Serbian Monk will become an OCA Bishop of Alaska

[mike]

Father Gerasim of our Platina Monastery accepted a new prestigious assignment
with the OCA, Orthodox Church in America. He is now the Bishop of Alaska for the
OCA. Father Gerasim served liturgy at Holy Trinity on a number of occasions. He
will be greatly missed by our Diocese, but his elevation is most deserved.

source

[PeterTheAleut]

Father Gerasim of our Platina Monastery accepted a new prestigious assignment
with the OCA, Orthodox Church in America. He is now the Bishop of Alaska for the
OCA. Father Gerasim served liturgy at Holy Trinity on a number of occasions. He
will be greatly missed by our Diocese, but his elevation is most deserved.

source

Let's pray that Fr. Gerasim is more than up to the task of cleaning up the mess Bishop Nikolai left behind.

[BoredMeeting]

Has anyone seen an official statement from the OCA on this?

[ms.hoorah]

Father Gerasim of our Platina Monastery accepted a new prestigious assignment
with the OCA, Orthodox Church in America. He is now the Bishop of Alaska for the
OCA. Father Gerasim served liturgy at Holy Trinity on a number of occasions. He
will be greatly missed by our Diocese, but his elevation is most deserved.

source

Let's pray that Fr. Gerasim is more than up to the task of cleaning up the mess Bishop Nikolai left behind.

Amen.

[Shlomlokh]

Wow! He's my priest's son's godfather! How cool is that?!

In Christ,
Andrew

[Cymbyz]

One problem:  the election hasn't been held yet.

[Basil 320]

A regular poster on Orthodox-Forum at YahooGroups, quoted a high source in the OCA's Alaskan Diocese who indicated there is no truth to this report. I can't understand how this information was reported as it was. (Maybe it's a transfer into the OCA for a hoped for episcopal opportunity.)

[Irish Hermit]

Pray that the mercy and compassion of the Almighty will overshadow Vladika Nikolai.  He is living in Hercegovina, his family's ancestral area.  He has pancreatic cancer.  Painful and invariably fatal in a short time

[podkarpatska]

He was a a seminary classmate of several friends of mine. I will pass along the sad news and ask that they remember him with charity and compassion in their prayers. Hospodi Pomiluj! Lord, have mercy.

[Orual]

Pray that the mercy and compassion of the Almighty will overshadow Vladika Nikolai.  He is living in Hercegovina, his family's ancestral area.  He has pancreatic cancer.  Painful and invariably fatal in a short time

I thought it was prostate cancer, and that it's pretty serious but he's not been diagnosed as terminal or anything.

[stashko]

Axios ,Dostojan, Worthy......Slava Bogu


Gospode Pomilujse Na Vladiku Nikolaja.....Amin Amin

[Irish Hermit]

Pray that the mercy and compassion of the Almighty will overshadow Vladika Nikolai.  He is living in Hercegovina, his family's ancestral area.  He has pancreatic cancer.  Painful and invariably fatal in a short time

I thought it was prostate cancer, and that it's pretty serious but he's not been diagnosed as terminal or anything.

Both.

I knew Vkladika Nikolai in Serbia when we were both young monks and one Great Fast we travelled the Holy Mountain together.

[Punch]

Pray that the mercy and compassion of the Almighty will overshadow Vladika Nikolai.  He is living in Hercegovina, his family's ancestral area.  He has pancreatic cancer.  Painful and invariably fatal in a short time

I thought it was prostate cancer, and that it's pretty serious but he's not been diagnosed as terminal or anything.

Both.

I knew Vkladika Nikolai in Serbia when we were both young monks and one Great Fast we travelled the Holy Mountain together.

May God have mercy on him!

[ozgeorge]

Father Gerasim of our Platina Monastery accepted a new prestigious assignment
with the OCA, Orthodox Church in America. He is now the Bishop of Alaska for the
OCA. Father Gerasim served liturgy at Holy Trinity on a number of occasions. He
will be greatly missed by our Diocese, but his elevation is most deserved.

source

The Church of Serbia does not recognise the autocephaly of OCA. I doubt very much that any Bishop would release a  monk from his jurisdiction to become a Bishop in a Church whose autocephaly he does not recognise.

[mike]

The Church of Serbia does not recognise the autocephaly of OCA. I doubt very much that any Bishop would release a  monk from his jurisdiction to become a Bishop in a Church whose autocephaly he does not recognise.

