Fools for Christ | Spring

“They are very few, but nevertheless there are those who, when through virtue they have achieved absence of passion, return to the world in the midst of its turmoils. By proclaiming themselves mad, they thus trample down vainglory, which, according to the wise Plato, is the last garment that the soul naturally cats off… Enemies of their personal wishes and nature, they are surrendered to the wills of those at hand, in order that the pleasure of the flesh may be constantly thrust away by them and the soul might give direction by selecting with discrimination and preserving the finest things and those pleasing to God.” This is how Evagrius Scholasticus, Church historian of the 6th century, describes the Fools for Christ of his own day. Throughout the ages, from the villages of Syria to the great cities of Russia, one can find these Holy Fools living out this extraordinary vocation. This course will explore why these men and women had such a profound impact on Orthodox spirituality and how their lives can guide us to live our own lives in a more God-pleasing manner.

Required Materials:
Books and supplies are not included in the purchase of the course.

The Life of Saint Symeon of Emesa, the Fool for Christ:
- ISBN: 978–0–943405–17–9
Hieroschemamonk Feofil: Fool-for-Christ's-Sake. Ascetic and Visionary of the Kiev-Caves Lavra
- ISBN: 978-0884650577

Dr. Alexander Titus is a learner, educator, translator, and Church historian, specializing in the Byzantine and medieval Western periods. He holds a BA (2011) in Classics from the University of Oregon, an MA (2015) and ThM (2016) from St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary, and a PhD (2022) in Church History from Princeton Theological Seminary, where he wrote his dissertation on St. Gregory Palamas. His English translation of Palamas’ Triads is also forthcoming from St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Dr. Titus has come to believe strongly in the salvific value of classical education, not only for the soul of the individual Christian, but for the building up of the whole Church. Dr. Titus currently lives in Western Oregon, with his wife and two sons. His other interests include cooking, literature, visual arts (e.g., film, animation, games), and volunteering in his local Orthodox community. [email protected]

Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.

High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.

Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)

Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm

Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:

Visit zoom.us/download.
Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
Open and run the installer on your computer.
In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.

Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.

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