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The Messenger Published by the Swedenborgian Church of North America Volume 237• Number 6 • June 2015

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The Messenger Published by the Swedenborgian Church of North America Volume 237• Number 6 • June 2015 the Messenger Published by the Swedenborgian Church of North America Volume 237• Number 6 • June 2015 SHS Changes Its Home and Name By Jim Lawrence These past fifteen years have been there has been also a crucial years in an enriched profession- steady decline in the job market for full n a strategic planning and think- al environment in which we were able time ministers as our churches have ing process to address the chang- to re-tool and rebuild our profession- continued to struggle with the chal- ing landscape of the needs and ob- al academic leadership. During this lenges of ministry. At the same time, Ijectives of the program at the Sweden- period the SHS-at-PSR program sup- interest in Emmanuel Swedenborg, his borgian House of Studies (SHS) in re- ported the learning journeys of twenty- writings, and his influence continues lation to its historic mission, the SHS nine graduates who became ministers, to rise, and the opportunities for im- Board of Trustees voted unanimously as well as several non-ordained paths portant Swedenborgian outreach in to pursue application to the Graduate of learning, and there are at present scholarship are as strong as ever. To- Theological Union (GTU) as a Center twelve students in the SHS pipeline. gether, these factors are leading the of Distinction and worked through a The move to the consortium in Berke- leadership of the school to build two two-year process of study and negotia- ley has proven to be one of the most towers of student support: one that is tions with the GTU that culminated productive periods of ministerial for- focused on ministry and one that is with three successful unanimous votes mation in the history of Convention’s focused on academic outreach. Both in the governing structures of GTU. theological school.1 of these objectives will be empowered The Swedenborgian House of Stud- The issues that spurred the board to through the new institutional visibility ies will henceforth be known as the search for status within the GTU be- and freedom as a Center of Distinction Center for Swedenborgian Studies at gan emerging when the school and the at the GTU. the Graduate Theological Union (CSS Swedenborgian Church decided to ac- The transition involves institutional at GTU). commodate students studying at semi- shifts in relationships, but the school’s The Graduate Theological Union is naries other than PSR, When the li- offices and library will remain on the the largest consortium of theological censed pastor path opened up a new PSR campus. The “daily rounds” of schools and institutes in North Amer- line of students who were likely to be students, staff, and faculty will remain, ica, housing a wide variety centers and distance students, the need for our by all appearances, the same, but the affiliates, not just Christian but Jew- faculty to be so heavily engaged in productive outreach of the faculty and ish, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist, running the infrastructure of Pacific the visibility of the school will be en- through which about 2000 students School of Religion started to appear as hanced. pursue vocational paths to ordained an institutional model that needed sig- Go to page 94 for answers to frequent- ministries and academic paths that in- nificant adjustment. ly asked questions (FAQs) about the clude a broad array of PhD specialties. During these same fifteen years, change from the Swedenborgian House of The Swedenborgian House of Stud- Studies to the Center for Swedenborgian ies will thus conclude a fifteen-year 1 In 1866, the New Church Theological School Studies was established in Waltham, Massachusetts. Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence journey as a house of studies within In 1889, it moved to Cambridge and in 1965, it one of the premier Protestant seminar- moved to Newton, both in Massachusetts, with is dean of SHS/CSS ies (and the oldest west of the Missis- the name Swedenborgian School of Religion. and professor of In 2001, it moved to Berkeley, California, and Swedenborgian Studies sippi): Pacific School of Religion (PSR), became the Swedenborgian House of Studies at and the History of which is an anchor school of the GTU. Pacific School of Religion. Christianity. West Coast Retreat Proves “We Still Have Joy” • How Does the Garden Church Grow? More Inside FAQs about the Change from SHS to CSS • A Providential Path • FNCA Family Camp Contents: page 82 Mirror, Mirror: How We See Ourselves and Others—SCYL Retreat • Church and Association Statistics 82 the Messenger June 2015 The Editor’s Desk The 2015 Annual Convention Messenger Convention commences at 7 PM on Saturday, Supplements June 27, in Bridgewater, A