His Grace Bishop Thomas of the Diocese of Charleston and Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic will preside over the Pilgrimage.
A pilgrimage is an opportunity to "lay side all earthly cares" and to retreat to holy place. Unfortunately, it is something we tend not to do or do often enough. Our Pilgrimage is rooted in liturgical services and educational presentations, but participants are given an opportunity to take a hike on our trails or stroll the grounds at their leisure. It
is a wonderful time to sit down and contemplate God's handiwork and all of the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Take the time to breathe in the fresh mountain air. Meet with the Lord in his Word or in prayer or in meditation. The library is open. Priests will be available to meet or for confession. Leave this year's Pilgrimage refreshed and renewed, in body, mind and spirit. Let our loving God grant you wholeness and health.
Presented by
H. Tristram Engelhardt, Jr.
An Orthodox Christian and professor at both Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University and a member of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy. Dr. Engelhardt has authored over two hundred fifty articles and chapters of books in addition to numerous book reviews and other publications. He has also co-edited more than twenty-five volumes and has lectured widely throughout the world. His books include Bioethics and Secular Humanism: The Search for a Common Morality and The Foundations of Bioethics.
Why pilgrimage to Antiochian Village Camp and Conference Center in Western Pennsylvania? Because the Village is a spiritual oasis supported with premiere, hotel-style lodging and plentiful meals. The Village is the burial site for St. Raphael of Brooklyn and the Village's museum houses several of his relics. The museum also displays 50 historic icons from throughout the world and many other religious relics. You'll find a shrine to St. Thekla and one to St. Artemius; a 21,000 volume, Eastern Christian research library; Ss. Peter and Paul Chapel; St. Thekla Outdoor Chapel; and St. Ignatius Church where several relics of saints are held. The Meditation Trail in the woods provides a scenic solace for quiet reflection. Come join the journey to spiritual renewal and growth.
Below you will find biographical information about Dr. H. Tristam Engelhardt, Jr., who will be our speaker at the St. Thekla Pilgrimage. He will also speak at next year's Parish Life Conference 2008 in Charleston, WV.
H. TRISTRAM ENGELHARDT, JR., born in 1941 in Texas, is an American philosopher, holding doctorates in both Philosophy (University of Texas at Austin, 1969) and Medicine (Tulane University, 1972). He is a professor of philosophy at Rice University in Houston, Texas, specializing in the history and philosophy of medicine, particularly from the standpoint of continental philosophy. He is also a professor emeritus at Baylor College of Medicine, and a members of the Baylor Center for Medical Ethics and Public Policy. He is currently a member of the editorial boards of several journals, including the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Christian Bioethics, and Philosophy and Medicine. Dr. Engelhardt is a member of St George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Houston, Texas where he assists at the chanters' stand as a tonsured Reader.
