A Student Publication of the Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary Spring 2021 • No. 9

“I am the vine,...... ye are the branches”

Vignettes of Seminary Life

Seminary Accredited. The Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), fol- lowing careful deliberations, has advanced the Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary (SPOTS) to full accreditation. Glory be to God! This concludes a six- year effort on our part and is an historic and crucial milestone for our Seminary and for our Church, not just here in ABHE Award Ceremony North America, but worldwide, as well. On February 17, 2021, our Dean,

Gabrielle Archimandrite Patapios, and our Registrar, Asgarian Gabrielle Asgarian, stood before our ac- crediting agency’s Commission on Ac- creditation in Orlando, Florida, for a final interview. The Commission on Accredi- tation publicly announced its decision on February 6/19, 2021—the Feast Day of Archimandrite Timothy our Patron, Saint Photios the Great! Patapios Schenone The coincidence of this watershed event with our Patron’s annual celebration is all the more reason for us to rejoice, recognizing in the awarding of accredi- tation to the Seminary our Saint’s pa- tronage and our Lord’s good pleasure. Besides our All-Good God and His , great thanks are also owed to our ever-memorable Metropolitan Chrysos- tomos, who set all elements of our foun- dation in place and gave us the vision to labor unflaggingly on this project and to see it through to a successful conclusion. Last but certainly not least, we owe a debt of gratitude to all of you for your prayers, support, donations, and encour- agement. We were deeply moved by the The festal banquet held in honor overwhelming response to our request for of Saint Photios at the Seminary prayers leading up to this final examination.

Saint photios orthodox theological seminary • 510 collier way • etna, california 96027 • u.s.a. 2 “Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.”

Not only in our own parishes and com- In January, we completed an appeal munities across America but also in others to raise $50,300 for three years’ worth of around the world, the entire Church re- mortgage payments for Saint Melanie’s sponded with fervent supplications, thanks Student House, to which you responded to which God granted that the Seminary most generously. Once again, God works achieve this historic milestone. Thank you! wonders—we raised over $80,000 in that The Seminary Administration, appeal! Your generosity ensures a com- Faculty, Staff, and Students fortable and affordable housing option for married couples interested in learning about their Faith and preparing to serve A Letter of Gratitude. Dear Donors, Supporters, and Benefactors: the Church. May God bless you! Your material support was breath- I pray that this letter finds you and taking this past year. A total of 375 yours in good health and spirits. In the households contributed over $155,000 past year, your prayers have played a key combined. Over 270 first-time donors role in supporting the Seminary’s mission contributed to the ongoing mission of of educating the future clerical and lay the Seminary to ensure the future of leaders of our Church. In the midst of our Church. Again, thank you! the pandemic, when almost all other Throughout the year, by these truly schools shut down, transferred to online providentially inspired acts of generosity: programs, and struggled to attract new • You have continued to make the Sem- students, our school thrived! By imple- inary affordable, making it a viable menting very strict protocols to protect option for our students. our student body and staff from infection • You have extended scholarships to by the coronavirus, we have been able to continue holding in-person classes. two students who otherwise could Only God’s mercy, granted by your not have afforded tuition. prayers and intercessions, could have • You have helped pay for the continued guaranteed such an outcome. Thank you! education of two of our monastic fac- Your prayers have also resulted in ulty as they pursue doctoral degrees, continued growth of interest and good thus ensuring the strength of the Sem- will towards the Seminary, both here lo- inary’s future staff and its good stand- cally in Etna and throughout our Church. ing in terms of accreditation. A recruitment conference was organized • You have assisted in the launching last spring, resulting in two laypeople of a social media initiative, which moving to Etna to serve the Seminary now engages hundreds of people in with their time, energy, and enthusiasm. learning about the Seminary. Our student body continued to grow to • You have enabled the Seminary to six full-time and four part-time students. launch a YouTube channel, making A pastured hog, raised by a local rancher, the Seminary’s public lectures avail- was donated to the Seminary, stocking able to viewers worldwide. its freezer with close to three hundred pounds of meat for the students. The li- Again, thank you so much for all brary collection grew by two thousand your support and prayers! With our deep- volumes donated this past year, and Saint est gratitude and praying for your con- Melanie’s Student House was entirely tinued health and salvation, I remain furnished with donated furniture and Your Humble Servant, household goods. Auxentios, Rector The Grapevine, No. 9, Spring 2021 3

