The Eagle River Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies is sponsored by Saint John Orthodox Cathedral of the Antiochian Archdiocese. It is held each summer August 1-5 at the Cathedral in Eagle River, Alaska, and offers sixteen hours of college level instructions in a variety of Orthodox topics, including Theology, History, Liturgy, Spirituality and Scriptural Studies.

Our Goal

The primary aim of the Institute is to offer ongoing instructions in the Orthodox Faith to the parishioners of St. John's and to other Orthodox Christians in Alaska, who are often unable to attend similar conferences and seminars regularly held in the "lower 48." However, the Eagle River Institute is also open to any who wish to attend and each year the Institute has been enriched by several who have traveled from outside the state to attend. The Institute lectures are also audio-taped and made available through "Orthodox Christian Cassettes" (OCC).

Registration or Questions

If you're ready to register, or if you just have questions, then send your name, address, phone number, and church affiliation to:

Eagle River Institute
St. John Orthodox Cathedral
P.O. Box 1108
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 696-2002
Email: StJohnERI@aol.com

Tuition is just $50 per "Track" and may be paid before or on July 31. There is no cost for high school and college students who attend, but registration is still required.

To download a copy of the ERI brochure in PDF form, click here.

For a list of past speakers, click here

1. Secularism and the New Atheism
   
2. The Cult of Youth
   
3. A Culture of Change and an Unchanging Church
   
4. Beauty as an Apologetic
   

John Mark Reynolds (Ph.D., University of Rochester) is founder and directory of the Torrey Honors Institute, a great books program, and professor of philosophy at Biola University.  Dr. Reynolds lectures frequently on ancient philosophy, philosophy of science, home schooling and cultural trends.  He regularly appears on radio talk shows, such as the Hugh Hewitt Show, and actively blogs on cultural issues at ScriptoriumDaily.com and the Washington Post's On Faith column.  His books include Three Views on Creation and Evolution (Zondervan), When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought (IVP), and the newly published What's Right and Wrong about the New Athiesm (with Phillip E. Johnson, IVP).

1. A Liturgical Perspective
   
2. A Biblical Perspective
   
3. A Pastoral Perspective
   
4. A Theological Perspective
   

Bishop ILIA was the son of Albanian immigrants who came to the United States in 1920.  He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School in Brookline, MA in 1961.  With his beloved wife, Helen, he shared 39 years of married life and raised two children before her death in 2001.  During this time he was Dean at Hellenic College and Holy Cross Seminary.  He later served as a priest in Las Vegas, NV.  He was consecrated as Bishop of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America in Constantinople (Istanbul) on May 12, 2002.

EAGLE RIVER INSTITUTE • AUGUST 1 – 5

This will be the 16th year St. John’s has hosted this series of teachings, the dates of which are always August 1-5. While the primary purpose is to provide Orthodox teaching for Alaskans who are far removed from many such opportunities in the “lower 48,” we have also been blessed over the years to have visitors join us. This year’s teachers are Bishop ILIA of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America and Dr. John Marc Reynolds from Biola University.

All of us at Saint John’s are looking forward to this valuable time and we invite you to join us if you can find a reason to visit Alaska this summer. We are always greatly blessed by our guests and we have some lodging available right on the Cathedral grounds. On this website you will find all the information about this year’s Institute, giving the schedule and lecture titles, along with some general information about our local community. You may also find a brochure for this years institute helpful. We hope to see you at this summer's Institute.

Sincerely,

Fr. Marc Dunaway

For those with the time and means to do so, there is an opportunity for a very special "add-on" to the Eagle River Institute. Each year Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral, Kodiak, hosts an annual pilgrimage to Spruce Island on the anniversary of the canonization of St. Herman of Alaska which took place on August 9th, 1970.

The full cycle of activities extends over three days, Friday through Monday, August 6-9. Details of the itinerary are available on the Alaska OCA web site along with links and phone numbers to local hotels and a "Frequently asked questions" page.

There used to be a warning on the itinerary that said "Subject to Change", refering to the unpredictable weather and ocean conditions. It isn’t there now, but the weather can still be unpredictable and play havoc with the pilgrimage plans-there have been years when the visit to Spruce Island had to be delayed or canceled due to bad weather. In any event, you would still be able to venerate the relics of St. Herman during the Divine Liturgy at the Kodiak cathedral.

Weather permitting, the fishing boats that carry pilgrims to Spruce Island depart the Kodiak docks around 8am. Weather conditions are often cool and damp, so it would always be prudent to have a windbreaker or other wet weather clothing on hand. Last year I made the mistake of going over in a vintage Navy landing craft, and was drenched with sea water each time the flat prow smacked into a wave. You should try not to make the same mistake!

Lunch is provided at the beach on Spruce Island by the women of the church following the pilgrimage so you needn't bring your own food. You may want to bring a small bottle to fill with holy water from the spring, and a bag or small container for soil from the island.

Alaska Airlines operates flights from Anchorage to Kodiak, and can be reached at www.alaskaair.com, or by phone at 800-252-7522. At the time of this writing, the lowest roundtrip airfare from Anchorage to Kodiak is quoted as $360.

For a more adventuresome and leisurely connection, the Alaska Marine Highway System operates a ferry between Homer and Kodiak. I found their published schedules to be difficult to read, and wound up phoning their Anchorage office at 907/272-4482 for personal assistance.

The high-end commercial lodging is the Best Western Kodiak Inn, the only national chain lodging in Kodiak. They can be contacted directly at 907-486-5712. Current rates range from $92-$140 per night. They offer an airport shuttle service, which makes hiring a taxi unnecessary. Once in Kodiak, everything is within easy walking distance - in fact, the Inn is directly across from the boat harbor where the pilgrimage departs from. Of the other two establishments, the Russian Heritage Inn (a modest motel, actually, despite the name) is the most centrally located, and folks who’ve stayed there reported that they were entirely satisfied with their rooms.

Directly across the street from the Russian Heritage Inn is Monk's Rock Bookstore, which is not to be missed. Operated by the faculty and youth of the St. Innocent's Academy, they offer coffee, tea, sandwiches and snack items; books on theology, history, society and culture; icons, prayer ropes, incense and other miscellaneous items of interest. If Fr. Paisius offers an Open House of the Academy again this year, go and learn about the wonderful work being done in turning around the lives of "at-risk" teens.

In years past the Academy would throw a post-pilgrimage party in the parking lot of the bookstore. It was not part of the "official" pilgrimage itinerary, but nevertheless it was an exuberant musical celebration that often lasted late into the evening, unforgettable for anyone who was able to attend. Fortunately, the Academy has now been incorporated into the official program, and they perform at the 5pm "Festival in the Park". Don't miss it!

If you do decide to make the pilgrimage we pray it will be a very special and significant experience for you. If you care to write a little something about it we'd love to hear from you!

For questions, comments, or more information about the St. Herman pilgrimage, please contact me, St. John's pilgrimage coordinator at: jpiper51@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

John Morrison
St. John's Pilgrimage Coordinator