Our staff has validated that the article below comes from an actively enrolled student at the Antiochian House of Studies. AHOS is an institution that offers the following accredited degrees: Master of Theological Studies, Master of Pastoral Care & Counseling, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, PhD in Orthodox Studies. As you read through the article, please keep some important points in mind.
First, there is no Papacy, no Vatican, and no Magisterium within Orthodoxy. Our decentralized nature normally acts as a “firewall” against the rapid spread of heresy. While the Patriarch of Alexandria can inflict female ordination on Zimbabwe in the form of a “female deacon”, there exists no mechanism by which others are forced to participate in such an outrage. Ditto for whatever might, in the future, flow out of Constantinople. Or really any corner of the Orthodox world. There is no possibility of an Orthodox “Vatican II” suddenly transforming all of global Orthodoxy into something unrecognizable. Though, in all fairness, we never know what certain local jurisdictions might have up their sleeves that can make our lives difficult, especially when operating in concert with secular power for political ends.
Second, unfortunately for us, there are still pathways open to transforming Orthodoxy over time through the “long march through the institutions”. This phrase, coined by a student socialist activist in 1967, describes a strategy of infiltrating government, academia, media, religion, and other institutions to transform them from within. You first become part of the “establishment”. Then you, on the surface at least, give the impression of continuity with the past while radically breaking with it behind the scenes. This is referred to as a “revolution within the form”. You keep saying the same prayers, doing the same liturgies, the same mysteries, but you slowly reinterpret them, expand them, “reform them” so as to eventually get to the desired, progressive outcome. Done slowly enough, and in the right way, you can avoid stampeding the normal laity until any hope of resistance has long faded. This, historically, was also how many so-called “Uniate” churches came into existence. The local people kept going to the same churches, with the same priests, doing the same things, without realizing (in many cases) that they were now “under Rome” courtesy of having been sold out by their local bishops.
Third, when dealing with Churches, it is necessary to seize the faculties of the seminaries. After that, you can indoctrinate future generations of priests, some of whom will eventually go on to high office (even the Episcopate). With an army of priests, even if the “official doctrines” do not change, you will eventually change how the Faith is taught and lived at the parish level. Grab the shepherds, most of the sheep will follow. It is a long game, but one that has already been at play since the 60’s. The results are everywhere around us. Simply review the last few decades of the Episcopal Church or the Roman Catholic Church. Or even what is happening in some Orthodox jurisdictions.
Fourth, problems with heresy among academic theologians, priests, and bishops are not confined to any one Orthodox jurisdiction. One can readily find false teaching among the Greeks, the OCA, ROCOR, and Antioch. Conversely, one can also find faithful Orthodox teaching in each of those same jurisdictions. The battle ahead of us for the future of Orthodoxy will probably be less between jurisdictions and more within them.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to watch all our seminaries closely. Without a robust, devout, faithful priesthood, there is no Orthodox Church. To that end, we present the following report from a student at the Antiochian House of Studies on some troubling, heretical teachings that are being presented there. This is not done in the spirit of causing scandal, but of genuinely seeking to bring problems to light before any more harm results. If other seminarians would like to share their own, similar stories, please contact us.
–OR Staff
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There are many things to love about the Antiochian House of Studies. Not only does the Archdiocese work hard to make the school affordable for seminarians, but they offer a wide variety of programs and focuses in which students can choose to specialize. Notably, five of its degree programs are accredited through the Association of Theological Schools. The variety of professors guarantees that one can learn a great deal there in whatever course of study is most appealing.
However, there are theological and ecclesiological errors taught by certain professors which seem to completely escape the notice of AHOS oversight – specifically, Bishop Thomas and Metropolitan Saba. Given the number of students who have noticed and discussed these issues with others at AHOS, it seemed appropriate at this time to make the matter more public, in order to make sure that the necessary scrutiny is applied to what seminarians are learning at the school. The Orthodox seminarians at AHOS are America’s next generation of subdeacons, deacons, and priests; is there anything more important to the souls of the faithful – and the Archdiocese as a whole – than ensuring they know what they’re talking about?
I have direct and personal confirmation of each of the following incidents. These are consistent, and typically receive no pushback (except by the students, to each other, after hearing and processing such sentiments). I also have to note, for context, that AHOS is also America’s largest Coptic (Non-Chalcedonian) seminary. The Coptics are, thankfully, not allowed to commune or serve Divine Liturgy at AHOS. However, I fear that this may someday change – without the required repentance and conversion that would bring the Non-Chalcedonians into the Orthodox fold – given the overall and very open atmosphere of ecumenism festering in certain professors’ rejection of the statements given by our Holy Fathers and Ecumenical Councils on this topic. The following examples ought to prove the point sufficiently for anyone serious about the Orthodox faith.
