Vantage Spring 2015

NonProfit OrganizationU. S. Postage PAIDPermit No. 40Decatur, GA

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April 16

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2 VANTAGE Spring 2015

b e s t o f t h e b l o g

WhEN ChurChES WANT A pASTor Who CAN “briNG iN youNG FAmiliES”

By Jan Edmiston, DMin ’01

Almost every church I’ve ever known has wanted to Attract Young Families. The reasoning behind this includes the following:

• If we don’t regenerate, everyone will eventually get old and die.• It’s energizing to have young people around.• Younger members can do the work that older members can’t/won’t do anymore.• Older members tend to be on fixed incomes and younger working members are needed

for their pledges.• Young families (i.e. mom, dad, and kids) remind us of church when we were (or wish

we were) part of young families.There are a few things wrong with this reasoning, including the fact that “attracting”

people in general feels manipulative — as if people are “targets” to be used for our own purposes. Yuck. For full story, see www.columbiaconnections.org/.

prEACh ThiS, TWEET ThAT (pArT i): WhAT blACK millENNiAlS ArE looKiNG For From ThE prEAChEr

By Dominique A. Robinson, Staff Associate for Contextual Education

Preaching has always been a lively communal dialogue between the preacher, God and the congregants within the Black Church tradition; however, technology and social media have invaded this dialogue for Black Millennials. Their idea of interactive preaching goes beyond the “preacher, music and frenzy” that W.E.B. DuBois refers to. Black Millennials want church as they know it to reach beyond the four walls of the sanctuary. For them, preaching is no longer what happens when the preacher stands behind the lectern but preaching happens when one’s truth is shared no matter the medium or mode of communication.

Though Black Millennials may look, sound and even act like their ancestors they are an entirely different breed of Believers. This generation of Black youth and young adults has a disjointed spirituality. Though they hold firm to the belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins as an innocent man and was resurrected for them to gain a chance to eternal life they do not believe that his gift of the Holy Spirit can change racism and violence. They believe that God is present with them in the loss of their grandmother or while trying to matriculate college but not present during the prevalent loss of Black young lives at the hands of officers; this has created a dichotomy in what they believe and live. This current-day lynching legacy is not new to Black people but the overwhelming access to, sharing of and posting of the images of Black lifeless bodies and the brutality of police officers has created a different sense of fear, anger, anxiety and protest in Black Millennials that is drastically different than their elders. Black Millennials no longer want to hear the “three points and a poem” sermon; they want answers about what is happening in our society and they want to be able to post, tweet, and share those answers. For full story, see www.columbiaconnections.org/.

mAy 7

VANTAGE Spring 2015 3

pArENTS AND youTh lEADErS, ThAT problEm you Worry moST AbouT? Try ThiS.

By Michelle Thomas-Bush, MDiv ’94

It is at the dinner table where significant moments in my life are celebrated, revealed and sustained. Not through the food, but through the relationships and the conversations with those gathered to be family in this moment. Sitting down together at the dinner table builds a strong family. Dinnertime with family also builds a strong vocabulary.

According to a Washington Post article, researchers found for young children, dinnertime conversation boosts their vocabulary by 1,000 significant words. Compare that to reading books aloud which only builds their vocabulary by 143 words. We have known that everything we worry about as parents and youth leaders — from drugs to alcohol, promiscuity, to obesity and academic achievement — can all be improved by the simple act of eating together. Eating and talking. Regular mealtime regardless of the meal, or the type of family, is a more powerful predictor of high achievement scores than time spent at school, doing homework, playing sports or creating art. It turns out that sitting down for a nightly meal is great for the brain, the body and the spirit. We express our love for one another, confess offenses, deepen our sense of calling and often feel renewal through the breaking of bread. For full story, see www.columbiaconnections.org/.

b e s t o f t h e b l o g

For more details, please see page 22, and be sure to visit ctsnet.edu/common-ground-holy-ground


V a n t a g e P o i n t

By Bill Scheu, Interim President

“Transforming Justice.” That could be taken to suggest the need for a “justice” that “transforms,” or it could suggest that the notion of “justice” itself needs to be transformed. I suspect that most ethicists would tend toward discussing the former, but as a person whose substantial career has been as a lawyer, I would like to say a few words about transforming justice.

Justice, simply put, is the exercise of power in order to mediate right and wrong. What comprises justice is determined by the holder of power (the state, the church, corporate chief executive, etc.). The ability to implement the determined justice is exercised by the organs of the holder (executives, courts, popes, bishops, etc.). Those authorities need to be able to define and execute power in order that their constituencies can exist and operate in an orderly fashion. That is necessary for a civil society. The question is, “What does God require in the definition and execution of power?”

One answer is found in Micah 6:6-8, in which the sovereign who exercises power is entreated “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” I want to suggest that the exercise of the sovereign power to define and execute justice be tempered by a humility that recognizes the self-interest and tentativeness that in an ultimate sense limit those powers. Therefore any “sovereign” who defines and imposes “justice” should do so in a humble way that acknowledges its own limitations and prejudgments, and finally recognizes that God is in charge.

This edition of Vantage includes a feature article by Dr. Marcia Riggs, our J. Erskine Love Professor

of Christian Ethics. In her article, she poses life at the intersections of injustice. A “transformed justice” would itself be that intersection, and would likely decrease the inhumanity of the detention centers that Emily Peterson describes

in her article. In fact, such a “transformed justice” would change the way we think about

and utilize power in every aspect of life in our communities and even our churches.

At Columbia Theological Seminary persons such as Dr. Riggs and Ms. Peterson labor to teach and learn about “justice” in both its definition and application. We in the church are grateful that persons from the Columbia Seminary community will be thoughtful leaders in exercising power and holding it accountable in the years to come.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.” Eph. 3:20-21

Thankfully,

William E. Scheu

the hUmility oF a JUstiCe transFormed

I want to suggest that the exercise of the

sovereign power to define and execute

justice be tempered by a humility that

recognizes the self-interest and tentativeness

that in an ultimate sense limit those powers.

h y P e r – f o c u s

Va n ta g e m a g a z i n e i n t e rV i e w e d re V. dr. de b o r a h Fl e m i s t e r mu l l e n, de a n o F Fa c u lt y a n d ex e c u t i V e Vi c e Pr e s i d e n t. sh e i s a l s o t h e as s o c i at e Pro F e s s o r o F am e r i c a n ch r i s t i a n i t y a n d bl a c k ch u rc h st u d i e s . We wanted to learn more about what developments have resulted from the Stephen A. Hayner Global Leadership Endowment (the name used in the inaugural brochure), and how it will impact cultural diversity, international educational exchange programs for students and visiting scholars, and global partnerships between Columbia Theological Seminary and churches and educational institutions in other parts of the world.

Vantage: Dean mullen, thank you for taking time to talk with us. First, can you provide us with an update on the Stephen A. hayner Global leadership Endowment?

Dean Mullen: First, let me say there’s a lot going on at CTS about which I am very excited. During his tenure on the faculty and while president, Steve Hayner embodied new energy for leading the seminary into the future. Given the seminary’s strong legacy and history in theological education since 1928, Steve’s vision for a “Big Table” and commitments to the “NextGen” church built on a solid foundation. Set on a path of creativity, innovation, and developing connections that better address the times in which God has called CTS to missional service to the church and the wider world, CTS could not be in a better position “to educate imaginative and resilient leaders for God’s changing world.”

That said, Columbia Theological Seminary has been reaching out to other countries and across cultures for more than 100 years. We have had ongoing relationships with Brazil, Czech Republic, China, Cuba, Hungary, India, Jamaica, Kenya, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

The Stephen A. Hayner Global Leadership Endowment has already raised over $250,000 to grow and deepen our connections with partner institutions and scholars around the world. Moving forward, Columbia Seminary seeks to facilitate more faculty exchanges, provide more programming and support throughout the year, and even create a new Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence.

What will the Center for Academic literacy and intercultural Competence do to support the vision for growing international partnerships and global educational opportunities for our students?

The Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence will help our basic and advanced degree students from this country and elsewhere to become more culturally competent, effective religious leaders for the church of Jesus Christ and God’s changing world. It will prepare ministers and religious leaders to be better prepared to serve churches and communities in our world that is increasingly interculturally complex and connected. Language is a powerful carrier of culture. The Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence will enrich the experience of being part of CTS for us all. The Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence will empower students, staff and faculty from around the world to exercise their gifts, share their voices more broadly and share their stories in our modern global context.


h y P e r – f o c u s

The core message of the book of Acts is about being an intercultural community bound together in Christ’s name. CTS is committed to welcoming brilliant scholars, pastors and leaders from all over the world who deserve to be heard in their own voices. Hearing stories across cultures expands our view and understanding of God’s work in our world. Our goal at CTS is to help ministers, scholars and students from across the globe and here at home to wrestle with different cultural, geographic and academic understandings of what it means to serve God’s people in the church and wider world.

What’s next?

You might be surprised to hear more about what is already happening. Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, Lecturer, Old Testament and 2014–15 Louisville Fellow, has written a summary (see below) of what we have been working on this past academic year and what we hope to launch this coming fall. Stay tuned and let us know what you think …

AlExiA ForD ’17

“During my years as a social

worker, I was trained to think

analytically, problem solve, come

up with innovative solutions to

complex problems, review data

and methodologies and come up

with various intervention methods. In that style of

writing, I often concluded with my own opinion or

research findings. What I discovered is that seminary

writing is unlike any other process of writing that

I have experienced. My brain had to be retrained

how to read, think, process, analyze and re-read

while incorporating the contextual background in

which the author was writing.” You can read the rest

of Alexia’s post, “Finding My Theological Voice,” at

www.columbiaconnections.org/.

By Ryan Bonfiglio, Lecturer of Old Testament

an a ly t i c a l w r i t i n g, c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g, l i b r a ry r e s e a rc h, i n F o r m at i o n t e c h n o l o g y, a n d i n t e rc u lt u r a l c o m m u n i c at i o n a r e e s s e n t i a l to e F F e c t i V e t h e o l o g i c a l e d u c at i o n. In the past, seminaries and divinity schools have correctly assumed that most, if not all, of their incoming students possessed these and other skills pertaining to “academic literacy.” When it comes to the cultivation of these basic competencies, most theological schools, including Columbia Theological Seminary, have tended to offer resources and programming that are remedial in focus (i.e., only geared toward the lowest performing students) and ad hoc in implementation (i.e., only offered on a case-by-case basis).

However, these assumptions and approaches are no longer adequate. Students are now entering seminary with widely varying levels of academic preparation and from increasingly diverse educational, cultural, and vocational backgrounds. The changing profile of our student body calls for a more concerted and systematic effort to integrate critical training in academic and cross cultural literacies. This is not only crucial for maximizing effective learning in the classroom, but it also is at the heart of a process of formation by which students are prepared to be effective, imaginative, and resilient leaders in the Church and the world.

This is why we are creating the Center for Academic literacy and intercultural Competence. We believe that such a Center will further position our institution as an

The Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence


innovator in theological education, as a leader in imaginative and resilient vocational training, and as a seminary of choice for students of various cultures and denominations locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally.

More and more students entering theological education now see the need for training in “transferable skills,” such as effective writing techniques, research methods, critical thinking, contextual analysis, cross cultural communication, and the effective use of information technology. For example, in 2013-2014 I taught a two-semester course on academic literacy for first-year MDiv students at the Candler School of Theology. Only a cohort of 12 students who were admitted on academic probation (often for low GPA’s and/or deficiencies in the written portions of their applications) was required to take the class. However, when other students – in otherwise good academic standing — heard about the sort of training offered, they began petitioning the Registrar to take the course as an elective within their degree program. Because we wanted to maintain a small group learning environment, we eventually had to cap enrollment in the course. What was instructive about the situation is this: while we initially feared resistance from students required to take the class, we eventually had to turn away students who wanted to opt in.

The various competencies associated with academic literacy are crucial for effective learning in the seminary classroom, be it in bible, history and doctrine, or practical theology. However, most courses at Columbia Seminary do not have the time or resources needed to adequately support students when it comes to basic academic training outside of the specific subject matter at hand. Thus no matter how compelling and creative the teaching might be, without certain foundational academic skills many students face a “glass ceiling” in terms of their performance and intellectual formation. Take our yearlong “Introduction to the Old Testament” course. The syllabus is thoughtfully designed and the content is masterfully taught — indeed, course evaluations suggest that this class is a perennial student favorite. However, like many other introductory courses at Columbia Seminary, the Intro to OT sequence demands certain writing and critical thinking skills that many students have not been adequately trained in prior to entering seminary. For instance, 50% of each exam consists of short essay responses. Students all too often struggle with this portion of the exam not because they fail to learn the content of the course but because we have not yet fully equipped them with the skills necessary to express their ideas in an effective manner. Much of the same can be said about exegesis papers. Our students are eager to faithfully engage Scripture, but many of them have little experience working with primary sources, are unfamiliar with the genre of an exegesis paper, and are only just beginning to develop skills in the areas of library research and analytical writing. As a result, the Introduction to the Old Testament course faces significant challenges in terms of its effectiveness despite how well the content is presented.

