Gregory Tucker

EDUCATION

• 2017–2021: Doctor of Philosophy in Greek Philology (Summa cum laude). University of Regensburg, Germany. Thesis: “The Hymnography of the Middle Byzantine Ecclesiastic Rite & Its Festal Theology: Introduction – Edition – Commentary.”
• 2014–2020: Doctoral Coursework & Comprehensive Examinations in Theology. Fordham University, New York, USA.
• 2012–2013: Master of Arts in Orthodox Theology (Summa cum laude). St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York, USA. Further non-degree studies until January 2014. Thesis: “Kenosis & Metanoia: The Acquisition and Actualization of Knowledge in Origen’s Homilies on Jeremiah.”
• 2011–2012: Master of Studies in Theology (Patristics). University of Oxford, UK. Thesis: “The Use and Interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer to the End of the Fourth Century.”
• 2008–2011: Bachelor of Arts in Theology (First Class). University of Oxford, UK.

Professional Appointments

• 2021–present: Junior Research Fellow, DFG Centre for Advanced Studies (FOR 2770) “Beyond Canon_”: Heterotopias of Religious Authority in Ancient Christianity, University of Regensburg, Germany.
• 2017–2020: Research Assistant (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter), University of Regensburg, Germany.
• 2014–2017: Graduate Teaching Fellow & Research Assistant, Fordham University, New York, USA.
• 2013: Teaching Assistant, St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York, USA.

Projects

• 2018: New Directions in Orthodox Christian Thought and Practice, Invited Project Member, The Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights
• 2018–2020: Contemporary Eastern Orthodox Identity and the Challenges of Pluralism and Sexual Diversity in a Secular Age, Project Co-Ordinator & Research Partner, British Council “Bridging Voices” scheme in partnership with the University of Exeter & Fordham University, New York.

Prizes, Awards & Grants

• 2017–2020: Research & Conference Travel Awards (9), DFG Graduiertenkolleg 2337 “Metropolität in der Vormoderne.”
• 2017: Summer Seminar Travel Grant, Tantur Ecumenical Institute, University of Notre Dame, USA.
• 2016: National Hellenic Research Foundation Palaeography Workshop Travel Grant, Department of Theology/Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, USA.
• 2015: Summer Research Fellowship & Professional Development Grant, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Fordham University, New York, USA.
• 2013–2014: Dean’s Fellow, St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York, USA.
• 2013: Special Commendation for MA Thesis, St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York, USA.
• 2009–2011: Scholar (academic merit), Keble College, University of Oxford, UK.
• 2008–2011: Squire & Marriott Grants (3), Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, UK.
• 2008–2011: Keble Association Travel Grants (2), Keble College, University of Oxford, UK.

Academic Publications

The Hymnography of the Middle Byzantine Ecclesiastic Rite & Its Festal Theology: Introduction – Edition – Commentary (Münster: Aschendorff, forthcoming).

“Lex Orandi: Opportunities and Challenges for Orthodoxy and Interreligious Dialogue from a Liturgical Perspective,” in “Wisdom! Let us Attend!” Eastern Orthodoxy and World Religions: The Theology and Practice of Inter-Religious Encounter in the Contemporary Christian East, eds. Brandon Gallaher, Thomas Cattoi, and Paul Ladouceur, Currents of Encounter: Studies in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations (Brill, forthcoming).

Orthodox Christianity, Sexual Diversity & Public Policy, Report of the Exeter-Fordham Bridging Voices Project, with Brandon Gallaher (2020). Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.us/programmes/society/bridging-voices/orthodox-sexual-diversity-policy.

“The Hymnography of Byzantine Rite Orthodoxy and the Quest for the Unity of the Orthodox Church in the 20th Century,” Review of Ecumenical Studies 11.3 (December 2019): 473–88.

“Metropolität und Geschichtlichkeit: Inszenierung von Liturgie in Konstantinopel und Kilikien,” with Arabella Cortese, Blick in die Wissenschaft 40 (2019): 8–12.

Eastern Orthodoxy & Sexual Diversity: Perspectives on Challenges from the Modern West, Interim Report of the Exeter-Fordham Bridging Voices Project, ed. with Brandon Gallaher (2019). Available at: https://www.fordham.edu/download/downloads/id/14010/BV_Report.pdf.

“‘O Day of Resurrection!’ The Paschal Mystery in Hymns,” Studia Patristica XCII, vol. 18 Liturgica and Tractatus Symboli; Orientalia; Critica et Philologica; Historica, ed. Markus Vinzent (Peeters, 2017): 41–47.

“The Council of Constantinople III (681): the Moral Dynamism of Christ and the Significance of Freedom,” in Seven Icons of Christ: the Christology of the Ecumenical Councils, ed. Sergey Trostyanskiy (Gorgias Press, 2016): 297–342.

“Converting the Use of Death: the Ascetic Theology of St Maximus the Confessor in Ad
Thalassium 61,” in Orthodox Monasticism Past and Present, ed. John A. McGuckin, Sophia Studies in Orthodox Theology 8 (Theotokos Press, 2014): 332–45.

Reviews

Daniel Galadza, Liturgy and Byzantinization in Jerusalem, Oxford Early Christian Studies (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018), in Journal of Orthodox Christian Studies 1.2 (Fall 2018): 215–16.

Invited Presentations & Conference Papers

“Eastern Orthodoxy & Sexual Diversity,” Webinar hosted by the British Council, June 2020. 80 participants including government policy advisors, members of think tanks and policy advisory groups, Orthodox clergy, and interested wider public.

