Topic: St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology

[Justinianus]

The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese has a theological academy that offers correspondence study courses in the areas of theogology, liturgics, church history, and the Bible.  Have any of you heard anything about it either positive or negative?  

The web site is:

http://www.saaot.edu/

[nicodemus]

The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese has a theological academy that offers correspondence study courses in the areas of theogology, liturgics, church history, and the Bible.  Have any of you heard anything about it either positive or negative?  

The web site is:

http://www.saaot.edu/

As long as they aren't ordaining priests through the mail, it seems like a good thing.  Clergy and laity getting more educated can't be a bad thing right?

[Elisha]

I really don't understand their point/mission.  You might as well just go to seminary.  The Antiochians should just start their own seminary somewhere.

Even though I've know the priests who run the seminary all my life, I wonder if they have ulterior motives.

Funny.  Surf Control won't let me into their site at work.

[David]

I don't know if I agree Elisha.  There are many good and pious men and women who want to learn more about their faith and serve the church more fully in a lay capacity.   As long as the classes are taught by the standards of the Church, I don't see any reason to discontinue the classes.  

And perhaps with most of their members going to SVS or HC perhaps the Antiochian Holy Synod feels they have more important things to do than build a seminary at this point.  It also helps jurisidictional unity having many of the priests of america training together.  I wonder if there are many non-ACROD priests-in-training at their seminary?

Also, I think the correspondance school helps to supplement their prison ministry.

[Elisha]

David,

SAAOT is NOT a seminary (I didn't mean to use the word 'seminary' in my previous post) and is not acredited.  They don't train priests.  They have classes that probably are pretty decent, maybe have a lot of overlapping classes with a seminary.  It was started by former EOC priests and has been around in some form or another (and location) since pre-Orthodox times.  They come across as aspiring to be such, but either can't makeup their mind, don't want to or something else.  That's why I say that I don't understand their point given their history, I'm at least slightly suspect of ulterior motives.

There's more I could say, but I don't want to gossip (and I'm indirectly involved a past scandal).

Of course, I'm still going to spend part of Thanksgiving with some of the people involved, but there is still a slight feel of discomfort.

[David]

Elisha,

I guess we can only wait and see what will happen.  All I know about them is what I've read on their site a few years ago.  Let us know if you hear any good news over turkey.