SVS Press to debut Gospel Commentary by Archbishop Dmitri at 18th AAC

June 2015

Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Presswill formally debut The Holy Gospel According to Saint John: A Pastoral Commentary, by His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri [Royster], at the 18th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America, to be held in Atlanta, GA July 20-24, 2015.  The release of the volume, published posthumously—Archbishop Dmitri fell asleep in the Lord in 2013—was timed to coincide with the opening of the Council and to complement its overall theme, “How to Expand the Mission.” SVS Press will feature the new title in a special section of its display, along with Archbishop Dmitri’s other six publications through SVS Press.

“Archbishop Dmitri’s newest title concludes the Archbishop’s scriptural series, which has been popular for decades among pastors and parish Bible study groups,” noted Michael Soroka, Production Manager and Associate Editor at SVS Press. “This book attests to the author’s unflagging zeal in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Americas, and especially to those unfamiliar with either the Christian message or the Orthodox Church.

“We thought it appropriate to have this title ready for the AAC, not only to honor the memory of this prolific author and evangelizer, but also to offer a book that can ‘replenish the faith of Christians today,’ as William J. Abraham, professor at Perkins School of Theology and personal acquaintance of Archbishop Dmitri, writes in the Foreword,” Mr. Soroka concluded.

SVS Press planned the release of seven other new titles during the spring semester and summer of 2015, some of which already have made literary and scholarly news. In April, Arvo Pärt: Out of Silencewas welcomed to launch at the “Arvo Pärt: Journeys in Silence” Live Ideas Festival, sponsored by New York Live Arts.

In May a major international doctoral and post-doctoral religion conference in Prague, “Ecumenical Reception and Critique of 20th Century Orthodox Theology in Exile and Diaspora,” featured the title The Ways of Orthodox Theology in the West. The book emerged from a larger overall project, “Symbolic Mediation of Wholeness in Western Orthodoxy,” which was financed by the Czech Republic and included prominent Protestant and Orthodox scholars who analyzed the interplay between Orthodox and Western Christians in the past century, including the Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Archpriest John Behr, who wrote the Foreword to the book.

In August, at the 17th International Conference on Patristic Studies at Oxford University, SVS Press will launch two new Popular Patristics Series titles: Two Hundred Chapters on Theology, by Maximus the Confessor (PPS53), and On the Apostolic Tradition, by Hippolytus (PPS54), the latter being a second edition of the work that employs a recently discovered Ethiopic manuscript. Later in the fall, the press will release A Layman in the Desert: Monastic Wisdom for a Life in the World, a fresh look at the desert fathers through the writings of Saint John Cassian.

“Besides attracting thousands of Orthodox Christian readers annually, our titles fall into some of the most unusual but grateful hands,” said Deacon Gregory Hatrak, Director of Marketing and Operations at SVS Press and Bookstore. “For example, last year, the Salvation Army in Australia called to place a large order for our Popular Patristics title On the Human Condition, by Saint Basil the Great, for a course they were offering!

“And, while most recently we have produced important scholarly volumes,” he went on, “we also published our other ‘staples,’ for example, the exquisitely illustrated and lively children’s book St. Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins, and the spiritual biography To Open One’s Heart: A Spiritual Path.

“Our newest eight titles represent the breadth and depth SVS Press typifies,” Deacon Gregory emphasized, “and we are so pleased to offer Archbishop Dmitri’s final pastoral commentary in this year’s wide-ranging mix of publications. Memory Eternal to a great evangelist!”

Source: