully in the course.
A double number -- e.g., 301 (401) or 301 (501) -- indicates that the course in question is given at two levels, with requirements appropriately adjusted to fit the competence and needs of students of two different programs. In most cases, particularly when additional credit is indicated, students taking the course at the 400- or 500- level are expected to do substantially more work than students at the 300- level. For example, a major research paper or independent project may be required of them. Normally such students also meet more frequently with the course instructor, whether as a group or individually.
Courses in non-biblical languages are numbered 010-099. These normally are offered only when student interest or jurisdictional needs so warrant.
While the number of hours a course meets per week usually will correspond to the number of credits given for that course, both class hours and intervals of meeting are determined primarily by the nature of the course's subject matter. For example, a course requiring extensive outside reading or other preparation may meet less frequently than one demanding more in-class participation.
Information about specific course offerings for a given academic year may be obtained from the preceding May onward from the office of the Registrar. Information about course meeting times generally is available at least two or three weeks before the registration period for the semester in question.
Biblical Studies
Biblical Languages 201-202
Credits: 3 per semester / Mr Timothy Clark
Introduction to New Testament Greek. Basic New Testament Greek grammar with exegesis of selected passages.
The full two-semester sequence is needed in order to provide a satisfactory foundation for exegetical competence and further study. Accordingly, no credit may be applied towards the degree unless the second semester has been successfully completed.
Biblical Languages 301-302
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor Paul Tarazi
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. Basic Hebrew grammar with exegesis of selected passages.
The full two-semester sequence is needed in order to provide a satisfactory foundation for exegetical competence and further study. Accordingly, no credit may be applied towards the degree until the second semester has been successfully completed.
Biblical Languages 311 (411)
Credits: 3 (3) credits / Professor John Barnet
Galatians. Close reading of the Greek text.
Prerequisites: BL 201-202, NT 102. This course fulfills the MDiv requirement for a Pauline epistle.
New Testament 102
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Barnet
New Testament introduction. A survey of the formation and content of the New Testament, with interpretation of key passages from the gospels and epistles.
This basic entry course is a prerequisite for all other New Testament courses at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in New Testament upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
New Testament 301 (401)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
John. Introduction to Johannine theology. Structure of the gospel. Major themes to be considered: the person and work of Christ; the Johannine foundation of Trinitarian theology; the Spirit-Paraclete; truth and heresy in the Johannine community.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Students taking the course for three credits will complete an exegetical project requiring a working knowledge of Greek (BL 201-202 or equivalent).
New Testament 312 (412)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Barnet
Matthew. Introduction to Matthean theology. Detailed exegesis of the major discourses. Parable of the sower as structural and thematic center of the Gospel. Major themes to be considered: unfaith of Israel, little faith of disciples, and great faith of gentile supplicants.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Students taking the course for three credits will complete an exegetical project requiring a working knowledge of Greek (BL 201-202 or equivalent).
New Testament 313 (413)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Luke-Acts. The Gospel and Acts studied as a two-volume narrative. Introduction to Lukan theology. The course concentrates on passages dealing with the role of the Spirit in the birth and mission of Jesus and the Church.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Students taking the course for three credits will complete an exegetical project requiring a working knowledge of Greek (BL 201-202 or equivalent).
New Testament 315 (415)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Barnet
Romans. Introduction to Pauline theology. Detailed exegesis of chapters 1-11. Major themes to be considered include Abraham and Christ, Law and Gospel, the one gospel for both Jews and Gentiles, and Jewish rejection of the gospel.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Students taking the course for three credits will complete an exegetical project requiring a working knowledge of Greek (BL 201-202 or equivalent).
New Testament 316 (416)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Barnet
I and II Corinthians. Introduction to Pauline theology. Paul's pastoral response to the problems in Corinth. Major themes to be considered include Church community in function of the Lordship of Christ and the relationship of Paul's apostleship to the gospel.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Students taking the course for three credits will complete an exegetical project requiring a working knowledge of Greek (BL 201-202 or equivalent).
New Testament 322 (422)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Apocalyptic literature in the New Testament. Apocalypticism and the apocalyptic movement in second-century B.C.--first-century A.D. Palestine. Literary and theological characteristics of the literature. Careful reading of Daniel, I and II Thessalonians, Mark 13 and Revelation. Particular attention will be given to Revelation: its structure, use of symbols, visions of God and Christ.
New Testament 381 (481)
Credits: 3 (3) credits / Professor John Barnet
I and II Thessalonians. Close reading of the Greek text.
Prerequisites: BL 201-202, NT 102. This course fulfills the MDiv requirement for a Pauline epistle.
New Testament 393 (493)
Credits: 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr and Professor John Barnet
Scripture and its exegesis. A seminar on Christian engagement with Scripture, investigating how Scripture was understood and interpreted in the "pre-critical" period, including the intra-scriptural exegesis deployed within the Law, Psalms and Prophets, the apostolic use of Scripture, and the appropriation of that apostolic deposit in patristic exegesis and liturgical hymnography; in the "modern" period, with its concern for historicity reconstructed through a variety of historical-critical methodologies; and finally the possiblity of a "post-modern" reappropriation of the "pre-critical" position. Issues of "inspiration," "canon" and "tradition" also will be examined.