Archbishop Seraphim (Storheim) served in Finland (I don't know whether in FOC, or in the MP Parishes), Bishop Irineu was in ROC, , Bishop Melchisedek was a Monk in a GOC Monastery, Bishop-in-spe Michael was in ACROD, so why not?

[serb1389]

Father Gerasim of our Platina Monastery accepted a new prestigious assignment
with the OCA, Orthodox Church in America. He is now the Bishop of Alaska for the
OCA. Father Gerasim served liturgy at Holy Trinity on a number of occasions. He
will be greatly missed by our Diocese, but his elevation is most deserved.

source

The Church of Serbia does not recognise the autocephaly of OCA. I doubt very much that any Bishop would release a  monk from his jurisdiction to become a Bishop in a Church whose autocephaly he does not recognise.

I had always thought that the Serbian church DID recognize their autocephaly...?  Someone had put up the official list on one of the other threads...time to go searching..

[android]

could someone kindly explain the "mess" that Biship Nikolai left in Alaska?

[Basil 320]

To Reply No. 16

There may be another older topic on the "mess" that occurred in the OCA's Alaskan Diocese while Bishop Nikolai was their hierarch.  It was also well reported on Orthodox Christians for Accountability's web site.  

Essentially, administrative abuse, grand imperial hierarchical aggressive administrative actions by the bishop upon his priests and the parishes; abusive behavior toward the chancellor +Nikolai had appointed; mortgages on St. Innocent Cathedral, and other diocesan properties; diocesan property sales; episcopal renunciation of cultural variances which previous hierarchs accepted; arbitrary dismissal of Paul Sidebottom which resulted in an EEOC suite that had merit; arbitrary dismissal of diocesan council members who disagreed with +Nikolai; related activities and much more.  Nearly every priest and many laity of the diocese rose to identify instances of abuse that made dismissal of +Nikolai absolutely necessary, though, as I recall, ultimately, +Nikolai's resignation/retirement was accepted by the Holy Synod.


potentially libelous claim removed per poster's request  - PtA

[PeterTheAleut]

could someone kindly explain the "mess" that Biship Nikolai left in Alaska?

In 2008, Bishop Nikolai (Soraich) retired in disgrace after two separate investigations conducted by the Holy Synod of the OCA confirmed his misconduct as Bishop of Alaska.  The accusations leveled against him and confirmed as true include the following:

• Appointing a registered sex offender to the clergy
• Abusing and intimidating clergy and laypeople to create a climate of absolute authoritarian control
• Firing a missionary who complained of being sexually harassed by the diocesan chancellor

Many of the key news releases in this case can be found here:

• http://www.ocanews.org/news/AlaskaAllegations8.8.07.html
• http://www.ocanews.org/news/Nikolaiplacedonleave3.7.08.html
• http://www.ocanews.org/news/News9.17.08.html

EDIT:  Post modified after correction offered by Irish Hermit

[PeterTheAleut]

To Reply No. 16

There may be another older topic on the "mess" that occurred in the OCA's Alaskan Diocese while Bishop Nikolai was their hierarch.  It was also well reported on Orthodox Christians for Accountability's web site.  

Essentially, administrative abuse, grand imperial hierarchical aggressive administrative actions by the bishop upon his priests and the parishes; abusive behavior toward the chancellor +Nikolai had appointed; financial abuse, mortgages on St. Innocent Cathedral, and other diocesan properties; diocesan property sales; episcopal renunciation of cultural variances which previous hierarchs accepted; arbitrary dismissal of Paul Sidebottom which resulted in an EEOC suite that had merit; arbitrary dismissal of diocesan council members who disagreed with +Nikolai; related activities and much more.  Nearly every priest and many laity of the diocese rose to identify instances of abuse that made dismissal of +Nikolai absolutely necessary, though, as I recall, ultimately, +Nikolai's resignation/retirement was accepted by the Holy Synod.

Please be very careful how far you go with your allegations, Basil.  To protect ourselves against charges of libel, we will most likely want to limit our statements to that which can be confirmed from news releases.


EDIT:  Text in quote box modified to match source post;  comments since rendered irrelevant by changes to the quoted post removed from my own reply

[Basil 320]

Peter, I hadn't thought of those implications to the forum.  If you can, please feel free to delete that part of my post.

[PeterTheAleut]

Peter, I hadn't thought of those implications to the forum.  If you can, please feel free to delete that part of my post.

