Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute
SAI is prepared to offer the following classes for Sept 2022. We are developing a new method of presentation of the on classes to the local parishioners with the local Priest as the mentor. SAI has the lecture material installed in the on line classes for the student and non-editing teacher (the Priest). When and if, the Priest needs guidance he can receive it from one of our qualified Instructors. The goal is to make the classes available without having additional expenses. SAI will offer an honorarium to the Priest for every student enrolled. Further details of this proposal are described below.
These are the following classes with Priest as mentor:
- · Reader I
- · Christian Education
- · Doctrine 1
- · Holy Scripture 1
- · Liturgics/Liturgical Theology 1
- · Church Fathers 1
- · Ethics/Spirituality
The following three courses will have Instructors
- Church History 1 - Dr Dn. Lasha Tchantouridzé
- · Homiletics – Dr Fr. Oleg Mironov
We at SAI are embarking on attaining Charitable Status with CRA in the near future. To date we have Non-for-profit certification.
Certificate of Incorporation
Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act
Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute
Corporate name
1154113-7
Corporation number
Raymond Edwards
Director
2019-07-29
Date of Incorporation (YYYY-MM-DD)
Purpose Of Corporation
A Non For Profit (Corporation) with the soul purpose to be an Orthodox Christian Theological Institute (School of Learning) primarily for Orthodox Christians in Canada to support and strengthen the Orthodox Faith. To Provide Orthodox Christian Theological studies for the laity, and priestly order (Readers, Sub-Deacons, Deacons and Priests) in the Orthodox Church including non-Orthodox interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church. The Institute will provide local education in Winnipeg, Manitoba and also distance education in Canada and around the World via on-line web based methods. The Institute will also provide learning via seminars as an outreach to communities in different centers in Canada.
Readers Course
Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Institute (SAI) is embarking on a new and better way to present the Reader Course to Orthodox Christians who desire to be tonsured as Readers in the Orthodox Church. In the Archdiocese of Canada we are spread so far and wide across our Country an online distance education program is necessary. SAI has a 26 week online Reader Course available.
Due to our budget constraints we are in a situation of lack of Instructors.
SAI will provide the Reader course online for the Parish and assign the local Priest and/or Deacon as the Instructor. The cost for this would be $100.00 (one time cost) to the Parish with the Priest and/or Deacon enrolled as Instructors at no cost.
The course will then be made available to any member of that Parish under the guidance of the Priest. The cost for the Reader course, to the student would be $200.00.
In addition SAI has a qualified Instructor (a Choir Director with relevant training) to provide vocal training support for all students. This will be done by remote learning with Zoom as a potential method.
Diaconate Course
Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Institute (SAI) is also embarking on a new model and better way to present the Diaconate Courses to Orthodox Christians who desire to pursue the Diaconate in the Orthodox Church. SAI has available online, for the Diaconate a full slate of (19) courses. In the Archdiocese of Canada we are spread so far and wide across our Country an online distance education program is necessary. SAI has the online Diaconate Courses available in 8 week sessions.
SAI envisages a better method to present these courses to potential Orthodox Christians pursuing the Priestly Order by having the courses mentored or guided by their local Priest. SAI will support the Priests with our qualified Instructors.
The course content is online. The local Priest will be enrolled as a none-editing Instructor with full access to the course content. The local Priest will receive financial compensation in the form of an honorarium for each class/student he is mentoring.
The cost to the student for each course is $400.00 except for Church History II & III which is $600.00. Church History I and Church History II & III are taught by Dr. Dn. Lasha Tchantouridze.
The Archdiocese encourages the Priests to be involved in continuous learning. A Priest as an instructor to a student is a very good method to brush up on one of 19 relevant subjects to his ministry.
To view the courses available view the document describing SAI offerings. See below.
Year I First Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Church History 1 – Beginnings to the 9th Century Set up for ON Line
Pentecost; Apostles and Early Christian Community; Judaism; Apostle St. Paul; Council of Jerusalem; Persecutions; Conversion of Constantine; Church and State; 5 Patriarchates; Writers and Teachers of the Church – 1st through 4th centuries; Heresies; Ecumenical Councils; Monasticism; Rise of Islam; Oriental Christianity; Iconoclasm; Byzantium and Rome; Writers and Teachers of the Church – 5th through 8th centuries; Christian life and worship; Holy Mysteries.
Christian Education Set up for ON Line
The Church’s liturgical life as the framework and context for Christian education.
Sanctification of life. Sanctification of time. Sanctification of matter. Resources and means for Christian education: Holy Scriptures, lives and teachings of the saints, icons. Educational materials produced by the North American Orthodox Churches. Age-appropriate themes and means of Christian education.
Doctrine 1 Set up for ON Line
Sources of Christian Doctrine. God: Creation, Angels, Man, Fall, and Preparation for the coming of Christ. Jesus Christ: Incarnation, Redemption, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, Coming again.
Year I Second Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Holy Scripture 1 Set up for ON Line
A comprehensive introduction to, and overview of, Holy Scripture. Jesus Christ as the key to understanding Scripture. What is the Bible? By whom and for whom was it written? Types of literature in the Bible. The Bible as revelation – the word of God. Geographical settings of the Bible. Historical background to the Bible. A survey of the books of the Bible with brief summaries of their content, purpose and themes. Main themes of the Bible. The place, significance and use of Holy Scripture in the Orthodox Church. Canon of Scripture. The Septuagint translation. Personal Reading of Holy Scripture. The changing place and influence of the Bible in European and North American civilization over the centuries.
