Theo Spirit Vol. 5, No. 2
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TheoNEWSLETTER OF THE DREW UNIVERSITY THEOLOGICALSpiritSCHOOL VOL. 5, NO. 2, WINTER 2006-07 TIPPLE-VOSBURGH ‘06 EXPLORES DIVERSE CHRISTOLOGIES Photo by Shelley Kusnetz by Photo "Christology: Christ Across Confessions and Cultures." Four plenary speakers offered varied and insightful understandings of the implications of the life and work of Jesus based from their own social locations. Dwight Hopkins, professor of theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School, spoke on “Christologies from the Margins”; Catherine Keller, professor of constructive theology at Drew discussed “Jesus, Christ and the Politics of Love”; Schubert Ogden, distinguished professor of theology emeritus at Southern Christology Through Dance. The Ellis Wood Dance offered a dynamic interpretation of the Christological Methodist University, talked about themes being examined at the Tipple-Vosburgh Lectures through their “Hurricane Flora: Inferno.” “Christology and the Emergence of hristology, a subject that has this year’s Tipple-Vosburgh Lectures. Plurality”; and Anantanand stirred intense interest Held October 17-19, it explored Rambachan, professor of religion, Cthroughout church history diverse perspectives on the meaning philosophy and Asian studies at St. and popular media, was the focus of of Christ as it carried the theme, (continued on page 4) DREW LAUNCHES CENTER FOR Inside CHRISTIANITIES IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS From the Dean 2 Theo Admissions Summary 2 hose of us who continue to see Transdisciplinary Colloquium 3 TChristianity as a religion of the Jim Pain: Dr. Bread 5 “West” would probably never guess The Birth of Drew Seminary 6 that, in fact, its vitality has shied Remembering 140 Years 6 eastward to Africa, Latin America Drew Alumnae Break Bread 8 and Asia, as an increasing number of Continuing Education at Drew 9 scholars claim in recent years. Book Signing 9 “Christianity is growing much more The Raymond Rhoads Scholarship 10 rapidly elsewhere than in North Annual Conference Volunteers 10 America with huge implications for Distinguished Service Award 10 the global church,” Drew Theological Planning Your Estate 10 School Dean Maxine Clarke Beach Scholar/Teacher of the Year 11 reiterates. Oconer Luther by Photo Hispanic Reunion 11 Global Christianity in Focus. Dean Maxine That point was clearly made Clarke Beach introduces Kim Yong-Bock during the Upcoming Events 12 reception for the Drew Center for Christianities in (continued on page 4) Global Contexts in Mead Hall. 2 TheoSpirit WINTER 2006-07 From the Dean Publications Drew t a recent faculty meeting several of our Master of dean I was awed by the Divinity students reflected with us on their experience responsibility that they already have Ain their supervised ministry seings. Each was in a for the spiritual development of very interesting situation where they work 10-12 hours weekly individuals in these ministry and then spend additional time at Drew reflecting on the seings. learning that comes from the seing. Two were in New York I remember a conversation with City, one at the National Council of Churches, and another at a a student a few years ago that local church. Another was in a growing suburban revealed that he was leading his congregation that was about to add projector and screen to the congregation in a building project. My response was “did we sanctuary, while another was part of a new church start. teach you how to do that?” He seemed confident, and indeed Many of our students work with youth in their seings. As has had a successful ministry while at Drew and since. the students were asked about the questions that are coming As a faculty we are working on a list of outcomes that we out of their seings, youth and culture was a common theme. feel are essential for all of our M.Div. students to have as they A Korean student was leading a group of youth that included graduate. These ongoing discussions continue to reveal the new immigrants, children of immigrant parents, and youth complexity of the expectations on clergy in the church of today. born of Korean American parents. The complexity of world Every church seems a cross-cultural appointment with multiple view, language, and youth culture is very real whenever the skills necessary to flourish and bring the risen Christ. group gathers. Another student spoke of the challenge of understanding leadership in his seing where some are hoping for change and others are working for things to remain the same. As their Maxine Clarke Beach FALL 2006 THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS SUMMARY By Kevin D. Miller representing the North, South, East Jong In Lee by Photo Director, Theological Admissions and West. Our diversity remains evident in our cultures, life he