Topic: Do Orthodox priests learn foreign languages in seminary?

[StGeorge]

Which languages do Orthodox seminarians study?  Greek, Church Slavonic?  Russian?  Hebrew?  I am really interested to know.  Thanks! 

[Mor Ephrem]

At St. Vlad's, two semesters of Greek are required for all M.Div students.  A course in Church Slavonic is offered, but you don't learn much more than how to read.  A similar course in Arabic is offered, and is a requirement for Antiochian seminarians.  Hebrew is offered sometimes as an elective.  This coming semester, several of us will be studying Syriac at the Armenian seminary (which, oddly enough, offers Armenian). 

[Justin Kissel]

Here is a page on what Holy Trinity Seminary (ROCOR) teaches.

[Fr. George]

At Holy Cross, the foreign language program depends on which jurisdiction you are from.  For those from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and those other world Archdiocese that use the Greek language that insist upon it, there is a 3 year (24 credit) program in Modern Greek, plus one semester (3 credits) of "Liturgical" Greek, in addition to the base language program.  For those from the Antiochian Archdiocese, there is a 3 year (9 credit) program in Arabic in addition to the base language program.  For those of other jurisdictions, they have no language requirement other than the base program.

The base language program, for all M.Divinity students, is one year of New-Testament Greek.

[Elisha]

Good.  I guess then that my problem is more with the older, AEOM variety clergy who never went to seminary and seem so arabic hostile.  Rather sad that they seem unwilling to learn a few words.

[Mat. Elizabeth]

Where we live it's just 5 miles from the border with Mexico, SPANISH is the most frequent local language. We use it liturgically and Father uses it daily in communicating with those from both the Parish and the Community.  Because our Parish is so very ethnically diverse, on Sunday Div. Liturgy, we do all in English except for a few litanies (in Spanish).  However, at Vespers and other services, we will often do litanies in Greek, Slavonic, Arabic, Spanish, Romanian and in English as well.  For Pascha, we sing the tropar in as many languages as we can, including all of those listed above. We love the diversity in language, culture - and culinary arts as well!   

In Christ,  Mat. Elizabeth Perdomo
www.stgeorgepantry.org

[username!]

If you look at the seminarian program at St. Tikhon's (OCA) you will see you have to pass a test before graduating in both New Testament Greek and Church Slavonic.  Oh, this is from the website. 

[ilyazhito]

The explanation of Jordanville's courses can be found here
http://hts.edu/seminary/front/en/academics.html
Other seminaries teach Greek  and Arabic, and Christ the Saviour in Johnstown teaches Slavonic.

[Alpo]

Finnish seminarians are taught in a university. There are compulsory courses on biblical Hebrew, biblical and liturgical Greek, Church Slavonic and Swedish but there are of course loads of optional courses available in various other languages such as Latin, Syriac, biblical Aramaic, Russian and the more usual European languages. One of the benefits of being a State church. Of course it's a whole another thing whether seminarians actually take part in all these optional courses and how profound language skills one learns at these kind of random courses.  

[mike]

Greek, Latin, Russian, English, Church-Slavonic and Ukrainian or Belarusian.
http://www.psd.edu.pl/site.php?s=YmY4M2U3YzcwMDAxMzI=