Students in this OT course — and many other introductory courses — have repeatedly asked for help with basic writing and critical thinking skills, but presently CTS does not have resources in place to meet this need. One exception is the pilot program of Writers Workshops offered in the spring of 2015. The first two (of three) workshops addressed issues directly related to essay exams and exegesis papers, both of which are highly relevant for the Intro OT and NT courses. Student interest was overwhelming. Over 50 students attended

More and more students

entering theological

education now see the

need for training in

“transferable skills,”

such as effective writing

techniques, research

methods, critical

thinking, contextual

analysis, cross cultural

communication, and

the effective use of

information technology.

c e n t e r f o r a c a d e m i c l i t e r a c y



these two workshops, and many more expressed interest but were unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts. Many other students have asked to be enrolled in our new Academic Literacy Moodle page and/or have sought out opportunities for personalized coaching in writing and critical thinking skills. There is clearly a “felt need” among students for more of this training.

Though for now the evidence is more anecdotal than it is qualitative, these Writers Workshops have helped to improve student performance in the second half of the Intro to OT course. By positively enhancing learning outcomes and skill development across the curriculum, the implementation of a Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence would directly enrich both Basic and Advanced Degree programs.

The various competencies associated with academic literacy are essential for

educating women and men for ordained and lay ministries in an ever-diverse and changing world. As such, this proposed center would help CTS give expression to its mission in a number of ways. This center would:

• foster professional skills necessary for effective learning in contextual education

placements• nurture imagination and creativity in the areas of worship, public witness, teaching, and

cultural engagement• enhance the ability of students to successfully complete ordination requirements• improve the placement of graduates in churches, pastoral residency programs, Christian

education, non-profit organizations, PhD programs, etc.• equip future ministers with core competencies (technology, writing, communication,

administration) necessary for effective congregational leadership• prepare graduates with skill sets important for pursuing bi-vocational callings• cultivate an appreciation for and proficiency in cross cultural engagement and ministry• promote a sustained commitment among graduates to lifelong learning and theological

education

In each of these ways, a Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence would help CTS educate and nurture faithful, imaginative, and effective leaders for the sake of the Church and the world.

in partnership with the office of Admissions, the office of Academic Affairs, and the John bulow Campbell library, we can better provide:

• ESL Writing/Language Assessment for all international students• A series of Writers Workshops for all international students• A three-hour orientation seminar called “Reading and Writing your Way Through

Seminary” for ALL incoming students

GAr Am hAN ’17 As an

international student and first-

year student, it was difficult to

understand the best way to write

my papers. When Dr. Bonfiglio

showed us how to re-write our

papers at the workshop, I could understand

the steps easily. I discovered the problems I was

having, and after applying the steps I learned,

I was able to improve my papers.


• Writer’s Workshops to develop general skills in academic writing so as to enhance learning in introductory and advanced basic degree classes

• “Writing for Seminary” co-curricular workshop• “COR” ESL co-curricular workshop• “Writing and Spirituality” Wednesday Forum Series• One-on-One Writing Coaching offered by the Director

of the Center and trained student coaches• One-on-One ESL Coaching which may also include the

option of setting up peer-to-peer conversation partners involving ESL and non-ESL students

• “Writing at Seminary” Moodle Page with writing guides, style guides, and other online resources

• Library Tutorials and Programming focused on cultivating skills surrounding “information” literacy

The successful implementation of a Center for Academic Literacy and Intercultural Competence will require broad institutional support from faculty, staff, the Dean of Faculty, the President, the Board, and our supporters. We are committed to pursuing a cost-effective and sustainable model which utilizes existing resources, but may require long term strategic financial partnerships as well.



r e a s o n a b l e s e r V i c e

For Immediate Release

The Board of Trustees for Columbia Theological Seminary voted unanimously this spring to appoint Dr. Leanne Van Dyk to be the school’s tenth president. She was the Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. Dr. Van Dyk started effective July 1, 2015.

Dr. Van Dyk succeeds Dr. Steve Hayner who began as president in July 2009, but had to step down after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just one year ago. He died on January 31, 2015. Since that time, the seminary has been led by Dr. Deborah Flemister Mullen, the Executive Vice President and Dean of Faculty who served as Acting President from April until October, and by William E. Scheu who has served as Interim President since October.

“Dr. Van Dyk is deeply rooted in the Reformed tradition,” stated Rev. Dr. Tom Walker, Chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees and pastor at the Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach, FL. “From that rootedness comes her commitment to cultural diversity and a proven track record for speaking theologically across cultural and religious boundaries. As evidenced by her significant connections within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and with other denominations as well, she is known for her ability to create close ties with students, faculty, staff, and members of the community.”

“It was hard to imagine whom this community guided by the Holy Spirit would call to be our next president,” said Deborah Flemister Mullen, Executive Vice President and Dean of Faculty for Columbia Theological Seminary. “Now we can rejoice! After years of watching Rev. Dr. Leanne Van Dyk from a distance and respecting her considerable gifts, I believe that our prayers have been answered. We can rely on Leanne to be an experienced administrator, visionary leader, prolific scholar, and passionate teacher of theology rooted in the Reformed tradition, to faithfully lead the seminary into the future embracing our diversity as a gift from God.”

“Leanne Van Dyk is a thoughtful and gifted theological educator, who understands both how to do theological education and why it is crucial to communities of faith,” said Daniel Aleshire, Executive Director of The Association of Theological Schools (ATS). “In addition to her years of service at Western Seminary, Leanne Van Dyk has been an active contributor to ATS accreditation and currently serves on the Board of Commissioners. She is a perceptive observer of theological education and deeply understands its complexities and possibilities.”

“Columbia Theological Seminary sings a loud hallelujah to welcome Dr. Leanne Van Dyke as its new President!” proclaimed Billy Michael Honor, a member of the presidential search committee and pastor of the new Pulse Church in Atlanta. “Without a doubt, her administrative credentials, strong faith and commitment to educating Christian leaders for the Church and the world make her especially qualified to lead Columbia into its next chapter.”

dr. leanne Van dyk named tenth President oF ColUmbia theologiCal seminary

“ Dr. Van Dyk is deeply

rooted in the Reformed

tradition. From that

rootedness comes

her commitment to

cultural diversity and a

proven track record for

speaking theologically

across cultural and

religious boundaries.”

— Rev. Dr. Tom Walker, Chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees and pastor at the Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach, FL.


“Leanne has long been a role model and mentor for me. Her essays have been read by our students for many years,” said Martha Moore-Keish, Associate Professor of Theology. “I had the pleasure of working with Leanne on A More Profound Alleluia, a volume which she edited and to which I contributed. She was a consummate editor, nurturing the writers with calm attention to detail as well as clear vision for the book as a whole. These gifts, which she has developed through her years of leadership at Western Seminary, will also make her a great president for Columbia Seminary—as role model, visionary, administrator, and friend.”

“Columbia is fortunate to have Leanne as its next president!” said Joseph Small, former Director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Theology and Worship. “She has proven administrative experience, but I always think of her as a fine theologian who has always done her scholarly work in the service of the church. The combination of theological faithfulness, love of the church, and administrative excellence makes her a great fit for Columbia, which has a reputation for quality academic service, done for the church.”

Dr. Leanne Van Dyk holds degrees from Calvin College (B.A.), Western Michigan University (M.A.), Calvin Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Princeton Theological Seminary where she earned her Ph.D. in Systematic Theology, magna cum laude. Before teaching at Western Theological Seminary, she previously taught at San Francisco Theological Seminary and Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA.

Dr. Van Dyk’s other professional experience includes serving as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS); as a member of the advisory committee for a $6 million Lilly Grant on new models in theological education; as a member of the Wabash Center’s Consultation on Theological Education; and on various projects with the Office of Theology and Worship for the Presbyterian Church (USA). One of her efforts remembered by many in the PC(USA) was as a member of the Catechism Committee which completed its work in 1998. She also participated in the Re-Forming Ministry project with the Office of Theology and Worship.

She has served on the editorial boards of Perspectives, the Journal of Reformed Thought, and the Scottish Journal of Theology. Dr. Van Dyk has published several books, including A More Profound Alleluia: Theology and Worship in Harmony for which she was also editor (Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005); Believing in Jesus Christ, part of the “Foundations” series sponsored by the Office of Theology and Worship of the PC(USA) (Geneva Press, 2002); and The Desire of Divine Love: The Atonement Theology of John McLeod Campbell (Peter Lang Publishers, 1995).

The Presidential Search Committee was assisted by Diversified Search, the world’s 10th largest executive search firm according to industry rankings recognized for delivering high quality senior-level executive and corporate board searches. The firm is committed to bringing a diverse view to their work, helping clients open up new possibilities that go beyond the conventional. For more information, please visit: http://www.diversifiedsearch.com.

See the ad on page 30 about the inauguration of rev. Dr. leanne Van Dyk scheduled for october 28, 2015.


Dr. Leanne Van Dyk

• Calvin College (B.A.)

• Western Michigan

University (M.A.)

• Calvin Theological

Seminary (M.Div.)

• Princeton Theological

Seminary, Ph.D. in

Systematic Theology,

magna cum laude.

Before teaching at

Western Theological

Seminary, she previously

taught at San Francisco

Theological Seminary and

Graduate Theological

Union in Berkeley, CA.



neXt ChUrCh ConFerenCeBy Brittany Fiscus ’17

This past February I received a somewhat mysterious email asking if I was interested in attending the 2015 NEXT Church Conference in Chicago as well as a pre-conference held at McCormick Theological Seminary that was just for seminarians. Representing Columbia at a conference sounded like a good experience, and seeing Chicago was definitely a fine idea, but what was NEXT Church? For those of you who, like me, are not always up to date on the world of church conferences, NEXT Church is a three day conference that connects church leaders of all varieties allowing them the opportunity to network, learn from each other, and see and be inspired by new and different ministries. Offering great guest speakers and lectures, worship, break-out sessions, and even field-trips to local worshiping communities that are thinking outside the box, NEXT has everything to get a church leader excited about the future of the church.

The NEXT Church Pre-Conference, a two day event specifically for seminarians that was held at McCormick Theological Seminary, was an experience all its own. Before the pre-conference began I had reservations. What could a handful of seminarians have to say that the luminaries at the conference hadn’t already thought of? I was pleasantly surprised. In our brief but jam-packed 48 hours together, we discussed such topics as what can be done to assist and be in communion with those experiencing homelessness, we had hard conversations about racism and LGBTQ issues, we talked about feasible ways to get our voices and opinions heard in the church, and we thoughtfully considered what our seminaries could be doing better. In a mere two days everything that had been circulating through my brain throughout my first two semesters in seminary was laid out on the table, and I was listening to similar thoughts and concerns from my colleagues from other seminaries. These really were the important conversations happening at NEXT, and the people in that McCormick student lounge represented the future leadership of our church.

So what can I say of my overall experience with NEXT and the seminary pre-conference? It is not an opportunity to be missed! I met bi-vocational ministers, ministers leading congregations in non-traditional buildings, ministers using art installations in worship, ministers starting new worshiping communities,

ministers thinking about missions in a different way, and laypeople, youth leaders, and fellow seminarians with dreams and visions as big and different as mine.

After Amendment 14-F passed I cried and worshipped, huddled together with people that had been praying for that very moment for years. I felt encouraged and challenged by the multitude of traditional parish ministers who had questions about what kind of ministry jobs I was working toward, and I saw real-life examples of non-traditional ministry being lived out.

I have high expectations and anticipations for 2016 NEXT (which will conveniently be held right here in Atlanta)! I cannot wait to see the ideas that my fellow seminarians have put into practice. I cannot wait to see what the graduating seniors’ jobs look like and where their passions are leading them. I cannot wait to re-connect with the ministers and laypersons I had the honor of getting to know, and I cannot wait for another glimpse into what the future of our church looks like, and the myriad of church leaders and worshipping communities paving the way.

Brittany Fiscus ’17 is a rising middler from Little Rock, AR. She graduated from Murray State University in Murray, KY, in 2009 with a degree in History. Before coming to seminary, Brittany worked in Goto, Nagasaki, Japan teaching English and then as a tour and travel

guide leading bus tours around the United States. She spent her first year in Atlanta volunteering at Metro-Atlanta Taskforce for the Homeless. She starts her internship next semester at Mercy Community Church and loves worshiping with her friends there.

In a mere two days

everything that had

been circulating through

my brain throughout

my first two semesters

in seminary was laid

out on the table, and I

was listening to similar

thoughts and concerns

from my colleagues from

other seminaries.


t r a n s f o r m i n g J u s t i c e


transFormation at “the Center” oF baltimore

By Angelle M. Jones, MA(TS) ’14

Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from part of a cultural analysis paper written before the recent events in Baltimore. The death of Freddie Gray and the protests which followed demonstrate the deep needs of this community, as well as many others. We present this as just one story among many feeding the need for ongoing transformation and justice.

