|
Holy Apostles Seminary and School of Orthodox Theology is an institution
of Orthodox Christian theological education, chartered by the Synod of Orthodox
Bishops of the Western Rite Archdiocese of New England & the Eastern
States. The Seminary nurtures the theological vocations of its students and
faculty, who share the unique opportunity of learning and teaching Orthodox
theology in the framework of their daily experience of a rich heritage of
Western Orthodox Christian spiritual and liturgical traditions. The primary mission of the Seminary lies in providing the necessary theological, spiritual and moral foundations for Orthodox Christians to become, as God so wills, good shepherds of His Church. | ||
| At the same time, however, the Seminary also recognizes that many individuals choose to enroll in a professional theological training program for the fulfillment of needs other than those of ordained ministry. Among these are: | ||
 |
preparation for general religious leadership | |
|
|
responsibilities in parishes and other settings | |
|
|
advanced theological study | |
|
|
specialized ministry as religious educators or choir directors | |
|
|
personal spiritual enrichment | |
| Therefore, Holy Apostles Seminary & School of Orthodox Theology continues to support all honourable reasons for matriculation at the Seminary and participation in courses. | ||
| Theological knowledge can never be seen as merely the acquisition of academic information about matters ecclesial and theological. On the contrary, by its very nature, all theological knowledge is rooted in the soul of man, from whence his intelligence springs, and in the relationship that exists between man and his Creator. In this lies the great insight of the mystic theologians. True theological education is thus, first of all, the acceptance of the highest spiritual knowledge—the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Theological schools do not offer a course of study about God as such, as might be taken about man, his anatomy and his nature; they offer, instead, a course of study about the relationship between God and man. In theological education the ultimate goal is to fulfill the evangelical mandate: “Come and follow Me and I will make you fishers of men… Go into the whole world, preach the Gospel, teach, and baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” | ||
| The knowledge of God the Holy Trinity is, at once, the object of theological inquiry and also its means, or methodology. Through the simple act of beginning every discourse or study with prayer, the theological school proclaims that its first—and ultimately, its only goal—is to teach the student to draw nearer to God. The only certain way to accomplish that goal is by means of study that begins and ends in dialogue with God. Indeed, a person is not a theologian unless he not only knows about prayer, but actually prays. A theologian, in short, is nothing more than a good Christian who prays, studies and acts, and then continues to pray. It is in close association with the place of prayer the Church that the seminarian finds himself in the environment which is most conducive to the development of his spiritual life, without which any theological or pastoral effort would be in vain. To that end, Holy Apostles Seminary strives to maintain a well defined and mutually spiritually fulfilling relationship with each student, through our faculty, spiritual directors and the student’s local bishop and pastor. | ||
| During the years of his future pastoral ministry, the Seminarian will be confronted by an array of life situations that will require of him not just abstract theological knowledge, but also tact and pastoral sensitivity, wisdom and objectivity of judgment, as well as creativity of individual approach. This will hold especially true when he will be called to provide pastoral care in situations of clinical distress, to individuals who have lost a measure of human freedom and dignity, and often endure in various stages of confinement in homes and institutions, rehabilitation programs and centers: the sick, the dying and the bereaved; those who are confined to nursing and convalescent homes; the imprisoned, the mentally ill, and those caught in self-destructive patterns of alcohol and substance addiction or abuse. | ||
| In addition to the course work outlined and prescribed by the theological curriculum, as well as the faith experience of a rich western rite liturgical life, which together provide the necessary academic, spiritual, personal and professional foundations for students to become pastors and workers in Christ's Holy Church, Holy Apostles Seminary has a hands on practicum program to provide the seminarian with real life pastoral experience in ministering to the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of people in a variety of situations. | ||