Virginia H. Farah Foundation sponsors “A Conference on Orthodox Schools”

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

3/6/2007

News Release

F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E

Virginia H. Farah Foundation sponsors “A Conference on Orthodox Schools”

Media Contact:
Karen Duncan, 817-919-7806
kduncan@cowtown.net


The Virginia H. Farah Foundation is sponsoring “A Conference on Orthodox Schools” to be held June 8th and 9th at St. Peter’s Classical School in Fort Worth, Texas.

The conference is presented by St. John of Damascus Academy and St. Peter’s Classical School in association with the OCEC: Orthodox Independent Schools Project.

Speakers for the conference include Fr. Anthony Scott of Stewardship Advocates, as well as Bishop Basil, Dr. Vigen Guroian, and David V. Hicks. Topics will include philosophy of education, classical learning, accreditation, and professional development opportunities for Orthodox schools.

“The Orthodox Church has always viewed education as a thing much broader and much more comprehensive that mere schooling,” said Bryan Smith, Headmaster of St. Peter’s Classical School. “Scripture tells us to raise our children in the nuture¯paedeia—and admonition of the Lord. This concept of paedeia was explained by St. Gregory Nazianzus as bringing one’s self through a study of the scripture to conformity with Christ by means of imitation. Needless to say, this is not a task that any school could reasonably claim as its province. But schools can be structured in their content and in their methods to complement the broader project of Christian paedeia. It is just this hope that led Christians throughout the centuries to establish schools they deemed compatible with the proper formation of young people; and it is this same hope that is moving more and more Orthodox families and parishes to start their own schools today in America”.

“We all hope to incline our students toward Christ, to prepare them to live well in this world, and to share our faith with a generation looking for stability in the shifting sands of the American cultural landscape. We at St. Peter’s invite everyone interested in Orthodox Schools to join us this summer as we examine the principles that will keep us consistent with our faith, as well as the practical skills that will keep our lamps trimmed and burning.”