Mr. Bobby Maddex: Welcome to Ancient Faith Presents…. I’m Bobby Maddex, station manager at Ancient Faith Radio, and today I will be speaking with Fr. Chad Hatfield. Fr. Chad is of course president of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, and he drops into the program from time to time to update us on the seminary and other matters pertaining to St. Vlad’s. Welcome to the program, Fr. Chad. Christ is risen!

Fr. Chad Hatfield: Indeed he is risen! Bobby, again, thank you for giving us a little check-in with Ancient Faith Radio. We’ve had now really years and years of great partnership with Ancient Faith.

Mr. Maddex: We sure have. I’m excited to talk to you today because I know that you just wrapped up—and this is an understatement—a very unique and challenging academic year. Somehow you were able to keep your doors open, though, and for what is actually the largest incoming class of seminarians in recent memory. How was this achieved, and to what do you attribute this growing interest in seminary training?

Fr. Chad: Well, you know, Bobby, the talk of the church has been for well over a decade, I think, the fact that we’re facing a vocations crisis. Not only is there a shortage of priests to serve in our parishes and in other positions, but also in positions often held by lay leaders and choir directors, youth ministries, different chaplaincies. We have a crisis, and we’ve had a podcast discussing this in different ways, and there have been prayers issued, and I honestly can answer your question by saying I think the prayers are being heard.

There is a very interesting stirring happening. There are more and more people inquiring about seminary. In fact, I checked just yesterday at the faculty council meeting. At this moment at St. Vladimir’s we’ve got over 85 people who are in some stage, process, of making inquiry or application. That’s unheard of. We’ve never had them in that number. And that large incoming class would have been even larger had we not had COVID, because of course our applicants coming from abroad couldn’t get their student visas because American embassies were closed.

Mr. Maddex: Awesome. Well, you are in the process now, having had this banner year, of forming, as you said, this new incoming class of seminarians for the fall. There is still time to apply, I understand, but the deadline is coming up fast, right?

Fr. Chad: Well, we have a whole new process for applying to the seminary, and it’s terrific. I’ll give Alexandru Popovici, our admissions counselor, full credit. He’s literally brought us into the 21st century. It’s all done online. We can track wherever the applicant is, at whatever stage in the process. We do have a June 1 deadline, but we can always extend that if necessary. One of the things that you and I know is sometimes we Orthodox Christians have a very difficult time keeping on schedule and meeting deadlines, and there are several reasons for that, and one of them is particularly our bishops, and especially for the Master of Divinity degree, which is the normal ordination track degree, they need the blessing of their hierarch. Sometimes they have delays there. I know several that have completed every step except that one, and it’s largely because the bishops aren’t used to us actually having an earlier deadline as we’ve done this summer. We’re doing that because it’s normative in most higher education institutions. People shouldn’t be making decisions like “Am I going to seminary or not?” last minute.

So if they would hurry along, the process is open, and we’ve got people at various stages, from various jurisdictions, which is normative for us. But I mentioned the applicants from abroad. We’re working with two from Uganda, and they’re qualified—the St. Cyprian’s Fund is actually a way that we receive donations to support their education—an applicant from Ukraine; two applicants from Egypt; inquiries from the Netherlands; there are two from the United Kingdom—again, one of those applicants was scraping to find the scholarship to cover that cost. One of my former students from when I taught at the Coptic seminary in Australia will be coming. And India: there’s also a monk coming from India. So we hope that this is going to be a very, very diverse class when they show up in late August.

Mr. Maddex: How do interested parties go about applying? I know that it’s online and you said that the process is easier, but what they actually need to do, and what should they keep in mind as they are applying to St. Vlad’s?

Fr. Chad: As we’ve noted now, it’s an online process, and it depends upon their jurisdiction, but they should be working with their various dioceses, archdioceses, metropolises in the process, especially if it is, as I said, that Master of Divinity degree. MA students, of course, can come without the blessing of their hierarch; that’s an academic degree. Also, those applying for the ThM; that’s another degree, Bobby, that we’ve seen a very dramatic increase in interest. Our academic dean, Dr. Alex Tudorie, really has revamped that degree program. It’s one that’s recognized universally; major universities recognize this degree, because many of the people who complete this degree go on for doctoral work, and it’s very rare that one of our graduates with a ThM doesn’t get into a doctoral program as they hope to do once they graduate from here. So that’s another degree that people should be aware of. Again, we’re also beginning the process of receiving Doctor of Ministry candidates, and that cohort will be forming.

So there’s those four degrees, and here’s a little insider. We had a great faculty council meeting yesterday, and it’s pretty clear that we’re going to be moving forward, if not next year, within 18 months for a PhD program here. Our faculty has been so strengthened, and there will be some additional additions made in the next year, that we’ll be able to start that process.

Mr. Maddex: Yeah, I want to talk about that more in a minute here. First, as we’re talking about candidates for the seminary and those who are already working with their diocese and are already well into the application process and doing all the things that are required to be able to attend St. Vlad’s, still for some money is problem. I’m sure it’s a concern for many graduate students, especially in recent times, but people considering seminary may not realize that you can attend St. Vladimir’s free of tuition costs. How does that work?