- Each class generally opens with prayer, and Non-Chalcedonian seminarians have been invited to say these opening prayers. Every Canon dealing with this topic strictly forbids praying with heretics and schismatics. What would the authors of those Holy Canons say about Orthodox seminary classes being opened by schismatic prayer?
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Another professor taught his class that “theologically, there is no reason to baptize babies.” Needless to say for those familiar with the Canons and Ecumenical Councils, such a statement is not only absent from any conciliar decree on the topic…it is formally anathema. Canonically, statements like this are akin to stating that Christ is not Divine, or that Mary is not Theotokos but only Christotokos. The Church spent centuries dealing with such heresies, and has declared at every possible opportunity that Holy Baptism is normatively necessary to salvation – even for infants, who have committed no personal sins. This can be found in every Canon and Council which has addressed the topic, most notably in the African Code (Carthage 419) which was subsequently granted universal authority by the Ecumenical Councils of Trullo and Nicaea 2.
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Another professor, discussing the non-Chalcedonian “Indian Orthodox”, as they relate to the historic and canonical Orthodox Church, proclaimed that “globally, we’re one Church!” Once again, we are left without a single statement – by even a single Canon, Council, or Saint – that agrees with such a sentiment.
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In a live lecture during the Residency portion of the school year, a professor asked the room: “When were the Apostles saved?” Various answers were given such as “at the Resurrection,” “when they repented,” “when they were baptized,” and the like. The professor then told them that none of these answers were correct, and that the Apostles were saved “at the Incarnation.” The obvious implication of this erroneous statement is that repentance, Baptism, and the Resurrection were not necessary. In fact, if all mankind were saved “at the Incarnation” with absolutely nothing else required, then Christianity itself is both unnecessary and irrelevant. Why join the Church if we’re already saved while living in atheism and filth? Why repent? Why pray? Thankfully, a number of students pushed back on this answer and began to ask the professor for what reason Christ had died if nothing after the Incarnation was necessary. He responded that “the only reason Christ died was to show us an example of death-to-self.” This appalling soteriology caused multiple students to exit the room, one of whom began shouting that he would “never come back to AHOS again.” He was not the only student so infuriated by the error that he was unable to think straight for a time afterward.
As far as I can tell, nothing at all has been done to correct these professors on what they’ve been teaching. The only two conclusions I can reach are that either 1) The Bishops overseeing AHOS do not actually know what’s being taught there, or 2) said Bishops actually agree with these perversions of the Orthodox Faith. I desperately wish to believe that the Bishops are simply too busy to know what the professors are teaching in their classes, and that if they were aware of what was being taught – and the effect it’s having on the students who are in any way familiar with these topics – that they would immediately seek to discover and correct these errors anywhere and everywhere that they can be found. If we are indeed dealing with the former case, then I ask these Bishops’ forgiveness for my making these things known, and ask them to understand that I did not perceive any better path by which to have these issues addressed. I love the Church and the Orthodox Faith. I love that so many students are eager to soak up seminary wisdom and join the ranks of clergy. And I love those who will be learning from these future teachers enough to do whatever is in my measly power, with the help and by the grace of God, to ensure that what they learn will save their souls.
Amen.
–A Student and Sinner
What’s missing here is context. Who are these professors? If the point is to get them to change their ways, wouldn’t it be important to identify who they are rather than discrediting the school or calling out their bishops? — The student says: “I have direct and personal confirmation of each of the following incidents.” But who is this student? S/he goes on to say, “As far as I can tell, nothing at all has been done to correct these professors on what they’ve been teaching.”
How would a student know whether or not a professor has been corrected or what his or her bishop has or hasn’t done? I’m thinking a “student” may not know enough about Orthodoxy to judge the appropriateness of a professor’s teaching.
For example (in reverse order), when the “student” talks about a professor saying that the Apostles were saved “at the Incarnation,” it may have been in the context of the Paschal Divine Liturgy where we sing, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,” to celebrate Christ’s victory over death which could only be accomplished through His incarnation, something the Church has taught from the beginning.
When the professor said, historically, “we are one Church,” perhaps s/he is talking about the period up to The Council of Chalcedon, in 451 AD, before the Church was divided into the Chalcedonian/Non-Chalcedonian branches due to differing interpretations of the nature of Christ.
I don’t know where the not baptizing babies would come from. Baptism is the first sacrament of the Church. Again, maybe the “student” isn’t aware of what’s was being discussed.
In terms of who says the prayer at the beginning of class, maybe the “student” assumes some of the other students are Non-Chalcedonian seminarians because of their race or something. How would he know? What do they do? Stand up and say, “I’m a Non-Chalcedonian and I’m going to do the prayer today.”
