ABOUT US
St Andrew's Theological College, founded in
Sydney in 1986, is the only civilly accredited Orthodox tertiary
institution of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
During the Fourth Clergy-Laity Congress (1981),
the first during the term of Archbishop Stylianos, the delegates
adopted, among other resolutions, his urgent proposal for the
establishment of a Theological College as soon as possible.
To this end, the Legal Adviser of the Archdiocesan Council,
Sir Arthur George, pledged a contribution
In May 1984, Archbishop Stylianos appointed
an Interim Committee (consisting of the Very Rev. Fr Miltiades
Chryssavgis who was Vicar General at that time, Rev. Dr John
Chryssavgis as Secretary, Mr Michael Diamond, Assoc. Prof. Emmanuel
Aroney, and Dr Harry Simmons) in order to consider and suggest
ways of facilitating the operation of the Theological College
and to prepare a suggested curriculum of studies. After a comparative
study and research, the Interim Committee presented its report,
which was received and approved by the Archbishop.
Consequently, at the meeting of the Archdiocesan
Property Trust held in Sydney, 13th December 1984, three committees
were appointed:
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a. A Building Committee, consisting of Sir Arthur George,
Mr Niketas Katris and Mr Peter Confos.
b. An Administrative Council, consisting of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Sir Arthur George, Mr Michael Barbouttis, Mr Michael Diamond, and Mr George Pappas.
c. An Academic Committee, consisting of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Very Rev. Miltiades Chryssavgis, Rev. Dr John Chryssavgis, Prof. Alexander Cambitoglou, Assoc. Prof. Emmanuel Aroney and Dr Harry Simmons.
As a result of these coordinated efforts, the College was finally opened on the 23rd February, 1986. The Dean of the Patriarchal Theological School of Halki, Metropolitan Maximos of Stavroupolis, was present, having been invited especially for the occasion. He brought with him a congratulatory message from Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios I. The Premier of New South Wales, Hon. Neville Wran, was also present.
The aims of the College were briefly yet succinctly outlined by the Dean, His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, during his address at the Official Opening:
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The establishment of the first Orthodox
Theological College in the Southern Hemisphere is not and
could not be simply an achievement of an ethnic group or of
a denomination. Orthodoxy does not represent a certain number
of Christians, a mere part of historical Christendom or an
ideology dictated by geographical, racial or political conditions.
Orthodoxy is the faithful continuation of the undivided Christian
Church of the first millennium, as decisively expressed in
the Ecumenical Councils. Orthodoxy is a precious legacy for
all of us. As such it belongs to all Christians and, through
them, to the whole of mankind. This is why the importance
of the College is expressed not so much through the term "Theological"
as through the qualification "Orthodox". The Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of Australia had many years ago felt that its
faithful would not be properly served and would not be creatively
integrated in this multicultural and polyethnic society unless
a Theological College were to be established. Yet the realisation
of such a sacred ambition was far beyond our actual resources....
Theology in Christianity cannot be a subject of individual
thought and activities. Theology is the deeper breathing of
the whole Church body as enlightened by the Holy Spirit who
is promised only in the plurality of Church communion, and
not in the isolation of the individual scholar. Our theology
is accordingly traditional, biblical, liturgical, and in one
word, ecclesiastical, otherwise it cannot be regarded as the
fruit of the Holy Spirit ... We hope to be enabled to serve
in a creative way not only our Church but also Australia and
the universal society of peace, reconciliation, justice and
sanctification which is God's ultimate will for His entire
world
(Voice of Orthodoxy, March 1986, pp. 22-23).