Saint Melanie’s Student House

My First Year at Seminary. Two years Not to my surprise, I found myself ago at a Pascha Liturgy Agape meal, I enrolled at the Seminary a year later the was a catechumen and struggling to re- week the term began. I have only begun spond to a stranger when he asked me skimming the shallows of my ignorance what I did with my life. He kindly of- since then to discover it to be even more fered that the future was unknowable vast than I had anticipated, yet, most importantly, I learned that although to and full of possibility, a sentiment I was be Christian is to be guileless, innocent, especially tired of hearing. He then sug- and simple-minded, cultivating these gested that I might find myself studying virtues in no way conflicts with the pur- at seminary one day, and I deliberately suit of knowledge or education, but, chose to ignore this prophetic comment rather, the act is vital to it, in that it because I already believed I had ex- sanctifies one’s intellectual growth unto pended my last attempt at higher edu- humility, patience, discernment, and, fi- cation, and I was finding it difficult nally, a love for others. After all, God enough to stay Orthodox in practice, let has gifted man a mind and an innate alone to put myself in the position of desire to understand, but the desire ex- being responsible for homework again. udes from a heart—inextricable from I had it in my mind that my Orthodoxy the mind—in need of profound repair. And when my reluctance to study took had to be lived by rejecting all writing a turn to that of the other end of ex- and media except for the Fathers and tremes—voraciousness and frustration— Church hymns, and by clinging without a valuable piece of instruction I received good reason to the underwhelming gro- was that maybe I could not understand cery I had at the time while sweep- simply because I was not ready. ing and murmuring the Jesus Prayer, It was not a coincidence that my cat- hoping for doubt and confusion to re- echesis was spent in the care of the Sem- solve themselves. inary until my Baptism. Before then, I 4 “Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.” would stand in the narthex and behold came up with a list of ten categories individuals and families preparing to par- which he believed could be used to de- take of the Body and Blood of our Lord, scribe the fundamental attributes of any adults chiding toddlers for reaching for object. These categories consist of the a second piece of antidoron, enmity and following: substance (οὐσία [ousia]), strife ceasing, and downcast faces turning quantity (πόσον [poson]), quality (ποῖον serene after Communing. The backwoods [poion]), relation (πρὸς τί [pros ti]), place of parishes transformed into unearthly (ποῦ [pou]—literally, “the where”), time gardens, colored and perfumed by His (πότε [pote]—literally, ‘‘the when’’), posi- Grace. These unspeakable moments of tion (κεῖσθαι [keisthai]), state or condi- time-surpassing Truth (to which other tion (ἔχειν [echein]—literally, ‘‘to have’’), whispers and trinkets falsely promise a action (ποιεῖν [poiein]), and affection path) present at the Agape gatherings (πάσχειν [paschein]). His idea was that forced me to reckon that if this is what you cannot talk about anything until you it is like for one who is not yet Baptized have a clear definition of what it is in its nor capable of Communing, how can it most essential form, its first essence be for one who is, and even then, how (substance) or the “what-it-is” of a thing. could that compare to when we are with This approach has had a major influence Him? And that was only the initial con- on the Western story of thought and is vert’s naïve fervor speaking. A true Chris- still so deeply ingrained in Western so- tian labors in the everyday, in the long ciety that people simply take it for while. I was told Baptism is a rebirth, and granted. Ask anyone in the West about the endeavor of a Christian is to preserve anything and the first thing they will do the seal of the Holy Spirit which he was is define its characteristics. This system given at Baptism until his death. of definition is the basis of modern sci- I am not as reluctant now when oth- ence, and it has proven immensely use- ers ask me what I do with my life, to ful in organizing and understanding the which I still answer, “I don’t know.” But natural world. During the Middle Ages after my first year at Seminary, new ways in Western Europe, Aristotle’s approach of seeing and living have presented them- gained such popularity that it became an selves, and instead of being enslaved by obsession, especially among Germanic uncertainty, for the first time I am more at peace with the notion that anything peoples, and the categories were thought can happen at any point to us which will to be able to describe the spiritual world ultimately lead us to the path of salvation, too (and even God Himself!). The Scho- as judged by our All-Knowing God, re- lastics were heavily influenced by this gardless of what we think we may be and eventually put intellectual knowl- fixed to in our present circumstance. edge on a level footing with theology or Divine revelation. Xenia Ling, B.Th. Student Confucius is sometimes accused of not being interested in definitions, and Aristotle and Confucius, Part 2. The he certainly does not treat the subject following is the continuation of a seriali- with the same mathematical precision zation of an independent study I did for that Aristotle’s categories command. the B.Th. program. However, definition is an important as- Aristotle was obsessed with defini- pect of Confucius’ teaching. “正名” tion, an inheritance of his philosophical (“zhèngmíng”), commonly translated as tradition. His categories underpin his “rectification of names” or “terms,” con- whole system of philosophy. Aristotle cerns the alignment of words with The Grapevine, No. 9, Spring 2021 5

SPOTSLIGHTS. This autumn, Timothy Xenia Ling. She is in her second year Schenone, our Media and Communications at the Seminary. Xenia was born and raised Intern, started Facebook and Instagram pages in South New Jersey. Saint Xenia of Saint for the Seminary. A popular feature has been Petersburg is her favorite Saint. She cele- the “SPOTSLIGHTS” series, which high- brates her Name Day on January 24, the lights members of SPOTS. Feast Day of Saint Xenia. When asked about Vasilios Athanasiou and Xenia Ling re- her favorite fasting food, she had trouble cently celebrated their Name Days—Χρόνια deciding, but she noted that she loves any- Πολλά! Many Years!—and Gabrielle Asgar- thing made by her fellow student, Teodora ian recently represented SPOTS at the An- Munteanu. (Agreed!) Liturgiology is one of nual Meeting of the ABHE. her favorite classes at SPOTS. Something she loves about SPOTS is witnessing the monastic life. She also loves that the seminarians are given an expansive array of books to read from the Seminary library, where she is assisting in cataloging the collection.

Vasilios Athanasiou. He is a seminar- ian studying in his first year of the Bachelor’s Program. Vasilios was born and raised in Maryland. One of his favorite Saints is his Patron, Saint Basil the Great. He celebrates his Name Day on January 1, the main Feast of Saint Basil. His favorite fasting food is Gabrielle Asgarian.We would like you lemony quinoa (which is really good!). to meet our Registrar, Gabrielle. She was One of the things he loves about the born and raised in the Commonwealth of Seminary is the excellent education and ac- Massachusetts. One of her favorite Saints ademic experience that SPOTS offers! is Saint Paraskeve of Rome. Her Name Day is the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel on July 13. Panang curry is her fa- vorite fasting food. (We love everything from Punjabi Dhaba, the local Indian restaurant in Yreka!) As well as being the Registrar, Gabrielle takes some classes at SPOTS. One class that stands out for her is Pastoral Psychol- ogy. When asked about something she loves about the Seminary, Gabrielle noted that she loves that everything being taught at SPOTS remains relevant for the rest of one’s life.

• 6 “Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.” meaning for clarity and sincerity. One not live in a community with others, or can find uses of all of Aristotle’s cate- who does not need to because of his self- gories in Confucius’ writings even if he sufficiency, is no part of a city, so that he does not single them out for theoretical is either a wild beast or a god.” This examination. When asked what would means that the polis is required for human be the first thing he would do were he as opposed to animal life (human accord- to become the ruler of a state, Confucius ing to Aristotle’s definition, of course). replied, “One thing of necessity, the rec- “For just as when completed [perfected] tification of terms.” When pressed for a human is the best of the animals, so a clarification, he continued, “A gentle- when separated from law and judicial man [君子 (jūn zi)] would be a little re- proceeding he is worst of all…. [H]e is served and reticent in matters which the most unrestrained and most savage he does not understand. If terms be in- of animals when he lacks virtue….” There correct, language will be incongruous; are two spheres of human interaction: and if language be incongruous, deeds family life and political life, the former will be imperfect. So, again, when deeds dealing with personal interactions and are imperfect, propriety and harmony the latter being concerned with one’s at- cannot prevail, and when this is the titude towards society in general. case, laws relating to crime will fail in For Confucius, filiality is the foun- their aim; and if these last so fail, the dation of a harmonious society; one must people will not know where to set hand begin with one’s immediate associates in or foot. Hence, a man of superior mind, forming a habit of virtue. In contrast to certain first of his terms, is fitted to Aristotle, who defines two models of so- speak; and being certain of what he says cietal conduct as we saw earlier, for our can proceed upon it. In the language Eastern sage, how one conducts oneself of such a person there is nothing heed- towards one’s family reflects how one’s lessly irregular and that is the sum of conduct will be in society at large. It is a the matter.” According to May Sim, hierarchical structure: if one can conduct “[D]efinitions are important to both oneself virtuously, one’s familial conduct Aristotle and Confucius because having will be virtuous; if one’s familial conduct good definitions of virtues and vices is virtuous, one will conduct oneself vir- improves one’s ability to identify and tuously in larger society. “TheZhongyong correct one’s weaknesses and develop [a Confucian text] also begins self-culti- the pertinent qualities.” vation with filial piety toward one’s own The Body Politic. Aristotle taught that family. The Zhongyong compares the cul- the attainment of virtue is impossible tivation of the junzi to traveling, where, without a supporting community, that is, in order to go far, one must first start a πόλις (polis) or city. For Aristotle, the with the nearer space, and in order to as- need to create political entities, such as cend to a height, one must first start from a polis, is a part of human nature. He be- the ground (Zy 15.1). In order to cultivate lieved that virtue could not be learned oneself so that one could become a sov- from texts alone but that one had to be ereign able to govern a kingdom, one habituated to virtue by seeing good ex- must first cultivate harmonious relations amples and by aspiring to models of with one’s family and relatives.” virtue, quite impossible for one who lives In our modern times, with the as- alone. “It is clear, then, that the city both cendancy of the idea of the ultimate exists by nature and is prior in nature to rule of law, there is a temptation to be- the individual.… And anyone who can- lieve that for rulers morality is not really The Grapevine, No. 9, Spring 2021 7 necessary, as long as they abide by the as “equilibrium,” and Zhōngyōng presents laws. I think Confucius’ emphasis on zhōng as the basic state of all things: personal virtue for rulers is a very good “While there are no stirrings of pleasure, lesson for our times. anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be The Mean. For Aristotle, morality is said to be in the state of equilibrium the maintaining of a mean (μέσον (zhong). When those feelings have been [meson]) between two extremes for both stirred, and they act in their due degree, action and emotion, the extremes being there ensues what may be called the an excess or a deficiency of a virtue. A state of harmony (he). This equilibrium virtue is a disposition for achieving the is the great root from which grow all mean of an action or emotion. For ex- the human actings in the world, and ample, courage is the mean between rash- this harmony is the universal path which ness and cowardice. It is important to they all should pursue.” Sim explains, note that while the mean is connected “According to the Confucian, it is rather to the extremes, it is also an extreme in a state of he (harmony) that marks the itself, an extreme of goodness. One can- specifically human good. Buthe is, if not say, according to Aristotle, that distinct, not separable from zhong. Most courage, in our example, is constituted precisely, in he, feelings and things are of rashness and cowardice, but, rather, regulated according to zhong.” that it is a point avoiding these two ex- Zhong is the underpinning not only tremes; it forms a triangle rather than a of human action but of the cosmos as line. There are also different means for a whole. “Let the states of equilibrium inanimate objects and for animals. (zhong) and harmony (he) exist in per- 中庸 (Zhōngyōng, “The Doctrine of the fection, and a happy order will prevail Mean”), 大學 (Dàxué, “Great Learning”), throughout heaven and earth, and all 論語 (Lúnyu, “Analects”), and 孟子 things will be nourished and flourish.” (Mèngzi, “Mencius”) are the four major The mean in Aristotle is limited to hu- texts of Confucian thought. The word man action and is a principle to be at- “zhōng yōng” has been translated many tained. “Unlike Aristotle’s mean, the ways, the most common rendition being Confucian zhong precedes everything “the doctrine of the mean,” James Legge’s in this world and is an almost meta- translation. The most basic meaning of physical principle with cosmic signifi- “zhōng yōng” is “the use of the middle” cance. The mean in action for Aristotle and does seem to indicate a mean of is not something that precedes human sorts. Confucian thought attributes actions and feelings” but is the goal. zhōngyōng to the jūn zi as a middle way Aristotle’s mean and Confucius’ zhong between extremes. May Sim says, “Con- (with he) both require a thinking, moral fucius attributes this useful middle person to be achieved. They are not simply (zhongyong) to the junzi (the one with rules that can be applied unthinkingly. exemplary virtue) and the opposite to Father Vlasie, B.Th. Student the petty person (xiaoren). This shows that virtue exemplifies the mean or mid- Words of Support. After a much de- dle for him. As he puts it, ‘The junzi served break in between terms, and [acts according to] the mean, xiaoren spending time celebrating the Nativity [petty person] the opposite’ (Zy 2).” of Christ with their family and friends, “Zhōng” is not, however, directly the students returned to Etna ready for translatable as Aristotle’s mean. Further a new round of classes. They were met into the text, Legge translates “zhōng” with an outpouring of support from all 8 “Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.” of our donors who responded to the Saint Melanie’s Student House appeal, including words of encouragement and good wishes to the students, faculty, and staff. Following are some of the kind re- marks from supporters all over the coun- try, including Pennsylvania, California, Iowa, Texas, and New York. Thank you all again for all of your support! • “May our Lord enlighten you as you study the Gospel and learn how to be a faithful servant of God.” Students reading the outpouring of encouraging words of support • “We are happy to help. As a member of a parish with no regular priest, we • “Don’t give up following our Lord understand the importance of helping Jesus in the talents that He has giv- future seminary students! Maybe en you. Have courage to not be con- someday we can have a priest at Holy formed to the world in this day. Be a light and rely on the Holy Spirit in Oxnard, CA.” at ALL times. Blessing to 2021.” • “Blessed Christmas and a Safe and • “You are able to show the beauty Healthy New Year! Because Mary of the true Church. God has blessed said ‘Yes,’ …we now have the pre- you and may you bless all those that cious Hope of the Resurrection! She you talk to.” did not question God, but accepted • “It is exciting to ‘meet’ each one of the message from God’s ‘Messenger you in articles and pictures! May God Angel.’ And so have all of you…. Be continue to bless you abundantly.” strong in your Faith! ‘Today is the Alexei Bushunow, Communications Beginning of our Salvation.’” and Development Director

Chapel of the Convent of Saint Elizabeth the Grand Duchess of Russia on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