Source: Orthodox Church in America
SOUTH CANAAN, PA [STOTS] St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary received a grant of $920,107.00 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Sowing for Plentiful Harvests program.
The program is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is intended to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities/programs and enhance their financial viability so they are better able to prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future.
The program, titled Sowing for Plentiful Harvests: Multiplying Vocations Regionally in a Season of Vocational Need, seeks to address the looming shortage of ordained vocations in the Orthodox Church throughout North America as the historic faith grows deeper roots and branches throughout the continent. In particular, it encourages the development of older, second-career priestly vocations by synergistically opening and widening four different apertures to the flagship Master of Divinity program. Broadly speaking, the program will strengthen and reinforce an updated and revised traditional curriculum, integrate a diocesan-level satellite Master of Divinity extension, promulgate a pre-seminary preceptorship system, and strengthen chaplaincy through the Institute for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Archpriest John Parker, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, explains that “the Orthodox Church in North America is growing rapidly as the apostolic witness is shared. This growth requires growing pastors and institutions that can serve those who are hungry and waiting for the Word. This program is water, spirit, and fertile soil for that growth.”
St. Tikhon’s Seminary is one of 163 theological schools that have received grants since 2021 through the Pathways Initiative. Together, the schools serve a broad spectrum of both Orthodox and non-Orthodox traditions in the U.S. and Canada, also encompassing evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, a breadth of culturally distinct denominations, and historic peace church traditions.
Lilly Endowment launched the initiative because of its longstanding interest in supporting efforts to enhance and sustain the vitality of Christian congregations by strengthening the leadership capacities of pastors and congregational lay leaders.
“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These schools are paying close attention to the challenges churches are facing today and will face in the foreseeable future. The grants will help these schools engage in wide-ranging, innovative efforts to adapt their educational programs and build their financial capacities so they can better prepare pastors and lay ministers to effectively lead the congregations they will serve in the future.”
The Pathways Initiative is part of Lilly Endowment’s wider efforts to strengthen theological schools and other religious institutions and networks that prepare pastoral leaders, ensuring that a diverse array of Christian congregations are guided by a steady stream of wise, faithful, and well-prepared leaders.