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The Orthodox Church - September 1994

SVS Institute explores North American Orthodoxy's past, future

CRESTWOOD, NY [SVS] - Ninety-six participants gathered for the 1994 Liturgical Institute of Music and Pastoral Practice at Saint Vladimir's Seminary here June 19-24, 1994.

The theme of this year's Institute was "Orthodoxy in North America Today," a continuation of last year's Bicentennial theme. The seminary continues to celebrate the arrival of the first team of Orthodox missionaries to Alaska in September, 1794 in North America by looking at where the Church in America is today and how the Orthodox Tradition provides a vision to meet the challenges we face.

Faculty members and selected guests from academic and Church life reflected on various aspects of articulating the Church's mission in our time. Topics surveyed included Orthodox liturgical worship, the canonical situation, pastoral care, Orthodox music today, Orthodox administrative unity, spirituality, stewardship, and religious education. Panel discussions were held on the relationships of clergy and laity and the issue of administrative and structural Church unity in America.

Among the participants were 12 priests and teachers from six Eastern European countries who were starting a month-long program of research in the US by participating in the Institute. They brought fresh insights and fielded questions about Church life and activities in their countries.

The Institute concluded with the Liturgy for the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist celebrated by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius. His Eminence, Metropolitan Spyridon of Italy, who was in the US representing His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, brought greetings from the Ecumenical Patriarch. Metropolitan Spyridon, together with Metropolitan Theodosius and His Eminence, Archbishop Peter of New York, responded to the questions of the participants.

[ The Orthodox Church - September 1994 - p. 7 ]