Eastern Orthodox Christianity and American Higher Education: Theological, Historical, and Contemporary Reflections

by Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides (Editor), Elizabeth H. Prodromou (Editor)

Overview

Over the last two decades, the American academy has engaged in a wide-ranging discourse on faith and learning, religion and higher education, and Christianity and the academy. Eastern Orthodox Christians, however, have rarely participated in these conversations. The contributors to this volume aim to reverse this trend by offering original insights from Orthodox Christian perspectives that contribute to the ongoing discussion about religion, higher education, and faith and learning in the United States. The book is divided into two parts. Essays in the first part explore the historical experiences and theological traditions that inform (and sometimes explain) Orthodox approaches to the topic of religion and higher education—in ways that often set them apart from their Protestant and Roman Catholic counterparts. Those in the second part problematize and reflect on Orthodox thought and practice from diverse disciplinary contexts in contemporary higher education. The contributors to this volume offer provocative insights into philosophical questions about the relevance and application of Orthodox ideas in the religious and secular academy, as well as cross-disciplinary treatments of Orthodoxy as an identity marker, pedagogical framework, and teaching and research subject.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780268101268
Publisher:	University of Notre Dame Press
Publication date:	01/15/2017
Edition description:	1
Pages:	454
Sales rank:	746,216
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides is director of the Office of Vocation and Ministry at Hellenic College.

Elizabeth H. Prodromou is visiting associate professor of conflict resolution at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Piecing the Puzzle of Eastern Orthodox Christian Involvement in American Higher Education Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides 1

Part I Historical and Theological Roots

Chapter 1 Education (Paideia) as Kerygmatic Value in the Orthodox Tradition John A. McGuckin 55

Chapter 2 Wisdom and Education: An Old Testament Perspective Michael C. Legaspi 80

Chapter 3 A Rhetoric Fit for the Gospel: Education in the Letters of Saint Paul George L. Parsenios 102

Chapter 4 "Learn from Me": Embodied Knowledge through Imitation in Early Christian Pedagogy Bruce N. Beck 115

Chapter 5 Plundering the Egyptians: The Use of Classical Paideia in the Early Church John Behr 140

Chapter 6 Orthodox Monasticism and Higher Education Andrew Louth 155

Chapter 7 Thoughts from Orthodoxy's Modern Past: Theology, Religion, and the University in Russia (Late Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries) Vera Shevzov 167

Part II Engaging the Contemporary Academy

Chapter 8 An Orthodox University in Lebanon: A Rich Legacy and Insistent Calling Georges N. Nahas 201

Chapter 9 An Orthodox College Candace Hetzner 223

Chapter 10 Ecumenism in the Classroom: An Orthodox Perspective on Teaching in a Catholic University Radu Bordeiami 241

Chapter 11 Theosis and Theological Literacy: Identity Formation and Teaching Theology to Undergraduates Aristotle Papanikolaou 256

Chapter 12 Perspectives from the Academy: Being Orthodox and a Scientist Gayle E. Woloschak 266

Chapter 13 Singing the Lord's Song in a Foreign Land: Teaching Orthodox Liturgical Music in Non-Orthodox Contexts Alexander Lingas 279

Chapter 14 In the World, for the Life of the World: Personal Reflections on Being a Professor and Priest in a Public University Michael Plekon 315

Chapter 15 The Absence of Eastern Orthodoxy in American Academia and Its Possible Relevance for an Integral Vision of Reality Kyriacos C. Markides 331

Chapter 16 Reflections on Political Science and the Study of Orthodox Christianity in the American Academy: Thoughts on Mainstream and Margins Elizabeth H. Prodromou 343

Chapter 17 The Transfiguration Polyeleos, Textbooks, and Polyphonic Learning Roy R. Robson 365

Chapter 18 Vocation, Poetry, and Prayer Scott Cairns 379

Afterword

Chapter 19 Faith and Learning in Higher Education: Historical Reflections for Contemporary Challenges Andrea Sterk 393

