Physical Address
178 St. Tikhon's Rd.
South Canaan, PA 18459
Mailing Address
PO Box 130
South Canaan, PA 18459-0130
Phone: 570-561-1818
Website: www.stots.edu
St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary is an academic and religious community with a scriptual mandate, a theological vision, a guiding mission, a pastoral and teaching vocation:
- Centered on Christ - the Teacher, Redeemer, and Savior of the World;
- Grounded in the patristic tradition of the Orthodox Church;
- Engaged in prayer, worship, and theological reflection;
- Committed to the personal, spiritual, academic, and priestly formation of future leaders and servants of the Church;
- Focused on teaching and learning Orthodox theology as revealed by the Scriptures and interpreted by the Holy Fathers;
- Dedicated to the pursuit of authentic spirituality and academic excellence;
- Inspired and empowered by a unified theological vision
“For the Life of the World and Its Salvation”
Founded as a Pastoral School by resolution of the 6th (1937) All-American Sobor, St. Tikhon Seminary is a vibrant and integral part of the Orthodox Church in America, continuing to this day to fulfill its assigned task of educating and preparing candidates for the Holy Priesthood, as well as those pursuing other callings in the Church. Officially transformed from a Pastoral School into a Seminary by the Great Council of Bishops in 1942, the Seminary has visibly progressed along the educational path determined by its founders.
In 1967, the Seminary was chartered as a theological school by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a formal baccalaureate credit transfer agreement with Marywood College (now Marywood University), in nearby Scranton, was signed in 1975. In 1988, the Seminary was authorized by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education to award the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree to its graduates, and the first MDiv degrees were conferred on the graduating class of 1989. In its ongoing accreditation effort, in June 2002 the seminary became a Candidate Member of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and is presently engaged in accreditation self-study.
As an integral part of the Seminary’s theological mission and outreach, St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press has extended the missionary and teaching activities of the Seminary community by making available a range of theological and liturgical works and texts for the general advancement of Orthodox theological knowledge and scholarship.
Recognizing that theological studies are rooted in the human soul and its relationship with God, the Seminary’s alumni - several hundred bishops, priests, monks, choir directors, and lay ministers - strive to fulfill the evangelical command, “Come and follow Me and I will make you fishers of men… Go into the world, preach, teach and baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
The Seminary has become a genuine center of theological and spiritual enrichment in North America, playing a unique role in the preparation of candidates for the Holy Priesthood and other ministries vital to the ongoing life and growth of the Orthodox Church in North America. In its symbiotic relationship with St. Tikhon Monastery, St. Tikhon Seminary nurtures the theological vocations of its students and faculty, who share the unique opportunity of teaching and learning Orthodox theology in the framework of their daily experience of a rich spiritual and liturgical tradition.
Adminstration
Metropolitan Tikhon, President
Archbishop Michael, Rector
V. Rev. John E. Parker, Dean
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Programs
Master of Divinity (M. Div.): A three-year graduate first professional degree program in priestly formation and theological education for students who have received baccalaureates and/or higher academic degrees from recognized institutions of higher education.
Diploma in Orthodox Theology: For students who may have had no collegiate experience, or may have had collegiate experience but have not received a degree, the Seminary offers a four-year non-degree postsecondary formation program conferring the Diploma in Orthodox Theology
Cooperative Programs: Undergraduate students who matriculate in the Diploma program at St. Tikhon’s Seminary have the option of completing their baccalaureate studies through cooperative undergraduate programs with Northampton Community College (Bethlehem-Honesdale) or Marywood University (Scranton). Upon completion of their baccalaureate requirements (or equivalency), students may apply for admission into the Master of Divinity program.
The Extension Studies Program: permits students who cannot enroll in a traditional residential theological learning program to productively participate in theological education. The program is designed for motivated and self-starting adult learners 16 or older who wish to enroll in an Orthodox program of directed pre-theological studies on a postsecondary undergraduate level, for continuing education credit (CEUs) or for personal spiritual enrichment.
