Holy Places of God: A look at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

 

I think I’m going to start a new series on the blog, along with the teachings and things I find interesting about the faith. This series is going to detail different locations and places within the Orthodox community that have had a particular interest to me or an impact on my life. As I detailed in a previous article, I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of Orthodox Africa and what they are doing to achieve great things on the continent. Another organization and location I am particularly fond of is St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, a place that I hope to one day visit and express my love for. I hope to detail the history and the meaning behind this seminary and why it is important not just for the Orthodox of America, but for the whole world.

               The beginnings of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary begin earnestly in 1794 when eight monks would travel from Russia to sow the seeds of Orthodoxy on Alaskan soil. Though it would become American soil later, this place was firmly rooted in Russian culture up until the sale of Alaska to America. These monks established a school on Kodiak Island, where they taught and grew the local population in the faith. Eventually His Grace, Archimandrite Innocent of Alaska established a seminary in Sitka. Though this place had a growing number of Orthodox Christians and populations, the community was still predominantly an immigrant one, with the priests and bishops being sent from the mother church in Russia. St. Tikhon of whom I have written about before on this blog, knew there was a great need for American born and bred priests and other clergy if the church was to survive in this part of the world. He established a seminary in Minneapolis in 1905, and eventually moved it to Tenafly, New Jersey where it was renamed St. Platon’s.  From there, it eventually closed and 1938, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary was officially established.

               After the second world war, things began to grow for St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary with the arrival of several renown Orthodox scholars from across Europe. The sixties were shaped by Father Alexander Schmemann who helped even more to formulate the seminary into what it is today. Father Alexander believed as many Orthodox do, that the liturgy should be the focal point of our lives and we should spend our time in prayer and repentance. Father also searched for a permanent campus home for the seminary and did so by 1962. A new chapel was dedicated by the Patriarch of Antioch and a new administrative building was dedicated by the Primate of the OCA Metropolitan Theodosius.  The Summer Institute was established as well as the Octet. The SVS Press from where I get many of my books was established and the bookstore as well. The eighties saw the growth of the library and the growth of married student program and housing was also an integral part of the seminary during this time. Perhaps the most important period of the history of the seminary was during the time of Father Thomas Hopko. Father Hopko was the first American born dean of the seminary and was appointed in September 1992, a month after I was born.  During this time the financial growth of the seminary and the building of new areas of the seminary were conducted. While Father Hopko retired in 2002, his lasting impression on the seminary makes him one of the most widely read and respected priests of the 21^st century. John Erickson became the first layman and convert to the Faith to be appointed to the position of dean. While as dean he was eventually ordained to the Holy Priesthood. Though governance of the seminary has changed after the retirement of Father John in 2006, the seminary remains strong, and the teaching of the seminary has been far reaching.

               The seminary continues to produce many good priests and holy men. The seminary is growing under the leadership of Dr. Ionuţ-Alexandru Tudorie, a professor from Romania. I hope that in the future the seminary continues to grow the faith in America and abroad, leading all to the Kingdom of God and proclaiming orthodoxy to the whole world. While I have covered many of the important details of the ministry of the seminary here in this short article, I pray that you will do your own research and will learn about this amazing institution. May God use these men and teachers to create a place of divine grace and spread that grace through the world.

Amen.