Fr. Chad: That’s true, Bobby. Sometimes people are just looking at catalogues and comparing prices they see there. By the way, we did an interesting study last year, and it’s been verified so it’s not just PR talk on our side. We actually analyzed the three accredited Orthodox seminaries that are on the east coast, and St. Vladimir’s is the one where you get the best bang for your buck, so we’re the most efficient with your dollar. That’s also in terms of scholarship generosity. No one tops our generosity for scholarship. So the tuition debt initiative, which is coming up to its ninth year this fall—the way that works is we give the first 50% from our endowment, and then your bishop, your diocese, your home parish will provide 25%; we’ll match that 25% so you can graduate tuition debt free.

Mr. Maddex: That is so excellent, just outstanding news. I hope that those who were perhaps considering seminary but were put off by the possible expenses attached to that will breathe a sigh of relief and go ahead with their applications.

Fr. Chad: Exactly, and we award other scholarships. It’s need-based; it’s a process. And, Bobby, you and I have talked about this before. I’m working with the most indebted generation in American history in terms of education costs. They’re coming to me with huge debt on their undergraduate degrees.

Mr. Maddex: Tell me about it.

Fr. Chad: So we need to do what we can do to ease this. But the other thing I would say about this is I am very pleased to say we have significantly reduced the number of our students who need to take out federal loans. It’s down to a handful of students, and that in itself is a remarkable achievement, and it comes from people’s generosity who are concerned about making sure we can graduate future priests without carrying a lot of debt and to parish ministries which, again, you and I know are not always very well paid.

Mr. Maddex: Well, as if there wasn’t incentive enough now to go ahead and put your application in to St. Vlad’s, there is also another new program being offered, one that you have not mentioned yet, which is a concentration in sacred arts. Tell me a little bit about that program.

Fr. Chad: We’ll actually be moving toward concentrations in the Master of Divinity degree, not this year, but the next year, with general theological studies, missiology, chaplaincy. It’s kind of like medicine or law: you’ve got specific areas of your interest where you can really hone in on it. So we’re doing this with the Master of Arts degree, and there are three concentrations: general studies, theological scholarship and research, and then this gem, the sacred arts one which you had mentioned.

Our Sacred Arts Initiative Institute has really been bringing some amazing programs to the Church. We’ve got another great event coming just in June. And Sacred Arts of course is not only addressing the musical aspects of our various Orthodox traditions, but also the visual arts as well—iconography and architecture—all of these kinds of conversations. Again, it’s one of those areas where there are a lot of vocational possibilities that are out there, but we need people who are trained, have the right degrees, to carry this forward.

So that’s a part of specialized areas here at the seminary that we’ve received significant grants for to promote and to put together the various programs and offerings through the Sacred Arts. So if you’ve got an interest there, get your application in, because things will launch in late August.

Mr. Maddex: I want to follow up on something you said earlier and which I promised that we would talk about, which is this renewed focus on acquiring great scholars for professorship at St. Vlad’s. Is this kind of a new era for St. Vladimir’s Seminary?

Fr. Chad: Well, Bobby, there’s a couple of interesting things I’ll say here. I’ve talked to so many people who were part of the Council of Crete, and they’ve all said the best trained, best prepared delegation were the Romanians. And we do have this renewed relationship with the Romanian Church. SVS Press has published a book that I edited on the work of Patriarch Daniel and the rebuilding of the Church in Romania. But our academic dean is a double-PhD from Romania, part of the faculty at Bucharest where we picked him off [Laughter] and brought him here. It’s actually following an old tradition of St. Vladimir’s bringing the best of the European scholars here in various traditions but also our own American-born, American-trained scholars. So it’s a great mix, and we’re seeing the bar raised considerably with the faculty.

I can tell you, as the president of the seminary, I aboslutely delighted in watching the new sense of collegiality. Every month there is a faculty seminar, with different scholars presenting in different areas what we’ve done with our students to highlight their academic achievements, academic convocations featuring the best of the students’ papers. It’s a whole different spirit here.

Fr. Bogdan Bucur, who’s also Romanian, teaching patristics. Every year, our seminarians award one of the faculty the St. Macrina award for excellence in teaching and education. It was given to Fr. Bogan, a first-year professor this year. The students just remark about how easy it is to relate with him in patristic theology. Dr. Vitaly Permiakov, who’s one of our own graduates, PhD at Notre Dame in liturgical theology, has received high praise from all around the world as someone who will raise St. Vladimir’s back to the liturgical stature that we really enjoyed starting with Fr. Alexander Schmemann.

