Local Professor Publishes New Book after Spiritual Exploration

By Jonathan Farrell

Type in the name "Steve Georgiou" for a Google web search and the London pop singer Cat Stevens comes up because his birth name is Steven D. Georgiou. Coincidentally, a Sunset District native's name also comes up because, like Cat Stevens, he was born with the Steven Georgiou namesake. And, like Cat Stevens, the Georgiou from San Francisco has followed a spiritual and creative path.

While Cat Stevens left a lucrative music career at the peak of stardom to immerse himself in Islam, Sunset resident Steve T. Georgiou has been steadilyÊestablishing his career as professor and writer of art and religious studies.

Georgiou has just published his fourth book, titled "Mystic Street: Meditations on a Spiritual Path." "Mystic Street" emerged from his notes and memoirs during the seven years he pursued his PhD in religion and art at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley.

Often referred to as "Holy Hill," GTU was founded in 1962 and has been affiliated with U.C. Berkeley. The union has been described as an ecumenical and interfaith crossroads, trying to build bridges among the various religions.

"It is a renowned institution, a unique ecumenical and interfaith consortium thatÊhas produced many respected scholars who teach throughout the world," said Georgiou.

With his solid academic foundation in theology, Georgiou currently teaches courses in comparative religion at San Francisco City College. He also teaches at SF State University and GTU. An artist as well, he creates icons depicting Christian themes. Georgiou's creative and academic life is full of coincidences, which hearken to the title of "Mystic Street."

His interest in religion and art grew out of a chance meeting with hermit-poet Robert Lax in 1993 on the remote Greek isle of Patmos. It was there that he serendipitously met Lax, the best friend of author Thomas Merton and mentor to Jack Kerouac of the Beat Generation. Lax left New York in 1964 to live alone atop a hill on Patmos. Georgiou wrote about this in his book "The Way of the Dreamcatcher."

Lax, who was nearly 80 years old at the time Georgiou met him, encouraged the young scholar to study spirituality and art. When Georgiou returned to Patmos in 1995 for a follow-up meeting with Lax, he unexpectedlyÊencountered professors from GTU, who advised that he return to Berkeley and pursue a Ph.D. In essence, after a spiritual journey of 5,000 miles,

Georgiou was given advice that would lead him to study theology just across the San Francisco Bay - right in his own backyard! Yet even with all the serendipity involved in attaining his doctorate, Georgiou admitted that teaching, writing, and creating art has not been all that easy.

"But it is rewarding," he said.

A slide lecture and book signing for "Mystic Street: Meditations on a Spiritual Path" will be held on Thursday, Sept 27, at 7 p.m., at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 999 Brotherhood Way. For more information, call 584-4747.