Podcasts of liturgical symposium available
St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
Oct 2, 2009?
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A spectacular array of scholarly papers on the work and thought of
Father Alexander Schmemann, dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) from
1962 to 1983, were presented at the SVS International Liturgical
Symposium, held in honor of the 25th anniversary of his
repose. Moderators and speakers (from left, bottom row) included The
V. Rev. Archimandrite Robert J. Taft, SJ, who gave the keynote
address, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox
Church in America, and The V. Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of SVS; (middle
row) Dr. Michael Aune, Dr. Paul Meyendorff, SVS Faculty, Dr. Bryan
D. Spinks, and Sr. Dr. Vassa Larin; and (top row) The
V. Rev. Dr. Daniel Findikyan, dean of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary,
The Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, SVS Faculty, The Rev. Stefanos
Alexopoulos, The V. Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor of SVS, The
Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Job (Getcha), and Dr. David Fagerberg.
Ancient Faith Radio (AFR), in partnership with St. Vladimir’s Orthodox
Theological Seminary (SVS), is offering podcasts of the lectures from
the international academic symposium titled `The Past and Future of
Liturgical Theology: Celebrating the Legacy of Father Alexander
Schmemann,’ held on the seminary campus January 30`31, 2009. The
Rt. Rev. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann served as the dean of SVS
from 1962 until his death in 1983, and his seminal work in the field
of liturgical theology is recognized throughout the globe.
Renowned liturgist The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Robert F. Taft,
S.J. presented the keynote titled `The Liturgical Enterprise
Twenty-five Years after Alexander Schmemann (1921`1983): The Man and
His Heritage”the centerpiece of the colloquium and this year’s Father
Alexander Schmemann Annual Memorial Lecture’to a capacity crowd of 400
people on Friday, January 30, 2009.
Remembering Fr. Alexander as protagonist for the discipline of
liturgical the
a fellow "informer," not a "reformer," and as a "’kerygmatic
theologian’… who was able to bring out of the liturgy its true
meaning and make it live for people as a joyous event, which is the
life in Christ." Fr. Taft emphasized the enduring and phenomenal
"shelf life of Fr. Alexander’s oeuvre" and termed his overall work a
"landmark" in the field of liturgical theology. He also identified
areas of scholarly progress in that field since Fr. Alexander’s death,
which will elucidate and guide the future of the academic study of
liturgical theology.
Fr. Taft is a founding member of both the North American Academy of
Liturgy and of the Association of Jesuit Liturgists, and a member of
the U.S. National Committee for Byzantine Studies, of the Society for
Armenian Studies (retired 1999), and of the International Societas
Liturgica. He was a member of the Governing Council of the latter
society for ten years (1979`89), and its President from 1985`87.
Other preeminent scholars from Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant
traditions, from major universities, also honored the memory of
Fr. Alexander, both lauding and critically evaluating his work:
* His Grace the Rt. Rev. Maxim (Vasiljevic), Bishop of the Western
Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America;
"Opening Episcopal Remarks"
* Dr. Michael Aune, Dean of the Faculty, Dean of the Chapel,
Professor of Liturgical and Historical Studies at Pacific Lutheran
Seminary, and Core Doctoral Faculty in Liturgical Studies at General
Theological Union; "The Current State of Liturgical Theology: A
Plurality of Particularities"
* The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Job (Getcha), former Dean of
St. Sergius Theological Institute, Paris; "From Master to Disciple:
The Notion of ‘Liturgical Theology’ in Father Kiprian Kern and Father
Alexander Schmemann"
* KEYNOTE by The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Robert Taft, SJ; "The
Liturgical Enterprise Twenty-five Years after Alexander Schmemann
(1921-1983): The Man and His Heritage"
* Dr. Bryan D. Spinks, Profess
l Studies, Yale Divinity School; "From Liturgical Theology to
Liturgical Theologies: Schmemann’s Legacy in Western Churches"
* The Rev. Dr. Stephanos Alexopoulos, Professor at the
International Center for Hellenic and Mediterranean Studies, Athens,
Greece; "Did the Work of Father Alexander Schmemann Influence Modern
Greek Theological Thought? A Preliminary Assessment"
* Sr. Dr. Vassa Larin, nun of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad;
currently teaching Liturgical Studies at the University of Vienna;
"Father Alexander Schmemann and Monasticism"
* Dr. David W. Fagerberg, Associate Professor in the Department of
Theology, University of Notre Dame; "The Cost of Understanding
Schmemann, in the West"
* The Most Blessed Jonah (Paffhausen), Archbishop of Washington
and New York and Metropolitan of All America and Canada, Orthodox
Church in America; "Closing Episcopal Remarks."
Dr. Paul Meyendorff, the Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of
Liturgical Theology at SVS, and The V. Rev. Dr. Daniel Findikyan, dean
of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, introduced the speakers; and The
Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel was the main organizer of the highly
educative and engaging symposium.
Retreat participants were able to celebrate the patronal feast of the
seminary chapel with a Vigil and Divine Liturgy commemorating the
Three Hierarchs, Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John
Chrysostom. Both the Dean of St. Vladimir’s, The V. Rev. Dr. John
Behr, and the Chancellor of the seminary, The V. Rev. Dr. Chad
Hatfield, expressed their gratitude and joy for the speakers and
guests who made the celebration of the feast and the liturgical
symposium "a spectacular event." They also thanked those who
underwrote the event through their generous donations: Dr. George and
Brenda Farha, Wichita, KS; Louis and Helen Nicozisis, Lancaster, PA;
John and Cina Daskalakis, Baltimore, MD; and Michael G. Herzak,
Cleveland, OH.
View highlights of the liturgical symposium here.
Podcasts may be found on the Web site of Ancient Faith.com/.
Additionally, the papers presented at the symposium will comprise a
future issue of the seminary’s theological journal, St. Vladimir’s
Theological Quarterly.