Kate Foster Connors, MDiv ’01, is the director at The Center which serves as a hub for urban ministry for Presbyterian congregations in the Greater Baltimore area. The goal is to help members get involved in their neighborhoods to make them better places to live, work and play. The Center hosts church groups of all ages from all over the country for short-term mission trips, matching them with local congregations who are engaged in their neighborhoods fulfilling sustainable mission and social justice programs. The visiting church group plugs into an ongoing, sustained ministry led by a local congregation, and the local congregation gains extra hands and feet to accomplish a special initiative.

Considering ways to provide assistance to help meet the needs in the City of Baltimore, along with their new vision of “Thriving, Reconciling Congregations,” The Presbytery of Baltimore chose to answer the call to provide an urban mission center in the city. The Center started with a “thinking group” comprised of 10 local Teaching and Ruling Elders from the Presbytery. After several years of prayerful searching, the facility was housed at the First and Franklin Presbyterian Church located in downtown Baltimore, MD in a dormitory style facility, providing lodging and instruction space for mission groups of up to 40 for a week, week-end or one day of service or training.

The vision of The Center states, “Through education, service, partnership, and advocacy, The Center equips congregations in Baltimore and beyond to transform neighborhoods by engaging in the justice and reconciliation of Jesus Christ.” The Center hopes to broaden the



routine mission trip experience, by asking questions about justice, in relation to their area of service. Hopefully, visiting groups will return home to search for opportunities to make a difference in their own churches and communities. The Center also provides training for the churches and groups to learn to advocate in the public sphere with their State Legislators, Senators, Governors, or representatives for the causes that they choose to address.

To put the need for a program like The Center into context: • In Baltimore the unemployment rate has risen to 7.9 percent as of April 2013. • New jobs in low-paying industries increased by 60 percent between 1980 and 2007,

while during that same time jobs in middle wage fields only increased 36 percent and 10 percent in high-wage fields.

• 31.9 percent of the children of Baltimore live below the poverty level. • 83 percent of the children enrolled in the Baltimore City Public School system qualify

for free or reduced meals and 1 in 4 households receive food stamps. In light of this information, it is the mission of The Center to challenge the Presbyterian

Churches of Baltimore to put their faith into action. After almost five years, on June 22, 2013, the Center opened its doors to its first three

teams, each serving for one week. The third group consisted of 22 youth and 4 adult leaders who were divided in two, with one serving with a HIV/AIDS program and the other with a Food Justice project.

The HIV/AIDs outreach was led by HopeSprings, a non-profit organization with the Vision and Mission to: “raise awareness of HIV and AIDS”, and to “restore hope and healing through the eradication of HIV and AIDS and its stigma.” The group volunteered at a residential facility, cleaning, gardening, and providing a barbecue lunch with the residents. They also served at The Moveable Feast which is a non-profit which provides daily meals to help sustain individuals with AIDS or other terminal illnesses who are financially in need or homebound. Their final day was spent canvassing downtown Baltimore to encourage individuals to get free HIV testing provided by a local Walgreens.

The second group worked with members of Central Presbyterian to plant trees to provide a fruit orchard to a community that suffers as what has been termed, a food desert. They spent their first day going to local grocery stores to have the experience of seeing the differences of the types of food that is provided in different communities, or the lack of adequate grocery stores in certain areas.

Each group also had the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC to visit the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness and to meet with local political officials from their state. They learned how to lobby and advocate for the social justice causes they worked with during their week of service. As a part of these visits, I prepared a theological reflection for a worship service to be held at the MLK memorial, recognizing the 50-year anniversary of the March on Washington and the famous “I Have A Dream” speech. I chose to hold the service on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where it is marked as the location where Dr. Martin Luther King did the original speech, after visiting the MLK memorial. Unfortunately due to rain, the groups held the service in sheltered locations instead of on the Mall. It was a powerful testament for the group to reflect on the many ways that realities of “The Dream,” have and have not come to pass, in the 50 years since it was shared by Dr. King.

In Baltimore

the unemployment rate

has risen to 7.9 percent

as of April 2013.

31.9 percent of the

children of Baltimore

live below the poverty

level.

83 percent of the

children enrolled in the

Baltimore City Public

School system qualify for

free or reduced meals

and 1 in 4 households

receive food stamps.



There was one event that caused us to review the materials used to prepare the groups for their service area. During the final week, the HIV/AIDS group was trained by the staff and interns of one of the partnering non-profits. Statistics, discussions and a movie were a part of the training. Since this group was divided into two that week, I and another intern were each assigned one. I was responsible for oversight of this group which included participating in the trainings. After viewing the movie which was a current documentary entitled, “HIV and AIDS in Black America,” I was asked for a review. I told Rev. Foster Connors that I felt the movie was excellent, but I had reservations as to how the group might see it. I sensed the group would possibly view it from the lens of their personal context, which was obviously of privilege, and make an assumption that since no one in their group was black nor impoverished, it might be assumed that HIV and AIDS did not relate to them or others like them.

A few days later when the group was canvassing the downtown Baltimore area, one of the students invited a Black male to go for free HIV testing. He walked away saying, “No, thank you,” then pointed to an oncoming White couple, and asked why they didn’t ask them about testing. The couple overheard him and an altercation erupted. As the group and I walked away, we discussed the incident. I found myself asking them if they were aware or conscious that they may have been selective of whom they asked. While the other two group members were quiet, one girl admitted that she could understand how being asked because he was African American could be offensive. However, she did not see how viewing the movie, along with other taught biases, could have been partly the reason she may have chosen who to invite for testing.

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to serve in helping with the start of The Center. I believe in its mission to help individuals, groups and congregations to accept the challenge of transforming the city, and their personal transformation. Incidents such as the aforementioned, if acknowledged and addressed properly, hopefully can help change attitudes. Changed attitudes along with great long term systemic social justice work will reap the evidence of true transformation.

Angelle Jones ’14 completed her Master of Arts in Theological Studies with a concentration in Christian Ethics. Angelle currently resides in Charlotte, NC where she is now founder and CEO of GlobaLife Church Consultants, LLC, which sends experienced ministers and leaders to train churches to have effective conversations on race relations and anti-racism (www.globalifeconsultants.org). This paper was written two years ago, but speaks to the prophetic insight of the visionaries of The

Center especially in light of current events not only in Baltimore but more recently in Charleston, SC. Thanks to people like Rev. Kate Foster Connors ’01 and her husband Rev. Andrew Foster Connors ’01 for their commitment to end systemic racism and social injustice in our country. Angelle has ministered across the U. S., South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. Angelle is the mother of one adult daughter and has three grandchildren.

A few days later when

the group was canvassing

the downtown Baltimore

area, one of the students

invited a black male to

go for free HIV testing.

He walked away saying,

“No, thank you,” then

pointed to an oncoming

white couple, and asked

why they didn’t ask them

about testing. The couple

overheard him and an

altercation erupted.


an UnComFortable Visit with el reFUgioBy Emily Peterson ’16

One hundred fifty-three miles south of Columbia Theological Seminary’s campus lies the sleepy town of Lumpkin, GA. Although it is the county seat, Lumpkin is by no means thriving, as evidenced by the many empty storefronts that circle the courthouse on the town square. For employment, a Lumpkin resident would be much better off looking to nearby Columbus. Or, if they wanted to stick closer to home, they might look to Stewart Detention Center (SDC).

Stewart sits on the outskirts of town, about a mile from the courthouse. It is tucked away from the road behind a forest so that passersby cannot catch glimpses of the barbed wire. The facility was built by Corrections Corporation of America to be a prison, but instead it was put to use as the detention hub for undocumented and underdocumented men throughout the Southeast. For many of Stewart’s residents, this is their last stop before deportation. For some, it is their first taste of America after being picked up at the airport or the border. Some of the men at Stewart stay only a few weeks, and others stay for over a year. Regardless, it is not a pleasant stay. Stuck in legal limbo, isolated from friends and family, and subjected to prison-like treatment, they find themselves caught in a system built to crush the spirit.

Along with four other Columbia students, I made the trek to Stewart back in March. We were visitation volunteers with El Refugio, a hospitality and outreach ministry housed just up the road from the detention center. El Refugio offers free lodging, meals, and support to travelers who come to visit loved ones at SDC. Volunteers often go in for their own visits with men whose friends and family are, for various reasons, unable to make the trip to see them. As a visitation group, this was our function during our time in Lumpkin, and it opened our eyes to heartwrenching pain as well as unbelievable strength and resilience.

As you might expect, a detention center is not a comfortable place to visit. To see one of the men for one hour, you must clear the facility’s security measures and spend unpredictable amounts of time simply waiting before proceeding to the visitation room to speak through a glass partition. In the best of circumstances, one can’t help but feel uneasy. More frequently, however, there is a level of fear, which is only heightened when one has previous experience with US immigration policies.

“I was afraid of going to El Refugio,” recalls Claudia Rubalcava Aguilar (’11). “Not because it is a prison, or because I thought the men housed at Stewart Detention Center did anything wrong, but because I know that it could happen to me or to someone I know. Being an immigrant myself from a country that many undocumented immigrants come from (Mexico), I live in fear that this could happen to me because it also happens to people who have done things right. I was afraid because it confronted me with the harsh realities of life in my home country: the violence, the death of agriculture due to unfair corporations, the


For many of Stewart’s

residents, this is their last

stop before deportation.

For some, it is their first

taste of America after

being picked up at the

airport or the border.

Some of the men at

Stewart stay only a

few weeks, and others

stay for over a year.

Regardless, it is not a

pleasant stay.


corruption. I was afraid because I had to see the injustice that my people must endure once they have reached their “promised land,” the land that they thought would save their lives. I was afraid to go because it meant that I had to do something about it after visiting. And that is scary.”

We had only one day in Lumpkin with one visit each, but even such a short time is enough to shock us into awareness. The realities of this system call us to action. Claudia’s reflection expresses it well: “Seeing and hearing all the things I saw and heard at Stewart affirmed my call to work without ceasing for justice and for the construction of the kingdom of God.” We are grateful that El Refugio gave us the chance to be a part of this witness. As we continue to discern how God is calling us to act, we hope to extend the call to others to join us in pursuit of God’s compassionate will for all people.

Emily Peterson is a senior in the Master of Divinity program at Columbia. She has been a volunteer with El Refugio since 2012 and plans to return with another visitation group from the seminary in the fall. She made the journey in March with Claudia Rubalcava Aguilar (MDiv ’11, and Associate Dean of Student Services at Columbia Theological Seminary), Katy Walters (MDiv and MAPT ’15), Sungwoo Kim (MDiv and MAPT ’17), and Julia Watkins (MDiv ’17).


BiBle, empire, and reception HistoryA conference hosted by Columbia Theological Seminary

novemBer 18–19, 2015

Columbia Theological Seminary will host a conference exploring the production and use of the Bible in various historical contexts of empire. It will consider the use of postcolonial studies in interpreting biblical texts and its implications in modern contexts. The conference will consist of four sessions, each focusing on a particular geographical or historical set of contexts:

The bible and Ancient EmpiresKeynote Speakers: Carol A. Newsom and Richard Horsley

The bible and the AmericasKeynote Speakers: Yvonne Sherwood and Jaime Lara

The bible, South and East AsiaKeynote Speakers: Kwok Pui-Lan and R. S. Sugirtharajah

The bible and AfricaKeynote Speakers: Musa Dube and Hendrik Bosman

For the full list of speakers, visit bibleempireandreceptionhistory.net.



liVing FaithFUlly at the interseCtions oF inJUstiCe

By Marcia Y. Riggs,J. Erskine Love Professor of Christian Ethics

“The Resurrection of Jesus is . . . a symbol of hope . . . I don’t see how you can show love

. . . without being in solidarity with the victims of this world.

And if you are in solidarity with the victims, I don’t see how you can avoid the cross.

The theology of the cross is the theology of love in our real world.”

— Jon Sobrino, The Principle of Mercy: Taking the Crucified People from the Cross

wh e n i t c o m e s to F i g h t i n g i n j u s t i c e , m o s t o F u s t e n d to h aV e s o m e c au s e o r i s s u e F o r w h i c h w e a r e w i l l i n g to b e r i g h t e o u s ly i n d i g n a n t, a n d w e wo u l d l i k e to t h i n k t h at w e wo u l d e V e n g i V e u P o u r F r e e d o m (s P e n d s o m e t i m e i n j a i l ) i F n ot o u r l i V e s F o r t h at c au s e o r i s s u e. I have protested consistently injustice perpetrated against individuals and groups because of their race/ethnicity, gender, and economic status most of my young and all of my adult life. I have also been the object of such injustice as an African American woman who grew up and still lives in the “muddled middle” of the economic stratification system of the United States.

