John A. Jillions

Fr John Jillions is Associate Professor of Religion and Culture at St Vladimir’s Seminary and pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut (this community was founded in 1894 as the first Orthodox parish in New England). He is also an adjunct lecturer at Fordham University where he teaches a course on “Faith and Critical Reason.” He served for seven years as Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America (2011-2018). Prior to that he was Associate Professor of Theology at the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, where he was a member of the Faculty from 2003. He taught courses in Orthodox Theology, 20th c. Orthodox Thought, New Testament, East-West Ecumenism and Pastoral Theology. He also directed the DMin program there for a number of years. He has taken an active interest in promoting interfaith and inter-Christian understanding. He has served on various ecumenical bodies and was vice-president of the Canadian Council of Churches 2009-2011 and has written numerous scholarly and popular articles.

Fr John was born in Montreal in 1955 and is a life-long member of the Orthodox Church. Ordained deacon in 1981 and priest in 1984 he has served communities in New York City, Rahway (NJ), Australia (Brisbane), Greece (Thessaloniki), the UK (Cambridge), Canada (Ottawa and Brockville, ON) and at the OCA Chancery’s St Sergius Chapel in Syosset, NY.

He was founding director of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, England and served as its first Principal (1997-2002). Early in his career he served as administrator of SS Cosmas and Damian Adult Home and as an officer of Bankers Trust Corporation. In 1990-92 he had a brief stint as a chaplain (Captain) in the US Air Force Reserve. He is married to Denise (Melligon) and has three grown sons, Andrew (married to Alice; grandchildren Eloise and James), Alexander and Anthony.

Teaching Interests

• New Testament, pastoral theology, spiritual life, faith and culture, ecumenical thought

Current Projects and Research Interests

• Divine guidance, delusion, division and discernment; the intersection of faith and human experience; the other as enemy; faith and political life; “nones and dones”; the Orthodox Church in American history

Recent Awards

• St Innocent Award (Orthodox Church in America), 2018