Episcopal Divinity School Explores Faith and Contemporary Issues; General Theological Seminary Breaks Ground on Desmond Tutu Education Center
Episcopal News Service. August 9, 2005 [080905-4-A]
Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) has planned a fall lineup of lectures and events that explore contemporary issues, from empire building to the Millennium Development Goals.
Author and theologian John Dominic Crossan returns to EDS on September 26 at 10:00 a.m., along with biblical archeologist Jonathan L. Reed, to talk about his new book, "In Search of Paul: How Jesus' Apostle Opposed Rome's Empire with God's Kingdom." Using new historical analysis and archeological discoveries, Crossan and Reed examine vital questions about Paul and the first Christians.
Clergy and lay people are invited to attend the lecture which will be followed by an off-campus luncheon and talk by Crossan on stewardship titled, "Paul and Generosity, Paul and Giving, Paul and Wealth."
Tickets to the lecture are $20 for the first two individuals per parish (one clergy member and guest), and $5 for each additional person, while the lunch and talk are an additional $20 per person. Advance tickets are required as seating is limited; please contact Bill Louie at 617.682.1571 or wlouie@eds.edu.
The Ministry-in-Praxis Seminars return with six seminars scheduled during the 2005-2006 academic year. Using the principles of restorative justice and conflict resolution, the seminars prepare clergy and lay leaders to address conflict in their congregations, with an emphasis on contemporary church crises. The Reverend Canon Ed Rodman, professor of pastoral theology and urban ministry, will lead the seminars, which are scheduled for September 30, October 28, December 2, February 3, March 3, and April 7 (Fridays) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Registrants may attend one or more seminars. For more information or to register, contact Penny Kohn at pkohn@eds.edu or 617.682.1525.
There is also an opportunity to explore creative and multicultural forms of worship and music on October 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Liberating Liturgy: A workshop with Theophilus Appavoo at St. John's Memorial Chapel on the EDS campus. Appavoo, professor of communications, and director of the Communication Centre at The Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in Madurai, India is one of the most prominent figures of Dalit liberation theology, which is the theology of those oppressed by caste, class, and gender, in South India. Through his experience working among villagers in rural theology classes and teaching in India and the Philippines, Appavoo has developed a keen ability to engage lay and clergy members in empowering theological reflection and is able to turn this reflection into creative expression by the workshop members. The media of expression he uses include music, drama, and puppetry. He is able to transcend differences of language, musical style, and culture to get at the heart of liturgical meaning for a particular audience.
Tickets are $15.00 and $10.00 for students. Pre-registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, contact Penny Kohn at pkohn@eds.edu or 617.682.1525 or toll free 866.4EDS.NOW, ext. 525.
Thanks to support from the Bread for the World Institute, EDS and the Boston Theological Institute (BTI) will host a series of public lectures, accompanied by a discussion based course, on "Faith and the Millennium Development Goals" (MDGs) on Thursdays in the fall. The eight week public lecture series begins on October 6 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.; the class begins September 22, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
For more information, including a list of speakers, and topics contact Penny Kohn at pkohn@eds.edu or 617.682.1525 or toll free 866.4EDS.NOW, ext. 525.
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Construction begins on Desmond Tutu Education Center
[ENS] Visible construction has now begun on the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Education Center, located in one of New York City's fastest-growing commercial areas.
The $23 million project, now being created in three landmark buildings along Tenth Avenue, will provide new facilities for programs in continuing education, peace and reconciliation, interfaith relations, and Christian spirituality.
Established and administered by General Theological Seminary (GTS,) the Tutu Center is scheduled to open in 2007, bringing a new range of activities-and fresh, gardenlike beauty-to an increasingly bustling neighborhood.
Physically and programmatically, the Center expresses a more outgoing presence in the city for GTS and its historic grounds, known as the Close. Built on land donated to GTS in the 1820s by Clement Clarke Moore (the poet of "'Twas the night before Christmas,") the Close took shape in 1883-1902 and is the oldest extant collegiate quadrangle in New York City. The Close has long been accessible to the public, and its centerpiece, the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, welcomes all worshippers but with the Tutu Center, the seminary will reach out to the city as never before.
Named in honor of the Archbishop of Cape Town, who was a visiting professor at GTS when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Tutu Center will provide a home for GTS' Center for Christian Spirituality and the Center for Jewish-Christian Studies and Relations-and for two new programs, the Center for Peace and Reconciliation and the Center for Continuing Education.
Note: The following titles are available from the Episcopal Book/Resource Center, 815 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017; 800.334.7626; http://www.episcopalbookstore.org/.
To Read: ALWAYS OPEN: Being an Anglican Today by Richard Giles (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications, 2004; 150 pages; $13.95.)
From the publisher: Seventy million assorted individuals comprise a church family that is renowned for its rich diversity. Christians of all shades of belief together make up the Anglican Communion, a fellowship of churches that extends around the world and includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. At its best, the spirit of openness that marks this fellowship is a sign of openness to the Holy Spirit. Few Anglicans would presume to have "arrived" spiritually, and the door is always open to all who are seeking God.
Whether you are a cradle Episcopalian or are exploring the denomination, Always Open is an excellent introduction to Anglican beliefs and practices. Down-to-earth and good humored, Always Open explains the essentials of the Anglican approach to authority, the Bible, social and moral questions, dialogue with people of other faiths, and much, much more.
Richard Giles is a leading authority on the design of liturgical space and the reordering of church buildings for contemporary worship. After 30 years as a parish priest in England, he became Dean of Philadelphia Cathedral in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1999. He is the author of Creating Uncommon Worship and of the best-selling Re-pitching the Tent.
To Read: WHY I WAKE EARLY: New Poems by Mary Oliver (Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 2004; 71 pages; $14.)
From the publisher: The 47 new works in this volume include poems on crickets, toads, trout lilies, black snakes, goldenrod, bears, greeting the morning, watching the deer, and, finally, lingering in happiness. Each poem is imbued with the extraordinary perceptions of a poet who considers the everyday in our lives and the natural world around us and finds a multitude of reasons to wake early.
Mary Oliver is one of the most celebrated and best-selling poets in America. Her poetry books include Blue Iris; Owls and Other Fantasies; House of Light; New and Selected Poems, Volume One; DreamWork; White Pine; WestWind; and What Do We Know.