Second Annual St. Macrina Conference a Success
DETROIT, MI [MW Diocese Communications] — The Second Annual Saint Macrina Conference took place August 7-8, 2015 at Saint Andrew’s House here.
“The conference provided a great opportunity to gather all together from around the Diocese for learning and fellowship,” said Priest Elijah Mueller, Director of the Saint Macrina Institute. “Conference attendees enjoyed the presentations in the fields of patristics, biblical and liturgical studies and Church History.
“Father Bogdan Bucur, Professor at Duquesne University and pastor of Saint Anthony Antiochian Orthodox Church, Butler PA, offered the keynote presentation, titled ‘I Am an Icon of Your Unutterable Glory: A Theological and Performative Entry into the Scriptures’ — a beautiful meditation on the interpretation of Scripture in hymnography,” Father Elijah said. “Presytera Rebecca Luft showed the iconic aspects of the text of the Old Testament ritual of ordination and its relevance to our biblical interpretation. Mark Roosien offered a very mission-relevant talk on the idea of ‘heavenly liturgy’ and how that works with both the tabernacle and temple as two different possibilites for understanding the beauty of the services—one that allows for mission and a sense of the temporary and sometime not perfect worldly aesthetics, and the other fitting more easily with a well-established Church situation.”
Father Elijah Mueller and Sami Sweis presented talks on the theology and the historical experience of Middle Eastern Orthodox Christians as instructive for a Church which is not an “established state Church.”
Catechetical workshops were given on discipleship by Father Michael Butler on Discipleship, on the use of icons for catechesis by Anna Strelka, and on the use of Saint Dionysius’ threefold model — purification, illumination and perfection — for catechesis.
Sessions for deacons were facilitated by Deacons Michael Bassett and John Wesner, who provided a good, well-seasoned review of diaconal practice.
A photo gallery of the event can be viewed here.
Information concerning the third annual conference in 2016 will be posted on the diocesan web site as it becomes available.