And there are other things that we’re doing. For instance, internally we’re having a conversation about: How do we Orthodox actually read Scripture, and how does that apply in training and forming future priests and lay leaders who are Orthodox? Because we’ve been using for too long, in my opinion, an old model that we’ve picked up from Protestants: Oh, your first year you have Old Testament 101, and then the next semester New Testament 101. It’s really not how you and I read Scripture. It’s not how Orthodox Christians generally read Scripture. So we’re doing an analysis there, and then probably in a year’s time we’re going to launch a search for a full-time Scripture professor who will kind of fit in that tradition of just exactly how we present it. And I think in my own terms, I want a professor who’s going to allow our students to fall in love with Scripture.

Mr. Maddex: I just want to set the record straight here and point out that the professors at St. Vlad’s have always been top-notch. This new recruitment process is just stacking on top of what was a very solid foundation, right?

Fr. Chad: Yeah, I’d say the same, Bobby. We’re standing on great legacies here, and it’s important for us to preserve that legacy, but not just sit back on our laurels of what was history, because the 21st century is so challenging to us as traditional Christians. I just came across a quote from John O’Sullivan, and I thought: That’s why seminary life is so important now. It’s preparing us for what I see as an almost tsunami-like hit on traditional Christians. O’Sullivan said:

We’re living in a religious age. People don’t realize that because our new religion is not Christianity, but an odd syncretic blend of paganism, sexual polyversity, and scientism that doesn’t really have a name. [...] It sows hatred and ruins lives.

Well, we’re dealing with a generation again of people post-COVID who are suffering deeply from loneliness, depression, isolation. They’ve learned how to relate to screens, but they don’t know how to relate in community any more. You may remember there was a popular book around the year 2000 called Bowling Alone. It reminded us that, as Americans, we’re committed to preserving and living our lives through various institutions, including the Church. All this is in deep decline. So I think the seminary is one of those places where we’re going to rekindle this not only the re-awakening of the need for life in community, but a place where Christians can gather and find support for their traditional beliefs.

Mr. Maddex: Well, to add to all these exciting developments, this also happens to be the year of Schmemann at St. Vladimir’s. What does that mean, and what events and programs can seminarians and the general public expect in the months to come?

Fr. Chad: Our beloved former professor and dean, Alexander Schmemann, was born a hundred years ago in Tallinn, Estonia, so we’re marking the centennial year. As you know, there’s the podcast. People are hearing his voice for the first time, and it was with great delight that we were able to finally publish the first volume of the English translations of his broadcast through Radio Liberty into the former Soviet Union. It’ll actually be a two-volume set, and the second volume is in process as we speak. I’ve had so many people respond to me to say it was like reading C.S. Lewis or some great Christian apologist. The book is called A Voice for Our Time because, although he’s broadcasting into the former Soviet Union, what he has to say relates to us beautifully in 2021, and I think into the future. It’s one of the joys of Alexander Schmemann for me. I didn’t personally have him as a professor, but he’s certainly been one of my teachers through both what I read in his writing but also what I’m now privileged to hear with his voice.

Mr. Maddex: I’d like to talk about one more development, and that is that Ancient Faith Radio now has a studio at St. Vlad’s, and we’ll be able to take advantage of all these great scholars coming through the seminary grounds as well as learn more about Alexander Schmemann, learn more about the Year of Schmemann. I think I mentioned to you before we even went on air here that we should have that studio up and running before next week or the week after that is out and can begin broadcasting even live at times from St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

Fr. Chad: Yeah, Bobby, we’re so grateful again for another part of our long history and partnership with Ancient Faith. One of the things that I think significant about this studio is I impress on our students all the time: We have got to get a better handle on communicating, and this will be a great tool for educating future priests and lay leaders. You’re going to be hearing from students; I’m going to expect students to actually be picking up the pace and learning the ropes through this studio as well. If we don’t learn how to actually get our voice projected and out there, communicating to these generations who, as again John O’Sullivan said, they’re looking for something; they’re all religious, but they’re not connecting with the Christian faith—we’d better get some skin in the game, and you’re helping us to do that, and we’re so thankful.

Mr. Maddex: I am so thrilled to hear that St. Vladimir’s is live and thriving and growing. I’m very excited about your plans for the future. Is there anything else you would like to add, Fr. Chad, before I let you go today?

Fr. Chad: Well, I just point out that we have a new website, and you can check out a lot of events that will be coming. In addition to the Sacred Arts event in June, there will be July 17 a full day when you can meet and hear from our faculty that we’ve been talking about at St. Vladimir’s Day. In September, the fifth Leadership Conference, a great liturgical event. In October we’re taking Ed Day to Cleveland, October 2. And then November 12—people should circle that day—we’re having a major Scripture conference here with His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev giving the keynote address, and this will be highlighting the Jesus Christ series that SVS Press publishes. So keep those things in mind. As we’ve all learned from COVID, you’ll all be able to participate physically or virtually.

Mr. Maddex: Excellent. I thank you for taking the time to join me today, Fr. Chad.

Fr. Chad: Bobby, it’s always a pleasure. Give my regard to your parents.

Mr. Maddex: I sure will. Once again, I have been speaking with Fr. Chad Hatfield, the president of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. I’m Bobby Maddex, and this has been a listener-supported presentation of Ancient Faith Radio.