Prerequisites: OT 101, NT 102, PA 201. Enrollment limited to twelve students.
New Testament 451-452
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor John Barnet or Professor Paul Tarazi
Guided reading and research.
Old Testament 101
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Old Testament introduction. History of ancient Israel, with a survey of the development and growth of Old Testament literature. The course also stresses a thorough knowledge of the content of the Old Testament.
This basic entry course is a prerequisite for all other Old Testament courses at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in Old Testament upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Old Testament 301 (401)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
The Psalms and wisdom literature. Study of sets of psalms with a bearing on New Testament theology. Wisdom and wisdom literature in ancient Israel.
Old Testament 302 (402)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Genesis. After general consideration of the sources and structure of Genesis, this course will involve detailed exegesis of either chapters 1-11 (creation accounts) or chapters 12-36 (patriarchal narratives).
Prerequisites: OT 101.
Old Testament 303 (403)
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Exodus. Consideration of position and function of Exodus in the Pentateuch. Detailed exegesis of chapters 1-24.
Prerequisites: OT 101.
Old Testament 304 (404)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Hosea. The call of Hosea and his message. The love of God for unfaithful Israel. The school of Hosea as originator of biblical prophetism.
Prerequisites: OT 101. Hebrew required for those taking the course for three credits.
Old Testament 311 (411)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Isaiah. The call of Isaiah and his message. Detailed exegesis of chapters 1-12 and 36-66. Isaian tradition as the application of the prophet's message to a later people in changed circumstances.
Prerequisites: OT 101.
Old Testament 313 (413)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Tarazi
Ezekiel. The call of Ezekiel and his message. The role of Ezekiel in shaping nascent Judaism's understanding of the Lord as universal God. Ezekiel's radical rereading of Israel's past in light of emergent universal monotheism.
Prerequisites: OT 101.
Old Testament 451-452
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Tarazi or Professor John Barnet
Guided reading and research.
Historical Studies
Church History 101
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Erickson
History of the Church from its beginnings to the 8th century. An orientation to the principal issues and bibliography of early church history: Persecution and martyrdom, the struggle against heresy, the Church in the Christian Roman Empire, Fathers and councils.
This basic entry course, along with Church History 102, is a prerequisite for most higher level courses in church history and patristics at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in church history or patristics upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information given concerning advanced standing and transfer given above under "Programs of Study."
Church History 102
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
History of the Church from the 8th through the 20th century. An orientation to the principal issues and bibliography of medieval and modern Orthodox church history. Iconoclasm and its aftermath, Byzantine Christendom, the schism of East and West, the Slavic churches, the Turkish period, emergence of the Orthodox churches into the modern world.
This basic entry course, along with Church History 101, is a prerequisite for most higher level courses in church history and patristics at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in church history or patristics upon recommendation of the course instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Church History 301 (401)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Erickson
History of Christianity in the West. Development of distinctly Western forms of Christian thought and institutions in the Middle Ages. The crisis of the Reformation period. Transformations of Christianity in the modern world. From modernity to post-modernity.
Church History 324 (424)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
Turning points in Byzantine church history. An examination of points in the history of the Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire that left an indelible mark on the Church. Special emphasis on reading original sources in translation. Topics to be included: Council in Trullo, Iconoclasm, the Studite Revolution, Monastic reform of the 11-12th centuries, Church government in exile, and the prevalence of the monastic tradition.
Prerequisites: CH 102.
Church History 344 (444)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Staff
History of the Church of Antioch. The Church of Antioch from its foundations through the 20th century. Historical and social peculiarities of Arab and Antiochian Christianity. The ethnic and theological origins of Christianity in the Eastern Mediterranean. Antioch and the rise of Islam. The Church of Antioch under the Turkocratia. The Melkite schism. Developments since the election of Patriarch Meletios Doumani in 1898.
Church History 346 (446)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
Issues in Russian church history. A seminar on intellectual trends and institutional developments in the Russian Orthodox Church from the Middle Ages to the present.
Prerequisites: CH 101-102. A reading knowledge of Russian is encouraged. Enrollment limited to twelve students.
Church History 361 (461)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Erickson
Orthodox Christianity in North America. The Alaskan missionary foundations. Patterns of immigration and community development: diversity and unity. The post-World War I establishment of national jurisdictions. The post-World War II break-up into ideological jurisdictions. The quest for Orthodox unity in America. The present situation.
Students taking the course for three credits will undertake a supervised oral history project.
Church History 368 (468)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Erickson
Issues in 20th-century Orthodoxy. After an historical introduction to the new challenges posed for Orthodoxy by the collapse of the old order in Ottoman Turkey and Russia after World War I, the course will focus on the major documents relating to such issues as Orthodox involvement in the ecumenical movement and bilateral dialogues, the Great and Holy Council, the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Orthodox Church today, and cultural adaptation in the "diaspora." The impact of recent changes in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe: New opportunities and new temptations.
