Speakers

Fr. Silviu Bunta

Lectures from the Assembly are available on:

LINK:  ANCIENT FAITH RADIO

Seminar topics will be on:

  • To the Youth –The Mystery of the Incarnation (particularly the Cross) being worked out in our life, warts and all.
  • The Father takes us into His house’: Insights into the Liturgy from Fr. Aimilianos of Simonopetra.
  • Translation Matters: Things that Struck Me in Translating the Hieratikon.

University of Dayton, Ohio

Associate Professor

Full-Time Faculty

PROFILE:  Dr. Bunta holds a B.A. degree in theology from the University of Sibiu (Romania), a M.A. degree in biblical studies from the University of Oradea (Romania), and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Marquette University.

Faculty Perspective:  Dr. Bunta specializes in the study of Second Temple Judaism and Christian origins, focusing particularly on mystical trends in pseudepigraphic and apocalyptic literature. He coordinates within the department a seminar dedicated to “Trends of Ancient Jewish and Christian Mysticism”. He is also an active member of the Catholic Biblical Association of America and the Society of Biblical Literature.

Selected Publications:  Dr. Bunta has recently published several articles in the field of Jewish and Christian mysticism in edited volumes and scholarly journals such as, Henoch, the Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, and the Journal for the Study of Judaism.

Joseph Kormos

For the past twelve years Joseph Kormos has focused on stimulating Orthodox parishes to become healthy, hopeful, vibrant, 21st century Orthodox communities that grow in their commitment to living a life in Christ. 

Leveraging 40+ years of industry and church related experience in the areas of strategic planning, marketing, corporate consulting, group facilitation, and conference planning, Kormos is currently leader of the Parish Development Ministry of the Orthodox Church in America’s Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania. In this position he develops and presents workshops, authors a parish leadership newsletter (Parish Pulse) and helps to create parish tools for stewardship, evangelization, parish administration and leading change.

Kormos lives in Cincinnati with his wife of 43 years. They both sing in the parish choir. Their two children and six grandchildren are all active Orthodox Christians. Particularly the two year old.

Relevant Orthodox Experience

  • Facilitator for over 65 Orthodox parish, deanery, diocesan and national planning workshops in the US and Canada along with fourteen internet based topical webinars.
  • Visited 92 Orthodox parishes (US and Canada) in past 12 years.
  • Seven years as the head of the Parish Development Ministry of the OCA’s Midwest Diocese.
  • Creator of OCA Parish Profile survey and report and developer of the Orthodox Parish Health Inventory model –an assessment tool for Orthodox parishes.
  • Diocesan Council Midwest Diocese OCA – 12 years
  • Leader of the planning team for three OCA All American Councils (AAC)
  • Featured workshop Speaker at Seattle and Atlanta AAC’s – “Building Vibrant Orthodox Parishes”
  • Featured Speaker Diocese of new England Assembly 2005 and 20011 and 2015 Diocese of NY/NJ 2015 Diocesan Assembly
  • Co-founder/creator of The Small Parish Forum which has, over the past five years been attended by over 220 clergy and laity from most Orthodox jurisdictions in North America.
  • A founding member of Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit Church, Cincinnati OH Served as parish warden, treasurer, choir director and stewardship drive leader. 
  • ‘Baptized Orthodox’ — Archangel Michael Orthodox Church, Cleveland OH. Grandson of first president of that parish.

Father Paul Yerger

Father Paul (Norval) Yerger is pastor of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton, MS.  Fr. Paul is a native of Greenville, Mississippi and a graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. He later earned a Master’s degree in English Literature at the University of Virginia.

Initially, he taught English and French at Lynchburg College in Virginia before enrolling at Nashotah House in Wisconsin, a theological seminary of the Episcopal Church, where he received a Master of Divinity degree. He served as pastor of Episcopal Churches in McComb and Magnolia, Mississippi, before embracing Orthodox Christianity in 1977. After directed study with faculty members of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, Fr. Paul was ordained priest, and became the first pastor of Holy Resurrection. 

Father Paul and his wife, the former Evelyn (Sissy) Gooch of Richmond, Virginia, were married in 1971. They have three adult daughters, Wisdom Yerger and Mary Yerger of Jackson and Mrs. Margaret Elliott of Memphis, and two grandsons, James Rucks Elliott and Paul Hite Elliott of Memphis. Fr. Paul is a humble man with an infectious faith, tremendous love for God and the Orthodox Church. He has many years of valuable experience in parish life and ministry to pass on to the next generation of clergy.