St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology is an academic community of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America serving through Research, Writing, and Education.
Read about us in The WORD Magazine: Train Up a Child, by Fr. Matthew Snowden, Principal of St. Athanasius Academy
Who We Are & What We Do
St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology was founded in 1976 as an arm of the Evangelical Orthodox Church and entered canonical Orthodoxy when that body was brought into the Antiochian Archdiocese. We offer a Correspondence Study Program, operate a Prisoner Education Program, and carry out various programs of research and study to prepare materials presenting the Orthodox Christian faith to Americans. The Orthodox Study Bible is an outstanding example of the fruit of our literature programs. Also, whenever appropriate, we produce audio and video media on various topics.
Mission Statement
The mission of St. Athanasius Academy (founded 1976) is to prepare and communicate materials on the Orthodox Christian faith in English for both Orthodox and non-Orthodox people — particularly the laity. Thus, our goals are three-fold:
- to be a valuable and helpful teaching ministry of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North American and a service to all,
- to help all Christians learn more about the history, teachings, and practice of the Church, and
- to help spread the Spirit of Orthodox Christianity to all Americans.
Statement of Faith
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.
And [we believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Timeline of St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology
1976
St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology opened its doors to a resident program of studies. These studies centered around the study of Latin and Greek, research into the Patristic Literature, the translation of writings not found in English, the study of Church History and Worship. Professors included Jack N. Sparks, Dean, Jon E. Braun and J. Richard Ballew who taught from their research conducted over the previous 3 years. Fr. Jack taught early Church Worship, Fr. Jon, Church History, and Fr. Richard, Theology with a focus on Nicene Christology.
1979
Gordon Walker moved to Santa Barbara and joined the faculty to teach Biblical Studies. Weekend Institutes of Biblical Studies (WIBT) were offered through St. Athanasius Academy for several years to the Churches of the Evangelical Orthodox Church which had been formed in 1979. Other EOC bishops also taught WIBT classes during this time. These institutes continued until after the reception of the EOC into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
Mid 1980s
A one-year Post-High School program developed to prepare high school graduates for their studies in college. The program was designed to strengthen their faith through doctrinal teaching, Church History, and Liturgical Studies.
1987
St. Athanasius was received into the Antiochian Archdiocese in February 1987. Enrolment increased, a facility was leased in the foothills of Santa Barbara to provide both faculty and student housing with room and board, as well as sufficient classrooms and office space.
At the same time, an ambitious project was launched to produce an Orthodox Study Bible of the New Testament. Fr. Peter Gillquist, who at the time was an editor for Thomas Nelson Publishers, served as the lead editor of the project.
1992
Due to financial difficulties brought on primarily from the US economic recession following the Gulf War in Kuwait, in which Southern California was particularly hit hard, the Academy closed its doors to the residency program of studies but retained its correspondence courses.
1993
The headquarters of St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology was transferred to Sacramento when Fr. Richard Ballew and Fr. Jack Sparks relocated there. The correspondence courses continued to be offered with many non-Orthodox students becoming Orthodox through their studies.
2000
Correspondence Courses began to be used for the purpose of providing Orthodox Christian Education to prisoners. This program, currently led by Mr. Paul Goetz, has successfully continued until today.
Early 2000s
Another ambitious project was taken up by the Academy to produce an Orthodox Study Bible of the Old Testament including a new translation of the Old Testament into English using the Septuagint. This project was completed, and the entire Orthodox Study Bible was published in 2008.
2019
The correspondence courses of the Academy moved online. An online homeschool tutorial for 6th-12 grade was launched with six classes and 70 enrollments (not students). An online Orthodox Associate’s Degree in Orthodox Theological Studies was launched.
2020
Two divisions were created: 1) St. Athanasius Academy for online studies of K-12 grades and 2) St. Athanasius College. The academy grew to 287 enrollments for the fall due to COVID-19. In collaboration with the Antiochian Dept. of Missions and Evangelism, St. Athanasius College organized a summer internship program at the Neighborhood Resilience Project.
2021
The academy enrollments grew to 500 due to our pedagogy. The college hosted the first hybrid format CPE program for Orthodox clergy.
