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Very Rev John Breck PDF Print E-mail



photo courtesy OCA

 


Professor of New Testament and Ethics, 1984-1996

  • B.A. in Religious Studies, Brown University, 1960; High Honors; "Francis Wayland Scholar" award
  • M.Div., Yale Divinity School, 1965; "Two Brothers Fellowship" award for doctoral studies abroad
  • Dr. Theol., Ruprecht-Karl Universit?t, Heidelberg, Germany, 1972
  • Post-doctoral study, St Sergius Theological Institute, Paris, France, 1973-1975
  • Doctor honoris causa, University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2003

Books & Publications

  • Longing for God: Orthodox Reflections on Bible, Ethics, and Liturgy (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2006)
    • Romanian translation in progress
  • Stages on Life's Way: Orthodox Thinking on Bioethics, Vol. 1 of Foundations Series (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2005)
  • God With Us: Critical Issues in Christian Life and Faith (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2003).
    • Romanian translation in progress.
  • Scripture in Tradition: The Bible and its Interpretation in the Orthodox Church (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2001).
    • Romanian translation: Sfanta Scriptura in Traditia Bisericii (Cluj: Patmos, 2003).
  • The Sacred Gift of Life: Orthodox Christianity and Bioethics, (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1998).
    • Romanian translation: Darul Sacru al Vietii (Cluj: Patmos, 2001).
    • Bulgarian translation: Svescheniyat dar na zhivota (Sofia: Pokrov-Foundation "Omophor", 2002).
    • French and Russian translations in progress.
  • The Shape of Biblical Language. Chiasmus in the Scriptures and Beyond (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1994).
    • Russian translation (1998) .
    • Romanian translation in progress.
  • The Spirit of Truth, vol. I: "The Origins of Johannine Pneumatology", (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1991).
  • (edited), The Legacy of St Vladimir, (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1990).
  • (translated & edited), Serve the Lord With Gladness, (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1990).
  • The Power of the Word, (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1986).
    • French translation: La Puissance de la Parole, (Paris: Editions du Cerf, 1996).
    • Romanian translation: Puterea Cuv?ntului ?n Biserica dreptmaritoare, (Bucharest: Editura Institutului Biblic, 1999).