List of Contributors 421

Index 427

Editorial Reviews

"Seldom have so many scholars representing such a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences and the humanities (even the hard sciences) been brought together to address the important issue of faith and learning through the prism of various aspects of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The fact that all but one of these contributors are themselves Orthodox Christian scholars provides ample proof that, most likely, representatives of Orthodox Christianity will be active participants in the ongoing debate addressing the crucial question of faith and the academy, or Athens and Jerusalem, to borrow Tertullian's much abused epigrammatic description of the phenomenon. Eastern Orthodox Christianity and American Higher Education will be useful to the growing number of classes on Eastern Orthodox history and culture taught in American colleges and universities." —Theofanis G. Stavrou, University of Minnesota

“In all, this book is a successful and welcome beginning to a long-overdue conversation. The multiple voices heard in this text provide rich possibilities for response, critique, and further engagement. In general, I was convinced by the ways that various scholars drew from Orthodox theology and spirituality to address a fuller presence in higher education.” —Reading Religion

“Eastern Orthodox Christianity and American Higher Education is neither easy nor comfortable reading, but it is interesting, insightful, scholarly, and helpful. . . . This book will help us all get busy, and to do so with a deeper awareness of the challenges we face and an appreciation for the blessings of serving as Christian scholars in a watching world.” —International Journal of Christianity & Education

"In the last two to three decades, only a small handful of more-or-less dated books on Orthodox perspectives toward higher education have been published, in contrast to the plethora of works on the topic by Roman Catholics, Reformed, Lutheran, Baptistic, Evangelical, Wesleyan, and various Protestant authors. Thus, the arrival of this book is long overdue." —Christian Higher Education

"In this beautifully edited volume, the contributors issue a prophetic challenge to their fellow Orthodox Christians to join the longstanding conversation concerning the place of religion in American higher education. The fact that Orthodox Christians have not been part of this conversation in the past is lamentable, given the vast intellectual and spiritual resources of Orthodoxy. But the times are changing. The dynamic renewal of Orthodox institutions and Orthodox culture in the post-communist East in the last thirty years is moving global Orthodoxy 'from margins to mainstream,' as Elizabeth Prodromou puts it in these pages. A new engagement of Orthodoxy with the academy is an instance of this change. All parties interested in the destiny of American higher education will benefit as Orthodox colleagues take a seat at the table." —Paul Valliere, McGregor Professor in the Humanities, Butler University

“A remarkably fresh and insightful conversation.” —International Journal of Christianity & Education

From the Publisher

"Seldom have so many scholars representing such a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences and the humanities (even the hard sciences) been brought together to address the important issue of faith and learning through the prism of various aspects of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The fact that all but one of these contributors are themselves Orthodox Christian scholars provides ample proof that most likely representatives of Orthodox Christianity will be active participants in the ongoing debate addressing the crucial question of faith and the academy, or Athens and Jerusalem, to borrow Tertullian's much abused epigrammatic description of the phenomenon. Eastern Orthodox Christianity and American Higher Education will be useful to the growing number of classes on Eastern Orthodox history and culture taught in American colleges and universities."

Theofanis G. Stavrou

"In the last two to three decades, only a small handful of more-or-less dated books on Orthodox perspectives toward higher education have been published, in contrast to the plethora of works on the topic by Roman Catholics, Reformed, Lutheran, Baptistic, Evangelical, Wesleyan, and various Protestant authors. Thus, the arrival of this book is long overdue."

Christian Higher Education

In all, this book is a successful and welcome beginning to a long-overdue conversation. The multiple voices heard in this text provide rich possibilities for response, critique, and further engagement. In general, I was convinced by the ways that various scholars drew from Orthodox theology and spirituality to address a fuller presence in higher education.

Reading Religion

Eastern Orthodox Christianity and American Higher Education is neither easy nor comfortable reading, but it is interesting, insightful, scholarly, and helpful. . . . This book will help us all get busy, and to do so with a deeper awareness of the challenges we face and an appreciation for the blessings of serving as Christian scholars in a watching world.

International Journal of Christianity & Education