Living at the intersections of such injustice has both challenged and strengthened my faith in human beings. On one hand, my faith is challenged by individuals who seem oblivious to their complicity in injustice when they fail to speak up or protest when someone is being treated unjustly in interpersonal relationships and/or in the institutional arrangements of our lives together. On the other hand, I affirm the capacity of my co-humans to take a risk for justice (even if or especially when they don’t fully understand) because they hear, respect and acknowledge both the person(s) and the pain inflicted upon another individual and/or group, and thus we join together to speak out and/or act up against wrongs in daily life and systems. One thing is certain for me, though, at the intersections of injustice, I have not lost faith in the omnipresence of God’s justice as that sacred container in which all of our struggles with one another and systems are and will ultimately get sorted out.


Thus, it is the omnipresence of God’s justice that undergirds for me what feminist Beverly Harrison calls “the power of anger in the work of love.” Without anger, we might never truly come to know what love requires of us. As the Latin American theologian Juan Luis Segundo reminds us, the energy for love and hate is the same energy, and we have the power to choose the passion of loving rather than hating. Living faithfully at the intersections of injustice in the omnipresence of God’s justice means that we make morally courageous choices to stand with others who are wronged as well as to confront ourselves when we do not take such a stand.

As I teach about living faithfully amid 21st century violence, I have come to understand more fully this oft quoted remark of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As a womanist Christian liberation ethicist, I must be clear about the contextual interaction of oppression (racism provides the context for sexism provides the context for heterosexism provides the context for classism which provides the context for all forms of isms to flourish) and the intersectionality of injustice (the way that racism-sexism-heterosexism-classism-ableism-and all isms actually are one hyphenated compound word). For, it is violence that is the linchpin of all oppression and injustice. Violence—the violation of personhood, the objectification of persons/people, the physical, psychological, spiritual abuse/ harm that we do to one another individually and collectively—is an act, a conversation, a public policy, an institutional culture that does any or all of these things to any one or some of us. And, unfortunately, some of us are more frequently the humans-thought-of-as-objects subjected to these forms of violence. When we still treat some humans as objects, do we really have to wonder why we can pillage and destroy the earth that sustains all of us?

But, finally, I am not writing this essay to point fingers. I am writing this essay to call our attention to the omnipresence of violence. The omnipresence of violence means that violence is the very fabric of our daily lives as much as it is the acts of violence that are committed, such as murder of citizens at the hands of one another or by police, or warfare around the globe. And, we people of faith of all kinds of religious traditions are some of those who are often guilty of colluding with and/or instigating violence because we say that it is necessary in order to protect ourselves from monsters, infidels, the uncivilized, the Others among us and save the God we profess. As difficult as it may be for us to hear (speaking now to Christians), the interpretation of some of our most deeply held doctrines, such as the atonement, lead us into temptation to re-do the violence of crucifixion rather than liberate us to be people of a living God and a resurrected Christ. This essay is a call to do justice by seeking new interpretations of our doctrines as part of the work of transformative justice. As Latin American liberation theologian Jon Sobrino (quoted at the beginning of this essay) reminds us, the theology of the cross is a theology of love calling us to be in solidarity with people who are suffering injustice (crucified peoples). Likewise, Mennonite theologian J. Denny Weaver invites us to live into fullness of the gospel narratives about the ministry of Jesus as Christus Victor rather than be focused solely upon the moment of suffering and death as Jesus is nailed to the cross. Womanist theologian Joanne Terrell pushes us to transform the language of sacrifice associated with atonement. Terrell asserts an emphasis on Christ’s death as intercession on our behalf and the empty cross as symbol of God’s continuous empowerment; these emphases will move us beyond an idea of redemptive suffering that has translated far too often into victimization and the acceptance of oppression of certain groups of people. Currently, the crux of my scholarly passion and ministerial vocation is about doing justice at the intersections of religion, conflict, and violence. What seems most clear to me at this time is this: We have been given a ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5: 11-21 NRSV), and doing that ministry in the 21st century requires a leap of faith to live into the tensions of our quests for justice. Our quests may seem at odds with one another at times, but the power of the Holy Spirit is available to us to guide us toward creative ethical responses for living faithfully at the intersections of injustice.

. . . we people of faith

of all kinds of religious

traditions are some of

those who are often

guilty of colluding

with and/or instigating

violence because

we say that it is

necessary in order to

protect ourselves from

monsters, infidels, the

uncivilized, the Others

among us . . . .

2 0 1 5 g r a d u a t e s : o u t s t a n d i n g s c h o l a r s h i P

The Robert Ramey, Jr. Christian Leadership

AwardAllison Corwin

Wehrung

George and Sally Telford Award

Searcy Allen Wilcoxon iV

Emma Gaillard Boyce Graduate Fellowship

Kelly Couch

William Dudley Fund Award

George Fishburne, Jr.

Emma Gaillard Boyce Graduate Fellowship

James Daniel Freeman

Harvard A. Anderson Fellowship;

Wilds Book Prize; Florie Wilkes Sanders

Prize in Theology

Jared patrick Jones

The John Nelsen Awardrachael banzhoff

Knoll

Columbia Graduate Fellowship;

Florie S. Johnson AwardSongyin paik

Anna Church Whitner Fellowship

Seung Song

Fannie Jordan Bryan Fellowship

meiying Shi

Indiantown Country Church Award

hampton Neal irby Williams

James T. and Celeste M. Boyd Book Fund;

Abdullah Award for Bible in Public SchoolsSarah Ashley Wolf

On May 16, Columbia Theological

Seminary held its annual commencement

exercises at Peachtree Presbyterian

Church in Atlanta, GA. This year,

63 degrees were awarded in six graduate

degree programs. These are just some of

the students who distinguished themselves

with outstanding scholarship.


V a n t a g eVol. 106, No. 3, Spring 2015

E D i T o r

Michael Thompson

D E S i G N

Lucy Ke

p h o T o G r A p h y

Coenraad Brand ’13Myung Jin Chae ’15Katie Archibald-Woodward ’12

C o N T r i b u T o r S

Ron BonfliglioRandy Calvo, Jr. ’81Pam CottrellCorie CoxMary Lynn DardenMark DouglasJan Edminston DEdMin ’01Sarah Erickson ’03/DEdMin ’10Brittany Fiscus ’17Alexia Ford ’17Israel GalindoGaram Han ’17Arnie HulteenAngelle Jones MA(TS) ’14Deborah Flemister MullenEmily Peterson ’16Barbara PoeMarcia RiggsDominique RobinsonMichelle Thomas-Bush ’94William ScheuDoug TaylorSandra TaylorDiane ThorneLeanne Van DykDebra WeirLauren Wright-Pittman ’16

This issue of Vantage

is available online at www.ctsnet.edu. Go to

News & publications, then Vantage.

p l E A S E r E C y C l E After you read this issue of Vantage, pass it along to a friend or colleague, or take it to your neighborhood recycling center.

Columbia Graduate Fellowship; Toms-

McGarrahan Awardmargaret lisleGwynn Garrity

James T. and Celeste M. Boyd Book Fund

Khan o. honeyghan

Fannie Jordan Bryan Fellowship

Jeromey Arthur howard

H. J. Riddle Memorial Award; Dabney & Tom Dixon Creation Care

Sermon Awardmelissa A. Tidwell

James T. and Celeste M. Boyd Book Fund

mary-Ellen hunt Vian

Abdullah Award for Moral & Spiritual

ValuesKathryn Anne

Walters

William Dudley Fund Award

Fred Eugene young iii

Paul T. Fuhrman Book Prize in Church History

Stephen S. yuh


l i f e l o n g l e a r n i n g


The Spirituality Program director Debra Weir is hard at work finalizing plans for the program’s 20th anniversary celebration, Common Ground, Holy Ground. She took a few minutes to reflect and discuss where the program has been, where it’s going, and how it all comes together.

Vantage: 20 years is a long time! What has been your experience with the Spirituality program? how much has changed in that time?

Debra Weir: I first connected with the Spirituality Program in 2007 when I moved to Atlanta and people kept telling me I should talk to Tom Lewis, who was the Director of the Spirituality Program at that time. So I called him, we met and had a great conversation, and I later became involved as a course facilitator and friend of the program!

Since then, much of the program has stayed the same, including the format of the classes, many of the on-going teachers, and the conscious intention of providing a framework for clergy and other church leaders to deepen their life with God and then lead others in that endeavor.

What has changed is the program leadership, and much of the structure surrounding it. The program began as a stand-alone program, and then later came under the larger umbrella of Lifelong Learning. Even then the Spirituality Program remained a little separate with its own staff. Now, though, I think it rests easily within the team environment of the Center for Lifelong Learning.

The biggest programmatic change is happening this year with the launch of the Certificate in Spiritual Direction. This is a great complement to the Certificate in Spiritual Formation. It will be interesting to see how both programs develop from here!

how have the program planners kept the classes offered relevant?

Some of the best course ideas come from program participants. Program planners pay attention to participant feedback, what they are interested in, their suggestions for topics, and potential leaders. We also invite teachers to develop courses out of their current interests. This keeps the material fresh and interesting and exciting for both teachers and participants. We also pay attention to the current culture and climate to look for new trends, leaders, etc. The final piece is the planner’s own passion and interests. We tend to invite teachers and topics that share our passions and interests and can satisfy some of our own curiosity.

Then have you noticed differences in the expectations of the students entering into the Spirituality program?

Not really. Students new to the program often have a range of expectations which can be a challenge to meet. But we generally invite people to release their expectations somewhat and receive what each course has to offer. We are very intentional about offering well-organized, carefully designed programs.

Some of the best

course ideas come from

program participants.

Program planners pay

attention to participant

feedback, what they

are interested in, their

suggestions for topics,

and potential leaders.

Common groUnd, holy groUnd

sPirituality Program 20th anniVersary celebration


how do you deal with, or is there pushback from people who follow a more mainstream religious path?

What we offer here is mainstream Christian spirituality. If there are questions or pushback, they come from those not in the program and the questions stem from a suspicion of spirituality in general and from a desire to know the ‘right way’ through the intellect. Christian Spirituality includes, and perhaps emphasizes more strongly, spiritual practice, various forms of prayer, engaging in social justice, and learning about the character of God through study as well as through reflection on our lived experience of God’s interactions with us. We can live an integrated theology that continues to develop through life. Mostly I sense that people long for a deep and abiding relationship with God and when they experience the possibility of that and find ways to move toward it, the pushback becomes irrelevant.

Aren’t most church-goers getting some kind of spiritual formation just by attending church? how does this program differ from that?

In my experience, most churches don’t have the capacity to offer this kind of intentional spiritual formation. They’re set up for a ‘dwelling’ and schooling sort of discipleship which served the church well in other times.

But now the church is slowly adapting to a new spiritualized culture, one of “seeking.” Christian spirituality and spiritual formation address the seeking and longings of the human heart and emphasize journey and transformation. I believe that spiritual formation includes the mind as well as the heart and body. It engages and transforms the whole person, including relationships with others, organizations and all of creation.

Churches are institutions and change comes slowly in institutional life. Sometimes there may be suspicion (often healthy) about activities that sound a little different. It often requires a gifted, trusted, and persistent leader to offer groups or classes in spirituality. The Certificate in Spiritual Formation program includes a supervised practicum which is about sharing with others various spiritual practices and ways to deepen one’s relationship with God. Most often these projects are offered in congregational settings and hopefully begin to influence congregational life. This kind of leadership development is not typically part of church spirituality.

The language of spirituality and spiritual formation is increasingly visible in the media as the general cultural interest increases. In the last 20 years there has been an explosion of spiritual formation resources available for use by individuals and by the church at large, so it’s coming if not here already. New forms of church (are starting now) that include spiritual formation and discernment practices into their ways of being church. New worshipping communities are forming today that include spiritual formation and discernment practices from their very beginning as “church.”

Common Ground, holy Ground is the theme of Spirituality program’s 20th anniversary celebration. All are welcome to join keynote speaker rodger Nishioka, as he leads us in an exploration of the current spiritual context that has emerged in the last 20 years. Sharing research and current trends about the “spiritual but not religious” and the growing group of “nones,” or those naming no religious affiliation, he will help us reflect on the implications these trends have for spiritual leadership and life together at this point in our sacred journeys. More information, including complete workshop schedule and session leaders is available at ctsnet.edu/common-ground-holy-ground


ta

Ut

a P

an

ta

taut

a p

ant

aThe alumni/ae, faculty, staff, administration, and students of Columbia Theological Seminary are part of a living tradition that reaches back to the earliest days of God’s people reflecting on their world, their experience of God, and their sense of God’s calling. The title of this section of Vantage reminds our readers of our common connection to this venerable and ever-changing stream of witness. Tauta Panta refers to “all these things,” as in “Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6.33).

