Dr. Paul Meyendorff Speaks at Abilene Christian University and St. Luke Orthodox Church, Abilene

Abilene, Texas: Dr. Meyendorff Speaks on the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confession

21–24 March 2013 • Off–Campus

The Fr. Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir's Seminary Dr. Paul Meyendorff traveled to Abilene, TX recently to offer one of the main addresses at an academic colloquy on "Eucharist and Ecclesiology" at Abilene Christian University. The conference, held in honor of Abilene's professor of Church History, Emeritus, Dr. Everett Ferguson, featured three keynote speakers. At the opening plenary session, Dr. Meyendorff presented a paper entitled "Church and Eucharist in the Orthodox Tradition." The colloquy brought together forty scholars and graduate students from the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Church of Christ traditions.Dr. Meyendorff speaks at a 2012 conference in honor of his father, Protopresbyter John Meyendorff

One of the other Orthodox participants, SVOTS Board of Trustees Corporate Secretary The Rev. Dr. Philip LeMasters, presented a paper on "Eastern Orthodox Social Ethics in the Anaphora of St. Basil the Great" in one of the study groups. Father Philip is professor of Religion, director of the Honors Program, and dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, and in 2011 he presented the keynote address for St. Vladimir's annual Education Day.

Fr. Philip LeMastersFollowing the conference, Dr. Meyendorff led a parish retreat on the theme of the Sacrament of Confession at St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church in Abilene (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America), where Fr. Philip serves as the rector. Noted Fr. Philip, "Professor Meyendorff unfolded for us the historical development of the practice of confession, and then responded to questions from parishioners during a lively discussion time. Those who attended learned a great deal and were most appreciative for the spiritual encouragement provided by his presentation, coming as it did at the beginning of Great Lent."