On Tuesday, December 1, 2009, Mark Tarpley, an alumnus of St. Tikhon's Seminary, fulfilled all the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theology.
 
Mark's thesis in Christian Ethics, entitled, "Between Martyrdom and
Christendom: A Consideration of Family and Public Life Rooted in the
Thought of Gregory of Nazianzus", was submitted at Southern Methodist
University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, where he was supervised by the
internationally renowned, Dr. Robin W. Lovin.
 
Our own Dr. Christopher Veniamin was kindly invited by Dr. Lovin to
supervise the thesis from the perspective of Orthodox Patristic theology, and also to serve as the external examiner on the dissertation panel for Mark Tarpley's defense.
 
The other, internal, examiners were Professors Charles E. Curren and
Rebekah Miles.
 
Our Rector, His Grace Bishop Tikhon, our Dean and the Bishop-elect of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, The Very Rev. Dr. Michael Dahulich, and the entire St. Tikhon's Seminary faculty and community extend their warmest heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Mark and Mrs. Sophia Tarpley and their children, and pray that God grant them many blessed years!