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'''St. Dionysius Theological Institute''' ('''St. Denys Theological Institute''') is an [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christian]] [[theology|theological]] institute in [[Paris]], [[France]].<ref>[https://www.institut-de-theologie.fr/Gestion.php St Dionysius Institute website, Management page]</ref> The institute functions under the auspices of the [[Orthodox Church of France]], which is independent of the autocephalous Orthodox churches.
==Foundation==
The institute was founded in 1945 by members of the [[Cathedral of St. Irenaeus]] in Paris (of the [[Orthodox Church of France]]) and by a number of French intellectuals who were not themselves Orthodox Christians - the first registrar, for example, was the [[French people|French]] [[Roman Catholic]] [[philosopher]], [[Gabriel Marcel]]. The institute was placed under the patronage of Saint Denys or [[Dionysius the Areopagite]].  The institute was founded with the assistance of the [[Brotherhood of St. Photius]]<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11212-023-09587-1 | doi=10.1007/s11212-023-09587-1 | title=Bulgakov's sophiology and the neopatristic synthesis | date=2023 | last1=Van Kessel | first1=Josephien H. J. | journal=Studies in East European Thought | doi-access=free }}</ref> and with the blessing of Metropolitan [[Sergius I of Moscow|Sergius (Stragorodsky)]] of Moscow.
The first dean of the institute was [[Vladimir Lossky]].<ref>[https://www.svots.edu/blog/mystical-theology-eastern-church Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary website, ''On “The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church” '', article dated February 1, 2014]</ref>
One purpose of the institute was to provide theological education in the [[French language]], as all classes at the [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute]] in Paris were, at the time, taught only in [[Russian language|Russian]]. During the academic year 1945-1946, two members of the St. Sergius faculty, [[Alexander Schmemann]] and [[Constantine Andronikoff]], taught at St. Denys, but the political climate of the Russian Church in Paris at the time caused them to withdraw the next year.
==Orientation==
Although steeped in the Russian tradition from which it sprang, the institute was oriented toward the [[Western world|West]].<ref>[http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/crossroads/religious-and-confessional-spaces/ivana-noble-tim-noble-orthodox-theology-in-western-europe-in-the-20th-century European History Online website, ''Orthodox Theology in Western Europe in the 20th Century'', article by Ivana Noble and Timothy Noble, Published 2013-07-04]</ref> It has remained close to the French academic world, drawing a number of its [[Faculty (university)|faculty]] from the [[University of Paris]], including the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]].
The first graduate of the institute to be [[ordained]] to the [[priest]]hood was [[Peter L'Huillier]]. After lecturing at the Institute for a year, he went on to later become [[Archbishop of New York]] in the [[Orthodox Church in America]].<ref>[https://www.oca.org/in-memoriam/his-eminence-archbishop-peter-retired-archbishop-of-new-york-and-new-jersey Orthodox Church In America website, ''His Eminence Archbishop Peter, Retired Archbishop of New York and New Jersey'', obituary dated November 19, 2007]</ref>
==References==
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== External links ==
* [https://www.institut-de-theologie.fr/ St. Denys Institute website] (in French)
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[[Category:Eastern Orthodox seminaries]]
[[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in France]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1944]]
[[Category:1944 establishments in France]]