Masters Degree in Applied Orthodox Theology

What is the…

Masters Degree in Applied Orthodox Theology?

Open to:

• Anyone interested in pursuing graduate study in Orthodox theology but unable to attend an Orthodox seminary 
• Requires completion of the three-year St. Stephen's Program 

Goals:

• To teach Orthodox Theology at the graduate level through the completion of a Masters Thesis, and a graduate-level project.
• A Concentration in Youth Ministry is now being offered. The goal is to train and prepare people to take on full-time youth ministry work in an Orthodox Christian setting.
• Offered in cooperation with the St. John of Damascus School of Theology of the University of Balamand in Lebanon. At successful completion, the student will be awarded a Master of Arts degree in Orthodox Theology which is accredited by the Government of Lebanon through the University of Balamand.

Process:

• Completion of a Masters Thesis under the guidance of a first and second reader 
• Completion of a graduate-level project under the direction of a mentor

Timing:

• The program duration is one or two years. Applications must be submitted by August 1st of the year students intend to begin. The academic year begins in October. 

For more information, contact: The Registrar at The House of Studies Office (201) 569–0095.

Residency Program

What is the…

Residency Program?

Open to:

• Seminarians during their years of study
• Current and soon-to-be-candidates for ordination who have not attended an Orthodox theological seminary
• St. Stephen’s students who will be applying for ordination in the Antiochian Archdiocese

Goals:

• To orient students to the application of theological categories
• To emphasize contemporary problems and issues within the ministry of the church
• To create an arena where seminarians and other students can dialogue about the future of their church
• To provide for seminars which are rooted in the spirit of Orthodox Antioch

Process:

• The dates for 2008 are [tba] for the first week, and [tba] for the second week.
• Students (non-seminarians) choose either the first or second week, for three consecutive years.
• Antiochian seminarians are required to attend both weeks for three consecutive years from acceptance in seminary through graduation.
• Candidates for ordination in St. Stephen's studies are required to attend three consecutive one-week programs.

Timing:

• Two weeks annually—the last week in August and the first full week in September. Seminarians will depart from the House of Studies directly to seminary.  All students must be present on the Sunday before the Monday morning class.

For more information contact: The Registrar at the House of Studies Office (201) 569–0095

To obtain books contact: Librarian at the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center (724) 238–3677

The Clergy Symposium

What is the…

Clergy Symposium?

Open to:

• All clergy (presbyters and deacons) of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
• Invited guest clergy and laity

Goals:

• To provide information relative to the theory and practice of the Orthodox ordained ministry
• To impart through guest lectures knowledge of issues and problems crucial to a clergyman in today’s culture
• To create a forum for common discussion regarding ministerial challenges
• To learn on a continuing basis the spiritual and historical roots of the Church and her theology

Process:

• All priests and deacons are required by the Metropolitan to attend.

Timing:

• One week biennially—the third or fourth week in July—of even-numbered years (those opposite the Archdiocesan Convention).  The dates for the 2008 Clergy Symposium are [to be announced]. 

Contact: Fr. Joseph Allen, Chairman of Theological & Pastoral Education

The Doctor of Ministry Program

Enrich your priesthood with…

A Doctor of Ministry in the Eastern Christian Context

Purpose

The Doctor of Ministry is designed to deepen and enhance your ministry through systematic study and reflection. Participants remain in their places of ministry during the program and attend classes three or four weeks a year. Emphasis is placed on integration of the theological disciplines with major areas of church leadership.

Curriculum

Six core seminars covering the theology of ministry, eccesiology, canon law, homiletics, spirituality and pastoral care, education, ethics and community issues make up the first half of the program. They will be taught by a combined faculty of Pittsburgh Seminary and recognized Eastern Christian scholars. Seminars will usually be five days in length.

Following completion of these courses, students will select an area for further study and design a doctoral project in that area of interest. A Proposal Colloquium, a Biblical Seminar and two electives help to prepare for the implementation of the project and the writing of the doctoral paper.

Schedule

The six core seminars will be held concurrently with the Antiochian House of Studies near Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

Students will also spend two weeks at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary completing the Proposal Colloquium and the Biblical Seminar. The doctoral project will be carried out in the candidate’s place of ministry with the assistance of two faculty advisors.

This program is for you if…

• You have reached a plateau in your present ministry and are ready for new personal and professional growth.
• You would appreciate an educational approach that utilizes your experience in ministry as part of every course from administration to theology.
• You want your educational program to have direct results for the ministry in which you serve.

Admission

A Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent from an accredited seminary or divinity school is required for admission. Applicants are also required to have completed a minimum of three years in ministry following receipt of the Master of Divinity.

Cost

The program is designed to be completed in three to four years, with 30 credit hours of required coursework. In addition, a doctoral project valued at six credit hours must be completed. The current tuition for the program is $224 per credit hour, due at the beginning of each course. The total program tuition is now $8064 (36 hours). Fees are reviewed annually by the Board of Directors.

Quality and Experience

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is a fully accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools and has offered the Doctor of Ministry degree since 1972. Several features make this unique program especially attractive. One is the emphasis on integrating academic work with the practice of ministry. Another is the resources of our combined faculty and fine libraries. A third is the collegial spirit which develops among faculty and students in the program.

