Blog Post

A Message from the President

by Fr. Geoffrey Boyle

Feast of St Theodore the Sanctified

Anno Domini 2020, May 16

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

On behalf of the board for the Eighth Day Institute ("EDI"), grace and peace to you in Christ!

It was the 2010 Nativity Feast that first pulled me in. Then the comradery of the Hall of Men confirmed it to be a place to stay. From there, the Symposium, Inklings Festival, Florovsky-Newman Week, feast after feast and publication after publication has made EDI part of who I am and a constant fount of joy! I served on the Board of Directors for five years (2013-2018) and as Vice President for three (2015-2018). It’s now my joy to come back on the board and serve EDI as the board President—all of it, honestly, because it’s something I love and believe in. And I know it’s the same for you, too.

With all that has changed the last couple of months—and all the effects still to come in the days ahead—one of EDI’s greatest challenges will be thriving despite significantly changing one of our premier events over the summer (Florovsky-Newman Week). Our events not only generate significant revenue for the Institute, but they also draw folks into who we are and what we do in an unparalleled way.

With that in mind, please remember EDI in your prayers—Erin especially as Director, but also the

Board of Directors and the mission before us. I also invite you to donate generously to the Spring Giving Campaign. Our mission of pursuing “the renewal of culture through faith and learning” is so critical today. EDI has much to offer, even if those opportunities appear somewhat differently in the foreseeable future.

Thankfully, despite having to adjust our plans a bit—pushing the baptism-themed Florovsky-Newman Week with Jeffrey Bingham, Matthew Levering, and Marcus Plested, to next year—all is not lost! This summer we’ll still present the annual Florovsky Lecture, add an annual Newman Lecture, and conduct an Eighth Day Seminar, all offered virtually online June 3-6. Because baptism will be the theme for 2021—and given our strange times—this year’s theme will be “Hope in the Age of Anxiety,” which is also a preview for the 2021 Eighth Day Symposium. Any donation of $25 or more grants you access to all of this year’s Florovsky-Newman material.

Thank you to all of you who continue to support the work of EDI! If you’re not yet a member, please consider supporting EDI financially at one of the tiers noted here. And explore the EDI website where you’ll find much of what goes on around here—our signature events as well as our publications. There is almost an endless supply of content, and if you sign up for Daily Synaxis you’ll get it sent straight to your inbox! We’re exploring the possibility of offering podcasts as well, so stay tuned.

I believe EDI is uniquely situated to address our culture with a profound voice of faith and reason. Who else exposes Christians of diverse communions to the Nicene tradition and history—particularly through the Church Fathers? And who does it within the strong literary tradition of the Inklings alongside the community fostered by Eighth Day Books?

Will you join us in providing an ecumenical home for dialogue? Will you share in the common pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty with the hope that “all may be one”? Will you help us to contribute towards that sort of cultural renewal?

There’s nothing quite like EDI anywhere else. I’m honored to be a part of it and encourage you to join us along the way.

Peace to you in Christ our life,

Fr. Dr. Geoffrey R. Boyle

President of The Eighth Day Institute

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In an isolating secularized culture where the Church's voice is muffled through her many divisions, Christians need all the help they can get to strengthen their faith in God and love toward their neighbor. Eighth Day Institute offers hope to all Christians through our adherence to the Nicene faith, our ecumenical dialogues of love and truth, and our many events and publications to strengthen faith, grow in wisdom, and foster Christian friendships of love. Will you join us in our efforts to renew soul & city? Donate today and join the community of Eighth Day Members who are working together to renew culture through faith & learning.