Theological School, as well as the experiences, ages, perspectives and TOffice of Theological Admissions, is a genders. place where miracles and ministry As this office moves forward, we continue to take place. God is in the midst are actively recruiting students for all of everything that we do, and it is our programs. We are willing to important to remember that there is travel to speak with potential nothing we can or cannot do without students regarding their growth in God’s grace. ministry and the benefits that a Drew We received over 200 master’s degree degree provides. Please contact us if Fall Orientation. New theological school students applications for the Fall 2006 semester you feel there are events that a celebrate during the fall orientation in Craig Chapel. from persons responding to the call to Theological School representative ministry. Out of this application pool, 83 should aend. In addition, the Doctor is designated scholarships, grants and accepted our offer to become a part of the of Ministry office is recruiting for five (5) programs that benefit our current Theological School community. The Doctor concentrations: Pastoral Care and students. Your annual contribution could of Ministry program received over 50 Counseling; Global Online; Worship, be a lile as $10 or much, much more! applications and formed two groups, Preaching and Spirituality; Ecological Secondly, refer persons to our office who Global Online and Congregational Growth Ministries; and an Oklahoma Regional are considering a vocation in ministry. We and Development. group. will be sure to care for each person that is What does this mean for our Finally, I extend an invitation to each sent to us. Finally, pray for continued community? We see God in the faces of a of you to give back to the ministry of the blessings upon the Theological School diverse class. The incoming class consists Theological School. Give back that others community. of representatives from 15 different may give back. You can do this in a Be encouraged in all that you do. Be denominations and 18 international number of ways. First, a contribution to encouraged in your mission and ministry. students from three countries, as well as the Theological School Annual Fund God is blessing us each day, for truly students from fieen different states would be helpful. This annual contribution miracles and ministry happen in this place. 3 DREW HOSTS SIXTH TRANSDISCIPLINARY COLLOQUIUM By Krista E. Hughes Since 2004, Ph.D. Candidate, Theological & Philosophical Studies the TTC series has been rew Theological School hosted its The apparent working in Dsixth annual Transdisciplinary paradox of the conjunction with Theological Colloquium September 30— guiding theme Fordham October 2, 2006. Inaugurated in 2000, the yielded a particularly University Press TTC series seeks to foster “a fresh style of diverse gathering of to publish each theological discourse that is at once self- papers, as colloquium’s deconstructive in its pluralism and participants offered collection of constructive in its affirmations. Commied varied interpretations papers. The to the long-range transformation of religio- of what exactly essays, in their cultural symbolism, this series continues “apophatic bodies” final published Drew’s deep history of engaging historical, are. While some form, bear clear biblical and cultural hermeneutics, current focused on how marks of the Apophatic Art. Elliot R. Wolfson’s “Luminal philosophy, practices of social justice and bodies (in their Darkness,” one of the paintings displayed during the colloquium experiments in theopoetics.” Past uniqueness and colloquium. discussion and colloquia have explored themes of complexity) elicit “unsaying,” others offer a window into the distinctive creation, postcolonialism, globalization sought to show how bodies (especially transdisciplinary collaboration the series and empire, eros, and ecological justice. those on the margins) might need to resist seeks to cultivate. Toward a Theology of Eros: This year’s theme was “Apophatic a gesture of apophasis that could render Transfiguring Passions at the Limits of Bodies: Infinity, Ethics and Incarnation, an them mute, while yet others explored the Discipline, edited by Virginia Burrus and exploration of the limits of language within myriad manifestations of bodies—not just Catherine Keller was released last fall, and religious discourse.” The colloquium drew human bodies, but the body politic, the forthcoming are (this spring) Ecospirit: together scholars from the U.S. and abroad body of the cosmos, the ecclesial body, the Religions and Philosophies of the Earth, edited who work across a range of theological, planetary body, and the body of the by Laurel Kearns and Catherine Keller, and philosophical, historical, biblical, and (invisible, infinite, incarnate, transfigured, a volume