Catechist Certification Program

Laying Foundations for Teaching the Faith. A Response to the Church Growth.

St. Vladimir’s Online School of Theology

Intensive Term: September to December 2026

Course Description

This course is a resource for parishes seeking to launch or to enhance their catechetical programs by investing in the talent of faithful Orthodox Christians who will engage in deep learning with the support and participation of their priest. It is not a catechesis but a training program for aspiring catechists who will support their priests on a volunteer, part-time, or full-time basis to support the formation of candidates for initiation into the Orthodox Church.

The program will be taught in three phases:

  • Phase 1: The Catechist and Contemporary Church Growth

  • Phase 2: The Work of a Catechist

  • Phase 3: Teaching the Faith

The deadline to apply for the Catechist Certification Program is Tuesday, September 1, 2026. If accepted, the fee for this program is $1,500.00 and will be payable online. The course sessions will begin on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, Monday, September 14, 2026. All necessary information will be emailed following acceptance into the program and receipt of payment.

The application process has not yet opened. If you would like to be notified when it does, please fill out the form below.

Course Structure

  • Candidates will attend 28 synchronous classes over the course of the program, meeting twice each week on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:00–9:15 PM Eastern Time. Each session will be recorded and available for those unable to attend a session or for any participant to review.

  • The 75-minute sessions will begin with 45-minute presentations, followed by 30 minutes of questions and answers with some of the most prominent Orthodox leaders and scholars in North America. Each presenter will provide an average of one hours’ worth of reading materials to review prior to each session.

  • Twice during the course an optional session will be added for the participants to engage with each other on what they have been hearing. In addition, online discussion boards will be available following each presentation to discuss both the presentations and the preparatory materials.

  • The catechist-in-training is encouraged to meet regularly with the parish priest for the purpose of integrating what is being presented into the parish’s catechism program. The parish priest himself will not attend class sessions, but is welcome to join in on a few sessions to be familiar with the formation the catechist is receiving.

  • This is a pass/fail course.

The sessions focus on topics such as: 

  • Practical instruction on how to teach biblical, historical, theological, and liturgical subjects

  • Management of groups

  • Awareness of various resources for catechetical training

  • Guidance in approaching contemporary questions

  • Strategies for the integration of new members to the local parish

  • Raising matters of worldview and self-knowledge in the contemporary context

Course Objectives

Drawing on the experience of parish clergy, teachers, and theology faculty, this course is designed to:

  • Teach the catechist how to introduce Orthodox Christianity to inquirers and catechumens

  • Direct catechists to existing resources on key themes in the life and teaching of the Church

  • Help configure these resources in ways useful to each specific parish setting

  • Provide guidance in leading discussions on sensitive issues

  • Encourage potential catechists to be aware of their own presuppositions, and of the variety of backgrounds from which catechumens come

Course Requirements

  • Attendance (no less than 80% participation, live or via recordings of each session for those unable to join live)

  • A Letter of Reference from participant’s parish priest

  • Participation in the Course Discussion Forum, allowing participants to interact with their fellows in reflection upon each session’s offerings.

  • A Final Project, to include a 2-4 page essay summarizing what the participant has learned in the course, along with an outline of a catechetical session, to be reviewed in the final session by one of the presenters

The application process has not yet opened. If you would like to be notified when it does, please fill out the form below.

Course Schedule

*Subject to Change

  • Monday, September 14, 2026
    Organization, Introductions & Expectations
    Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, P.h.D., Dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary
    Very Rev. Michael Nasser, Course Mentor
    Arpina N. Bullockian, Coordinator of the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Online School of Theology

    Complete Phase I Session Information Coming Soon

  • Complete Phase 2 Session Information Coming Soon

  • Complete Phase 3 Session Information Coming Soon

Interested in Future Cohorts?

Fill out the form below to be notified when the next cohort is formed.

Future Cohort Interest Form

The Catechist Certification Program is available to a limited number of participants. If accepted, the fee for this program is $1,500.00 and will be payable online.

*Cancelation Policy: The deadline to register with payment, if accepted to the program, is September 1, 2026. After registration and payment, a refund may be obtained up to one week prior to the first session on Monday, September 14, 2026, minus a $100 non-refundable deposit. Participants may also cancel their participation in the program up to the second week of the program and receive a refund, minus a $250 deposit.