Church History 372 (472)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Orthodoxy and ecumenism. This course examines Orthodox Church relations with other Christians, from historical, theological, and practical perspectives. It accounts for and evaluates bilateral and multilateral relationships through history, the modern ecumenical movement, and councils of churches. The problems and the possibilities of inter-Christian dialogue and activity are explored with frequent reference to contemporary Orthodox critiques of the ecumenical movement.
Church History 451-452
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor John Erickson or Professor Alexander Rentel
Guided reading and research.
Patristics 201
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
Patristic literature from the beginnings through the 4th century. The great Christian theologians of the ante-Nicene era: Ignatius, Justin, Irenaeus, Clement, Origen and Origenism, Tertullian, Cyprian. Trinitarian controversy in the 4th century: St Athanasius and the Cappadocian Fathers. The monastic tradition: Evagrius and Macarius. St John Chrysostom. The Fathers of the Latin West: St Hilary, St Jerome, St Ambrose, St Augustine.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 202
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
Patristic literature from the 5th century through the 14th century. The Christological dispute in the 5th century: St Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret. Christology in the 6th century: Leontius of Byzantium. The mystical tradition: Pseudo-Dionysius. St Maximus the Confessor. Byzantine theology: St Symeon the New Theologian and St Gregory Palamas.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 313 (413)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
St Irenaeus. A detailed study of various aspects of the theology of St Irenaeus (scriptural exegesis, triadology, Christology, creation, anthropology) in the context of the 2nd century.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 317 (417)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
St Athanasius and the Trinitarian controversy of the 4th century. The life and work of St Athanasius seen against the background of the Arian controversy, the development of Trinitarian theology, and the councils of the 4th century.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 322 (422)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
The concept of Tradition. After examining modern Orthodox ideas on the concept and function of Tradition in the Church, this course will go back to study the early sources, from the Apostolic Fathers to St Basil's On the Holy Spirit. The conflict between the Gnostic, the Hellenistic and the Christian perceptions of community and tradition.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 361 (461)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
Early monasticism. This course surveys the rise of monasticism in 4th-century Egypt, on the basis of primary texts such as the Gerontikon, the Pachomian writings and the Life of Anthony. It also considers various themes such as the passions and the virtues, obedience to one's Abba, and the notion of community.
Patristics 362 (462)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
The theology and spirituality of the Cappadocian Fathers. The activity and theology of St Basil, St Gregory the Theologian and St Gregory of Nyssa. Our knowledge of God and participation in Him. Trinitarian theology. The pneumatology, ascetical writings and ecclesiology of St Basil. The spirituality and anthropology of St Gregory of Nyssa. The encounter with Hellenism in St Gregory Nazianzen.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 366 (466)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
Asceticism and sexuality in early Christianity. After considering some modern presentations of early Christian asceticism, its historical context and theological perspectives, the course will examine early patristic writers to see how they articulated Christian asceticism and the place of sexuality within it.
Patristics 367 (467)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
St Gregory Palamas and the Byzantine hesychastic tradition. The theology of experience, sacraments, deification. The course will consider such themes as the role of the spiritual father, the Jesus Prayer, the role of the body in prayer, the vision of light, and the essence-energies distinction as these were elaborated in the 9th-14th centuries, with reference also to the earlier Macarian and Evagrian traditions.
Prerequisites: CH 102.
Patristics 371 (471)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite. A seminar on a theologian whose influence upon the theology and life of the Church is undeniably huge, particularly in the areas of liturgy, cosmology, and mystical theology. After surveying the sources of his thought and closely examining the body of his writings, the course will explore aspects of his influence over the centuries.
Prerequisites: CH 101. Enrollment limited to twelve students.
Patristics 372 (472)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
Origen. A detailed study of "the whetstone of us all" (St Gregory the Theologian), looking at his background in Alexandria, the conflict with the Gnostics and the developing ecclesiastical structures there; his theology, exegetical, systemic and spiritual; and his legacy, its positive appropriation and condemnation.
Prerequisites: CH 101.
Patristics 373 (473)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
St Maximus the Confessor. A seminar course focused on a close reading of the primary texts (in translation -- though some knowledge of Greek will be helpful). Texts to be studied include: "Two Centuries on Theology and the Incarnate Dispensation of the Son of God," "The Church's Mystagogy," the "Commentary on Our Father," and selected "Ambigua" and "Questions to Thalassius."
Prerequisites: CH 101. Enrollment limited to twelve students.
Patristics 451-452
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor John Behr or Professor Peter Bouteneff
Guided reading and research.
Systematic Theology & Ethics
Dogmatic Theology 101-102
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Survey of Christian doctrine. After examining the nature and task of theology, and how we read the sources and expressions of theology in the Church's Tradition, this course cycle describes and reflects on the teachings in the Orthodox Church about God and creation, the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, the human person, the Vigin Mary, sin, salvation and redemption, the Church, and the age to come.
