Prof. John Erickson Elected Dean of St. Vladimir Seminary
Professor John H. Erickson was elected Dean of Saint Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary by the school’s trustees on Friday, December 14, 2001.
Professor Erickson will succeed Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, who will retire from the office of Dean on June 30, 2002.
The election brought to a close an intense, seven-month process by the Deanship Search Committee, chaired by Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America [OCA].
Currently the Peter N. Gramowich Professor of Church History, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Registrar, Professor Erickson joined the seminary faculty in 1973. In addition to teaching courses in Church history and canon law, he is a well-known author and canonist.
An elected member of the OCA Metropolitan Council, Professor Erickson has served on the Canonical Commission, Department of External Church Relations, Statute Commission, and Department of History and Archives. He has been a member of the US Eastern Orthodox-Oriental Orthodox Consultation, the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, the Ecclesiology Study Group, and the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches in Christ. He also has served as president of the Orthodox Theological Society of America.
Professor Erickson and his wife, Helen Breslich Erickson, have two adult sons, Paul and David.
Following the election, the trustees thanked Search Committee members for their meticulous work. They also thanked Father Hopko for his years of fruitful labor and stewardship at the seminary, not only as Dean, but also as Professor of Dogmatics, Spirituality, and Pastoral Theology.
For updates, general information, and photos, visit the seminary web site at www.svots.edu.