Christendom College Lectures

Fr. Anderson reflects on the significance of the details in the Byzantine liturgy, discussing the distinctive elements that are part of the Eastern Church. He also discusses the historical circumstances and religious crisis that formed the differences between the Eastern and Western Church.

Show Notes

Byzantine priest and liturgist Fr. David E. Anderson delivered a series of lectures at Christendom College focusing on the liturgical traditions of the Eastern Churches. This is the second of Fr. Anderson’s series, titled The Words of Institution of the Eucharist. 

Fr. Anderson reflects on the central expression of Christian life found in the words of Jesus Christ in the institution of the Eucharist.  He also discusses the historical circumstances and religious crisis that formed the differences between the Eastern and Western Church. 

Fr. David E. Anderson, a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Chicago, was born in 1953 in Jamestown, N.Y. Educated at Wadhams Hall and St. Vladimir’s Seminary, where he was a student of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, he was ordained in 1983 and has served as a parish priest for 31 years, the last 15 of which have been at St. Peter’s Church in Ukiah, California. From before his ordination until now, he has been both a teacher and a translator of patristic and Byzantine liturgical texts.

What is Christendom College Lectures?

At Christendom College, we believe education is more than gaining knowledge—it’s about pursuing true wisdom. As a Catholic liberal arts college, our mission is to guide students on the path to Christian wisdom, grounded in the love and contemplation of both natural and divinely revealed truth. This journey doesn’t happen in the classroom alone. Through vibrant campus life, community events, and spiritual opportunities, students are encouraged to cultivate the moral virtues and habits of Christian living. These virtues prepare them to properly order the material and spiritual goods of life, equipping them for a higher purpose. To enrich this formation, the college regularly hosts speakers who inspire and challenge our students to grow in mind, heart, and soul. We invite you to be part of this journey by joining us for these thought-provoking lectures. These talks provide a chance to engage with the ideas shaping our students and to explore how faith and reason together lead to truth. Come listen, learn, and grow with us.