[kawaii]

I won't speak for Catholics, but the orthodox have no problem with folks interpreting scripture. They just want folks to get educated, and evidence their Christianity a bit first (same as St paul wanted only folks who had their home life in order, and had only been married once being considere for the office of Bishop).

Here's what our church feels is a good basis for being able to witness to folks:

Please find below a list of first, second, third, fourth, and fifth year Seminary classes and an explanation of the correspondence course leading to a Certificate in Theological Studies. A link to a site dedicated to the Certificate Program in Liturgical Music can be found here.

First Year

RUSSIAN I 101 (102) 6 (6) credits Intensive study of Russian morphology and phonetics. Elementary composition and literary readings are followed by analysis of texts.

CHURCH SLAVONIC I 105 (106) 2 (2) credits Introduction to Church Slavonic alphabet and numerical system. Vocabulary. Practice in reading with occasional reference to English and Russian translations to develop comprehension.

ENGLISH 107 (108) 2 (2) credits Intensive review of English grammar. Composition and elements of style. Syntactic analysis of texts; comprehension and vocabulary building.

ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 107E (108E) This course is for Russian speakers who do not speak English. The course is therefore designed for beginners.

CHURCH MUSIC I 111 (112) 1 (1) credit Elementary musicianship. Memorization of the eight tones. Basic principles of voice production. (Download music files here .)

RUSSIAN HISTORY I 121 (122) 2 (2) credits Russian history from its beginning to Peter I. Emphasis on the Tartar yoke, Time of Troubles, development of the Moscow state.

PRINCIPLES OF ORTHODOXY 149 (150) 2 (2) credits Introduction to the divine services. Survey of sacred history and basic catechism. Study of daily prayers and the basic elements of spiritual life.

Second Year
RUSSIAN II 201 (202) 3 (3) credits Continuation of Russian I. Advanced composition. Readings of selected passages in classical Russian literature followed by analysis of texts. Syntax and advanced composition.

CHURCH SLAVONIC II 205 (206) 3 (3) credits Study of morphology and syntax. Readings of selected passages from the Prologue, Holy Scripture, as well as the Holy Fathers. Emphasis is placed on translation.

CHURCH MUSIC II 211 (212) 1 (1) credit Musicianship. Church choir conducting. Square notation. Memorization of special melodies (podobny). Survey of the history of sacred music with emphasis on style and practice of the Russian Church. (Download music files here .)

WORLD HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION 213 (214) 3 (3) credits A survey of ancient and medieval history, with emphasis on the importance of Orthodox civilization and culture. Discussions of philosophy, Church art and literature.

RUSSIAN HISTORY II 221 (222) 2 (2) credits Russian history from Peter I to the 1917 Revolution. The Civil War. Impact of the Revolution on the Russian people and culture.

OLD TESTAMENT I / BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 231 (232) 3 (3) credits Introduction to the study of the Holy Scriptures. Scripture and Tradition. Pentateuch and historical books. Discussion and study of the archaeological background of the Old Testament.

Third Year
NEW TESTAMENT GREEK 309 (310) 3 (3) credits Essentials of New Testament Greek: grammar, vocabulary, and translation of texts. Attention also given to Liturgical use of Greek.

RUSSIAN LITERATURE I 315 (316) 3 (3) credits Survey of medieval Russian literature from the baptism of Russia to Peter I. 18th century writers. Literary works of both secular and Church writers are studied.
To access course materials, please click here. (password required)

CHURCH HISTORY I 323 (324) 2 (2) credits Development of New Testament Church based on the Book of Acts. Christian Church under Roman persecutions. The seven Ecumenical Councils and the Schism. The Constantinopolitan Patriarchate.

RUSSIAN CHURCH HISTORY I 325 (326) 2 (2) credits Survey of sources of Russian Church history. Baptism of Russia. Kievan State. Tartar yoke. Division of the Russian Church. Moscow Patriarchate. Istablishment of the patriarch. in Moscow.

OLD TESTAMENT II 331 (332) 3 (3) credits Study of the Old Testament's instructional and prophetic books. Liturgical use. Messianism. Patristic exegesis and interpretation.

NEW TESTAMENT I 333 (334) 3 (3) credits Introduction to the Gospels. Interpretation and individual peculiarities. Detailed chronological study of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as related by the four evangelists.

LITURGICS I 341 (342) 2 (2) credits Introduction to the divine services; cycles of the Church year, church structure, clerical vestments, order of services. Major liturgical writers. The development and present-day form of matins, vespers, vigil service and hours.

