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

Description

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. 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. Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Piecing the Puzzle of Eastern 1 Orthodox Christian Involvement in American Higher Education Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides Part I. Historical and Theological Roots CHAPTER 1 Education (Paideia) as Kerygmatic Value in the 55 Orthodox Tradition John A. McGuckin CHAPTER 2 Wisdom and Education: An Old Testament 80 Perspective Michael C. Legaspi CHAPTER 3 A Rhetoric Fit for the Gospel: Education in the 102 Letters of Saint Paul George L. Parsenios CHAPTER 4 “Learn from Me”: Embodied Knowledge through 115 Imitation in Early Christian Pedagogy Bruce N. Beck CHAPTER 5 Plundering the Egyptians: The Use of Classical 140 Paideia in the Early Church John Behr CHAPTER 6 Orthodox Monasticism and Higher Education 155 Andrew Louth CHAPTER 7 Thoughts from Orthodoxy’s Modern Past: 167 Theology, Religion, and the University in Russia (Late Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries) Vera Shevzov Part II. Engaging the Contemporary Academy CHAPTER 8 An Orthodox University in Lebanon: A Rich 201 Legacy and Insistent Calling Georges N. Nahas CHAPTER 9 An Orthodox College 223 Candace Hetzner CHAPTER 10 Ecumenism in the Classroom: An Orthodox 241 Perspective on Teaching in a Catholic University Radu Bordeianu CHAPTER 11 Theosis and Theological Literacy: Identity 256 Formation and Teaching Theology to Undergraduates Aristotle Papanikolaou CHAPTER 12 Perspectives from the Academy: Being Orthodox 266 and a Scientist Gayle E. Woloschak CHAPTER 13 Singing the Lord’s Song in a Foreign Land: 279 Teaching Orthodox Liturgical Music in Non-Orthodox Contexts Alexander Lingas CHAPTER 14 In the World, for the Life of the World: 315 Personal Reflections on Being a Professor and Priest in a Public University Michael Plekon CHAPTER 15 The Absence of Eastern Orthodoxy in American 331 Academia and Its Possible Relevance for an Integral Vision of Reality Kyriacos C. Markides CHAPTER 16 Reflections on Political Science and the Study of 343 Orthodox Christianity in the American Academy: Thoughts on Mainstream and Margins Elizabeth H. Prodromou CHAPTER 17 The Transfiguration Polyeleos, Textbooks, and 365 Polyphonic Learning Roy R. Robson CHAPTER 18 Vocation, Poetry, and Prayer 379 Scott Cairns Afterword CHAPTER 19 Faith and Learning in Higher Education: 393 Historical Reflections for Contemporary Challenges Andrea Sterk List of Contributors 421 Index 427