Orthodox Saints, Nature, and Their Animal Friends | Spring

From Adam naming the animals in Paradise to Saint Paisios befriending a wild bird in our own time, God has been glorified through the profound relationships between His saints, His creatures, and the world we share. This course explores those holy encounters, focusing on the hagiography of saints who were uniquely connected to the natural world around them. Students will reflect on their own relationship with all of God’s Creation, learning to see the world with wonder, gratitude, and reverence.

Students in this course will:

• Explore the lives of Orthodox Christian saints through books, hymnography, prayers, and sacred tradition.
• Learn about the animals—and others of their species—who served, accompanied, or interacted with the saints through nature studies and hands‑on activities.
• Reflect on their own relationship with the whole Creation of God through journaling, observation, and teacher‑guided practices.

By the end of the course, students will have a deeper appreciation for the harmony between the saints and the natural world, and a renewed sense of their own calling to care for and delight in God’s Creation.

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.