www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall St. Stephen's Program

I've sent in my application for the St. Stephen's Program of the Antiochian Archdiocese.

If I remember correctly, there used to be a forum here for people participating in the program that one could ask for permission to join. Is that no longer here or is it just hidden or did I misremember.

(I haven't been accepted yet, so this is still future hypothetical.)

JB,

Since it's called the "St. Stephen's Program," I would assume it's a training program for the Diaconate.

If so, the private forum is called "The Deacon's Door," and you can get access by sending a PM to any of the Moderators.

The forum description says it's "for deacons, deacon candidates and their wives," which would mean you'd have to be accepted into the program before you could be granted access. But it doesn't hurt to ask.

Right, so, I know about the deaconate forum. I had thought I had remembered there was a separate one. I'm not actually training to become a deacon. The St. Stephen's program is (at least today) broader than that (with general, iconography, music, and religious education tracks.)

JB,

I completed the St Stephen's Program last August, and am now in the optional Masters component. St Stephens is definitely not just for deacon candidates - many folks take it for various reasons, including a good number of women (yours truly included). I think that preparing men for the diaconate may have been its original purpose when it was started about 30-35 years ago, but it has greatly expanded since then.

And you're right - it has its own private forum, which was hosted by this site. The Deacon's Door is not the forum for St Stephens students. The St Stephen's one is called "The Orthodox Christian Studies Forum," and it's only accessible by contacting Fr Anthony, after you've been accepted into the program.

Having said all that, I should tell you that during the three years I was in the program, only a small handful of us ever participated in it - 3 of us the 1st year, and about 5-6 the other 2 years. Those of us who used it, however, found it very helpful. The last time anyone posted on it, however, was this past January. The new students don't seem to be using it. There was some talk at the Village a year or two ago that there was going to be a new forum started that would be run more directly by the House of Studies itself, but whether that has now happened, I don't know. When you get your acceptance packet, all that info should be in there. (If not, ask Deacon Peter).

I found it a great experience overall, and I learned a lot on many levels. It's a lot of work - a lot of books to read every semester, a lot of papers to write, 3 projects, and 3 summer residencies, but I found it well worth the time and effort I put in. A few of us from my class now have a private Facebook group where we've continued to have contact about related matters.

I wish you well in the program!

Yes, it's hidden. It won't show up on your "Forum List" page unless you have access to it. It still shows up on mine, and I just checked - I can still access all the old posts, but, as I said, no one has posted since January, and none of the newer students are using it. So there may be a new one through AHOS.