Not a problem.  Thank you for being so understanding.   I went ahead and modified the most spurious claim out of your post as you requested.

[Irish Hermit]

In 2008, Bishop Nikolai (Soraich) retired in disgrace after two separate investigations conducted by the Holy Synod of the OCA confirmed his misconduct as Bishop of Alaska.  The accusations leveled against him and confirmed as true include the following:

• Ordaining a registered sex offender to the priesthood

Wow!  Hold on there!  That cannot be confirmed as true since it is untrue.   He tonsured Terrence Dushkin as a reader.[/list]

[jckstraw72]

Fr. Gerasim is currently attending St. Vladimir's as preparation for becoming the bishop of Alaska, although there has been no official election yet.

[PeterTheAleut]

In 2008, Bishop Nikolai (Soraich) retired in disgrace after two separate investigations conducted by the Holy Synod of the OCA confirmed his misconduct as Bishop of Alaska.  The accusations leveled against him and confirmed as true include the following:

• Ordaining a registered sex offender to the priesthood

Wow!  Hold on there!  That cannot be confirmed as true since it is untrue.   He tonsured Terrence Dushkin as a reader.[/list]

Yes, you are right.  I misread my sources--or should I say that one of the sources I read was misleading in that it mistakenly equated the tonsure of a reader with ordination--and made a mistake in my reporting.  The tonsure of a reader is not the same as ordination to the priesthood.

However, the substance of what I reported is unconscionable, nonetheless, since the tonsure of a reader is the appointment of a person to the [unordained] clergy.  In essence, it has been confirmed that Bishop Nikolai appointed a registered sex offender to the ranks of the clergy.  That fundamental fact doesn't change even after I get my facts straight.

[lavrishevo]

Fr. Gerasim is currently attending St. Vladimir's as preparation for becoming the bishop of Alaska, although there has been no official election yet.

Yes, this is old news. He left Platina for St. Vlad's back in the middle of last year. Met. Jonah told me directly of the news at my residency for St. Stephan's. Things have changed a bit. Don't be surprised if he is also a candidate for the bishop of the South. Either way, he is going to be great for the OCA. I know Fr. Gerasim personally and he will be a much welcome change. Wonderful man and warrior of the Church. I honestly hope he gets the DOS because they need some conservative / Patristic leadership.

[SakranMM]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

[lavrishevo]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

Now you know why he is there. Believe me it is not for SVS's education... The last things a conservative, old calendar abbot under the Serbian Patriarchate would do is leave his monastery / jurisdiction, and give up his responsibilities as abbot to acquire formal educations at SVS. 

It is about the the piece of paper to be elected to the episcopacy.

[arimethea]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

Now you know why he is there. Believe me it is not for SVS's education... The last things a conservative, old calendar abbot under the Serbian Patriarchate would do is leave his monastery / jurisdiction, and give up his responsibilities as abbot to acquire formal educations at SVS. 

It is about the the piece of paper to be elected to the episcopacy.

Why should I believe you???

[lavrishevo]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

Now you know why he is there. Believe me it is not for SVS's education... The last things a conservative, old calendar abbot under the Serbian Patriarchate would do is leave his monastery / jurisdiction, and give up his responsibilities as abbot to acquire formal educations at SVS.  

It is about the the piece of paper to be elected to the episcopacy.

Why should I believe you???

Because Met. Jonah told my fellow classmate and I right to my face. But, come on, you really think the former abbot of St. Herman of Alaska Monastery would leave not only the Serbian Patriarchate but also the monastery and of all seminaries pick SVS... Don't forget Met. Jonah and Fr. Gerasim are old friends. Actually, Met. Jonah used to essentially work for St. Herman of Alaska Monastery while he was in Russia working on Russky Palomnik. It's a small world and years ago I knew the whole crowd. Be happy, this is going to very good for the OCA.

Don't take my word for it, just give it some time and you shall see.

[Second Chance]

Fr. Gerasim is currently attending St. Vladimir's as preparation for becoming the bishop of Alaska, although there has been no official election yet.

I know Fr. Gerasim personally and he will be a much welcome change. Wonderful man and warrior of the Church. I honestly hope he gets the DOS because they need some conservative / Patristic leadership.

I do not know why you would say this. I am in the Diocese of the South and our parish priest is "conservative/Patristic."