Students play on the Oldenburg Quad as part of an Introduction to Recreation Ministry class. Photo courtesy Katie Archibald Woodward ’12.

Dean of Students Skip Johnson with students about to board the bus for the Appalachia Explorations trip in May.


t a u t a P a n t a | Alumni/ae News & Notes

About our Alums

1950sRob Roy McGregor ’57 has written a translation from French into English of John Calvin’s Sermons on Job: Chapters 1 – 14 (2014). It was published as an e-book by Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh.

1960sSteve Huntley ’61, ThM ’69, DMin ’79 retired from Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA.

1980sSusan Bryan ’85 retired as pastor of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, OH . . . . .Coile Estes ’86 is interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Cartersville, GA.

1990sSusan Moorefield ’92 is pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church, Sun City, AZ . . . . . Brant Baker ThM ’93, DMin ’00 has retired as pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Mesa, AR. He is now executive director of Scottsdale Charros/The Charro Foundation in Scottsdale, AR . . . . . Jane Dasher ’93 received a Master of Science degree from Buffalo State Graduate School in May 2015 . . . . . Jennie Thomas ’93 recently earned CPE supervisor status with ACPE and is spiritual care director and chaplain at Tulane Medical Center, New Orleans, LA . . . . . Peggy Hinds ’94, DMin ’12 is a certified coach with the International Coach Federation, both for individuals and congregations. She has just begun a two-year contract as interim executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches . . . . . Mary Katherine Robinson ’97 is pastor of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, Black Mountain, NC . . . . . Laura Cunningham ’98 is pastor of Western Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC . . . . . Todd Green ’98 is associate professor of religion with tenure at Luther College, Decorah, IA. He has a new book released in May called The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West (Fortress Press) . . . . . Jennifer McGee ’98 is working at Brevard Rescue Mission in Brevard County, FL. It is a Christian ministry working with homeless women and children to help them attain self-sufficiency and prevent future homelessness . . . . . James S. Welch, Jr. DMin ’98 recently published his first book, Life Unlimited: Overcoming Obstacles on Your Path to Abundant Life.

2000sJane Fahey ’01 is interim associate pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA . . . . David Kwon ’01 and his family have departed for Istanbul where he is called to the multi-ethnic international church. He says he hears that Istanbul is the New York City of the Islamic world . . . . . Michael Kirby ’03 is pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church, Evanston, IL . . . . . Rebekah Close LeMon ’03 was ordained at First Presbyterian Church, Atlanta on March 22, 2015, where she is executive pastor . . . . . Kally Elliott ’04 is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Oceanside, NY . . . . . Franklin Fant ’04 is director of foundation services and church relations at Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina . . . . . Davis Hankins ’05 is an assistant professor at Appalachian State University . . . . . Stuart Higginbotham ’05 has been invited to give the Jane Baird Lecture September 17, 2015, at the Cathedral of St. Phillip in Atlanta . . . . . Sue Riggle ’05 is pastor of New Hartford Presbyterian Church, New Hartford, NY. She received her Doctor of Ministry degree from



McCormick Theological Seminary May 9, 2015 . . . . . Brandon Brewer ’06 recently completed an extended Unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD, and is a lecturer, conference leader, presenter and panelist on topics concerning “end-of-life” care . . . . . Meg Flannagan ’06 married the Rev. Adam Fischer May 10, 2015 and is the pastor of Sweet Hollow Presbyterian Church in Melville, NY . . . . . Patrick Laney ’06 is the executive director of Maranatha Camp and Conference Center, Scottsboro, AL . . . . . Tom Bryson ’07 received his Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary May 9, 2015 . . . . . Claire Butler ’07 is the regional campaign manager for the West Virginia ANCHOR Partnership program for the American Heart Association . . . . . Sarah Walker Cleaveland ’07 was ordained February 15, 2015, at Third Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY. She is serving as the acting associate pastor and spiritual director of Winnetka Congregational Church, Winnetka, IL . . . . . Andy King ’08 and Melissa McNair-King ’10 are proud parents of a baby boy, Daniel McNair, born June 10, 2015 . . . . . Adam Copeland ’09 has been named director of Stewardship Leadership for Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He will begin his new position on July 1 . . . . . Richard Proctor ’09 is rector at Christ the King Episcopal Church in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.

2010sJenny Sumner Carswell ’10 was recently granted her certification as Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at Tampa General, Tampa, FL . . . . . Tim Dodenhoff ’10 is pastor of River Valley Presbyterian Church, Covington, KY . . . . . Pamela Gnagy ’10 is pastor of Marcellus First Presbyterian Church, Marcellus, NY . . . . . Cornelius J.E. Lloyd ’10 was ordained March 15, 2015 at Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, GA. He is minister to youth, young adults and college students . . . . . Matthew Ruffner ’10 is pastor of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX . . . . . Sara Dorrien ’11 and Will Christians ’11 were married June 27, 2015, in Kalamazoo, MI. Sara is serving Pine Island Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, and Will is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Decatur, MI . . . . . Christine Kaplunas ’11 is pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church, Waterloo, IA. She continues to serve Unity Presbyterian Church in Clarksville, IA, holding summer worship services on Wednesday evenings . . . . . Neill McKay ’11 is pastor at University Community Presbyterian Church, Fairbanks, AK . . . . . Nick Setzer ’11 and Mia Levatan ’13 are co-pastors at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Longview, TX . . . . . Laura “Arlo” Jones Tysinger ’11 is pastor of Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church, Sunland, CA . . . . . Nathaniel “J.R.” Dunlap ’12 received his Doctor of Ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary May 16, 2015. His dissertation was titled Possessions, Resources, and Finances (PRF); Helping Communities Understand the Relationship between Financial, Spiritual and Physical Needs. He was the first student in his cohort to graduate from the Theories and Practices of Conflict Transformation track . . . . . Joshua Graves DMin ’12 has written a book entitled How Not to Kill a Muslim: A Manifesto of Hope for Christianity and Islam in North America. He is minister at Otter Creek Church of Christ, Nashville, TN . . . . . Elizabeth Toland Smith ’12 left her position as associate pastor for youth and young adults at Second Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, VA, to follow her husband Bart’s call to pastor of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, Tucson, AZ. She will be looking for a new position in the area . . . . . Sarah McClelland ’13 married the Rev. Jonathan Brown November 15, 2014. Sarah recently completed Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Francis Hospital, Columbus, GA . . . . . Shavon Starling-Louis ’13 was featured on “Our New Day Begun”, a series of stories of young African-American leaders from across the


PC(USA) . . . . . Lucy Strong ’13 was ordained February 22, 2015 at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN. She is the UKirk Director at Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA, and in the North Decatur area . . . . . Kate Brearley Buckley ’14 and husband Stuart are proud parents of a baby boy, William Benton (Ben) born April 6, 2015, weighing 7 lbs. 5 oz . . . . Elinor Dale ’14 was ordained January 11, 2015, and is associate pastor of youth and family outreach at First Presbyterian Church, Muncie, IN . . . . . Tara Paul DMin ’14 is associate pastor at Birmingham United Methodist Church, Alpharetta, GA . . . . . Will Ratcliff ’14 and Bonnie Mellage ’15 were married June 20, 2015.

i N m E m o r i A m

Ewell C. Black, Jr. ’65 . . . . . . . . . March 14, 2015 William A. Crosland ’52 . . . . . . . . . April 19, 2015 Wade P. Huie, Jr. ’46 . . . . . . . . . . . May 30, 2015 William C. Hunt, Jr. ’70 . . . . . . . . . May 28, 2015 Jack E. Morris ’61 . . . . . . . . . November 11, 2014 Rupert H. Pickett, Jr. ’61. . . . . . . February 6, 2015 Jose Rivera ’68 . . . . . . . . . . . . October 22, 2014 Tim Simpson ’94/ThM ’95 . . . . . . . April 8, 2015 Carl D. Smith, Sr. ’61 . . . . . . . . . January 2, 2015 Eldon Wadsworth ’58 . . . . . . . December 11, 2014

The American Theological library

Association Serials (ATlAS)

research database is available to

Columbia alumni/ae. The database

provides online access to more than

150,000 articles and citations, and

to the full text of hundreds of peer-

reviewed journals.

Columbia’s library provides

funding for this valuable resource

for alumni/ae. it is a key tool for

lifelong research, study, and sermon preparation. For more information

— and a login iD and password — contact Erica Durham (404-687-4661

or [email protected]).


Kelly Campbell, Associate Dean for Information Services and Director of John Bulow Campbell Library, is the new President of the ATLA (American Theological Library Association).


t a u t a P a n t a | Faculty & Staff

teaCh-in on CaPital PUnishment and the ChUrChIn the wake of the scheduled lethal injection execution of Kelly Renee Gissendaner, the only woman on death row in the state of Georgia, a loud cry emerged from the faith community. Many of these efforts grew out of the deep love and concern for Kelly from seminary professors and current and former seminary students who have taught in the Certificate of Theological Studies Program at Arrendale State Prison. [Discussed in the Winter issue of Vantage magazine.] But the Gissendaner case has sparked national attention, and reveals the urgent need for conversation within our faith communities about capital punishment and the American criminal justice system more generally.

On Good Friday, some Columbia Theological Seminary faculty kicked off a series of teach-ins on these themes by theological schools in the Atlanta area. The multi-school event is titled, “Worshipping an Executed God: A Teach-in on Capital Punishment and the Church.” The event was held from 10:00 am to noon in the Broyles Leadership Center at Columbia Seminary.

The interactive teach-in was facilitated by Anna Carter Florence, Peter Marshall Associate Professor of Preaching, and featured remarks from some of Columbia Seminary’s excellent faculty:

• Beth Johnson, J. Davison Philips Professor of New Testament: The Bible and Capital Punishment

• Mark Douglas, Professor of Christian Ethics; Director of MDiv Program: Reformed Theology and Capital Punishment

• Stan Saunders, Associate Professor of New Testament: Contemporary Trends in Incarceration and Punishment in the U.S.

• Jake Myers, Assistant Professor of Homiletics: Church Engagements with Capital Punishment

With about 50 other participants listening, it was clear that all of the presenters were passionate and thoughtful about the issue. [You may find all the presentations on YouTube by searching “Worshipping an Executed God”.]

“Nationally, there has been a shift in public opinion. While more people are against capital punishment, proponents have retrenched and are fighting hard to protect what they see as a practice essential to security,” said Mark Douglas, one of the presenters and an organizer for the event. “This event was unusual in that we all laid out our own views quite clearly, but we hope that students and others will go back and think carefully about their own views on justice and capital punishment.”

Future teach-ins will be held by Candler School of Theology, the Interdenominational Theological Center, and McAfee School of Theology. To date, there has been no notice to reschedule the execution of Kelly Renee Gissendaner.

“This event was unusual

in that we all laid out

our own views quite

clearly, but we hope

that students and others

will go back and think

carefully about their

own views on justice and

capital punishment.”


t a u t a P a n t a | Faculty & Staff Hellos and Farewells

Betsy Lyles ’14

was named Director

for Admissions and

Recruitment.

Doug Taylor,

Vice President

for Institutional

Advancement, is moving

to Seattle, WA, to direct

advancement for World

Vision, USA, in the

Northwest.

David Musil has retired

as Food Service Director

after 16 years of service.

Bill and Peggy Scheu

were honored as Bill

finished his term as

Interim President.

They will return to their

home in Jacksonville, FL.

David McArthur (not

pictured) retired as

Superintendent for

Buildings & Grounds

after 12 years of

service.

Elizabeth Orth (left) retired as Administrative

Assistant for Institutional Advancement after 19 years

of service.

Pamela Cooper-White,

Ben G And Nancye

Clapp Gautier Professor

of Pastoral Theology, will

now be the Christiane

Brooks Johnson

Memorial Chair in

Psychology and Religion

at Union Theological

Seminary in New York.



John Azumah, Associate Professor of World Christianity and Islam; Director, International Programs, published “Challenging Radical Islam: Islam’s relation to terrorism and violence,” in First Things, Number 249 (Jan. 2015), pp. 33-38; or online at http://www.firstthings.com/article/2015/01/challenging-radical-islam. He also published “Boko Haram in Retrospect,” in the University of Birmingham, UK, journal Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Vol. 26, Issue 1 (2015), pp. 33-52. During January 1-18, John was the main speaker at CMS-Australia National Mission Conference where he gave a series of lectures on Islam and Christian Missions to over 3,000 people in five states in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Tasmania. On February 21, he preached at the installation service of Sonia Bodi as 2015 Moderator of the Chicago Presbytery of the PC(USA) and at two Sunday services of First Presbyterian Church, Evanston on February 22. On March 14, John was the guest preacher at the Mission Festival of the Liberty Bible Church in Chesterton, IN, where he preached at three Sunday services and spoke at a dinner hosted by the Church for 98 international (mainly Muslim) students and their families. On April 28, John gave a lecture on “Islam and the Christian” at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He attended a Christian-Muslim conference in Istanbul, Turkey, on “Creation: Our Shared Inheritance” from May 26-30. Coming up: In the summer, John will teach two courses on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute in Ghana.

