There are no canonical Orthodox seminaries in California (though there are several Orthodox colleges there). I think somwhere in the South or on the West Coast would be good.
I must have confused one of those for a seminary.
What are these concerns you cite about NY? That reads as a suspiciously political opinion, bigoted even. And if SVOTS is relocated to a desert of seminaries, academic and theological life will suffer, not benefit from that.
Texas: low cost of living, cheap land, and they do things BIG in texas. And everyone loves a ten gallon hat and pointy boots. Maybe some help for immigrants will develop eventually.
I said it's societally and politically restrictive. Undoubtedly, I have political opinions that judge what I think is restrictive. I think high taxes, skyrocking rent, government surveillance cameras on every street, and travel bans are undesirable and I'd wager to bet most people from other states would not prefer to live under those conditions. Societally, urban NY is completely liberalized, and regardless of one’s political party it is generally hostile to traditional Christianity.
y didn’t they just make an offer on the nearby Catholic seminary in Dunwoody, which stands nearly vacant? It could house hundreds in style. Even has a bowling alley.
To address the growing need for priests and other vocations in the Orthodox Church, the Board of Trustees of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) has voted to relocate SVOTS from its current location in Yonkers, NY. The new location and the timing of the move have yet to be determined
You sound like one of those misanthropes I went to seminary with who wouldn’t even go into Manhattan because ‘it’s a zoo’, which is slightly coded racism.
It’s what we politely call a backwards place.
You get what you pay for.
What do you think is the biggest disadvantage of Texas being the chosen spot? And where would you think would be the best spot and why?
So I'm a bigot and misanthrope and implicit racist for not having a fondness for New York having high taxes, too much government control and a generally anti-Christian society (why are NY abortion laws worse than most other states?)..
Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas. I know some of those also have OO parishes. The cities are nowhere near the Orthodox density and diversity of some of the Northern cities, but it's something.
I imagine that the main reason for moving in the first place is cost-cutting. Creating a new campus would add to costs while also diluting academic quality.
Yeah, that's fair.
Unfortunate, but fair.
That is on the other side of the state by Scranton. In fact it is only about 2 hours away from Yonkers.
Adding to Dn. Lance's comment: by moving to W. Pa, in the same state as STOTS, SVOTS would be moving physically further than they are at present.
While there's a lot to be said about Pittsburgh (and I agree with your fundamental points), I'm not sure it's the best of available options. Something S/SE of Chicago (proximity to 2 airports) would allow for a better mix (accessibility by direct flights, large # of parishes, institutional/diocesan support, centralizing move, etc.). I mean, really, something very central (St. Louis or Kansas City) would probably be better, but there aren't a critical mass of parishes in those areas to support the academic work.
I'm not against the seminaries moving out of Yonkers (SVS) & Boston (HC) because they're northern per se, but cost-of-living certainly affects the cost of the education (esp. insofar as professorial and support staff remuneration affect tuition & board rates). I suspect that this is a major reason (that, and making a boatload of $$ selling land that has appreciated far beyond inflation over the last few decades). With Holy Cross in Brookline/Boston, these pressures have remained steady over the last 15-20 years: sell this incredibly valuable land, build a new campus and still have $millions to set aside into the endowment (to help reduce tuition costs and better secure the fiscal future). While SVOTS doesn't have the same high cost as HC does, I don't doubt that similar pressures exist.
That applies to other major urban cities across the country, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. Judging from the Assembly of Bishop's parish directory, Seattle has 16 parishes in and around the city (including a ROCOR monastery), San Francisco has 32 parishes in and around the city (including two OCA monasteries), and Los Angeles has 33 parishes in and around the city. The same could probably apply to major Texan cities, but to a lesser extent (Houston has 12 parishes in and around the city).
Pitts is a great location that’s relevant to Orthodoxy, has a viable local economy, schools, centrality and isn’t overpriced too badly. Maybe the weather sucks but it will likely be habitable in 50 years when I doubt Texas will be. They’ll be having 130° summers there. Unless the seminary is willing to build underground (also hurricane and tornado proof) to avoid the heat, and have their own power generation on campus as Texass grid is a sick joke, they will regret such a move to the Lone Star state.
To the coasts, of course.
Often in common parlance, the "coasts" of the US means just the east and west coasts, with the "east coast of the US" running south from Maine to Florida, even though we have 4 Gulf Coast States.But Texas isn't a landlocked state.
It looks like just bus service.
Which blog?
It looks like just bus service.
I saw a comment on an EO blog suggesting that the Seminary made a preliminary choice of Texas for the move.
Alaska? They have St. Herman’s there for native clergy.How could you miss the biggest state in the nation?
Not just "natives". I've visited there, and a hieromonk I knew (OCA DOW) graduated from there. But yes, it is the biggest US state by far, and the most Orthodox percent-wise, last time I checked stats.
Monomakhos