[arimethea]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

Now you know why he is there. Believe me it is not for SVS's education... The last things a conservative, old calendar abbot under the Serbian Patriarchate would do is leave his monastery / jurisdiction, and give up his responsibilities as abbot to acquire formal educations at SVS.  

It is about the the piece of paper to be elected to the episcopacy.

Why should I believe you???

Because Met. Jonah told my fellow classmate and I right to my face. But, come on, you really think the former abbot of St. Herman of Alaska Monastery would leave not only the Serbian Patriarchate but also the monastery and of all seminaries pick SVS... Don't forget Met. Jonah and Fr. Gerasim are old friends. Actually, Met. Jonah used to essentially work for St. Herman of Alaska Monastery while he was in Russia working on Russky Palomnik. It's a small world and years ago I knew the whole crowd. Be happy, this is going to very good for the OCA.

Don't take my word for it, just give it some time and you shall see.

I actually do believe he would choose SVS. I am not sure what ax you have to grind against SVS. It is by far the best schools for Orthodox theological and patristics studies in the English world.

[ignatius]

Fr. Gerasim is currently attending St. Vladimir's as preparation for becoming the bishop of Alaska, although there has been no official election yet.

I know Fr. Gerasim personally and he will be a much welcome change. Wonderful man and warrior of the Church. I honestly hope he gets the DOS because they need some conservative / Patristic leadership.

I do not know why you would say this. I am in the Diocese of the South and our parish priest is "conservative/Patristic."

I too am 'entering' into the Diocese of the South and am very pleased with the 'conservative/Patristic-ness' of our Parish Priest.

[Alveus Lacuna]

Is Fr. Gerasim ethnically Serbian?

[lavrishevo]

Is Fr. Gerasim ethnically Serbian?

No, he is an American convert of quite a few years.

[Orual]

I'm currently a classmate of Fr. Gerasim's hear at St. Vlad's.  Nothing has been mentioned of his election, but I would certainly vote for him should the opportunity arise.

Now you know why he is there. Believe me it is not for SVS's education... The last things a conservative, old calendar abbot under the Serbian Patriarchate would do is leave his monastery / jurisdiction, and give up his responsibilities as abbot to acquire formal educations at SVS. 

It is about the the piece of paper to be elected to the episcopacy.

You've only made a handful of posts here, but several of them have been used to put down SVS.  SVS is a fine school and, like arimethea said, is far and away the best place to study Orthodox theology in English.  What's your problem?

I'm sure Father Gerasim knew quite a bit already, and getting a formal education at SVS will be helpful for whatever future ministry he is given.

[lavrishevo]

I actually do believe he would choose SVS. I am not sure what ax you have to grind against SVS. It is by far the best schools for Orthodox theological and patristics studies in the English world.

I'm not sure how you would come to to believe that but, I am just telling you what the OCA's own Hierarch told me.

Non-the-less I know this will be great for the OCA.

If SVS is the best that America can offer God help us. It would be like a perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy. Even the OCA's own sister seminary is constantly scandalized by SVS's antics. One of my own professors is from SVS. As I have first hand experience, and since I am not a bleeding heart liberal, their agenda does not match mine. This is just my personal opinion as I am not a fan of that seminary and the "theologians" that have come out of it.

[DavidBryan]

I actually do believe he would choose SVS. I am not sure what ax you have to grind against SVS. It is by far the best schools for Orthodox theological and patristics studies in the English world.

I'm not sure how you would come to to believe that but, I am just telling you what the OCA's own Hierarch told me.

As another one of Fr. Gerasim's current classmates, I can tell you that it's clear that he wouldn't need to go ANYWHERE to study if he weren't required to have a piece of paper.  I think you're misquoting His Beatitude here; unless you want to try and make the case that he's duplicitous, you have to explain how he's told us that, in all of his responsibilities as Metropolitan we are "the most joyous of all of them."

He is an alum of SVS and has never had an ill word to say about the place.  He enthusiastically has promoted SVS activities.  Yet he is also a faithful son of Valaam and quite particular about being faithful to tradition.  He sent Abbot Gerasim here because he has said that this is the best place to study Orthodox theology.  True, as the head of the jurisdiction he's hardly unbiased, but since you seem to hold him in something of high regard, that endorsement might mean something.

Non-the-less I know this will be great for the OCA.

I agree wholeheartedly.