 Articles

  • “L’Héritage de l’herméneutique orthodoxe,” S.O.P. Supplement no. 306 (Mar 2006). 
  • “The Spirit-Paraclete in Johannine Tradition,” Le Feu sur la terre. Mélanges offerts au Père Boris Bobrinskoy
    pour son 80e anniversaire (Analecta Sergiana 3, Paris: Presses Saint-Serge, 2005), 9-19. 
  • "Défis bioéthiques dans un monde post-moderne," S.O.P. Supplément no. 300 (July-Aug 2005).
  • "Le Mariage en tant qu'alliance," S.O.P. Supplément no. 293 (Dec. 2004).
  • "Bioethical Challenges in a Post-Modern World," Forerunner (Journal of the Orthodox Fellowship of St John the Baptist, Oxford/London), vol. 44 (Winter 2004-2005), 19-34.
  • "In the Image of God: the Perils of Embryonic Stem Cell Research," Again, vol. 26/3 (Fall 2004), 16-19.
  • "Chiasmus in Johannine Tradition," Sacra Scriptura 2 (Dec. 2004), 145-161.
  • "Unser Leib: Lebendig-tot-verherrlicht," Glaube in der 2. Welt, 37 (11/2003), 29-31.
  • "The Sacredness of Newborn Life," Alive in Christ XVIII no. 2, (2002), 30-36; SVTQ 47/2 (2003), 211-227.
  • "Corps Vivant, Corps Mort, Corps Glorifié," SOP Supplément nr. 280 (July-Aug, 2003).
  • "Justifiable War: Lesser Good or Lesser Evil?", SVTQ 47/1 (2003), 97-109.
  • "Bioethical Challenges in the New Millennium," SVTQ 46/4 (2002), 315-329.
  • "La Manipulation de la personne humaine," SOP no. 267, Paris (2002), 28-30.
  • "Human Cloning: Myths and Realities," SVTQ, 45/3 (2001), 285-299.
  • "Medically Assisted Procreation," The Handmaiden 5, no. 3 (2001), 5-9.
  • "To Erotema tes Arkhes tes Zoes kai e Teknogonia," in Indikto 14, (June 2001), 123-144.
  • "Lire la Bible à l'école des pères," SOP Supplément no. 256 (March 2001).
  • "En quête d'une lectio divina orthodoxe," SOP Supplément no. 254 (Jan. 2001).
  • "Comment lire l'Ancien Testament?", SOP Supplement no. 250 (July-Aug., 2000).
  • "Un enfant nous est n?. L'?thique orthodoxe et l'enfant qui vient au monde," SOP 249 (June 2000), 26-32.
  • "Les fondements th?ologiques de l'?thique chr?tienne," SOP, 247 (April 2000), 29-33.
  • "Chiasmus As a Key to Biblical Interpretation," SVTQ 42/3-4 (1999), 249-267.
  • "St. Silouan and the Mystery of God," Sourozh. A Journal of Orthodox Life and Thought, 78 (December, 1999) 1-19.
  • "Le myst?re de Dieu chez saint Silouane l'Athonite," in Buisson Ardent. Cahiers Staint-Silouan l'Athonite 5, Pully, Switzerland (1999), 60-72; excerpts in SOP 233, (December 1998) 25-28.
  • "Archanges et Puissances c?lestes," Contacts 185, Paris 1999, 4-8.
  • "Despre Ortodoxie," Transilvania. Revista de cultura, new series XXVIII (CIV) (4/1998) 14-28.
  • "Violence, Power and Authority: Scriptural Resources," Theological Perspectives on Violence and Nonviolence, World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland (1998), 21-49.
  • "'Full Communion' Among Protestant Churches. An Orthodox Critique," Lutheran Forum. Una Sancta 32/3 (Fall 1998) 8-14.
  • "Bioethical Dilemmas and Orthodoxy," Sourozh. A Journal of Orthodox Life and Thought (publication of the Russian Patriarchal Diocese of Western Europe), 71 (1998), 1-12. Reprinted in SVTQ 42:2 (1998), 171-187, in Greek as "Vioethika dilemmata kai Orthodoxia," in Synaxis 68 (Oct-Nov, 1998) 3-20, and in Romanian as "Dilemele Bioetice si Ortodoxia," in Revista Telogica, new series VIII (80)/1 (Jan-Mar 1998) 3-13..
  • "Prier les ?critures. ? la recherche d'une lectio divina orthodoxe," Nouvelles de Saint-Serge Institut de Th?ologie Orthodoxe [Paris, France] 22 (1998) 4-10
  • "?criture Sainte, Source de Vie," SOP 225 (February 1998) 19-22.
  • "Survol du Lieu Bioethique," Revue de Louvain 81 (September 1997) 13-17; also Suppl?ment au SOP 222 (November 1997) 1-8; Contacts [Paris] 183 (1998) 256-267; Bio?thique Orthodoxe [revue de l'Association Orthodoxe d'?tudes Bio-?thiques], (Paris: Ed. Libris,1998), 39-59
  • "'The Two Hands of God.' Christ and the Spirit in Orthodox Theology," SVTQ 40:4 (1996) 231-246
  • "Orthodox Principles of Biblical Interpretation," SVTQ 40:1-2 (1996) 77-93
  • "Technologies biom?dicales du Royaume ou du Cosmos?", Contacts [Paris] 175 (1996) 205-225
  • "Presenting Orthodoxy to Protestants," Orthodox Presence in Great Britain [1995 Conference of the Diocese of Sourozh, Headington, England] (1996), 49-60.
  • "Parish Ethics and the Teaching of Jesus," St Nersess Theological Review, 1:2 (1996) 223-231
  • "Euthanasia and the Quality of Life Debate," Christian Bioethics 1:3 (1995) 322-337.
  • "Procreation and the Beginning of Life," SVTQ 39:3 (1995) 215-232
  • "Mary: Mother of Believers, Mother of God," Pro Ecclesia 4:1 (1995) 105-111
  • "Prayer of the Heart: Sacrament of the Presence of God," SVTQ 39:1 (1995) 25-45
  • "Interpr?ter, en l'Esprit, la Parole de Dieu. Quelques fondements de l'herm?neutique orthodoxe," SOP [Paris] 191 (1994) 30-37
  • "The Face of the Spirit," Pro Ecclesia 3:2 (1994) 165-178
  • "To Ease the Dying Process," in Ethical Dilemmas. Crises in Faith and Modern Medicine, ed. John Chirban (New York: University Press of America, 1994), 49-58
  • "Mary in the New Testament," Pro Ecclesia 2:4 (1993), 460-472
  • "The New Testament Concept of Election," in Salvation in Christ, J. Meyendorff and R. Tobias, eds. (Minneapolis: Augusburg, 1992), 151-158
  • "Divine Initiative: Salvation in Orthodox Theology," in Salvation in Christ, J. Meyendorff and R. Tobias, eds. (Minneapolis: Augusburg, 1992), 105-120
  • "Child Abuse," Alive in Christ [OCA Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania], 8:1 (1992) 17-19
  • "John 21: Appendix, Epilogue or Conclusion?" SVTQ 36:1-2 (1992) 27-49
  • "Introductions and Notes to 3-4 Maccabees," The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), Apocrypha 285-299, 341-361.
  • "The Function of PAS in I John 2:20," SVTQ 35:2-3 (1991) 187-206
  • "Genetic Engineering: Setting the Limits," in Health and Faith, ed. John Chirban (New York: University Press of America, 1991), 51-55.
  • "L'interpr?tation orthodoxe de l'Ecriture Sainte," SOP Paris, 146 (1990) 30-34
  • "Les Malades au stade terminal de la maladie," Contacts [Paris] 149 (1990) 16-30
  • "The Lord is the Spirit: an Essay in Christological Pneumatology," The Ecumenical Review 42:2 (1990) 114-121
  • "Orthodoxy and the Bible Today," in The Legacy of St. Vladimir, (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press,1990), 141-157.
  • "L'Orthodoxie et la Bible aujourd'hui," SOP Suppl?ment 143A (December 1989)
  • "Selective Nontreatment of the Terminally Ill," SVTQ 33:3 (1989) 261-272
  • "The 'Problem' of Chalcedonian Christology," SVTQ, 33:2 (1989) 147-157
  • "Bio-medical Technology: of the Kingdom or of the Cosmos?" SVTQ, 32:1 (1988) 5-26
  • "The Relevance of Nicene Christology," SVTQ 31:1 (1987) 41-64
  • "Biblical Chiasmus: Exploring Structure for Meaning," Biblical Theology Bulletin XVII:2 (1987) 70-74
  • "La Bible dans l'Eglise: ?coute de la Parole de Dieu et pri?re," SOP [Paris] 87 (1984) 18-20
  • "Parole et Sacrement," Parole et Pain [Paris], 62 (1983) 77-89
  • "Formules liturgiques trinitaires du Nouveau Testament," in Trinit? et Liturgie, Conf?rences Saint Serge (Rome: Edizioni Liturgiche, 1983), 37-50
  • "Exegesis and Interpretation," SVTQ, 27:2 (1983) 75-92
  • "Confessions de foi et la c?l?bration liturgique," Unit? Chr?tienne [Lyon] 69 (1983) 61-81
  • "L'image de Dieu, fondement de la diaconie chr?tienne," SOP, Suppl?ment 73-B [Paris] (1982).
  • "The Troparion 'Monogen?s': an Orthodox Confession of Faith," SVTQ 26:4 (1982) 203-228
  • "Ex?g?se et Interpr?tation," Contacts [Paris] 118 (1982) 126-147
  • "Ic?nes du myst?re pascal," Contacts [Paris] 109 (1980) 52-67
  • "The True Image," volume of theological and spiritual verse, private printing (1979)
  • "Icons of the Paschal Mystery," Orthodox Alaska VII:2 (1978) 1-28.
  • "Theoria and Orthodox Hermeneutics," SVTQ 20:4 (1976) 1-25

