NEW YORK CITY, November 2025

The Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church proudly announces that Srdjan Maksimovic, National Endowment for the Humanities Doctoral Fellow and Diocesan Coordinator for Christian Education, has successfully earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Theology at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

His dissertation, “Christ the Refugee: Matthew 2:13–23 in the Context of the Contemporary Global Migrant Crisis,” completed within the Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity program, one of the Department of Theology’s most demanding concentrations, reflects both linguistic and theological depth. Drawing on his mastery of Ancient Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Coptic, French, and German, Dr. Maksimovic interprets the Flight into Egypt as both a unique history only found in St. Matthew's account and a continuing call to love the stranger and sojourner. Combining biblical exegesis, apocryphal traditions, patristic sources, liturgical study, and fieldwork among displaced communities, he presents the Holy Family’s journey as a theological reflection on exile, compassion, and divine presence.

He conducted his research under the supervision of Professor Larry Welborn, with Professors George Demacopoulos and Leo Guardado as readers, and Professors Brenna Moore and Michael Lee as examiners. The defense convened a distinguished assembly of scholars, clergy, and family from across North America and Europe, with over forty participants joining virtually.

During his doctoral studies, Dr. Maksimovic received several prestigious fellowships and taught courses at Fordham University and the St. Sava School of Theology, including theology, bioethics, and environmental ethics. His scholarship stands at the intersection of Scripture and moral theology, proposing that the Gospel’s image of refuge is not merely historical but paradigmatic. It calls the Church to live faithfully as good stewards of this God-given creation and all of our neighbors in it.

The Diocese congratulates Dr. Maksimovic, the Diocesan Education Commission Coordinator, on this important milestone of scholarship and service to the entire Diocese.

Axios, Dr. Srdjan Maksimovic.