Dcn. George Bithos

Dcn. George is available to speak on: The Divine Liturgy, Great Lent & Pascha and Church Teachings among other topics. Learn more »

Dcn. George P. BithosHarmonizing a reflective spirit and a scientific mind Dn. George embraced theological scholarship after a successful life in healthcare as a practicing dentist. His awareness that life is a spiritual journey for each unique soul and his sense of awe at the encounter between God and humanity reflects a unique Orthodox ethos. A disarming sense of humor combined with an ease to relate complex concepts in a simple way, allows him to present spiritual truths and thoughts in a most engaging dialogue.

Experiences in the ecumenical ministry have helped develop Fr. George’s sensitivity to the multicultural and multiethnic nature of our society. A wide and varied series of topics are reflected in his repertoire of lectures. These presentations include patristics, women in the Church, ecclesiology, Church history, liturgics, in depth studies of the icon, dogmatics, Christology and ecumenism. He offers insights into the Orthodox Church and her many theological concepts integrating the Church’s hymns, art, theology and scriptures.

Biography & Education

The son of a Greek Orthodox priest and a native of Dallas, TX, he served as a lay person on many Archdiocesan, Diocesan and parish councils as well as on many civic and educational commissions. He was bestowed the title of Archon Exarchos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for his service to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He practiced dentistry for many years before retiring to pursue his formal education in Theology. He embarked and completed his studies in Theology in England at the University of Durham, where he acquired his Doctorate reflecting two disciplines: Orthodox Theology and Byzantine History. His doctoral dissertation is entitled Methodios I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Churchman, Politician and Confessor for the Faith and delves into the iconoclastic era of the church in the 9th century. While in England, he presented papers on various topics in York, Wales, Cambridge, and Oxford. His presentation at Oxford University’s International Conference on Patristic Studies on the Image of Satan and Demons in the Life of St Marina (Scholia by St. Methodios 1) was published in the Studica Patristica. During that time he was privileged to present a paper in Patmos, Greece, through the University of Athens. Deacon George is ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the Metropolis of Denver of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

Upon his return to the States, he was the Registrar at Hellenic College/Holy Cross where he also taught a course on the Icon, its history and theology. Additionally, he was a presenter for Internet School of Studies for the Department of Religious Education. More recently he was the Executive Director of the Texas Conference of Churches. He has published articles and reviews and is awaiting publication of a book based on his dissertation. Some of the church leaders and scholars he has shared the podium with include Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Fr. John Jillions, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth, Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, Rev. Dr. Thomas Fitzgerald and Deborah Belonick.

Fr. Bithos has been married for 39 years to his wife, Presbytera Ria. They have two grown and married children and 4 beautiful grandchildren and 1 due to bless their family in February 2009. George enjoys traveling, cooking, his herb garden and reading. He is an avid fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories in books and movies.  Take a look at his terrific new website and blog at www.orthodoxpraxis.org!

Topics

These are but a few examples of presentations and retreats, integrated learning experiences for parishes and groups.*

The Divine Liturgy:

• Services in Preparation for the Liturgy
• The Office of Preparation
• The Liturgy of the Catechumens
• The Liturgy of the Faithful
• Memorial Services and the Blessings of the Loaves

Great Lent and Pascha:

• The Theotokos and Great Lent
• The Akathistos Hymn
• The Ladder of Divine Ascent
• The Great Canon of St. Andrew
• The Icons of Great Lent
• From Darkness to Light: Our Lord’s Passion to His Resurrection
• …and many more Lenten topics

The Teachings of the Church Explained:

• The Bible, Holy Tradition and Prayer
• Orthodox Christianity: A Holistic Life
• The Creed
• The Icon: History, Theology, The Theology of Space in the Church and The Triumph of Orthodoxy
• A Journey through Church History
• …many more

*All presentations are done using PowerPoint. The contents feature history, basic beliefs, scripture, hymns, poetry and iconography of the Church. All classes are accompanied by hand-outs for every participant. Also included in the retreats are homilies specific to the lectionary of the calendar, which ties to the topic.