Liturgics/Liturgical Theology 1 Set up for ON Line
The Church Building: external arrangement, internal arrangement, iconostasis, the altar and its furnishing, antimension, the bells, candles and their symbolism. Services: the daily cycle, the weekly cycle. The annual cycle of feasts: the moveable feasts, the fixed feasts. The great feasts: Major feasts of the Church according to the spring equinox and the Jewish Passover, great feasts of the Lord, great feasts of the Mother of God. The Church Year: the Triodion, Pentecostarion, Octoechos (eight tones). The daily cycle of the services. The evening service: the order of little vespers, daily vespers, the order of great vespers, first hour, the order of matins in the Holy and Great 40-day fast. The Church year: fasting seasons, fast-free weeks, fast days, concerning fasting, pre-Lent.
Year I Third Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Church History 2 & 3 – Cost is $600.00 CAN Set up for ON Line
9th to the 21st Centuries & History of Orthodox Christianity in North America
Doctrine 2 Set up for ON Line
Holy Spirit, Pentecost. Church, Sacraments, Eternal Life. Concepts of Orthodoxy and Heresy.
Holy Scripture 2 Set up for ON Line
A study of the content of the New Testament. Major themes of the New Testament. The use of the New Testament Scripture in the life and worship of the Orthodox Church.
Year I Fourth Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Liturgics/Liturgical Theology 2 Set up for ON Line
The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Orthodox Church: origin, development and theological meaning.
The Eucharistic Liturgy: its relationship to the total sacramental and spiritual life of the Church.
Church Fathers 1 Set up for ON Line
The Fathers of the 2nd to early 5th centuries: Apostolic Fathers, Ante-Nicene Fathers and Nicene Fathers. St. Ignatius of Antioch; St. Justin Martyr; St. Irenaeus; Tertullian; St. Clement of Alexandria; St. Cyprian of Carthage; Origen. Trinitarian Controversy. St. Athanasius of Alexandria; St. Basil of Caesarea; St. Gregory of Nazianzus; St. Gregory of Nyssa; St. John Chrysostom; St. Hilary of Poitiers; St. Ambrose of Milan; St. Jerome; St. Augustine of Hippo.
Year II First Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Canonical Tradition
The history, basis, scope and principles of canon law in the Orthodox Church.
Directives and official statements of the Orthodox Church in America and the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in North America on moral issues, and other matters. Guidelines for clergy. Ecumenical relations. The Church and Canadian law.
Church Fathers 2 Set up for ON Line
The Fathers of the late 5th century to the 15th century. Christological Disputes. St. Cyril of Alexandria; St. Leo of Rome; St. Maximus the Confessor; St. John of Damascus; St. Symeon the New Theologian; St. Gregory Palamas; St. Mark Eugenicus.
Year II Second Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Doctrine/Comparative Theology 3
Christian West. Development of Distinctive Western Forms of Christian Thought. A Comparative Study of Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Theology. Relationship between Orthodox - Roman Catholic and Orthodox - Protestant in Past and Present.
Holy Scripture 3
A study of the content of the Old Testament. Major themes of the Old Testament. The use of the Old Testament in the life and worship of the Orthodox Church.
Liturgics/Liturgical Theology 3 Set up for ON Line
Holy Mysteries for the Church: origin, structure and theological meaning.
Theology of the Orthodox Icon.
Year II Third Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Ethics/Spirituality ` Set up for ON Line
The foundation and goal of Orthodox spirituality and ethics. The creation of humanity in the image of God. The fall of man. Redemption through Christ. Incorporation into the Church. Deification. The means of Christian spiritual growth. Co-operation with the grace given in the Holy Mysteries. Our calling as Prophets, Priests, and Kings. Specific Tools for spiritual Growth: fasting, prayer, love of neighbour, the virtues, lives and teachings of the saints. Moral life and reconciliation with all as the basis for, and fruit of communion with God. Orthodox perspectives on, marriage, family, suffering, death and current ethical dilemmas. The goal of life in Christ: becoming like Christ, acquiring the Holy Spirit, resurrection.
Homiletics Set up for ON Line
The theory of preaching: historical background, purpose of sermon, types of sermons, selection of topics, source materials, structure and style, composition and proclamation.
The ministry of the Word: related to various life situations, related to the Liturgical Year, preparation by Pastor for preaching, other forms of public address. Practicum: sermon based on Sunday Gospel reading, sermon based on Sunday Epistle reading, sermon for a Feast-day, sermon for a Holy Mystery (including funeral)
Year II Fourth Semester – Start Dates to be decided March, June, September or December
Liturgics/Liturgical Theology 4 This is a practical Course with local Priest
Book of needs. Service
Monastic tonsure.
Practicum.
Pastoral Theology/Counseling Set up for ON Line
Introduction to pastoral theology: priest and pastor in Scripture and Tradition. Vocations, ordination, education, priestly spirituality, purity. Ministry in the church, the home, society and family. Relations with the parish council, sisterhood, choir, youth, altar servers. Chaplain visitations to the sick; hospital visitations; shut-ins and elderly visitations. Visitations to those in prisons. Family planner to the family as groups, couples, or individuals. Youth advisor to teen-agers, youth in conflict and maturation. Inter-Orthodox and ecumenical relations. Important problems – sin, pain and suffering, age and ageing, dying and death, alcoholism, drug abuse, and marital problems. Deacon’s ministry with pastor/priest. The Pastor and his family. The Priest and the administration of the holy Mysteries - pre-marital counseling, pre-baptismal counseling, counseling for conversion.