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Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko

Fr Thomas Hopko

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko

March 28, 1939–March 18, 2015

Dean
Professor of Dogmatic Theology
Rector of Three Hierarchs Chapel

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko [March 28, 1939–March 18, 2015], was dean emeritus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, NY, and a noted Orthodox Christian priest, theologian, preacher, and speaker.

Thomas John Hopko was born in Endicott, NY, on March 28, 1939, the third child and only son of John J. Hopko and Anna [Zapotocky] Hopko. He was baptized and raised in St. Mary’s Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church, and educated in Endicott public schools, graduating from Union-Endicott High School in 1956.

Father Thomas graduated from Fordham University in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies. He graduated with a theological degree from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1963, from Duquesne University with a master’s degree in philosophy in 1969, and he earned his doctorate degree in theology from Fordham University in 1982. 

Ordained to the Holy Priesthood in August 1963, Fr. Thomas served the following parishes as pastor: Saint John the Baptist Church, Warren, OH (1963–1968); Saint Gregory the Theologian Church, Wappingers Falls, NY (1968–1978); and Saint Nicholas Church, Jamaica Estates, NY (1978–1983). Father Thomas was honored with the clerical rank of Archpriest in 1970 and the rank of Protopresbyter in 1995.

Beginning in 1968, Fr. Thomas began his long service to St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. Over the years, he held the following positions at the school: Lecturer in Doctrine and Pastoral Theology, 1968–1972; Assistant Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1972–1983; Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1983–1991; Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1991–1992; Dean, Rector of Three Hierarchs Chapel, and Professor of Dogmatic Theology, 1992–2002.

During his years of priestly ministry, Fr. Thomas authored numerous books and articles. Most well known of these publications is The Orthodox Faith: An Elementary Handbook on the Orthodox Church.  A prolific speaker and preacher, he spoke at conferences, retreats, public lectures, and church gatherings of all kinds, many of which were recorded. Fr. Thomas performed countless duties on behalf of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), including representing the Church at intra-Orthodox gatherings and ecumenical meetings.

Upon retirement, Fr. Thomas and his wife, Anne, whom he married in June 1963, moved to Ellwood City, PA, where they lived near the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration. There, Fr. Thomas began a new ministry: internet-based Orthodox Christian radio talks. Since 2008, Fr. Thomas has produced well over 400 podcasts for Ancient Faith Radio, mostly within his signature series, "Speaking the Truth in Love."

Father Thomas exercised untiring and loving pastoral care on behalf many who sought him out for spiritual guidance. His greatest desire was that every person would respond to these words of Jesus Christ: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). He reposed in the Lord on March 18, 2015.

In this video from the Seminary archives, Fr. Thomas explores the iconographic program of Three Hierarchs Chapel.

 Books & Publications

  1. Doctrine
  2. Worship
  3. Bible and Church History
  4. Spirituality

These four volumes are available now at the SVS Press website.
Substantial portions of these volumes have been translated into Russian, French, Arabic, Serbian, Bulgarian, Spanish, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch Albanian, Korean, and Persian. The Russian language edition Osnovy Pravoslaviya originally published by Religious Books for Russia: Glen Cove, NY, 1987, 1989 was republished in 100,000 copies in Minsk: Polifakt Publishing Co., 1991.

  • Christian Spirituality: East and West, with Jordan Aumann OP and Donald Bloesch (Chicago: The Priory Press, 1968)

Essays in Books

  • Orthodoxy and Cultures, Ioan Sauca, ed. (Geneva, Switzerland: WCC, 1996)
  • Reclaiming the Bible for the Church, Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson, eds. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995)
  • Speaking the Christian God, Alvin J. Kimel, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1992)
  • The Legacy of St. Vladimir: Papers presented at a Symposium commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 1990, J. Breck, J. Meyendorff and E. Silk, eds. (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 1990)
  • Speaking of Silence: Christians and Buddhists on the Contemplative Way, Susan Walker, ed. (New York: Paulist Press, 1987)
    • Taken from the Buddhist-Christian Dialogues held at Naropa Institute in Boulder, CO
  • Christian Spirituality: Origins to the Twelfth Century, Bernard McGinn, John Meyendorff and Jean Leclercq, eds. (New York: Crossroad, 1985) Volume 16 of World Spirituality: An Encyclopedic History of the Religious Quest
  • God, Jesus, Spirit, Daniel Callhan, ed. (New York: Herder and Herder, 1969) 

 Articles

  • A Spiritual Springtime for American Orthodoxy, delivered at the 40th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Chapel at the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration
  • Commencement Address, delivered at St. Vladimir's Seminary's commencement ceremonies, May 2007
  • What the Orthodox Have to do to Have Unity, discussion delivered at St. John Orthodox Church, July 2006
  • An Orthodox Christian Perspective: The Living Will/Health-Care Proxy (Spring 2004)
  • "Making Unity Happen"
  • "Roman Presidency and Christian Unity"
  • "John Paul II and His Successor"
  • "Mel Gibson's Messiah"
  • "Remembering Our Leaders"
  • "The Serbian Church and Milosevic" (May 1999)
  • "In the Spiritual Arena" (April 1999)
  • "Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Professors" (December 1998)
  • "Orthodoxy in Post-Modern Pluralistic Societies"
  • "The Mission of the Orthodox Church in North America" (Bucharest, August 1996)
  • "The Narrow Way of Orthodoxy"

Articles written for the Orthodox Education Day Book:

  • Serving Christ in Our Neighbor (October 6, 2001)
  • Hooda Germack: A Servant of Christ in her Neighbors (October 6, 2001)
  • "Eucharistic Discipline in the Orthodox Church" (October 7, 2000)
  • "Preparation for Holy Communion" (October 7, 2000)
  • "On the Lord's Coming Yesterday and Today" (October 2, 1999)
  • "Theological Education at St Vladimir's Seminary: Yesterday and Today" (October 3, 1998)
  • "Finding One's Calling In Life" (October 5, 1996)
  • "Orthodox Christianity and Ethics" (October 7, 1995)

In addition, articles have been published in the following journals:

  • St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly
  • Greek Orthodox Theological Review
  • Russian Orthodox Journal
  • Commonweal
  • Diakonia
  • Spiritual Life
  • Religion in Life
  • Journal of Ecumenical Studies
  • The Ecumenical Review
  • Worship
  • Liturgy
  • Parabola
  • Sourozh
  • One World
  • Again
  • Encyclopedia Americana Annual

Video & Audio

Video Cassettes published by SVS Press:

  • The Holy Trinity, 1995
  • Mary: Icon of Human Perfection, 1995
  • The Church of Christ
  • The Church and Liturgy
  • The Church and Salvation

Audio Cassettes:

  • The Lord's Prayer - 10 Lectures
  • The Apocalypse - 4 Lectures
  • Praying with Icons - Lecture and Sermon
  • Ordination of Women: the Contemporary Debate
  • A Theology of Gender
  • Dynamics of Religion in American Society
  • Orthodox Spirituality
  • Theology of Work
  • The Work of God's People (2 cassettes)
  • The Word of the Cross (2 cassettes)
  • The Love of God (2 cassettes)
  • Monastic Elder and Parish Priest
  • Monastic Elder and Parish Priest - Discussion
  • The Church of Christ
  • The Church and Liturgy
  • The Church and Liturgy - Discussion
  • The Church and Salvation
  • The Church and Salvation - Discussion
  • Wisdom! Let Us Attend (2 cassettes)
  • Only Christ (2 cassettes)
  • Victorious Living in a Godless World (4 cassettes)