St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary of Yonkers, N.Y., has invited the Archbishop of Canterbury to deliver the annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture on Jan. 30.
 
Archbishop Rowan Williams will speak on “Theology and the Contemplative Calling: The Image of Humanity in the Philokalia” beginning at 12:30 p.m.
 
“Many Orthodox Christians may be unaware of Rowan Williams’s research and contribution to the field of Orthodox theology, but he was a pioneer in this field, with outstanding breadth and depth,” said the Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir’s, who was examined for his doctoral degree at Oxford University by then-professor Williams.
 
“The archbishop is a patron of The Fellowship of Saints Alban and Sergius, a society of Eastern and Western Christians that held a major conference on our campus in 2008,” said the Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor and CEO of the seminary. “And we welcome his presence as a person who supports the continued dialogue of the society’s members.”
 
St. Vladimir’s and Nashotah House Theological Seminary held a joint three-day conference, "In the Footsteps of Tikhon and Grafton,"  at Nashotah House in October. As that conference concluded, Dr. Hatfield and the Very Rev. Dr. Robert Munday of Nashotah House signed a covenant that commits their seminaries to “continued prayer, fellowship and ecumenical cooperation.”
 
The archbishop’s visit will coincide with his speaking at the Trinity Institute’s 2010 Conference, “Building an Ethical Economy: Theology and the Marketplace.”
 
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