Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D., is Director of the Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He was appointed Director of the Department by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, effective January 1, 2007.  Dr. Vrame is Adjunct Associate Professor of Religious Education at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

He is the author of The Educating Icon: Teaching Wisdom and Holiness in the Orthodox Way (Holy Cross Orthodox Press). In this book, he proposes a theory or theology of education for the Orthodox Christian Church based on the art, theology, and life of the Byzantine icon. He is also the editor of three other books, and the author of journal articles and chapters in books on Orthodox Christian Religious Education, published both in English and Greek.

While he continues to develop his thought on aspects of Orthodox Christian Religious Education, over the last few years, working with Alexey Krindatch (www.orthodoxreality.org), he has conducted sociological reflection on the Orthodox Churches in America, especially its priests and seminarians. He has proposed the existence of four types of orthopraxis among Orthodox Christians in the United States, related to the degree of adaptation to contemporary American life each considers an authentic expression of the Orthodox Tradition. As he continues to research this question, he has also begun a work that he calls "What Makes Us Orthodox?" as a way of understanding the Orthodox Christian Tradition along principles other than "history and mystery."

From 2002-2006, he was Director of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California. He was Associate Professor of Orthodox Studies at the GTU. From 1996-2002, he was Managing Editor of Holy Cross Orthodox Press and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, teaching courses in Religious Education. From 1999-2002, he was a Lecturer in Religious Education at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Dr. Vrame is the Chairman of the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches in Christ, USA, representing the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Religious Education. He served as Treasurer (1998-2005), Vice-President (2005-2007), and President (2007-2009) of the Orthodox Theological Society in America and is leading an effort to create an international academic organization of Orthodox Christian Religious Educators.

Dr. Vrame is a native of Chicago and holds degrees from DePaul University (B.A.), the University of Chicago (M.A.), Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (M.Div.) and Boston College (Ph.D. in Theology and Education).

 

Source: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/about/dre-director

Through his courses and seminars, Fr. Thomas FitzGerald introduces his students to the personalities, documents and issues of Church History and Historical Theology, and relates these to contemporary issues. In his teaching, research, and writings, he has a particular interest in the issues of division and reconciliation which are reflected especially in the councils of the Church as well as in ecumenical dialogues. His recent book, The Ecumenical Movement: An Introductory History, addresses many of these issues. His book The Orthodox Church is the first scholarly study of the development of Orthodox Christianity in the United States. Having also lectured in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Fr. Thomas brings to his teaching the experience of participation in theological conferences in over thirty countries. He has also co-led study-tours to Greece, Turkey and the Middle East.

Active in Inter-Orthodox consultations and ecumenical dialogues, Fr. Thomas is the chairperson of the Ecumenical Commission of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America. He is the executive secretary and a member of the Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation in North America, and a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches. He represented the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the senior Orthodox theologian at the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland between 1994-1999. He continues to represent the Ecumenical Patriarchate at ecumenical dialogues and interfaith discussions. He also serves as the editor of The Greek Orthodox Theological Review.

Fr. Thomas frequently is invited to lead retreats for Orthodox parishes and dioceses as well as for ecumenical gatherings. His book, Happy in the Lord: The Beatitudes for Everyday, co-authored with his wife, Dr. Kyriaki FitzGerald, serves as an introduction to Orthodox spirituality.

The students of Holy Cross selected him for the award for "Excellence in Teaching" in 2000. He has also received 1994 the Alumni Citation from the Alumni Association.

- See more at: http://www.hchc.edu/academics/holycross_faculty/fitzgerald/#sthash