This sequence of basic entry courses is a prerequisite for many higher level courses in dogmatic theology at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute higher level courses in dogmatic theology, spirituality or ethics upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Dogmatic Theology 311 (411)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Behr
The Trinity: Classic models and contemporary reflection. The roots of triadology in Scripture. The formulation of the characteristic Eastern/Cappadocian and Western/Augustinian models and their trajectories into late Byzantium and Scholasticism, including the issue of the filioque. Problems and themes in contemporary authors.
Prerequisites: DT 101-102.
Dogmatic Theology 313 (413)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
The Church through the centuries. What is the Church? What teachings about the Church can be gleaned from a study of Tradition? By reading Christian authors from St Ignatius of Antioch to Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon as well as through analysis of the phenomenon of Christian division over the centuries, this course will explore how the Church has understood and presented itself, both to its own members and to those outside its canonical fold.
Dogmatic Theology 341 (441)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor John Behr
Theological anthropology. Human beings as made in the image and likeness of God. Body, soul, spirit. Human sexuality. The humanity of Jesus Christ. Anthropological dimensions of Orthodox Mariology.
Prerequisites: DT 101-102.
Dogmatic Theology 342 (442)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
The humanity of Christ. The early Christian centuries were concerned primarily with defending the full divinity of Christ. Conciliar statements about His humanity are fewer and less precise. Studying scriptural, patristic, liturgical and iconographic sources, this course will explore the ways in which the Church teaches that Christ was fully human. It also explores ecumenical dimensions of the Christological problem.
Prerequisites: DT 101-102.
Dogmatic Theology 344 (444)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Christology in dialogue. The Church's teaching about Jesus Christ have always been worked out in dialogue and dispute between parties who, in hindsight, have been labeled "Orthodox" and "Heretics." Reviewing and discussing the dialogical nature of the formation of doctrine, this course will focus upon the Christological dialogue between Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian churches, from the fifth century to the present day.
Dogmatic Theology 353 (453)
Credits: 3 / Fr Calinic Berger
Mysticism and Asceticism: The Knowledge of God in Dumitru Staniloae. An overview of the theological principles of gnoseology (person/nature, Logos-logoi, essence-energy), the forms of knowledge of God (cataphatic, apophatic and existential; divine revelation); and their real-life acquisition (through the process of purification, illumination and deification; the role of human faculties, egotism, asceticism, contemplation and prayer). Prerequisites: DT 101-102. Enrollment limited to 12 students.
Dogmatic Theology 356 (456)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Contextual theologies. Every written and spoken expression of theology arises out of a particular context. But what of the recent theologies which are explicitly defined by their context? Theologies shaped by themes (e.g., Liberation, Feminist and Black theologies) and by regional context (e.g., Asian and African theologies) will be explored in terms of their respective settings, characteristics and significance.
Dogmatic Theology 376 (476)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Religious themes in film. The meeting place between high art and popular culture, cinema became arguably the most influential art form of the 20th century. This course will analyze ways in which religious themes are treated--explicitly as well as implicitly--in modern film and other popular media.
Dogmatic Theology 451-452
Credits: 3 per semester / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Guided reading and research.
Spirituality 301 (401)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
The practice of prayer in the Eastern Christian tradition. This course looks at theological and practical aspects of prayer, as practiced and taught in the Orthodox Church. It discusses liturgical and personal prayer, psalmody, reading, meditation, the formulation of a rule of prayer, the Jesus Prayer, as well as some of the problems of prayer in our contemporary setting.
Spirituality 312 (412)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Hagiology. This course discusses the place of the saints and their written lives in the life of the Church. Through looking at specific saints' lives, and through examining the categories of sanctity that have emerged in the life of the Church, this course seeks to cultivate a right relationship with the vitae of the saints, and with the saints themselves.
Spirituality 313 (413)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Peter Bouteneff
Virtues and vices. Reading and discussion of selected texts of ascetical and mystical writers in Christian East and West on the virtues and vices in the spiritual life.
Spirituality 364
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Bishop Savas (Zembillas)
Looking for God in modern culture. A critical evaluation of and engagement with popular culture, with an emphasis on film (The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, The Passion of the Christ), television (The Simpsons, The Sopranos, Reality TV), and fiction (The Da Vinci Code).
Liturgical Theology
Liturgical Art 311 (411)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Visiting Professor Richard Schneider
History and theology of the icon. Historical development, content, form, language and liturgical context of the icon in the Orthodox Church. The visual dimension of liturgy and prayer. How to "read" an image. Links to verbal texts, architectural and liturgical contexts, and recent secondary literature. Methodological considerations in the study of iconography.
Liturgical Art 333 (433)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Visiting Professor Richard Schneider
Orthodox iconology in the context of general culture. Christianity as a visual culture. Through historical examples of Christian imagery, the course explores the role and meaning of visible expressions of Orthodox faith in the world at large and how faith and the general social context interpenetrate and influence each other.