If SVS is the best that America can offer God help us... Even the OCA's own sister seminary is constantly scandalized by SVS's antics. ...As I have first hand experience, and since I am not a bleeding heart liberal, their agenda does not match mine. This is just my personal opinion as I am not a fan of that seminary and the "theologians" that have come out of it.

Concrete examples, please, both of so-called "antics" and of theologians (no quotes) that have come from here.

[arimethea]

I actually do believe he would choose SVS. I am not sure what ax you have to grind against SVS. It is by far the best schools for Orthodox theological and patristics studies in the English world.

I'm not sure how you would come to to believe that but, I am just telling you what the OCA's own Hierarch told me.

Non-the-less I know this will be great for the OCA.

If SVS is the best that America can offer God help us. It would be like a perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy. Even the OCA's own sister seminary is constantly scandalized by SVS's antics. One of my own professors is from SVS. As I have first hand experience, and since I am not a bleeding heart liberal, their agenda does not match mine. This is just my personal opinion as I am not a fan of that seminary and the "theologians" that have come out of it.

I don't know what conversations you had with Met. Jonah and what exactly he told you but it seems to be in direct contrast to things he has said to others and in the public arena, including people at St. Vlad's.

Can you please share what you mean by "perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy?" How are St. Herman's and St. Tikhon's scandalized? You rip apart the people SVS produces on one hand, and exalt people who have graduated from SVS on the other. You can't have it both ways.

I will be the first to admit that not every professor at SVS is great but the Priest SVS produces are among the best out there. Ask the Bishops who their best priest are and then look at were they graduated from and you will see that a majority of them are coming out of St. Vlad's. Getting a degree online and and attending a couple of weeks at the Antiochian International House of Pancakes does not produce people with a quality education like Holy Cross, St. Tikhon's, St. Herman's or St. Vladimir's because you miss out on the spiritual formation that occurs outside the classroom. What is taught in the class room exist to open the minds of the students to explore and engage the material so that the student isn't a parrot who just repeats after the professor but instead has the mind to think and engage the material to address the spiritual needs of their flock and be able to provide a grounded and sound answer to questions that may be asked of him.

If you want to level criticism at an institution back it up with examples not just I heard or these people say so. It sounds like you spend too much time listening to that tranny with the blog in upstate New York.  

[Orual]

I actually do believe he would choose SVS. I am not sure what ax you have to grind against SVS. It is by far the best schools for Orthodox theological and patristics studies in the English world.

I'm not sure how you would come to to believe that but, I am just telling you what the OCA's own Hierarch told me.

Non-the-less I know this will be great for the OCA.

If SVS is the best that America can offer God help us. It would be like a perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy. Even the OCA's own sister seminary is constantly scandalized by SVS's antics. One of my own professors is from SVS. As I have first hand experience, and since I am not a bleeding heart liberal, their agenda does not match mine. This is just my personal opinion as I am not a fan of that seminary and the "theologians" that have come out of it.

Joseph Stalin attended a seminary in Georgia - is it their fault he became a Marxist?

Also, Metropolitan Jonah has never had a bad word for St Vlad's.  The most he's done is change a rule there about classroom attire, so that ordained students would wear their cassocks to class, as was reported at ocanews several months ago.  He goes to the mat for SVS regularly.  They are very blessed to have him as their bishop.

[lavrishevo]

I don't know what conversations you had with Met. Jonah and what exactly he told you but it seems to be in direct contrast to things he has said to others and in the public arena, including people at St. Vlad's.

Can you please share what you mean by "perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy?" How are St. Herman's and St. Tikhon's scandalized? You rip apart the people SVS produces on one hand, and exalt people who have graduated from SVS on the other. You can't have it both ways.

I will be the first to admit that not every professor at SVS is great but the Priest SVS produces are among the best out there. Ask the Bishops who their best priest are and then look at were they graduated from and you will see that a majority of them are coming out of St. Vlad's. Getting a degree online and and attending a couple of weeks at the Antiochian International House of Pancakes does not produce people with a quality education like Holy Cross, St. Tikhon's, St. Herman's or St. Vladimir's because you miss out on the spiritual formation that occurs outside the classroom. What is taught in the class room exist to open the minds of the students to explore and engage the material so that the student isn't a parrot who just repeats after the professor but instead has the mind to think and engage the material to address the spiritual needs of their flock and be able to provide a grounded and sound answer to questions that may be asked of him.