Newer A Messenger supplement that Massachusetts consolidates the entire series of articles, Church? The 191st Annual “The Newer Church” by Rev. Dr. The world is awash Swedenborgian George Dole is available for download Convention in religious controversy The Year of at http://tinyurl.com/3m2qx3e (or go and conflict. Religious controversy and Regeneration to the www.swedenborg.org and click conflict have existed for all of record- on the annual convention link). These ed history, leading to wars, extermina- articles are background material for tions, terrorism, oppression, schisms, player in worldwide religious conflict. presentations and discussions at the and divided nations, communities, But modern technology also means annual convention. and families. that we have at our disposal the means In addition, statements of the can- The intensity and pervasiveness to reimagine what church can be if we didates for president of the Swedenbor- of this conflict in the twenty-first take advantage of the communication gian Church are consolidated in a Mes- century result in part from modern capabilities of that technology. That if senger supplement, also available at the communications technology, which presents monumental challenges. above web address. enables actions that exacerbate the Ken Turley has been speaking controversy. Instant communication and writing about our need to take means that anyone can become a advantage of modern technology to reimagine the “Newer Church” for the the Messenger twenty-first century, and George Dole © The Swedenborgian Church of North America has provided a theological framework Published monthly except July and August by To subscribe to the the Communications Support Unit of the Swe- Messenger online, for considering what the Newer denborgian Church of North America (founded scan this image Church will be, in a series of articles 1817, incorporated 1861 as the General Conven- tion of the New Jerusalem in the United States of with a QR reader (http://tinyurl.com/3m2qx3e) in the America), Ken Turley, president. on your cell phone Messenger. At the annual convention June 2015 or tablet. this year, we will have the opportunity Volume 237, No. 5, Whole Number 5400 to imagine a Newer Church together. Editor, design and production: Herbert Ziegler Copy editing and proofing: Robert Leith, Renée Contents —Herb Ziegler Hellenbrecht, & Trevor Communications Support Unit: Kristina Madjerac and Katie Pruiett SHS Changes Its Home and Name ......... 81 Printing: Gnomon Copy, Cambridge MA The Editor’s Desk .......................................... 82 Church Calendar Editorial Address: Letter from the President .......................... 83 Herb Ziegler, the Messenger • June 27–July 1: Annual Convention 2 Hancock Place Nominees for Elected 2015, Bridgewater MA Cambridge MA 02139 Positions in the Church ........................ 84 • June 28: Annual meeting of the Cor- Tel: 617.388.0252 Church and Association Statistics .......... 86 poration of the New Church Theo- Email: [email protected] A Providential Path ...................................... 87 logical School Business and Subscription Address: Iungerich Fund Grants ................................ 87 • July 1: General Council Post-Con- The Messenger, Central Office vention meeting 50 Quincy Street West Coast Retreat Proves • July 19–25: Paulhaven Summer Cambridge MA 02138 “We Still Have Joy” ................................. 88 Camp,Upper Mann Lake AB Tel: 617.969.4240 Mirror, Mirror: How We See Ourselves • July 25–August 2: Almont Summer Email: [email protected] and Others—SCYL Retreat ................. 90 Camp, Allenton MI Subscriptions: free online subscription at FNCA Family Camp ...................................... 92 * August 1–August 16: FNCA Summer www.swedenborg.org. Printed and mailed to US Camp, Fryeburg ME address, $20/year; to Canada address, $30/year; How Does the Garden Church Grow? ... 93 August 15 to all other addresses, $35/year; single copies, • : Application deadline for $2.00, Libraries & prisoners, free. Send check with FAQs about the Change 2016 Augmentation Fund grants address to Central Office. Other requests, write from SHS to CSS ...................................... 94 • September 25–26: SHS/CSS fall Central Office. Passages ........................................................... 95 Board meeting, Berkeley CA Deadline for submissions is three weeks before September 30 Historic Chairs at SF Church ..................... 95 • : Application deadline the first day of the month of issue. for 2016 Iungerich Fund grants The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Meet Us in Bridgewater! ............................. 96 • November 5–8: Fall General Council the views of the Messenger, the Communications Wayfarers Chapel 2015 Speaker Series . 96 meeting Support Unit, or the Swedenborgian Church. the Messenger June 2015 83 isolated is actually creating a mosaic
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