Liturgical Art 342 (442)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Visiting Professor Richard Schneider
Architecture and Liturgy. Orthodox liturgical and sacramental ritual requires an architecture to define and identify "sacred space." This course will analyze key monuments representing many forms and genres which Orthodox architecture has utilized throughout history. It will also study large-scale iconographic programming as a key element in the definition of that "sacred space."
Liturgical Theology 101
Credits: 2 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
Introduction to liturgical theology. The sources, methods and task of liturgical theology. The daily, weekly and annual cycles of worship and their liturgical books. The church building. Vespers and matins.
This basic entry course, along with Liturgical Theology 102, is a prerequisite for most higher level courses in liturgical theology at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in liturgical theology upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Liturgical Theology 102
Credits: 2 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
The liturgy of initiation. Baptism and chrismation. The eucharist.
This basic entry course, along with Liturgical Theology 101, is a prerequisite for most higher level courses in liturgical theology at St Vladimir's. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in liturgical theology upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Liturgical Theology 323 (423)
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
History of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. Survey of the history of the prayers and ritual of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. Overview and taxonomy of the sources; history of the early printed books of the Divine Liturgy; the prothesis; enarxis: antiphons, entrance rite, scripture readings, litanies; pre-anaphoral rites: Great Entrance, litany, Creed; Anaphora; Pre-communion; Communion; Dismissal; special features of the hierarchical liturgy.
Prerequisites: LT 102.
Liturgical Theology 325 (425)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
History of the Office. A survey of the origin and development of daily prayer in East and West, focusing particularly on the history of the Byzantine office. The course will include field trips to experience modern adaptations of the office.
Prerequisites: LT 101.
Liturgical Theology 331 (431)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
The sanctification of life. Confession and penance. Monastic tonsure. Marriage. Healing. Consecration of churches. Sanctification of matter. The liturgy of death.
Liturgical Theology 342 (442)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
The church year. The Christian concept of time. Sunday and the Sabbath. The paschal, Christmas, Marian and sanctoral cycles. The historical development of Byzantine hymnography.
Liturgical Theology 346 (446)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
Byzantine hymnography. After a survey of both the history of Christian hymnography and the Lenten Triodion, the class will study the hymnography of the Lenten Triodion from different perspectives: theological, dogmatic, questions related to historicism, the different literary genres of hymns, etc.
Liturgical Theology 362 (462)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
Early Christian worship. A seminar on the early development of liturgy, based on the chief documents of the period: the Didache, Apostolic Tradition, Didascalia, Apostolic Constitutions, Egeria, the mystagogical catecheses, etc.
Prerequisites: LT 101-102. Enrollment limited to twelve students.
Liturgical Theology 373 (473)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
Introduction to Oriental Liturgies. An historical and comparative study of the major Oriental liturgical traditions (Chaldean/East Syrian, Armenian, Coptic/Alexandrian, West Syrian as well as Byzantine). Structural similarities and differences in the daily, weekly and annual liturgical cycles.
Liturgical Theology 392 (492)
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
The understanding of the liturgy. A seminar on the development of liturgical commentaries. The early development of biblical exegesis and its application to liturgical rites. Readings from Origen, the 4th-century mystagogical catecheses, Pseudo-Dionysius, Maximus, Germanus, the Protheoria, Cabasilas, and Symeon of Thessalonica.
Prerequisites: LT 101-102. Enrollment limited to twelve students, with preference given to those knowing Greek.
Liturgical Theology 451-452
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff or Professor Alexander Rentel
Guided reading and research.
Liturgical Theology 522
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Paul Meyendorff
The Divine Liturgy yesterday and today. A historical survey of the eucharistic liturgy, with particular emphasis on how the liturgy has changed and on the pastoral effects of these changes. The roles of the celebrant, the choir or cantor, the laity. Contemporary pastoral connection of the eucharist with other sacraments. The dilemma of liturgical reform.
MDiv candidates, to a maximum of five, who have completed Liturgical Theology 101-102 or the equivalent and have had practical experience in some aspect of liturgy may enroll with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Canon Law
Canon Law 203
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
The Orthodox canonical tradition. Methodology and interpretation. Formation of the canoncial tradition. Church structures: the bishop, the diocese, metropolitans, and patriarchs, structures for communion between the Churches and primacy. Contemporary issues in the sacramental life of the Church: baptism and chrismation, and the reception of converts; marriage and divorce; ordained ministry.
Canon Law 312 (412)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel and Professor Peter Bouteneff
Ecclesiology and church order. Explores the necessary connection between the principles of Orthodox ecclesiology and the canonical norms which govern the life of the Church. Issues investigated include the structure of the local churches and their mutual bonds; regional and universal primacies; and factors contributing to failures and shortcomings in the application of canonical principles to concrete situations.
Canon Law 324 (424)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
Ordination, ministry, and the canonical tradition. An examination of the Orthodox liturgical and canonical tradition in order to understand the function, role, and nature of clerical orders in the Church. Among the topics to be discussed: the various rites of ordination, historical development of clerical offices, liturgical ministry, and clergy in the canonical literature.
