St. Tikhon’s Seminary to host continuing education symposium June 17-19

Source: Orthodox Church in America

SOUTH CANAAN, PA [STOTS] Saint Tikhon’s Seminary here will host its annual Continuing Clergy Education Symposium June 17-19, 2014.  This is the second year that the school will provide this symposium to enable OCA priests and deacons to fulfill their annual 20 hours of continuing education studies mandated by the Holy Synod of Bishops.

The list of speakers and topics to be included in this year’s symposium includes the following.

1. “Spiritual Life in Saint Silouan the Athonite” by Christopher Veniamin, D. Phil. (Oxon.), Professor of Patristics at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary – Tuesday, June 17, at 1:00 p.m.  This presentation will examine the spiritual life of the great 20th century Athonite saint.  The aim of the study is to present something of the ethos of the Orthodox Patristic Tradition, in a way that helps identify that which distinguishes it from every other philosophy, religion and creed.  It is hoped that the lessons learned will be directly applicable to one’s everyday life.
2. “The Greeting of Mary and Elizabeth: The Sanctity of Life” by Archpriest John Kowalczyk, Senior Lecturer in Pastoral Practice, Director of Field Education at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary –Tuesday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m.  An exegesis of Luke 1:39-56 serves as a foundation for pastoral ministry.  This lecture will develop the need for ministry to pregnant unwed mothers and the necessary consoling and embrace by the Church of older women in time of crisis.  An explanation of the Icon of the Greeting of Mary and Elizabeth will be related to the moral crisis in America and the need for the intercession of the Theotokos in a post-Christian culture.
3. “Prayer as Communion – Personal and Liturgical Prayer” by Igumen Sergius, Abbot of Saint Tikhon’s Monastery and Lecturer in Spirituality at the Seminary – Wednesday, June 18, at 9:00 a.m.  The Fathers always linked salvation with prayer.  However, how prayer is understood has a direct effect on how one prays.  Using the patristic foundation of prayer as communion, this presentation will look to contemporary saints to increase one’s appreciation for prayer’s place in the Church and its necessity in one’s life; to gain renewed zeal for one’s prayer life; and to deepen one’s understanding of the Church offered through her liturgical life, by which we may present Christ to the world.
4. “Orthodox Insights into the Book of Revelation” by Mary Ford, Ph.D., Associate Professor of New Testament at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary – Wednesday afternoon, June 18, at 1:00 p.m.  This lecture will focus on explaining and giving a correct interpretation for three of the most commonly misinterpreted aspects of the Revelation of Saint John—the book’s primary purpose, the Antichrist and 666, and the “rapture.” The presentation also will demonstrate what an inspiring, encouraging book Revelation actually is.
5. “Encouraging People to Seek Help from the Saints in Times of Suffering” by David Ford, Ph.D., Professor of Church History at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary – Thursday, June 19, at 9:00 a.m.  This presentation will emphasize the importance for all Orthodox Christians of the Saints – through their examples, prayers, and ongoing presence in our midst – in helping us to bear sufferings, sorrow, and persecution with magnanimity and graciousness. Special attention will be given to Saints Polycarp of Smyrna, Timothy and Maura, John Chrysostom, Photios the Great, Tikhon of Zadonsk, Stephen and Angelina Brankovich, and Silouan of Mt. Athos.
6. “Clergy Health – Achieving the Proper Balance” by Archpriest Steven Voytovich, D.Min., Dean and Associate Professor of Pastoral Arts and Practice at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary – Thursday, June 19, at 1:00 p.m.  “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” (I Peter 3:8).  Pastoral care for our faithful is greatly impacted by the depth of our own spiritual journey as it relates to manifesting compassion and love.  This course will explore pastoral compassion and love as renewable and precious resources that need to be carefully tended in our own life and within our family, in order that those resources may be available to the persons to whom we are called to minister.

All courses are available for Clergy Continuing Education credit, as approved by Archpriest Ian Pac-Urar.  The cost, which includes lecture registration, room and board, is $100.00 per person.

Registrations may be made by calling 570-561-1818 or by sending an e-mail to Sophia Pierce at sophia.pierce@stots.edu .

Additional details and a daily schedule are available on Saint Tikhon’s Seminary web site.