Fourth Year
RUSSIAN LITERATURE II 415 (416) 3 (3) credits 19th century writers. Major literary trends of the period. Emphasis on Gogol, Pushkin, Dostoyevsky, Lermontov, Tolstoy, etc. Westerners and Slavophiles.

CHURCH HISTORY II 419 (420) 2 (2) credits The Church from the fall of Constantinople to the present time. Orthodoxy and Papal expansion. Church-state relations. Reformation. Eastern Churches after the fall of Constantinople.

RUSSIAN CHURCH HISTORY II 423 (424) 2 (2) credits Holy Synod and Imperial period. Russian Church and the Revolution of 1917. Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

NEW TESTAMENT II 433 (434) 3 (3) credits Study of the Book of Acts, Epistles, and Revelation. Authors, purpose, and time of writing. Historical background.PATROLOGY I 435 (436) 2 (2) credits Study of Apostolic Fathers. Apologists. Major Fathers of the fourth century: their works, biography, teachings, and influence.

LITURGICS II 441 (442) 2 (2) credits The Divine Liturgy. Its formation and present structure. Lenten and Paschal Services. Sacraments. The Book of Needs.

DOGMATIC THEOLOGY I 451 (452) 2 (2) credits Introduction to Dogmatic Theology. The dogma of faith, sources of dogma. Outline of Orthodox Christian theology.

PASTORAL THEOLOGY I 453 (454) 2 (2) credits Traditional pastoral teaching. The ideal pastor: his duties and problems. Relationship between pastor and parish.

Fifth Year
CANON LAW 525 (526) 2 (2) credits Fundamentals of Orthodox Canon Law. Introduction to: Orthodox ecclesiology, the Sacrament of marriage, and the Church court.

PATROLOGY II 535 (536) 2 (2) credits Study of ascetical writers. Rise of monasticism. Fathers of the Byzantine period. Late Byzantine and Russian fathers up to the present day.

DOGMATIC THEOLOGY II 551 (552) 2 (2) credits The Church of Christ on earth. The Sacraments. Prayer. New movements in Russian theology in the light of the Orthodox Christian Faith.

PASTORAL THEOLOGY II / HOMILETICS 553 (554) 3 (3) credits Preparation of students for pastoral service in a parish. Study of different forms of sermons, as well as hallmarks of Orthodox patristic oratory

MORAL THEOLOGY 555 (556) 2 (2) credits Dogmatic principles of moral theology: moral law, virtue, sin, the Church. Christian obligations to self, family, neighbor, and the state.

COMPARATIVE THEOLOGY / APOLOGETICS 557 (558) 3 (3) credits Introduction to comparative theology. Study and evaluation of major denominations and sects. Defense of fundamental truths of the Orthodox Faith. Substance of religion, existence of God, immortality of the soul, revelation, the essence of Christianity.

Courses are subject to change without notice.

http://www.hts.edu/seminary/academics.html

[Forest Keeper]

I won't speak for Catholics, but the orthodox have no problem with folks interpreting scripture. They just want folks to get educated, and evidence their Christianity a bit first (same as St Paul wanted only folks who had their home life in order, and had only been married once being considered for the office of Bishop).

Well, that's not how I would express what I think my understanding is. Perhaps you could interpret on some inconsequential matters, but I'm pretty sure that you are not allowed to disagree in any way with the consensus patrum. While the actual number of holdings might be relatively small, I would imagine that their necessary implications would be pretty broad based. (Perhaps this is more true in the RCC.) Can you think of a couple of "bigger" issues upon which two good Orthodox may interpret differently? That is, outside of Revelation, since I don't think anyone has rules on that. :)

Here's what our church feels is a good basis for being able to witness to folks: ... [5 years of seminary courses]

That is a very impressive basis. :) Does your church really say that one should not witness without this kind of education? It's funny, I would tell a new believer that if he knows enough to believe in the Gospel of Christ, then he knows enough to witness it. Of course I would want him to learn more, and continue learning as I do, but my church's attitude is to turn them loose right away if they are so moved. :) Many times new believers can make very effective evangelists.

Thanks for posting the curriculum. It was interesting to read. Would all the Russian classes be replaced with Greek classes at a different seminary? I was just surprised at the emphasis on Russian history and that sort of thing. I mean, would someone graduating from this seminary be qualified to start serving in a Greek Orthodox Church?