Context is everything and this “student” hasn’t provided it sufficiently to be believed. We don’t need people throwing stones at our seminaries or our bishops without a LOT more proof than this.
The ideal solution is for the problem to be solved without embarrassing or punishing anyone; a letter from the Bishop to AHOS staff clarifying the Orthodox position on these topics would be best.
You need to name these professors. None of this “a professor said”. No no, we need to know WHICH professor said these things. We need to know that “Professor Soandso” said it. They are publicly teaching at a public institution, their names ought to be on their own public statements.
Students, don’t be cowards. Call out your teachers, by NAME, when they do heretical things and do not repent of the deed, especially in a public classroom setting.
Also, video evidence is very helpful, so record your classes with heretic professors for posterity.
“Another professor taught his class that “theologically, there is no reason to baptize babies.””
This professor demonstrates why academia and true theology -that of repentance and communion with God – don’t mix well. Sure, there are wonderful examples who show us that the contrary is possible – like St. Dimitru Stanilaoe – but they only prove the heuristic, since they are few and far between.
If we follow this professor’s logic, we may well conclude there’s ‘no reason’ for baptism either. Taken further, there’s no reason or purpose for babies or human life at all! The slippery slope of human logic based upon worldly concerns, in our unrepentant passions, and steady, if slow, severance from the Logos, always finds itself justifying un-Godly and and anti-human conclusions in the end. Human logic not in communion with the Logos has proven time and again to be a black carousel of degeneracy into death. Not in our houses!!!
There’s too many people on the Internet acting like the New Pope presuming to tell everyone what Orthodoxy is and yet no courage to even sign his name. You, a mere student, presume to judge the holy Metropolitan Saba and throw a whole Orthodox institution under the bus for a few anecdotal class comments? There’s a biblical way to handle this. This isn’t it. You, along with those who thought it worthy to publish something that amounts to no more than well-organized gossip, should be ashamed.
Can you point to where in the article the contributor judges Metropolitan Saba? Given the recent nature of His Eminence’s tenure it is very unlikely he has any clue about the day to day affairs at the AHOS. It is also true that actually getting to talk to a bishop, let alone a Metropolitan, can be difficult as there is usually staff and a Chancellor playing gatekeeper. It is also exceedingly difficult to get action or even interest out of most bishops when dealing with academic institutions. Too few bishops, too huge a territory.
Not sure how long you’ve been around, but I’ve been hearing these things about AHOS for years. As to the student not signing his name, you charging his as having no courage, is false. Thank God for whistleblowers and thank God for forums like this one where the truth can come out. Had the student signed his name, he likely would have been expelled, or at a minimum, he would have quietly blacklisted. Sadly, that’s the way our hierarchs typically operate. Clericalism is a real problem.
Dear student and sinner, I suggest you gather together those students and professors of like mind with you and seek an audience with the bishop.Power in numbers is still a fact.
This would be the best option. Articles and even personal letters are ignored. Face to face is best, esp. with something this potentially serious.
I just wanted to thank this student for coming forth with these revelations. Let’s see if the leaders of the Antiochian Archdiocese take action to reprimand these professors. My spiritual father reminded me of a valid point that we cannot judge a man on his worst day, and we have to examine his entire body of work. Maybe these were isolated incidents by these professors and we will see if they react humbly and apologize for these heresies. I would also be curious to see if Father Josiah Trenham has anything to say about this scandal, since he is a priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
The second point I would like to make about this article is the excellent commentary offered by OR staff about things to remember while reading this article. In particular, the point about how people with evil intentions infiltrate from within and slowly change an ethos of whatever institution they have infiltrated is very topical because we, in the falling West, are seeing the effects of the LGBTQ agenda play out in many Western democracies. The consequences on society are self evident.
We must never forget that being an Orthodox Christian means living the faith every day and calling out things that don’t seem right in our faith. You don’t have to be a subdeacon, deacon or a priest to know that something does not seem right. To borrow a phrase that is common in America, “if you see something, say something”. And the way to do that is to start with your priest, or your spiritual father, or your father confessor, and even a public forum, such as this blessed site.
Brothers and sisters, the battle rages on, but never forget that Jesus Christ wins!
They used to have a class called “Non-Chalcedonian Christology,” which is normally what we call heresy. Imagine a class on non-Nicene Triadology. But they changed its name at least.
Their faculty includes Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, who was a prominent whore for the Vaccine. He is the heir of sorts of the legacy of John Romanides, and extremely prominent “theologian” everyone loves for some reason, including both the “ecumenists” and the radical “anti-ecumenists.”
https://orthochristian.com/163573.html