Wednesday

OctOber 28, 2015

10:30 am

cOlumbiaPresbyterian

church

In au g u r at I o n

o f t h e 10 t h Pr e s I d e n t o f

Co lu m b I a th e o lo g I C a l

se m I n a ry

re v. dr. le a n n e va n dy k



Brennan Breed, Assistant Professor of Old Testament, delivered a lecture on April 8 at the University of Virginia’s colloquium for Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity, titled “Daniel’s Four Kingdoms: A History of Re-writing World History.” In May, his essay titled “What Can a Text Do?: Reception History as an Ethology of the Biblical Text” was published in the collected volume Reception History and Biblical Studies: Theory and Practice (ed. E. England and W. J. Lyons; London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015). Two short pieces will be published on SBL’s Bible Odyssey (bibleodyssey.com), titled “The Authorship of Job” and “What is Reception History?” Coming up: This summer, Brennan will teach a continuing education course on the book of Psalms and will deliver two public lectures at Hanshin Presbyterian Church in Seoul, Korea, June 22-July 7. He will speak at the Kairos Church men’s retreat during August 21–23. On September 20, Brennan will deliver a sermon and the Bill Jones Lecture at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, in Southern Pines, NC. The sermon is titled “Picturing the Empire and Preaching God’s Kingdom,” and the lecture is titled, “Tracing Daniel through the History of Art.” He will teach a short course on Amos and Micah at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Wednesday evenings on September 9, 16, 23, and 30.

William Brown, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, taught Sunday School at Northminster Presbyterian Church on the “other” creation traditions of the Bible on March 1. On March 15, Bill preached at Anna Fulmer’s installation at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Mobile, AL. On March 20–22, Bill lectured and preached at Southport Presbyterian Church in Southport, NC. Bill completed the manuscript of Sacred Sense: Discovering the Wonder of God’s Word and World, to be published by Eerdmans this summer. On April 11, Bill led an all-day session on the Old Testament for Christian Church Buckhead. On April 19, he presented on Earth Sunday at Episcopal Church of the Epiphany “Fifty Shades of Green.” On April 24–26, Bill presented at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Seattle on “God’s Word and God’s World: Questions Concerning Faith and Science,” and also preached. Bill’s book Wisdom’s Wonder (Eerdmans, 2014) was selected in Christian Century as one of the best Old Testament books of the year: http://www.christiancentury.org/reviews/2015-04/old-testament. On May 3, 10, and 17, Bill presented on “Landscapes of the Psalms: Creation, Lament, and Praise” at First Presbyterian Church, Atlanta. His latest book Sacred Sense: Discovering the Wonder of God’s Word and World was released this month by Eerdmans. Coming up: Bill will begin a nine-month sabbatical at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ (www.ctinquiry.org), from September through May, to be part of a 12-member research team involved in a NASA-funded program to study the “societal implications of astrobiology.” There, he will also be writing a new introduction to Hebrew Bible exegesis to be published by Westminster John Knox.

Pamela Cooper-White, Ben G. and Nancye Clapp Gautier Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care and Counseling, Co-Director of the ThD Program, will present a paper in March from her Fulbright research entitled “‘Dirty Old Gods’: Religion and Freud’s Wednesday Night Psychological Society from Habsburg Vienna to the Holocaust,” Psychology of Religion/Religion of Psychology Conference, sponsored by the Divinity School, the Martin Marty Center, the Wisdom Research Project, and the departments of Anthropology and Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Mar. 6, 2016. She responded to an online colloquium on her book The Cry of Tamar and the role of women in the church, sponsored by the Society for Relational Theory and Theology, Feb. 20-22, 2015. On June 2,

All too often Scripture is read only to find answers to life’s perplexing questions, to prove a theological point, or to formulate doctrine. But William Brown argues that if read properly, what the Bible does most fundamentally is arouse a sacred sense of life-transforming wonder. In this book Brown helps readers develop an orientation toward the biblical text that embraces wonder. He explores reading strategies and offers fresh readings of seventeen Old and New Testament passages, identifying what he finds most central and evocative in the unfolding biblical drama. The Bible invites its readers to linger in wide-eyed wonder!



Pamela will present “Recognizing the Other: Intersubjectivity and Justice” to the International Conference on Intercultural Spiritual Care and Counseling: Pastoral and Spiritual Care across Disciplines, Universität Bern, Switzerland. Coming up: On July 1, Pamela will join the faculty of Union Theological Seminary in New York City as the Christiane Brooks Johnson Professor of Psychology and Religion. She will also be a plenary speaker for Psychology and the Other Conference, Cambridge, MA during October 9-11.

Kathy Dawson, Associate Professor of Christian Education, Director of MAPT Program, continues to facilitate a blog for Christian Education resources at Hope4CE.net. There are currently over 560 in the Facebook group and other followers on the site itself. April 30–May 2, Kathy hosted and participated in the spring meeting of the Educator Certification Committee of the PC(USA) here at CTS. On May 3, Kathy did a workshop at Shallowford Presbyterian Church regarding the Spiritual Life of Children. On May 24, Kathy preached at Shavon Starling-Louis’ installation in Providence, RI. Coming up: During July 27–31, she will teach a Human Growth and Faith Development educator certification class at Montreat. On August 29, Kathy will be doing two workshops at the STEPS event for Charleston Atlantic Presbytery. September 12 will find her at Salem Presbytery keynoting a leadership event on “The Hopeful Church.” Kathy is also currently serving on the PC(USA) Task Force on Christian Educator Certification for the Office of General Assembly. This group will work throughout the summer to bring a recommendation to the Office of the General Assembly committee in the fall.

Mark Douglas, Professor of Christian Ethics, Director of MDiv Program, published the Spring 2015 edition of @thispoint. In March, Mark hosted visiting Hungarian scholar Andras Nagy. He served as MC for Georgia Interfaith Power and Light’s annual “GIPPY Awards.” Mark presented a paper on rethinking the Just War tradition to a group of scholars at Yale Divinity School. On Good Friday, April 3, Mark and others participated in a “teach-in”entitled, “Worshipping an Executed God: A Teach-in on Capital Punishment and the Church.” Anna Carter Florence, Beth Johnson, Mark Douglas, Stan Saunders, and Jake Myers also participated. He brought the “Minute for Mission” to Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta as part of their “Earth Sunday” worship service on April 26. In May, Mark represented Columbia Seminary as a delegate to the BEINGS Conference on human biotechnologies held in Atlanta and sponsored by Emory’s Center for Ethics.

Sarah Erickson, Director of Lifelong Learning, finished teaching the Horizons Bible study for 2014-15, Reconciling Paul: A Contemporary Study of 2 Corinthians, in March, and taught a three week series, Being Presbyterian, in April at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. At the Center for Lifelong Learning, she served as facilitator and panelist in April during Spiritual Pioneers: The Call, Risks and Blessings of Church Development (2015 Thompson Scholars program). She also shepherded the two inaugural Older Adult Ministry Certificate classes, The Process of Aging and Implications for Ministry and Teaching for Transformation with Older Adults. Sarah, alumnae of Allegheny College, helped raise a record 1,600 gifts totaling $250,000 (matched by $345,000) during #GatorGiveDay April 23. Between May and July she will preach four Sundays at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Macon, GA. She was



recently appointed adjunct faculty at the seminary and will co-teach a class with colleague Debra Weir, associate director of spirituality and lifelong learning and another new adjunct faculty member, in the fall semester.

Anna Carter Florence, Peter Marshall Associate Professor of Preaching, preached at Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Denver, and Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas. She also preached at the Children’s Defense Fund Proctor Institute at Haley Farm in Clinton, TN, and at the Chautauqua Institute in upstate New York. Anna lectured at the Church Growth Conference in Lincoln, NE. She lectured and taught at the Festival of Homiletics in Denver. Anna lectured and taught at the Danish Festival of Homiletics in Copenhagen. She taught a course at Columbia’s Center for Lifeong Learning, and lectured at the Marten Program in Homiletics at Notre Dame.

Israel Galindo, Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning, continues to post new articles for Columbia Connections every Monday which recently include: “World’s Greatest Christian Educators: John Wesley,” “Shifting to a Formation Approach in Christian Education,” “Five Elements for Effective Instruction,” “Common Sense in Pastoral Leadership,” and “Basic Rules for Planning Congregational Education Programs.” In March, he guest lectured at the McAfee School of Theology, Atlanta on “The Hidden Lives of Congregations.” Israel shared “The Seven Concepts that Inform My Teaching at Mid-Career” at the ATS Roundtable Seminar for Mid-Career Faculty. He wrote “The Dean and Program Risk Assessment,” in the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning blog for Theological School Deans. He presented at the Leadership in Ministry Workshops, Center for Lifelong Learning and was a consultation participant at the “Theological Education Between the Times,” a Lilly funded project at Emory/Candler School of Theology. Israel participated in the Wabash Center Advisory Committee meeting. He consulted with the administration of Fresno Theological Seminary, Fresno CA. In April, he will post “Back to Basics: Leadership Rules 101,” in The Digital Flipchart. Israel will consult with the faculty of Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa OK. He participated in a webinar for the Pastoral Excellence Network, “Essential ingredients for pastoral leadership.” In May, he consulted with faculty of Lutheran School of Theology on integrating theology and science in the MDiv Curriculum, Chicago, IL. Israel gave a presentation on leadership in organizations at the for Vermont Center for Family Studies, Burlington, VT. He consulted with Faculty from the Lutheran School of Theology on integrating theology and science in the MDiv Curriculum in Chicago, IL. Israel wrote “Physics for Deans: 11 Inviolable laws that just make it harder” for the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning blog for Theological School Deans. He posted “Best Writing Advice” in Journeying Together. Israel wrote a book review of “Changing Minds and Brains--The Legacy of Reuven Feuerstein: Higher Thinking and Cognition Through Mediated Learning” in the Reflective Teaching online journal for the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. He attended the Teaching Professor Conference in Atlanta. In June, Israel published “The Dean and the Age of Change” in the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning blog for Theological School Deans. Israel posted “Basic Rules for Planning Congregational Education Programs,” “Thinking and Teaching,” “What Church Educators Can Learn from Infomercials,” “Releasing the Laity,” “Children lie. Get over it,” “For the Bookshelf: Religion in the New Millennium,” and “On Missing the Obvious” for

The nine skills reviewed in this research-based book are demonstrated to be the most essential of the instructional acts used in teaching that influence learning positively. The nine skills span the arc from the beginning to end of the instructional experience. Other important instructional skills will be introduced along the way. If you master these nine instructional skills, and if you practice them in the way that enhances learning rather than inhibits learning, you will be on your way to being an effective teacher who can deliver powerful and meaningful learning to your students.



Columbia Connections. He wrote “Paradoxes of the Dean’s Leadership: What’s a dean to do?” in the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning blog for Theological School Deans. Israel published “Comments you should not make around church members,” in The Digital Flipchart. He posted “Triangles in the Emotional Field,” in Perspectives on Congregational Leadership blog. Israel was guest lecturer in the course, I530 Crossroads: Shaping Imaginative and Resilient Communities for the Twenty-first Century. Coming up: In July, Israel will teach “A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership” as a DMin seminar for Columbia Seminary. In August, he will consult with Faculty at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. In September, Israel will present on leadership in organizations at the Vermont Center for Family Studies, Burlington, VT. In the fall, he will publish Mastering the Art of Instruction: The Nine Essential Instructional Skills Every Teacher Needs to Master.

Bill Harkins, Senior Lecturer of Pastoral Theology and Care, Co-Director of ThD Program, presented on practical applications of Family Systems Theory for CPE residents at the Training and Counseling Center of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta. In May, Bill attended the Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy conference at Jekyll Island, where he presented a supervisory case to fellow AAMFT Approved Supervisors. During May 12-19, he served as Psychological Health Faculty for Episcopal CREDO for Recently Ordained Clergy at Trinity Episcopal Conference Center on the Outer Banks at Salter Path, North Carolina. In May, he officiated and preached at a wedding at St. Peter’s, Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida. Bill’s 2-part essay “Get Out!” was published on the Columbia Connections blog in May. Bill attended the Pastoral Advisory Board gathering for the Training and Counseling Center at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in early June, where he has served on the Board for 12 years. Coming up: He will conduct a workshop for CPE residents at Gwinnett Medical Center in July on Family Systems Theory. Bill now enters his tenth year of service as Priest Associate at the Cathedral of St. Philip, where he regularly preaches, teaches, and officiates. In August, Bill will co-lead a Men’s retreat for Vanderbilt Divinity School alumni at the Pingree Park campus of Colorado State University, “Finding the Sacred in Creation.” Bill has been invited to present a clinical-theological workshop at the Southeast Region of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors’ conference at Kanuga Episcopal Conference Center, Hendersonville, North Carolina, at their October meeting. He will serve as Psychological Health faculty for CREDO for Recently Ordained Clergy, October 6-12, at Chapel Rock Conference Center in Prescott, Arizona.