Canon Law 332 (432)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Professor Alexander Rentel
The formation of the canoncial tradition. The development of the canonical tradition of the Orthodox Church from the early counciliar legislation of the third century through the Corpus Antiochenum, to the early Greek compilations of the time of Justinian, to the medieval Greek and Slavonic compilations, to the late-Byzantine compilations and the early Slavonic versions, to the modern printed editions. Emphasis will be paid to the ways that compilations have influenced interpretation of the canons.
Canon Law 541
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Erickson and Professor Albert Rossi
Marriage in Orthodox reflection and practice. Explores marriage from the diverse perspectives of biblical studies, liturgy, canon law and pastoral care. Topics to be discussed include preparation for marriage, intra-Christian and inter-religious marraiges, parenting and sexuality, divorce and remarriage, and marriage of clergy.
Prerequisites: CL 203. MDiv candidates, to a maximum of five, who have completed Canon Law 203 or the equivalent may enroll with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Practical Theology
Homiletics 201
Credits: 2 credits / Staff
Preaching in the Church. This course offers a pastoral theological vision intended to inspire and undergird Christ-centered, Scriptural preaching in Orthodox liturgical settings. Practical skills of biblical interpretation for preaching, homiletic arrangement and style, and basic delivery techniques will be emphasized. Students will prepare and preach homilies in class and in various liturgical settings.
Homiletics 301
Credits: 3 credits / Professor John Barnet
Preaching Luke. Examination of the relationship between exegesis and preaching. Role of the sermon, exegesis and its limits, and effective preaching. Each week students exegete texts of the Lukan lectionary.
Prerequisites: NT 102. Enrollment limited to ten students. This course fulfills the MDiv requirement for a Gospel.
Practical Theology 205
Credits: 3 credits / Fr Paul Lazor
Introduction to pastoral theology. Theoretical analysis of priesthood, ministry and pastoral care in Christian tradition and contemporary church life. Practical application of Christian vision and experience to issues of priestly ordination, service and pastoral care in the Orthodox Church today. Church organization, administration and finance. Inter-Orthodox, ecumenical and social action.
Practical Theology 206
Credits: 3 credits / Fr Paul Lazor
Issues in pastoral ministry. Ethical issues relating to pastoral care, spiritual guidance, psychotherapy and counseling. Confession and spiritual direction. Sickness, death and grief. Sexuality, marriage and family. Bioethical issues. Addictions and recovery programs. Community development.
Practical Theology 211
Credits: 2 credits / Fr Paul Lazor or instructors assigned according to jurisdictional needs
The priest as liturgical celebrant. The Divine Liturgy and its celebration by the priest, deacon and other servers. Its celebration by the bishop. The preparation of readers and singers. Confession and its relation to communion.
Practical Theology 212
Credits: 2 credits / Fr Paul Lazor or instructors assigned according to jurisdictional needs
The priest and the Typikon. Vespers and matins. The use of the liturgical calendar. Feast days and their classification. The lenten and paschal cycle. Conversion, baptism and chrismation. The rite of marriage. Ministry to the sick. Services for the dead. The funeral.
Practical Theology 371
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Luke Veronis
Mission and evangelism: An Orthodox perspective. This introductory survey places special emphasis on the theology, history and praxis of mission in various contexts, from 9th-century Moravia to 20th-century Africa and post-communist Eastern Europe. Contemporary issues in evangelization are explored in the light of the Church's missiological tradition.
Practical Theology 373
Credits: 2 credits / Fr Luke Veronis
Creating a missions-minded parish. The theology of mission that needs to be cultivated in every Orthodox parish. Special emphasis on how the local parish can participate in local, national, and global missions, offering practical ideas and methods. Focus on case studies of dynamic parishes and ministries throughout the country.
Practical Theology 521
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Albert Rossi
Gerontology. A seminar on aging and the aged: the general problem, an Orthodox pastoral response. Exploration of the various familial, societal and personal processes in which the older person finds himself.
MDiv candidates, to a maximum of five, may enroll with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Practical Theology 522
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Albert Rossi
Thanatology. Investigates pastoral concerns centering on the Christian response to death and dying: ministering to persons with incurable diseases; death and children; bereavement and grieving; widowhood and separation. Some consideration will also be given to liturgical questions and funeral practices.
MDiv candidates, to a maximum of five, may enroll with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Practical Theology 532
Credits: 3 credits / Professor Albert Rossi
Aspects of counseling in the parish setting. The course will seek to familiarize students with some of the more practical issues associated with counseling in the parish setting, such as: the nature of the counseling process, listening, assessing problems and symptoms, making interpretations and recommendations, offering advice, referring to outside resources, confidentiality, and record keeping.
MDiv candidates, to a maximum of five, may enroll with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Religious Education
Religious Education 202
Credits: 2 credits / Professor Al Rossi
Introduction to Orthodox Christian education. A distinctively Orthodox introduction to educational theory and practice, applied to the principle of total parish education. Includes a brief overview of selected learning theories. In addition, the course will introduce the students into the actual practice of teaching religious concepts to children, adolescents, and adults.
