[KellyLynchIV]

In short I am in a very strange situation as far as career/education background is concerned and was wondering if anyone who has been through the ordination process (or has knowledge of it) would help answer a couple questions for me.

I am currently 21 years old and was about half way through the process of getting ordained in the methodist church (functionally I could do more than a deacon, less than a Priest) when I discovered the Orthodox Church through a friend at college. I was recently baptized and I am now considering whether I want to pursue becoming a Priest.

I have three major questions.

1. I graduated with a BA in philosophy and applied to graduate schools. Unfortunately I was still a methodist at the time of applying so they were all divinity schools. I got one acceptance from what was (and still is) my dream school. The problem of course is whether or not any Orthodox jurisdiction will look kindly on an M.Div from a non-Orthodox school. The school certainly has very heavy Anglo-Catholic leanings, which means it is theologically closer to us than say, the evangelical schools that dominate theology in America, however the key I guess is whether having my degree from this school would be a great hinderence to me getting ordained, does anyone know anything about this?

2. Who should I get in contact with if I wanted to be ordained for service in a Western Rite Parish?

3.There is no age restriction for Methodist ordinations. One must be thirty to be ordained to the Priesthood in Orthodoxy so I now have several years in which I need to find other employment. I was considering doing military service until I was old enough to ordained (then possibly go back in as a chaplain, finish my twenty years), but I heard that you cannot be ordained if you've taken a life, is this true?

Many thanks in advance and God bless,
-James

[pennadyFeet]

1. I graduated with a BA in philosophy and applied to graduate schools. Unfortunately I was still a methodist at the time of applying so they were all divinity schools. I got one acceptance from what was (and still is) my dream school. The problem of course is whether or not any Orthodox jurisdiction will look kindly on an M.Div from a non-Orthodox school. The school certainly has very heavy Anglo-Catholic leanings, which means it is theologically closer to us than say, the evangelical schools that dominate theology in America, however the key I guess is whether having my degree from this school would be a great hinderence to me getting ordained, does anyone know anything about this?

I doubt it'd be a hindrance, but you'd likely be still required to do at least some courses from an Orthodox Seminary. Talk to your priest and/or bishop about it.

2. Who should I get in contact with if I wanted to be ordained for service in a Western Rite Parish?

Either Metropolitan Hilarion and/or Bishop Jerome of ROCOR would be good people to start with since you're in ROCOR already. Take a look at: www.christminster.org Other than that, it would be the Western Rite Vicariate of the Antiochian Church. Try: www.antiochian.org/western-rite

3.There is no age restriction for Methodist ordinations. One must be thirty to be ordained to the Priesthood in Orthodoxy so I now have several years in which I need to find other employment. I was considering doing military service until I was old enough to ordained (then possibly go back in as a chaplain, finish my twenty years), but I heard that you cannot be ordained if you've taken a life, is this true?

How strictly the age restrictions are applied vary from Bishop to Bishop. If you're interested in Western Rite, talk to the people involved, i.e. either the Antiochians or Met Hilarion/Bp Jerome.

As far as being ordained after having taken a life, a lot of it can depend on circumstances. I have a personal suspicion though, that even taking a life in combat, in defence of others might be considered more of a hindrance than a help.

But, there are a great many occupations one may do in the military where one is rarely put in harm's way - not everyone is a grunt. There are clerks, technicians, cooks (who have the hardest training regimen out there! - no one's apparently passed it yet! ).

So, talk to your priest, talk to your bishop, and if they bless you to, talk to the Western Rite people. They'd also be the same people to give you guidance about a military career.

That's my two kopecks.

Fr Cyprian

[clubcughSheet]

In my Marine Corps experience, Father, the battalion cooks weren't that bad! They did the best they could with what they had!

Here are my two kopeks worth, having been an Episcopal priest, having been asked by the Antiochian Archdiocese if I had a desire for ordination in Orthodoxy, and knowing quite a number of priests, both converts and otherwise.

There is absolutely no point whatsoever in going to a non-Orthodox seminary (may I assume it is Nashotah House, my alma mater?)

There are very, very few who have been ordained without being required to complete an additional year at least at an Orthodox seminary, Fr. Chad Hatfield (a Nashotah grad and the Chancellor of St. Vlad's) being a notable exception, but more importantly for your own benefit you will be absolutely lost without a full Orthodox seminary experience.

The exception to the above is, of course, becoming a monastic, in which case there is always the possibility that your bishop will want you to be ordained at some point, and this is more frequently done without recourse to a seminary education but only after many years of ascetic development.

If I were you, I would call Fr. Chad and I am sure he would be more than glad to offer you his insights, suggestions, etc. Tell him I sent you to him. I wouldn't always recommend that you use my name, since I have alienated my share of people over the years, but in his case, we are old friends from "The House."

[Kuncher]

RE: Owen Jones

Its Yale Divinity School. Which is predominately composed of Anglican ordinands and Roman Catholics in various lay ministries. The thing is, I have already committed to attending for at least one year, and given that one year is already a sunk cost, it doesnt make any sense not to at least spend one more year there for an M.A.R (or two for an M.Div).

If I would only need to spend one or maybe two years after the M.Div at an Orthodox seminary that would be fine. I could probably turn that into part of a Th.M program if planned properly.

I will contact Fr. Chad. Thank you for your help!