If you want to level criticism at an institution back it up with examples not just I heard or these people say so. It sounds like you spend too much time listening to that tranny with the blog in upstate New York.  

So, to begin answering your questions. First, I praised no one who has graduated from St. Vlad's. If your are referring to my praise of Fr. Gerasim it is because of his dedication to monastic life, patristic world-view, and conservative values that I admired many years ago and I believe he still posses today.

From what my very good friend has elucidated to me is that St. Tikhon's and St. Vlad's barely talk with each other let alone work together. The two seminaries share a very different approach to Orthodox praxis and the continuation of St. Vlad's ecumenism with heretics and honorary degrees scandalized both staff and student. Again, since I am not a student of either seminary and I can not testify to seeing this scandal in person, but trust I my priest friend with his experience there as a student and presbyter.

I also agree that the Antiochian house of studies is severely lacking. It also promotes praxis and phromena contrary to the Holy Fathers. Loads the students up with Roman Catholic and Protestant literature as well as heavily promotes the awful books of its own professors. The only one who does not do this is V.Rev Antypass who at least uses Lossky and St. Basil the Great. I am not sure if you know this, but the AHOS uses both professors from St. Vlad's and Holy Cross.

My reference to the 1923 private meeting of schismatics is, again, in my opinion, exactly the same spirit of ecumenism and 'reform' that promotes conformity to the Protestant secular ideals of our western world. Adoption of the western ideals instead of the transformation of mankind. This has been the spirit of St. Vlad's since the days of Meyendorff and Schmemann. The worst two "theologians" to pollute the minds of America.

You have to forgive me but I am not exactly sure of what blog you are referring to. Although, I am a fan of Jodanville and I have a lot of respect for their adherence to canonical tradition and emphasis on patristic praxis.

I agree that formation of good priest and deacons does not happen online. It also does not happen in a classroom. This is exactly one of St. Vlad's biggest problems. It is not about having an open mind. It is about being a vessel of the Holy Spirit and living theology. Theology is not intellectualized it is experience through prayer, fasting, study of scripture and the Fathers, it is lived. This phronema cannot be taught it must be the transformation of identity. So, unlike the corrupted idea of scholasticism and the opening of ones mind, the type of students that adhere to this ideology become just like the Catholics. It is the student that puts for great effort to acquire the Holy Spirit not through a classroom or a textbook but by changing their whole identity in Christ. This is real education, an education in the service of our Lord.

Forgive me, I have to run to pick up my wife from university but I do hope this explains a little bit better my views on the subject.
God bless you.

As one of our prayers states: Lord teach me, control me, adorn me... This is my goal, to become dispassionate and let go of my own mind to become in the likeness of Him.

Fr. Deacon Daniel

[PeterTheAleut]

I don't know what conversations you had with Met. Jonah and what exactly he told you but it seems to be in direct contrast to things he has said to others and in the public arena, including people at St. Vlad's.

Can you please share what you mean by "perpetual extension of the 1923 congress in apostasy?" How are St. Herman's and St. Tikhon's scandalized? You rip apart the people SVS produces on one hand, and exalt people who have graduated from SVS on the other. You can't have it both ways.

I will be the first to admit that not every professor at SVS is great but the Priest SVS produces are among the best out there. Ask the Bishops who their best priest are and then look at were they graduated from and you will see that a majority of them are coming out of St. Vlad's. Getting a degree online and and attending a couple of weeks at the Antiochian International House of Pancakes does not produce people with a quality education like Holy Cross, St. Tikhon's, St. Herman's or St. Vladimir's because you miss out on the spiritual formation that occurs outside the classroom. What is taught in the class room exist to open the minds of the students to explore and engage the material so that the student isn't a parrot who just repeats after the professor but instead has the mind to think and engage the material to address the spiritual needs of their flock and be able to provide a grounded and sound answer to questions that may be asked of him.

If you want to level criticism at an institution back it up with examples not just I heard or these people say so. It sounds like you spend too much time listening to that tranny with the blog in upstate New York.  

So, to begin answering your questions. First, I praised no one who has graduated from St. Vlad's. If your are referring to my praise of Fr. Gerasim it is because of his dedication to monastic life, patristic world-view, and conservative values that I admired many years ago and I believe he still posses today.