Tim Hartman, Assistant Professor of Theology, published “The Depth and Breadth of Emergence Christianity: A Theological and International Perspective” in Currents in Theology and Mission 42:2 (April 2015): 97-104. At the end of June, he participated in “Teaching Theology and Religion in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges, Prospects, and the PhD,” a symposium sponsored by the Wabash Center for teaching and learning in Theology and Religion, at the University of Virginia.

Griselda Lartey, Serials and Interlibrary Loan Assistant, participated in the “Artful Stories: Creation Stories from African Cosmos Stellar Arts.” This was part of Emory University’s “Creation Stories Project” at the Carlos Museum. For more information, see http://www.carlos.emory.edu/content/cosmos.



Kimberly Bracken Long, Associate Professor of Worship, co-presided at the holy union service of Lucy Strong and Sarah Helwig at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, on April 18; and co-presided at the wedding of Stephen Fearing and Tricia Garrett at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, on April 25. On May 8, she served as leader of a consultation on the Book of Common Worship at Columbia Seminary.

Martha Moore-Keish, Associate Professor of Theology, led a congregational retreat for First Presbyterian Church Sumter, SC on March 6-8, and on Palm Sunday, taught at Northwest Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. On April 19, Martha preached at the mission conference for Waverly Presbyterian Church in Kingsport, TN. On April 23, she taught at Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, on encountering God in the sacraments. Martha recently published “Interreligious ritual participation: Insights from inter-Christian ritual participation.” In Ritual Participation and Interreligious Dialogue: Boundaries, Transgressions, and Innovations, edited by Marianne Moyaert and Joris Geldhof. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. She also wrote “Common Waters: Global water crises and Christian baptism” for @this Point, Spring 2015. Coming up: In July, she will be leading workshops at the ELCA Worship Jubilee in Atlanta and the PC(USA) Big Tent event in Knoxville, as well as speaking at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Tallahassee, Florida.

Cam Murchison, Professor Emeritus of Ministry, taught a class with Dr. Carolyn Crowder at First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC on Sundays, April 12 through May 3. Titled “Ask the Animals,” it takes a fresh look at the way Scripture invites us to rethink our relationship to other species, reminding us that we are “creatures of the same God.” He preached at First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC, on Sunday, April 19 for a service focusing on our stewardship of God’s gift of creation. Cam began serving as Transitional Pastoral Associate at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville on June 15, 2015 during the period it is without a Pastor/Head of Staff. Coming up: Cam will begin a three-year term as Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina on August 1, 2015.

Michael Morgan, Seminary Musician, led a program in March on hymnody at Christian City Retirement Center in Union City. In April, he is teaching two Wednesday evening sessions on Congregational Song at Fayette Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, GA, and presenting a lecture and an exhibit of Bibles and Prayer Books entitled “The Beauty of Holiness: Word and Worship in the English Church” at St. James’ Cathedral in Chicago.

Raj Nadella, Assistant Professor of New Testament, Director of the MA(TS) program, was in New York in mid-May to work with a PC(USA) study team on human trafficking. The study team is tasked with drafting a policy paper on the matter that would be submitted to the next General Assembly in 2016. Raj will write the biblical/theological framework for the policy paper that will highlight the link between trafficking and neoliberal global economy. Coming up: Raj will publish an essay this July in the Huffington Post’s On Scripture series. His article on the concept of hybridity in Matthew’s Gospel and its significance for interfaith relations in a multi-faith context will appear in a collection of essays to be published by the WCC this summer. On August 23, Raj will preach at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church.



Rodger Nishioka, Benton Family Associate Professor of Christian Education, will lecture and preach at the Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. He will be keynote speaker at the Northeast Region conference of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators in Rochester, NY. Rodger will preach at the Mid-South Presbytery meeting in Memphis, TN, and at the Idlewild Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN.

Kevin Park, Associate Dean for Advanced Professional Studies and Assistant Professor of Theology, published Living Together, a second of third volume Christian curriculum series for Korean North American Christian youth with co-editors Dr. Hak Joon Lee and Dr. Kil Jae Park. He preached an Easter sermon at the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in English and Korean. He will lead two seminars for Korean pastors at the Hanshin Presbyterian Church in Bundang, South Korea, during his June 21-30 visit there. Coming Up: He will be a retreat speaker for the Auburn-Opelika Korean Church on July 26-27. Kevin will lead a workshop “Presbyterians: Our Beliefs” for the PC(USA) Big Tent event in Knoxville, TN on July 31. Charlie Raynal, Professor Emeritus of Theology, is working with Nancy Snell Griffith, former archivist of Presbyterian College, on the history of the former Synod of South Carolina of the PCUS. The book is nearly complete and has been accepted for publication by Wipf and Stock Publishers to be out by year’s end.

Marcia Riggs, J. Erskine Love Professor of Christian Ethics, led a three-part series at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta on Religiously Motivated Violence on March 1, 8, and 15. She led a dialogue, “What’s Race Got to Do With It? What’s Religion Got to Do with It?” with PC(USA) campus ministry at Clemson University in April. Marcia was a speaker at the annual Women at the Cross Service at the Interdenominational Theological Center in April. She chaired the DMin Project and Dissertation Defense of Nathaniel (JR) Dunlap, MA(TS) ’12 a student in the Conflict Transformation Track of the DMin Program of New York Theological Seminary, a program of study in collaboration with Still Waters: A Center for Ethical Formation and Practices, Inc. (an educational nonprofit founded by Professor Marcia Y. Riggs). Marcia published a teaching tactic entitled “Engaging Historical Pain: An Ethical Imperative for Doing Ministry in the 21st Century” in ARTS magazine, the Journal of the Society for the Arts and Religion and Theological Studies. She attended the Society for the Study of Black Religion meeting in Savannah, GA. In early June, she completed the Healing Communities Training Program lead by Rev. Dr. Dean Trulear, Howard University Divinity School; this program is about the reentry of persons who have been incarcerated and nurturing congregations to be healing communities for persons who have committed crimes as well as persons who are survivors of crime and their families. This training was sponsored by the Atlanta Theological Schools Prison Programs, of which CTS is a member. Also, later in June, Marcia has been invited to preach for the ordination service of Jeromey Howard ’15 at United Christian Presbyterian Church of Richmond, MO.

Dominique A. Robinson, Staff Associate for Contextual Education, closed out the Women’s Week Celebration in March at Faith AME Zion Church (Atlanta, GA). She also traveled to Guyana, South America to attend the Guyana-Suriname Centennial Annual Conference and to complete mission work. In April, Dominique preached for the Teen



Chapel at Zion Hill Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA). She shared a public presentation on her Doctorate of Ministry research which focuses on determining the socio-cultural identities of Black Millennials and how their identities may or may not impact how they experience and hear the preached Gospel in their contexts. Additionally, she has published two blogs on Columbia Connections in relation to her research. In May, Dominique preached at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church (New Haven, CT) for Mother’s Day, attended the AME Zion New Jersey Annual Conference (Newark, NJ), and preached at Greater Traveler’s Rest – House of Hope (Macon, GA), New Life Presbyterian Church (College Park, GA), and at Cooper Zion AME Zion Church (Oakland, CA). Coming up: This summer, Dominique will travel to Jacmel, Haiti for a missions trip with the Ray of Hope Christian Church Missions Team, preach at New Life Presbyterian Church (College Park, GA) and St. John A.M.E. Church (Huntsville, AL), and at St. Stephen A.M.E. Zion Church (Asbury Park, NJ).

Michael Thompson, Director of Communications, will preach at First Presbyterian Church of Covington, GA, on July 26.

Jeffery L. Tribble, Sr., Associate Professor of Ministry, launched a new blog, “Tribble for Transformation,” on Ash Wednesday. In addition to his new practice of regular blogging around the theme of Christ-centered transformation, guest bloggers of diverse ages, gender, and theological perspectives are invited contributors. In his ministry as Presiding Elder of the Atlanta District of the Georgia Conference, he presided over quarterly conferences at Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Smyrna, GA, New Life A.M.E. Zion Church in College Park, GA, Faith A.M.E. Zion Church in Atlanta, Wood-Station-Napier Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in Ringold, GA, Pond Springs and Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Churches in Lyerly, GA, Hemphill A.M.E. Zion Church in Summerville, GA, St. James A.M.E. Zion Church in Rome, GA, and Hope A.M.E. Zion Church in Hapeville, GA. In his role as Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees of Clinton College in Rock Hill, SC, he attended the Board Meeting and Clinton College Founder’s Day Celebration. He was morning preacher for the Palm Sunday Celebration service at New Life A.M.E. Zion Church in College Park, GA and preacher for the Atlanta District Unity Service Celebration at St. James A.M.E. Zion Church. On April 10, there will be a celebration banquet honoring Jeffery Tribble’s 30 years in Christian Ministry at the Harriet Darnell Center in Atlanta. On April 17, he will preside over the marriage of Mr. Terrance Skinner, Jr., and Rev. Rebecca M. Neville at Unity A.M.E. Zion Church in Merrillville, IN. Assisted by Rev. David I. Neville, Jr., DMin, Rev. Jin S. Kim, DMin ’05, and Rev. Sara Hayden ’08, Jeffery will lead the Lifelong Learning Center’s Thompson Scholars seminar, “The Call, Risks, and Blessings of Church Development” on April 21-24. On April 29, he will preach the 35th anniversary in ministry celebration of Rev. Clifford Rounsaville at the Hemphill/Summerville Convention Center. He will teach a hybrid course, “Transformative Pastoral Leadership” during the first summer session for Doctor of Ministry students. Coming up: Summer conferences that he will attend will include the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District Training Institute in Greenville, NC; the Bishop Arthur Marshall Faith and Order Institute of the South Atlanta Episcopal



District in Rock Hill, SC; the Midwest Episcopal District Training Institute in Knoxville, Tennessee; the Connectional Council, Presiding Elder’s Council, and Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society Quadrennial Meeting in Orlando, FL. He will be a preacher and presider for the Atlanta District Conference and Christian Education Convention August 7-8 at New Life A.M.E. Zion Church in College Park, GA.

Haruko Nawata Ward, Associate Professor of Church History, spoke on March 12 as a roundtable panelist on “Transformative Journeys with PANAAWTM: 30 Years and Beyond” for the annual conference of the Pacific Asian North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry at Garret-Evangelical Theological School, Evanston, IL. She was glad to see several Columbia Seminary graduates and affiliates who participated in the conference. Haruko serves as a PANAAWTM board member, and this year was elected as a steering committee member through 2019. On April 9, she gave a public lecture, entitled “Naito Julia and the Miyaco no bicuni; once a Jodo nun, now a Jesuit catechist,” at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Coming up: Haruko will be a respondent to a panel, “Transformation in Practices and Discourses on Japanese Martyrs in Europe, Japan and Mexico,” organized by Carla Tronu, at the 21st World Congress of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) meeting, August 23-29, 2015 in Erfurt, Germany. Haruko published “Japan and Europe: The Christian Century, 1549–1600,” Oxford Bibliographies in Renaissance and Reformation, ed. Margaret King (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014). Her article, “The Christian ‘Nuns’ of Early Modern Japan,” originally published in Portuguese Studies Review 13, no. 1-2 (2005): Special Issue on Women in the Lusophone World in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period, was recently republished in volume 1 of the 4 volumes Critical Readings in Christianity In Japan, edited by Mark R. Mullins (Leiden: Brill Publishing, 2015).

William Yoo, Assistant Professor of American Religious and Cultural History, presented a paper on teaching pluralism and Protestantism in American religious history at the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion in Nashville, TN on March 7. He preached at First Presbyterian Church in Cartersville on March 29. William taught Sunday School classes on the histories of immigration, foreign mission, and American religion at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta on April 12 and April 19. William preached at Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Chamblee on June 7. He published a book review of Teaching for a Culturally Diverse and Racially Just World, edited by Eleazar S. Fernandez (Cascade Books, 2014) in Christian Education Journal (Spring 2015). William conducted archival research at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, PA from June 22 to 25 for his book project with Westminster John Knox Press, The Presbyterian Experience in the United States: A Sourcebook. Coming up: William will be participating in the Wabash Center’s Teaching and Learning Workshop for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty from July 20 to 25 in Crawfordsville, IN.

ju s t i c e c a n b e d e F i n e d a s t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o r a d m i n i s t r at i o n o F w h at i s j u s t, e s P e c i a l ly b y t h e i m Pa rt i a l a d j u s t m e n t o F c o n F l i c t i n g c l a i m s o r t h e a s s i g n m e n t o F m e r i t e d r e wa r d s o r P u n i s h m e n t s. As an ideal, justice is embraced by all (though on occasion, most of us would prefer mercy over justice for our transgressions). As a matter of practice, especially in the midst of conflict, justice often is as much a victim as the parties involved in conflictual relationships.