This course is normally required of all MDiv candidates and of all MA candidates specializing in Christian education. A student who has completed equivalent study at other institutions may be exempted from it or permitted to substitute a higher level course in religious education upon recommendation of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, after examination of his or her academic record and, when necessary, appropriate testing. See also the information concerning advanced standing and transfer credit given above under "Programs of Study."
Religious Education 302
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Staff
Methods and models of teaching. Specific teaching methods in the church school are analyzed and practiced. By means of lecture, seminar and practice teaching, teaching skills will be covered. The course will also explore the uses of audio-visual techniques and devices.
Religious Education 311
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Staff
Curriculum development and resources. Theories of curriculum development and philosophies of planning as they affect parish-wide program development. Current curriculum materials and functioning of various Orthodox jurisdictions in North America will be considered.
Religious Education 314
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Mark Leondis
Designing programs and instruction for parish education. Development of units of study for various parish educational programs: church school, summer camps, adult catechesis (bible study, lenten themes, etc.), and youth groups. Special attention will be given to the development of catechism for various liturgical cycles of the ecclesiastical year.
Religious Education 322
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Mark Leondis
Adolescent development and faith life. Social and emotional aspects of growth in adolescents is considered in relation to developing the life of faith. Contemporary research (Piaget, Erikson, Kohlberg) and its application to the development of an effective educational ministry by and for the adolescent in an Orthodox setting. The course will seek to develop criteria for parish programs to meet the needs of youth and encourage their responsible participation in church life
Religious Education 323
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Mark Leondis
Education for adult witness and service. Formal and informal methods of adult education in the Church. Adult life cycles and needs and types of adult learners. Program development for stewardship, lay ministries, community service, witness, outreach, and evangelism. Special attention will be given to training lay volunteers for leadership responsibility and service in the parish, including training parish council members, lay volunteers, youth workers, and more.
Religious Education 325
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Mark Leondis
Understanding youth culture: Strategies for ministry. Examination of various aspects of youth culture: music, television, technology, and new media. Implications for Orthodox youth ministry today, with special emphasis on effective use of media.
Religious Education 326
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Fr Mark Leondis
The Fundamentals of Youth Ministry. From organizing youth group meetings, locating parental release and medical forms, starting a youth ministry from scratch, recruiting volunteers, this practical course will explore the fundamental aspects of being prepared to work with young people in the parish setting. It will assist the student in implementing a strategic plan of action for creating or sustaining a vibrant parish youth ministry.
Religious Education 333
Credits: 2 or 3 credits / Staff
Family life ministry. The educational function of the family in the Orthodox Church. Historical development of the family unit, conditions of the American family today, and the ideal of the family as community. The course will seek to encourage a skills approach to family processes as a means of enhancing family life and opening it to the parish and community of which it is a part.
Prerequisites: RE 202.
Religious Education 351-352
Credits: 3 per semester / Staff
Guided reading and research. Guided study in religious education normally culminating in a major research paper or project demonstrating the student's general competence and ability to work independently in the field of Orthodox Christian education.
Open only to MA candidates specializing in Christian education who have completed at least two full semesters of appropriate course work at the seminary.
Liturgical Music
Liturgical Music 201
Credits: 2 credits / Dn Kevin Smith
Fundamentals of music. Notation of rhythm and pitch. Supplementary musical symbols, tonality, scales and key signatures. Important terms in music. Sightreading.
Students already having a basic knowledge of notation and sightreading may, with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, substitute another course in liturgical music, whether at the 200- or 300-level.
Liturgical Music 212
Credits: 2 credits / Dn Kevin Smith
Contemporary Russian chant. Study of the "Octoechos" tones. Music for the services of the daily, weekly and yearly liturgical cycles. The Requiem and the Service of Thanksgiving.
Jurisdictional requirement for most MDiv candidates of the Orthodox Church in America. Students already having a working knowledge of contemporary Russian chant (Bakhmetev) may, with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, substitute another course in liturgical music, whether at the 200- or 300-level.
Liturgical Music 221-222
Credits: 2 per semester / Fr Elias Bitar
Contemporary Byzantine chant. Study of the "Octoechos" tones. Music for the services of the daily, weekly and yearly liturgical cycles. Hymns for special services, including baptism, marriage and the funeral.
Jurisdictional requirement for MDiv candidates of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese.
Liturgical Music 231-232
Credits: 2 per semester / Staff
Contemporary Serbian chant. Study of the tonal system in use today in the Serbian Orthodox Church. Music for Vespers, Matins and the Divine Liturgy. Music for the services of Lent, Holy Week and Pascha. Music for special services, including baptism, marriage and the funeral.
Jurisdictional requirement for MDiv candidates of the Serbian Orthodox dioceses in North America.
Liturgical Music 313
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Composition I. The nature, purpose, and function of Orthodox liturgical music. Techniques in melodic, polyphonic, and diatonic harmonic construction. Study of text-setting and textual structures. Problems in composing for solo voice and choir. Establishing thematic material and achieving musical cohesion within a composition. The task of understanding traditional liturgical music structures and practices.
