More online courses at Byzantine Catholic Seminary

New Course Offering in May 2012

Byzantine Online is pleased to announce a new course offering in May 2012.  Starting Monday, May 7, Byzantine Online will offer Theology of the Divine Office (LT 201) with V. Rev. Dr. Stelyios Muksuris, Ph.D., Professor of Liturgical Theology and Languages.

This course examines the historical development and theology of the daily cycle of liturgical worship, as experienced primarily in the life of the Eastern Church. Among the various areas covered are: the two modes of public and private prayer; the systems of prayer in the New Testament and post-Apostolic centuries; the monastic and cathedral offices of daily prayer, differences and confluences; the influence of the Sabbaite Typikon of Jerusalem, the Studite office and reform; the “sleepless monks” (akoimtoi) of Constantinople and their liturgical tradition; the structure and theology of the cathedral offices of Vespers, Matins, Pannychis, and Trithekt, with a particular focus on the original “sung office” (asmatikos hesperinos and orthros) in Constantinople; the typical monastic offices; and the various systems of hymnology and psalmody. The liturgical books of the Oktochos (Parakltik) Mnaia, Tridion, and Pentkostarion will also be studied, together with a brief historical overview of the offices of Holy Week as celebrated in the Eastern Tradition.

All Byzantine Online courses are 8 weeks in length and require no special hardware or software to hear and participate in classes.

Questions can be directed to Dr. Sandra Collins, director of Byzantine Online, at scollins@bcs.edu or by calling 412-321-8383, ext. 23.