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
For more information, contact:
Doctor of Ministry Program
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
616 North Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
1(800)451–4194
In cooperation with the Antiochian House of Studies

Comments on the Program

We are pleased with the program at the Antiochian House of Studies, and with the cooperation of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, we are grateful that the recognized Doctor of Ministry degree will be granted for such a program. - Abp. Peter L’Huillier, Diocese of New York and New Jersey, Orthodox Church of America

We are delighted with the establishment of this postgraduate program. As we come to the close of the twentieth century, such a program satisifies an obvious need for continuing education for tomorrow’s leaders. This is especially relevant since the program, which terminates in a Doctor of Ministry degree, will be focused on an Eastern Christian context. We pray that these opportunities will afford greater possibilities as we labor together for God’s glory and his Church. - Metr. Nicholas Smisko, American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese

Look at our world. Can you imagine a time when the clergy were more challenged to lead and minister to Christ’s flock? The D.Min. class which begins in 1999 will graduate in the new millennium—better prepared, we are convinced, to meet the challenges of ministry.

We pledge our Antiochian House of Studies to an invigorating and enriching program of theological study and reflection, firmly rooted in the ancient tradition of the Christian East.

- Metr. Philip Saliba, Primate, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Over the past three years I have enjoyed being one of the faculty, along with His Eminence Abp. Peter L’Huillier, the senior Canon Law professor in the OCA, as well as other faculty members from Pittsburgh and the Antiochian House of Studies. We have together designed a program unique to our ministry, one from which I believe every Orthodox clergyman will gain much. - Metr. Maximos, Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh

I have cherished the personal growth, a new appreciation of the Faith, and camaraderie with fellow priests and colleagues. If it were for this alone, I would have entered the program. But it has also enriched my pastoral ministry in many ways, and I know that it has benefited my parish as well, because it has sensitized me to their needs and concerns. - Rev. Fr. Kenneth M. Bachofsky, Warren, OH, American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese

The Doctor of Ministry Program in the Eastern Christian Context has proven perfect for many of us who have come to Holy Orthodoxy with theological degrees and pastoral experience from various Western Christian traditions. Bringing with us the best of the past, and maintaining our pastoral ministry, we work towards a degree which helps form in us a deeper understanding of the Orthodox way. - The Very Rev. Fr. Chad Hatfield, Academic Dean, St. Herman Seminary

Open to:

• Graduates of an accredited seminary with at least a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, and
• at least three years’ experience in active ministry, and
• an interest in pursuing a professional doctoral degree in a specifically Eastern Christian perspective

(Orthodox and non-Orthodox students are accepted without discrimination)

Goals:

• To provide an opportunity for structured reflection on the practice of ministry
• To equip persons for positions of specialized leadership in the church

Process:

• Six (6) core courses are offered on an intensive basis twice a year at the House of Studies (using the facilities of the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, Ligionier, PA) by a combination of Orthodox scholars and members of the Faculty of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
• Two (2) colloquia preparatory to a final doctoral project
• Two (2) electives, taken at any accredited institution
• A final project

Timing:

• Classes are comprised of no more than fifteen students progressing together through completion.
• One unit is offered after Orthodox Pascha, two units in the last week of August/first week of September.
• Advance reading and a follow-up paper are required for each course.

Some student reactions:

• The Very Rev. Fr. Chad Hatfield of Kodiak, AK (Orthodox Church in America) writes:

  "The Doctor of Ministry Program in the Eastern Christian Context has proven perfect for many of us who have come to Holy Orthodoxy with theological degrees and pastoral experience from various Western Christian traditions. Bringing with us the best of our past, and maintaining our pastoral ministry, we work towards a degree which helps form in us a deeper understanding of the “Orthodox way.”

• The Rev. Fr. Dumitru Macaila, Pittsburgh, PA (Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh) writes:

  I enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry Program in the Eastern Christian Context to refresh myself and become better prepared for “Confrontation.” After four seminars, I feel my priestly knowledge and experience are enriched. We doctoral students learn not only from each other’s strengths -- but from each other’s weaknesses also.

• The Rev. Fr. Kenneth M. Bachofsky, Warren, OH. (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Diocese of the U.S.A.) writes:

  I have cherished the personal growth, a new appreciation of the Faith, and camaraderie with fellow priests and colleagues. If it were for this alone, I would have entered the program. [But it has also] enriched my pastoral ministry in many ways, and I know that it has benefited my parish as well, because it has sensitized me to their needs and concerns.

A new class is now forming. For information and application forms, contact:

Director of D.Min. Program
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
616 N. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206–2596

Phone: (412)362–5610
Fax: (412)363–3260

For more information contact: The Very Rev. Joseph Allen, (201)784–2501

To obtain books contact: Librarian at the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, (724)238–3677

The St. Stephen's Course in Orthodox Theology

What is the…

St. Stephen's Course?

Open to:

• Anyone interested in studying Orthodox theology but unable to attend an Orthodox seminary
• Clergy converting to Orthodoxy intending to seek ordination, who have earned a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree from a non-Orthodox seminary
• Those seeking advanced training in Christian Education or Youth Ministry 
• Those who are permitted by their Bishops to prepare for the ministry of the diaconate through means of this course (NOTE: Antiochian candidates must also complete three units of the Residency Program at the Antiochian Village, one for each year in St. Stephen's studies)

Goals:

• To teach Orthodox theology through directed reading courses and graded written examinations
• To prepare church leaders, both clergy and laity, for focused and informed service to God and the Church

Process:

• Directed reading courses in scripture, doctrine, history, liturgy, and practical theology, plus attendance at the Residency Program, three consecutive years, one week each year.  The student will also complete a Directed Project for each year of study. 
• Communication between mentor and student through published syllabi
• Completion of written examinations twice a year

Timing:

• The program duration is three years. Applications must be submitted by August 1st of the year students intend to begin. Students begin their first unit of readings in October and begin writing examinations in January. The second unit of readings begins in March and examinations begin in June.

For more information, contact: The Registrar at The House of Studies Office, (201) 569–0095

To obtain books, contact: The Librarian at the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, (724) 238–3677