One tragic truth related to church conflict is that, in the midst of it, justice is rarely a value that frames the conversation. While church conflict remains one of the most talked-about and discussed issues, the related matter of clergy forced termination remains one of the least talked about realities, from denominational to local church levels. Even individual clergy who have experienced forced terminations are loath to talk about it.

The statistics about clergy termination, however, speak volumes. More than one out of four pastors report they have been forced out of a church due to conflict in the church. This conflict often takes the form of personal attacks and criticism, and often from a small faction within the congregation. A Duke University study reported that nine percent of churches had a conflict in the past two years that resulted in a clergy forced termination.

The disparity in data of clergy reports of forced termination, and those of their denominations is telling. For example, among Presbyterian/Reformed clergy, almost 35% report having experienced a forced termination, while the denomination reports less than 15% of churches stating so in a two year period. The statistics are similar for other mainline denominations, and some denominations have no data to report.

Additionally, 76% of pastors surveyed report having been terminated at least once, with 20% reporting having experience forced termination at least twice.

Churches and denominations that fail to deal forthrightly with the issue of conflict and forced termination fail in their call to practice justice. The bleak statistics point to a failure of cultivating a culture of justice in our churches and denominations. This, in turn, leads to failures in reconciliation, capacity for grace and forgiveness, treatment of both churches and clergy, and a failed witness to the world.

The Center for Lifelong Learning will offer “Reading the Signs of Church Conflict,” on September 15, 2015. This half-day conference will introduce participants, clergy and other leaders, to the ways conflicts reach the points irreconcilable differences between those involved, whether clergy and congregation, or between members of the church.

This event will be led by the staff of Ministering to Ministers. Since 1994 they have worked with over 38 denominations on the issues of church conflict and clergy forced termination. Contact [email protected], or visit our website at ctsnet.edu/lifelong-courses-and-events to register.

Sources: National Congregations Study, Duke University; Tanner, et al. Forced Termination of American Clergy: Its Effects and Connection to Negative Well-being. Review of Religious Research (2012).



ConFliCt, Clergy ForCed termination, and JUstiCe

The statistics about

clergy termination,

however, speak volumes.

More than one out of

four pastors report they

have been forced out of

a church due to conflict

in the church. This

conflict often takes the

form of personal attacks

and criticism, and often

from a small faction

within the congregation.



upcoming Classes offered by the Center for lifelong learningEach year, people from across the country and from diverse religious disciplines gather to take courses or attend events offered by Columbia’s Center for Lifelong Learning. Both pastors and lay persons are drawn to the center’s calendar of vibrant learning and cohort opportunities specifically created to build and enhance skills in church leadership, Christian education and formation, spiritual formation and spiritual direction.

The Center for Lifelong Learning’s courses are taught by top-notch seminary faculty as well as instructors who are nationally recognized as experts in their fields. These continuing education courses and events, including several online, serve as opportunities to learn with and from others throughout a lifetime of ministry and service. We invite you to explore, discover, and grow as faithful disciples engaged in God’s transforming work.

For more information, updated class info, and registration links please visit www.ctsnet.edu/lifelong-courses-and-events.

September 3–5Come to the Waters (pW horizons bible Study Weekday Class)with Judy Record Fletcher, author of the 2015 study guide

This is the popular “author’s course” designed to prepare leaders of the Horizons Bible Study for the coming year. Come to the Waters promises leaders of Presbyterian Women Circles and church school study groups alike nine lessons exploring key references to water in our Scriptures. The rich imagery of water throughout the Bible helps us understand and articulate our faith. September 10–12Colloquy for mid-Career Clergy: Session ipastoral Excellence programwith Betty Pugh Mills and Jonathan Ball

This new, application-based program is designed for mid-career clergy (ten to twenty years into full-time ministry). Applicants should desire to participate in a professional formative conversation, to reflect on their vocational experience, and assess their ability to meet the leadership demands/needs of their organization. Attention will be given to addressing common experiences and issues of mid-career clergy: facing either a normative or unanticipated career transition; standing at a vocational crossroads of some sort; engaging in reflective self-assessment; and finding support among peers.

September 14–15Come to the Waters (horizons bible Study Weekend Class)with Linda Morningstar

This is the popular weekend version of the class designed to prepare leaders of the Horizons Bible Study for the coming year. Come to the Waters promises leaders of Presbyterian Women Circles and church school study groups alike nine lessons exploring key references to water in our Scriptures. The rich imagery of water throughout the Bible helps us understand and articulate our faith. Just as water nourishes our bodies, so the scriptures on water nourish our souls. http://app.certain.com/profile/form/index.cfm?pKformiD=0x2038188a3c5

July 30–August 1blessed at the broken places: reclaiming Faith and purpose with the beatitudesCertificate in Spiritual Formation with Marshall Jenkins

This course is designed for clergy, Stephen Ministers, pastoral caregivers and other people interested in biblical spirituality as a resource for ministering to people in the midst of emotional pain. The beatitudes invite people of faith to find blessing and offer a clear lens for a more hopeful and loving life with God and each other.

For more classes, visit www. ctsnet.edu/lifelong-courses-and-events



September 1–30 | AN oNliNE CourSEusing Dialogical learning in bible Study: moving from the Sage on the Stage to the Guide on the Sidewith Steven Booth and Israel Galindo

This program is for congregational teachers, clergy, or Bible teachers in other contexts. This online study will guide the participant through the process of learning about and developing the dialogical learning method based on the book by Israel Galindo, Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning, How To Be The Best Christian Study Group Leader (Judson). The dialogical method will help teachers change their approach to teaching from teacher-centered to student-focused.

September 4–5Writing for publication with a Spiritual Voicewith Beth Waltemath

This is a one-day seminar designed for anyone who wants to understand and contribute to the conversations about spirituality and religious topics that are happening in print and on new media. An optional writing workshop is offered the following morning. This seminar and workshop is intended to gather a community of pastors, theologians, and lay people who are drawn to writing as a part of their vocation and aspire to be more widely published or intentional about their published voice.

September 13–19 Compass points Camp and Conference Certification Courses

Articulating our mission, role, and Value This class will focus on the importance of a camp and retreat

center’s mission. Course content will include the development, implementation, and articulation of a mission statement. This course will be taught by Randy Youngquist-Thurow of Agape/Kure Beach Ministries (Fuquay-Varina, NC) and Cat Holbert of Lazy W Ranch (San Juan Capistrano, CA).

personnel and leadershipThe focus of this class is Christian leadership, which is key to

effective camp and conference ministry. Participants will explore staffing models that achieve both programmatic and mission goals. An introduction into human resource issues and staff development will be covered. This course will be taught by Gary Batty of Run River Enterprises and Bill Bourdon of Blowing Rock Conference Center (Blowing Rock, NC).

Location: Life Enrichment Center, the United Methodist center in Fruitland Park, FL.

September 14–october 9 | AN oNliNE CourSE life is a Sacred Story: honoring the past, Embracing the Future with Sacred JournalingCertificate in Spiritual Formation with Carl McColman and Israel Galindo

Writing and spirituality have gone hand-in-hand from Biblical times to the present day. Keeping a journal can be an integral part of a daily prayer practice; it can also be a tool for discernment and for seeking God’s will in our lives. This course will explore journaling from a variety of perspectives including writing memoir, using writing as a form of prayer, writing for healing and discernment, and writing to share with others.



october 15learning to read the Signs of Church Conflict before it reaches the point of No return pastoral Excellence programwith Charles Chandler and Beverley Buston

Conflict is a natural part of life in general, and congregational ministry in particular. Every congregational leader, pastor or lay, can expect some level of conflict. However, when conflict gets to the point of no return, much harm is done, some, irreparable and tragic. This one day seminar is led by experts on church conflict from the Ministering to Ministers Foundation. They will help participants learn to read the signs of church conflict before it reaches the point of no return. See page 39.

october 18–20Common Ground, holy GroundSpirituality program 20th Anniversary Celebration with keynote speaker Rodger Nishioka

See page 23.

october 3–30 | AN oNliNE CourSE Contemporary readings in Christian Education: Children’s Spirituality, Faith, and Nurturewith Israel Galindo

This course is part of the online “Contemporary Readings Series” for persons interested in developing their understanding of contemporary issues in Christian Education. Through selected readings in the literature, studies, and writings of contemporary writers and researchers in the field of Christian Education, participants will review current topics and trends that impact and inform ministry practice. This year’s focus is on children, faith formation, and children’s ministries.

october 8–11immersion Experience: An invitation to a Deeper Spiritual lifeCertificate in Spiritual Formation

Discover the key ideas and foundational practices for the grand adventure of life in the Spirit! During this course, you will explore the origins of the Christian spiritual tradition, while learning the formative elements of Biblical, monastic, and Christian spirituality from the Reformation onward. The schedule includes time for personal reflection through guided journaling — an exercise for exploring your own unique journey with the living God

october 22–25landscapes of renewalCertificate in Spiritual Formation with Bill BrownLocation: Montreat Conference Center

Scholars have only recently appreciated how the natural landscape of ancient Palestine helped to shape the language of Scripture. Through guided study, open discussion, and meditative practice, we will as pilgrims explore these ancient landscapes with an eye toward discerning the underlying values and hopes that shaped them for what they are. We will learn how to “see” the biblical text, to encounter the text visually, and in so doing begin to shape our own landscapes of renewal and hope for today.

october 27–28Growing into Tomorrow…Today pCuSA board of pensions retirement planning Seminar

Planning for retirement can be challenging. This free two-day seminary is for members of the PCUSA Board of Pensions and guests planning to retire within the next fifteen years. Look beyond finances to inform, educate, and inspire a journey toward wholeness in retirement. The seminar will be led by a Board of Pensions Education Specialist and retirement planning consultants. For questions, please contact Board University at [email protected] or 800-773-7752, extension 7223.

November 2–4 Change, organization and Generosity (CoG) in Smaller Congregations (Congregational Consulting Group Small Churches Seminar 2015) with Sarai Rice, John Wimberly and Dan Hotchkiss

In the current landscape of American Christianity, smaller-sized congregations are the norm, not the exception. They face the same sorts of blessings and challenges as larger communities of faith, but with fewer resources — human, financial, and material. This series of three one-day seminars is designed for congregational leaders who welcome 150 or fewer in worship. And by fewer, we know this often means attendance closer to 15 or 20, or 50 or 75, more on a holiday, for a memorial service or wedding. Participants may register for one, two or all three days. Registration discounts are available for early registration and for the three-day bundle.


c a n d l e l i g h t s

The more laws, the less justice.— Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman political theorist

Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.

— Frederick Douglass, author and abolitionist

Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.

— Lyndon B. Johnson, president of the United States

Every act, every deed of justice and mercy and benevolence, makes heavenly music in Heaven.— Ellen G. White, co-founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church

Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.— Charles Dickens, author

Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.

— Reinhold Niebuhr, theologian

Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public. — Cornel West, philosopher

The cry of the poor is not always just, but if you don’t listen to it, you will never know what justice is.

— Howard Zinn, historian and social activist

A unjust law, is no law at all. — Martin Luther, theologian

Talk to us about reconciliation Only if you first experience the anger of our dying Talk to us of reconciliation If your living is not the cause of our dyingTalk to us about reconciliation Only if your words are not the product of your devious scheme to silence our struggle for freedom Talk to us about reconciliationonly if your intention is not to enrich yourself more on your throne Talk to us about reconciliation only if you cease to appropriate all the symbols and meanings of our struggle.

— J. Cabazares, Filipino poet

VANTAGE Spring2015

P.O. Box 520

Decatur, GA 30031

404-378-8821www.ctsnet.edu

C o n t e n t sBest of the Blog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Vantage Point: President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Hyper-Focus: The Center for Academic Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Reasonable Service (News) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Rev. Dr. Leanne Van Dyk Named New President . . . . . . . . 10Transforming Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Transformation at “The Center” of Baltimore . . . . . . . . . . 13 An Uncomfortable Visit with El Refugio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Living Faithfully at the Intersections of Injustice . . . . . . . . 182015 Graduates: Outstanding Scholarship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Tauta Panta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Alumni/ae News and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Faculty/Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Lifelong Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 39, 41Candlelights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Look inside for our “Candlelights” section! Each issue, we will highlight inspirational quotes and artwork reflective of our theme. Our next issue will be Sustainable Development. Feel free to submit your own ideas to [email protected].

CTSeminaryF o l l o w U s

NonProfit OrganizationU. S. Postage PAIDPermit No. 40Decatur, GA

“The New Creation” by Lauren Wright Pittman ’16

inspired by Romans 8:22: “We know that the whole

creation has been groaning in labor pains until now.”

Vantage Spring 2015

Documents

Transcript of Vantage Spring 2015