IN THE NEWS: Alberta, PA, NY, Russia
Calgary, Alberta: Parish moves to new quarters
Parishioners of Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut Church, Calgary, AB, celebrated a special service on Saturday, June 6, 2015 to mark their move into the building of the Anglican parish of Saint Mark and Saint Philip, which they are leasing from the local Anglican diocese. For the near future, the communities will share the space, while operating independently.
Holy Martyr Peter’s Rector, Priest Phillip Eriksson, began the celebration of Great Vespers in the parish’s old building. The clergy and faithful then processed two blocks to its new location. Concelebrating Vespers with Father Phillip were Priest Kyle Parrott, assistant priest at Holy Martyr Peter; Priests George Dahdouh, Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation; Peter Rougas, Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church; and Deacon Kevin Wigglesworth.
After Vespers, the Rev. Brian Way of the Anglican parish welcomed the Orthodox faithful to their new home. Also present were several pastors from throughout the community of Marda Loop.
South Canaan, PA: Two new titles available from STM Press
Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Press recently announced the release of two new books.
Being Bread by Deacon Stephen Muse—originally published by the Orthodox Research Institute in 2013—is an inspiring book that will help many people break out of their customary way of viewing life. The stories and reflections in this volume are offered in celebration of the One Who, in surprising ways and unexpected circumstances, becomes the precious and pure gift of our being bread so that we may live the mystery of becoming bread for others.
Deacon Stephen Muse is Director responsible for the Pastoral Counselor Training Program and Clinical Services for the D.A. and Elizabeth Turner Ministry Resource Center of the Pastoral Institute, Inc. in Columbus, GA. He also is author of Beside Still Waters: Restoring the Souls of Shepherds in the Market Place (2000), Raising Lazarus: Integral Healing in Orthodox Christianity (2004), and When Hearts Become Flame.
In The Soul’s Longing: An Orthodox Perspective and on Biblical Interpretation, Dr. Mary Ford, Associate Professor of New Testament and Spirituality at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary and a scholar in the field of Biblical hermeneutics, demonstrates the essential connection between spiritual life and authoritative, inspiring biblical interpretation. The volume also explains the profound effect of one’s theology – especially Christology – on one’s hermeneutic. This is accomplished by looking at fundamental principles of traditional Christian theology, with an historical overview indicating the close connection between exegesis and spiritual life in the Church of the early centuries and describing what went wrong that led to the problems in much of today’s Biblical scholarship. Dr. Ford notes how the exegetical strengths of the early Church can and should be brought into the present while retaining what is of value from Bible scholarship of the recent past and offers examples of how this can be done.
Dr. Ford and her husband, Dr. David C. Ford, are coauthors of Marriage as a Path to Holiness, also published by Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Press.
Both books may be ordered through Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Bookstore and Press’ web site.
Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Seminary announces publishing endeavor; new biography of St. Tikhon of Moscow now available
The publishing work of Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY is expanding into the academic field with the creation of a new imprint. Under the editorship of Dr. Vitaly Permiakov, Holy Trinity Seminary Press will publish studies relating to the theology, history, and liturgy of the Orthodox Church. Liturgical texts and guidance for the spiritual life will continue to be the mainstays of Holy Trinity Publications’ flagship imprint, the Printshop of Saint Job of Pochaev.
Archimandrite Luke, abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and seminary Rector, commented on the new project, “Our mandate has always been to publish books for the spiritual edification of the faithful and for the conversion of the world around us. Now we seek to expand this mission to include works that elucidate the Church’s Tradition in a scholarly manner. These books will both support our task of educating the next generation of Orthodox priests and address the growing challenges of an increasingly secularized academia.”
Assistant to the Dean Priest Ephraim Willmarth sees a lack of traditional and patristic textbooks available for seminary courses in the English language. He hopes that the new seminary press “will have a significant impact on theological education in our seminary classrooms, in distance education, for those educating themselves, and in other seminaries.”
Towards this aim, HTSP will release Archbishop Averky’s The Four Gospels, the first volume in his series, Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. Writing in the tradition of biblical exegetes such as Saint John Chrysostom and Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria, Vladyka Averky allows the reader to see the life of Christ as an unfolding narrative in accessible, direct language. This translation will be an indispensable addition to the library of every student of the Gospels.
The first title released under the new imprint will be Chosen for His People: A Biography of Patriarch Tikhon by Jane Swan. Ninety years after Saint Tikhon’s repose, Dr Swan’s modest but carefully crafted monograph remains the only complete biography of this holy confessor available in English. This new edition has been updated and revised in light of newly discovered sources.
Discounted pre-publication orders on both titles are available on-line.
Moscow, Russia: Elena Dorman honored for translation of Fr. Schmemann’s writings
Elena Dorman recently was awarded the Alexander Piatigorsky Literary Prize for her dedicated translation of a collection of writings by the late Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, titled The Liturgy of Death in Contemporary Culture. The book made its debut at a December 2013 gathering in Moscow marking the 30th Anniversary of Father Alexander’s repose. [See related story.] The book was edited and translated into Russian from various unpublished lectures composed by Father Alexander in the 1970s.
For many years, during Soviet and post-Soviet times, Ms. Dorman has been involved in the translation, publication and distribution of Orthodox Christian theological literature, especially during her years as the representative in Russia of Religious Books for Russia.