The uniqueness of student life at the Institute of St John of Damascus is based on the parallel progress of the student in spiritual and scientific knowledge, and on the embodiment of the living Orthodox faith. The academic theological curriculum, which is inseparable from the students’ life, aims to create a spiritual and knowledgeable future generation of church clergy.
The study of theology at Balamand does not settle for only intellectual dialogue but seeks truth in relationships among people. Thus, the students reside at the Institute of Theology for a period of five years, experiencing a phase of spiritual, intellectual and practical preparation for consecration, service, and teaching in the Church.
The priest responsible for the Internal Life attends to and supervises all that is related to student life, and assists at the spiritual life of the student, in coordination with spiritual fathers when necessary. He also plans activities that enrich the knowledge and experience of the students to ensure that they spend a constructive and enjoyable time in the Institute and making friendships not only with colleagues but also with groups of other backgrounds and fields.
At the Institute of Theology, the students live together in communal life through participating in prayer services, shared meals, activities and different assigned duties. Student interaction with professors enriches daily life, enlivens talents and equips them with spiritual, cultural and pastoral learning experience. These activities instigate an ambiance of dialogue, broadmindedness, and creative interaction with the ecclesiastical, social and intellectual milieu.
Every student has his own room, which is an atelier for prayer and study. The setting of daily liturgical prayers enhances formation in liturgical worship which is the living fountain of Orthodox liturgy, theology and prayer. It conveys great joy to celebrate together certain feasts as the feast days of St John of Damascus, St. John the Theologian, Sts. Peter and Paul, Holy Week, and Holy Pascha.
The choir of the Institute of Theology is renowned for its skilled mastery of Church music. The choir, led by a director and composed of talented students, dedicates several hours every week to practice towards a harmonious chanting. The choir firstly chants in the liturgical services at the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, and occasionally in other Antiochian Archdioceses or overseas.
The Institute provides the student with a unique opportunity to become closely acquainted with the message of the Church, her concerns and mission. The student gets to meet eminent theologians, scholars, and workers serving the Church in the global outreach of the Orthodox Church and other churches in the Christian world.