“Towards a Theological Vision in a Metropolitan Context: Examples from the Winter Theophany Cycle,” Research Seminar of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg “Metropolität in der Vormoderne,” University of Regensburg, December 2019.

“Festal Kata Stichon Hymns & the Troparia of the Great Church,” International Workshop: “Byzantine Stichich Hymnography,” Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, November 2019. By invitation.

“Orthodox Christianity, Sexual Diversity, and the Public Sphere,” Public panel of the Fordham-Exeter British Council “Bridging Voices” project, “Contemporary Eastern Orthodox Identity and the Challenges of Pluralism and Sexual Diversity in a Secular Age,” Fordham University, New York, November 2019. By invitation.

“The Holy Friday Idiomelon Σήμερον κρεμᾶται ἐπὶ ξύλου: History and Theology between Jerusalem and Constantinople,” XVIII International Conference on Patristic Studies, University of Oxford, August 2019.

“The Canons of the Great Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Entrance,” bi-annual meeting of the workshop “Jewish and Christian Liturgy: Back to the Sources” on “Poetic Expansions of Liturgical Texts,” Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem, March 2019. By invitation.

“Lex Orandi: Opportunities and Challenges for Orthodoxy and Interreligious Dialogue from a Liturgical Perspective,” First International Conference of the International Orthodox Theological Association, Iași, Romania, January 2019. By invitation.

“Hymns of the Great Church: Towards Critical Texts & Analytic Methodology for Ancient Troparia,” Seminar: The Hymnography of Constantinople & Its Context (400–900AD), Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, December 2018. By invitation.

“Remembering the Mother City: Urban Identity & the Cathedral Liturgy of Middle Byzantine Constantinople,” Research Seminar of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg “Metropolität in der Vormoderne,” University of Regensburg, November 2018.

“Orthodox Ecclesiology and Communion,” Workshop at Working Retreat of the “Orthodoxy” Group of the European Forum for LGBT Christian Groups, Helsinki, Finland, July 2018. By invitation.

“Auralization of Byzantine Ecclesiastical Architecture: Soundscapes & Multisensory Experience,” DFG-Graduiertenkolleg “Metropolität in der Vormoderne,” University of Regensburg, June 2018.

“Towards the Prehistory of the Conciliar Feasts,” at the conference “Towards the Prehistory of the Byzantine Liturgical Year: Festal Homilies and Festal Liturgies in Late Antique Constantinople,” University of Regensburg, July 2018.

“Olivier Clément & Vernacular Liturgy, Again and Again,” Eighth International Conference of Orthodox Theology, University of Thessaloniki, Greece, May 2018.
“Liturgy in Constantinople & the Theological ‘World’ of Middle Byzantine Hymns,” Research Seminar of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg “Metropolität in der Vormoderne,” University of Regensburg, December 2017.

“The Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete: Lenten Hymnography in the Orthodox Church,” Seminar on Lenten Liturgies, University of Regensburg, November 2017.

“‘Since We Believe in Him, Let us Sing to Him’: The Hymnography of the Middle Byzantine Cathedral Liturgy and Its Liturgical Theology,” Senior Seminar of the Chair for Liturgy Theology, University of Regensburg, November 2017.

“‘A Harmonious Song of Theology’? Notes on the Byzantine Liturgical Commemoration of the Council of Chalcedon,” 41st Annual Byzantine Studies Conference, Byzantine Studies Association of North America, New York, October 2015.

“Examples of Intertextuality in Byzantine Hymnography, or How the Liturgy Creates a World,” Sixth International Conference on Orthodox Church Music, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland, June 2015.

“‘Forgive all things by the Resurrection’: the Paschal Foundation of Forgiveness & Reconciliation in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition,” Sixth Annual Conference of the Sophia Institute, Union Theological Seminary, New York, December 2014.

Popular Publications

“Doing Holy Week at Home during COVID-19,” Public Orthodoxy, April 12, 2020, publicorthodoxy.org/2020/04/12/holy-week-at-home-covid-19/. The same essay was published in Greek as “Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα κατ’ οίκον την περίοδο του κορωνοϊού,” in Καιρός του ποιήσαι: Η Ορθοδοξία ενώπιον της πανδημίας του κορωνοϊού, ed. Nikolaos Asproulis & Nathaniel Wood (Volos: Demetrias, 2020), 97–100.

“Jesus Christ and Same-Sex Marriage,” co-authored with Marjorie Corbman & Stephen Payne, in The Wheel, Issue #13/14: Spring/Summer 2018.

“A Preliminary Response to Dr Ford’s Open Letter on Homosexuality,” The Wheel Blog, February 2018: https://www.wheeljournal.com/blog/2018/2/28/gregory-tucker-a-preliminary-response-todr-fords-open-letter-on-homosexuality.

“Orthodoxy, Human Rights & Secularization,” Public Orthodoxy, co-authored with Davor Džalto, Effie Fokas, Brandon Gallaher, Perry Hamalis, and Aristotle Papanikolaou, April 5, 2016, https://publicorthodoxy.org/2016/04/05/orthodoxy-human-rights-secularization. The same essay was published in Greek at www.amen.gr/article/orthodoksia-anthropina-dikaiomata-kaiekkosmikefsi.

• Liturgy of the Christian East
• Hymnography as a mode of theology
• Theology of liturgy
• History of Christianity in Byzantium
• Contemporary Orthodox theology
• The Orthodox Church in the (post-)modern world