Published by the
Patriarch Athenagoras
Orthodox Institute, March 31, 2004
Patriarch
Athenagoras Orthodox Institute to Hold Summer
Institute Featuring Chryssavgis, Karras, Viscuso
Berkeley, CA – The Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox
Institute will hold its first Summer Institute,
June 16-19, 2004. The program will feature three
intensive courses taught by leading Orthodox
theologians in the United States.
Dr. Valerie Karras will teach a two session course
titled “Women in the Church.” The first session
will be devoted to Women Saints, such as Thekla,
Nina, Perpetua, Macrina, Theodora and others. The
lives of these saints will be presented not only
as models for women, but also for men. The second
session will be devoted to Women’s Liturgical
Participation and examine such issues as the
segregation of women in church, customs about
dress for women, and notions about ritual
impurity. In addition the session will examine the
female diaconate in the church.
Dr. Valerie
Karras is presently a Byzantine bibliographer at
the Thesaurus Linguae
Graecae, an electronic Greek database project at
the University of California, Irvine. She has
taught at Washington University in St. Louis,
Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox
School of Theology, and Saint Louis University.
Dr. Karras has lectured widely, and published
numerous articles in books and scholarly journals,
and is completing revisions to her forthcoming
book on women in the Byzantine liturgy.
The second course
is titled “The Desert and the City” and will be
taught by Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis. This class
will focus on key questions, personalities and
authors, and texts dealing with the Desert Fathers
and their implications for Christians today.
Questions to be explored are 1. “Why leave the
city for the desert?: - The origins of Christian
Monasticism; 2. “What to do in the desert?” - The
life and spirituality of the desert. 3. “Who went
to the desert?” - Key personalities and texts. 4.
“What does the desert have to do with me, today?”
Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis studied theology in
Athens (Greece) and Oxford (England). He has
taught in Sydney (Australia) and Boston. Fr.
Chryssavgis is well-known in California having
delivered many talks and led many retreats in the
area.
The
final course will be devoted to Canon Law. Rev.
Dr. Patrick Viscuso will lead a session titled,
“Working with the Law of the Church.” This seminar
will use a case study method to provide a
practical introduction to Orthodox Canon Law.
Included will be topics such as the difference
between canon and nomos, how canons
are created and interpreted, the role of canons in
church/parish governance. A special and practical
emphasis will be placed on procedures and decision
making, authority, and marriage law (including
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese divorce procedures).
This seminar is being co-sponsored with the
Hellenic Bar Society. Pending approval, MCLE will
award Continuing Education Units will be awarded
for attorneys attending this program.
Rev. Dr. Patrick Viscuso is Professor of Canon Law
at the Antiochian House of Studies and the St.
Stephen’s Institute. He has published articles in
the field of Late Byzantine Canon Law in many
international journals. He is a priest of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
The
program will cost $100 for all three courses. All
courses will be taught during the day, allowing
out-of-towners to enjoy the Bay Area and local
residents an evening at home. It is possible to
attend only one course and there are special rates
for college students. For a registration packet,
contact the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox
Institute 510-649-3450.
For more information contact:
Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D., Director
Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute
2311 Hearst Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-649-3450
paoi@gtu.edu
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