 Professional Experience

  • 1995-present: Director, St. Silouan Retreat, Wadmalaw Island, SC; Professor of Patristic Exegesis and Bioethics, St Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Paris, France; President, Association Orthodoxe d'Etudes Bio-?thiques (France)
  • 1984-1996: Professor of New Testament and Ethics, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, New York.
  • 1978-1984: Professor of New Testament, Director of Studies, Director of Correspondence Courses, St Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Paris, France.
  • 1975-1978: Professor of New Testament and Patristics, St Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska.
  • 1972-1975: Director of continuing education program for pastors of the Swiss Reformed Church, Neuch?tel, Switzerland.

     

Editorial Activities:

  • Editor, SVTQ. 1985-1996
  • Editor, Orthodox Alaska, 1976-1978

Visiting Lectureships:

  • October 1999: The Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge, England.
  • May 2000: Facultatea de Teologie "Andrei Saguna," Sibiu, Romania.
  • Feb-March 2001, Facultatea de Teologie, Cluj, Romania (Bioethics).
  • Oct 2004 and March 2005, Facultatea de Teologie Ortodoxa, Universitatea "1 Decembrie 1918" Alba Iulia, Romania (Patristic Exegesis).

Other Activities

  • Chaplain, St Herman's Theological Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska -- 1977-1978
  • Priest, Paroisse de la Ste Trinité, Paris, France -- 1978-1984
  • Dean of Students, St Sergius Theological Institute, Paris, France -- 1980-1984
  • Affiliation: Archpriest, Orthodox Church in America
  • Medical-Ethics Commission, Orthodox Church in America -- 1996-present: Chair
  • President, Association Orthodoxe d'Etudes Bio-éthiques (France) -- 1998-present
  • Spiritual director, Mary-Marth Orthodox Monastery, Wagener, SC -- 1997-2004
  • Columnist for Beliefnet.com and Christianity.com, 1999-present
  • Priest-in-Charge, Holy Ascension Orthodox Mission, Mt POleasant, SC --1999-2003
  • Columnist and editor of OCA web page, "Life in Christ" at www.oca.org, 2002-present
  • Member SCOBA Commission on Social and Moral Issues -- 2003-present
 

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