Liturgical Music 314
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Composition II. The form and function of liturgical music in specific services. The task of composing music in sets. The study of the associative powers of music and its implication for liturgy. The diatonic and chromatic harmonization of chant melodies. Use of transposition, non-harmonic chords, and complex harmonies. The task of the church composer today.
Prerequisites: LM 313 or its equivalent, including proficiency in counterpoint and diatonic harmony.
Liturgical Music 315
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Composition III. Techniques in musical analysis regarding melody, polyphony, harmony, rhythm, text, and structure, and how these forms of analysis illuminate the compositional process. Identifying and understanding musical style through contextual and comparative analysis. The problems of arranging pre-existing settings into English. The function and creation of tones in the octoechos. Analysis of canonical chant systems.
Prerequisites: LM 314 or its equivalent, including compositional skill in choral melodic, polyphonic, and harmonic construction.
Liturgical Music 321-322
Credits: 2 per semester / Dn Kevin Smith and Mrs Helen Erickson
Choral conducting. Choral rehearsal and conducting techniques are developed through individual and group practice in supervised sessions. In the first semester emphasis is placed on metric beat patterns, musical phrasing, and interpretation of a variety of liturgical styles. Settings from the Divine Liturgy are used to give students an opportunity to deal with problems frequently encountered in choral singing. The second semester concentrates on the conducting of liturgical chant, with special emphasis on irregular or asymetrical rhythmic patterns as found in chant settings for the services of the Lenten and Paschal seasons.
Given annually.
Liturgical Music 325
Credits: 2 credits / Fr Elias Bitar
Byzantine notation. Basic principles of Byzantine notation as currently in use in the Orthodox Church.
Liturgical Music 326
Credits: 2 credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Choral diction. Standard English diction and problems peculiar to Orthodox liturgical singing. Practical exercises for the parish choir. Studies in vocal color.
Prerequisites: LM 321-322.
Liturgical Music 328
Credits: 3 credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Choral leadership. Choosing appropriate repertoire for church services. Preparing, scheduling, and running efficient rehearsals. Learning how to choose/compose and run choral warm-ups and to coach ensemble intonation, articulation, and vocal technique. Training readers and teaching choirs new settings. Communicating clearly as a conductor. Applying liturgical principles to conducting and educating choir members.
Prerequisites: LM 321-322 or the equivalent level of training and/or experience in conducting.
Liturgical Music 331-332
Credits: 2 per semester / Staff
Music and liturgical structures. The first semester concentrates on the structure and hymns of Vespers, Matins and the Divine Liturgy, and the second on those of Lent, Holy Week, the Paschal cycle and the Christmas-Epiphany cycle.
Liturgical Music 343 (443)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) / Dn Kevin Smith
Historical Survey of Liturgical Music: This course features guided listening, performance, and analysis, of significant liturgical works from both East and West, from early chants to contemporary compositions. Lectures and musical examples focus on how music, text, and rite impinge upon the liturgical dimension of music as understood in various times and places, leading to the continuum of understanding that exists today.
Liturgical Music 344 (444)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Staff
History of Christian chant. Hebrew, Early Christian and Byzantine liturgical music. Byzantine poetical forms and chants of the 5th-8th centuries. Old Roman and Gregorian chant. Early Russian and Balkan chant systems. Early and middle Byzantine notational systems. The course will emphasize transcription and analysis of representative works.
Liturgical Music 345 (445)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Russian Church Music I. Znamenny and Kievan chants. Development of local monastic chants. Medieval Russian polyphony. The beginnings of Western influence: Diletsky and his followers. Analysis and performance of representative works, with comparison to contemporary developments in the West.
Liturgical Music 346 (446)
Credits: 2 or 3 (3) credits / Mr Mark Bailey
Russian Church Music II. The Petersburg School and its influence in 19th- and 20th-century Russian church music. The Moscow Synodal School: The patriarchal singers, Smolensky, Kastalsky, Kallinikov, Chesnokov. Church music in the Russian emigration. Analysis and performance of representative works, with comparison to contemporary developments in the West.
Liturgical Music 351-352
Credits: 3 per semester / Mr Mark Bailey
Guided reading and research. Guided reading and study in Orthodox liturgical music, culminating in a major research paper or project demonstrating the student's general competence and ability to work independently in the field of liturgical music.
Open only to MA candidates specializing in liturgical music who have completed at least two full semesters of appropriate course work at the seminary.
Languages
Arabic 013-014-015-016
Credits: 1 per semester / Fr Elias Bitar
Introductory Arabic. Basic grammar. Reading and conversation.
Jurisdictional requirement for MDiv candidates of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese.
Church Slavonic 061-062
Credits: 1 per semester / Fr Paul Lazor
Introduction to liturgical Church Slavonic. This course is intended for students who wish to make practical use of Church Slavonic without a complete study of its grammar and syntax. It includes study of the alphabet, pronunciation and selected vocabulary, and practice at reading frequently used liturgical texts.
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