From what my very good friend has elucidated to me is that St. Tikhon's and St. Vlad's barely talk with each other let alone work together. The two seminaries share a very different approach to Orthodox praxis and the continuation of St. Vlad's ecumenism with heretics and honorary degrees scandalized both staff and student. Again, since I am not a student of either seminary and I can not testify to seeing this scandal in person, but trust I my priest friend with his experience there as a student and presbyter.

I also agree that the Antiochian house of studies is severely lacking. It also promotes praxis and phromena contrary to the Holy Fathers. Loads the students up with Roman Catholic and Protestant literature as well as heavily promotes the awful books of its own professors. The only one who does not do this is V.Rev Antypass who at least uses Lossky and St. Basil the Great. I am not sure if you know this, but the AHOS uses both professors from St. Vlad's and Holy Cross.

Again, you're only sharing with us what others have told you and making vague, unsubstantiated accusations.  Can you give us specific and concrete examples of the discord between St. Vlad's and St. Tikhon's?  Can you give us specific and concrete examples of how the Antiochian House of Studies promotes praxis and phronema contrary to the Holy Fathers?  Can you give us specific and concrete examples of St. Vlad's heretical ecumenism?  Can you cite authoritative sources that we can cross-reference for ourselves?  Hearsay and namedropping is not enough.

My reference to the 1923 private meeting of schismatics is, again, in my opinion, exactly the same spirit of ecumenism and 'reform' that promotes conformity to the Protestant secular ideals of our western world. Adoption of the western ideals instead of the transformation of mankind. This has been the spirit of St. Vlad's since the days of Meyendorff and Schmemann. The worst two "theologians" to pollute the minds of America.

What 1923 private meeting of schismatics?  Rather than give us a judgmentally dismissive epithet for this meeting, why don't you identify the meeting by its formal title?

You have to forgive me but I am not exactly sure of what blog you are referring to. Although, I am a fan of Jodanville and I have a lot of respect for their adherence to canonical tradition and emphasis on patristic praxis.

I agree that formation of good priest and deacons does not happen online. It also does not happen in a classroom. This is exactly one of St. Vlad's biggest problems. It is not about having an open mind. It is about being a vessel of the Holy Spirit and living theology. Theology is not intellectualized it is experience through prayer, fasting, study of scripture and the Fathers, it is lived. This phronema cannot be taught it must be the transformation of identity. So, unlike the corrupted idea of scholasticism and the opening of ones mind, the type of students that adhere to this ideology become just like the Catholics. It is the student that puts for great effort to acquire the Holy Spirit not through a classroom or a textbook but by changing their whole identity in Christ. This is real education, an education in the service of our Lord.

Again, we need specific and concrete examples of how St. Vlad's doesn't teach an Orthodox phronema.  Can you do this for us?

[lavrishevo]

In an effort to restrain my passions I would rather not argue even if I am the only one arguing.  I do suffer from becoming emotionally involved and I would like to be the first to ask for forgiveness if I have offended anyone. I truly am the sinner of whom I am chief.

In the spirit of this great fast we are embarking on I do wish you all a joyous lent and wonderful Pascha. After some reflection, I probably should have said nothing at all concerning my opinions because in all honesty have they helped or hindered?

So, God bless you all and I shall see you, God willing, after Lent.

From St. Symeon the New Theologian

"Let us consider how we should glorify God. We cannot glorify Him in any way other than that in which He was glorified by the Son; for in the same way as the Son glorified the Father, the Son in turn was glorified by the Father. Let us, then, diligently use these same means to glorify Him who allows us to call Him 'our Father in heaven', so that we may be glorified by Him with the glory that the Son possesses with the father prior to the world (cf. Jn. 17:5). These means are the cross, or death to the whole world, the afflictions, the trials and the other sufferings undergone by Christ. If we endure them with great patience, we imitate Christ's sufferings; and through them we glorify our Father and God, as His sons by grace and coheirs of Christ."

[DavidBryan]

Blessed fast, Fr. Dcn.

Let us all keep the beloved Fr. Gerasim in our prayers.

[Basil 320]

I am compelled to take issue with the reference to the Pan-Orthodox Congress of 1923, convened by the Ecumenical Patriarch, as "a private meeting of schismatics." Disagree with its recommendations if you wish, but using that aggressive terminology against hierarchical, clerical, and lay representatives of several of the Holy Orthodox Churches, is wholly inappropriate, in my opinion.

I also know several priest graduates of St. Vladimir Seminary and find them to posses holiness and an erudite understanding of our Holy Faith, which they preach with appropriate zeal.

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