Hartford Seminary Annual Report 2012 President’S Message
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Hartford Seminary Annual Report 2012 President’s Message Greetings. I welcome Shanell’s appointment, you to our 2012 Annual Hartford Seminary has Report. a special strength in post-colonial studies of In many varied ways, the Bible since her work Hartford Seminary in this field complements plays a significant role the work of Uriah Kim, in today’s plural world. Associate Professor of In this message, I would Hebrew Bible. In addi- like to outline just some tion, Shanell focuses on of the activities that have womanist and feminist taken place in the past Biblical interpretation. year that demonstrate At Drew University, how the Seminary equips her dissertation topic, individuals and religious “Empire, Gender and institutions to provide Ambiveilence: Toward leadership that is faith- a Postcolonial Woman- ful, contextually sensitive ist Interpretation of the and open to dialogue Woman Babylon in the with other faith tradi- Book of Revelation,” tions. won the Rabbi Dr. Shel- don J. Weltman Prize for Having an outstand- the Best Dissertation in ing faculty is one of our Biblical Studies. Shanell core strengths and I am is ordained clergy in the pleased to report that Presbyterian Church of this year we have ap- the United States. pointed two new faculty members. Speaking of Uriah, it gives me great pleasure Najib Awad is Associate to inform you that Uriah Professor of Christian is now our Academic Theology. Najib is a Pres- Dean. Our former byterian theologian from Dean, James Nieman, Syria. The breadth of his was named President of scholarship is reflected in the Lutheran School of his range of publications, Theology at Chicago from “The Passion Nar- last spring. It was dif- rative in the Gospel of ficult to bid farewell to Matthew: A Historico- Jim. At the same time, Narrative Criticism” to I am pleased, we are all his most recent book, pleased, that Uriah has “And Freedom Became a assumed the position of Public Square: Political, Academic Dean; he has Sociological and Reli- shown dedication, skill gious Overviews on the and enthusiasm in the Arab Christians and the first few months of his Arabic Spring.” tenure. Shanell T. Smith is Our development efforts Assistant Professor of have led to several major New Testament and achievements. Christian Origins. With 2 Hartford Seminary • AnnuAl report 2012 Thanks to the generosity the Shinnyo-en Founda- The faculty at the office and the Communi- of Board member Trudie tion to support a Reli- Hartford Institute for cations Office to make us Prior and her husband gious Diversity Leader- Religion Research have more known to the public Neil Prior, the estate of ship Workshop, held in continued their excel- and increase the number The Revs. Jane and Wil- June. The workshop will lent work in congrega- of people interested in liam Inderstrodt, Lynn be an annual gathering of tional studies, helping studying at the Seminary. and John Fulkerson, experienced and emerg- faith communities un- and another anonymous ing leaders from diverse derstand the challenges A final note: I attended member of the Semi- religious backgrounds, they face and offering a reception in New nary Board of Trustees, eager to share their own ways to strengthen their York City in October to we have established an expertise and to learn vitality. In the past year, honor our alum Jacky endowed faculty chair in new leadership practices. the Faith Communities Manuputty, a Master of Abrahamic Partnerships. It is directed by Lucinda Today project issued Arts and International The first holder of the Mosher, Faculty Associ- reports on innovative Peacemaking Program chair will be Yehezkel ate for Interfaith Studies. and contemporary graduate from Indonesia. Landau, Faculty Associ- worship styles and the Jacky received the ate in Interfaith Rela- Academically, we entered use of social media and Tanenbaum Center tions, and the focus will into an exciting new Internet technologies. for Interreligious be the history and prac- partnership in 2012 with FACT also participated Understanding’s tice of Jewish, Christian the Jewish Theological in two major studies of Peacemakers in Action and Muslim Relations. Seminary for JTS stu- mosques in America. award to recognize his dents to study at Hart- Scott Thumma par- peacemaking work. We also celebrated the ford Seminary to gain a ticipated in the U.S. Jacky has helped form completion of a major first-hand understanding Religious Congrega- Peace Provocateurs project to enhance li- of Islam and Christianity tions & Membership to use social media to brary services. With the and to contribute a Jew- Study, collecting data combat religious conflict H.A. Vance Foundation ish presence and perspec- on non-denominational between Christians and as primary donor, and tive so that together the churches. Muslims in Indonesia. including significant do- three traditions may To see Jacky put into nations from the Ahearn work toward creative and You may know that practice what he learned Family Foundation and constructive relations Miriam Therese Winter, in Hartford and to have a number of individual among them. The Prior our long-time faculty his work thus recognized supporters, the Seminary Family Foundation, led member in liturgy, wor- is a great pleasure and an was able to add nine by Trustee Trudie Prior ship and spirituality, is indication of the value of mobile shelving units in and her husband Neil a renowned songwriter. the work we do. the library, increasing the Prior, made a generous Last winter, we cele- accessible collection by gift to fund six course brated the release of her I appreciate your support 30 percent. enrollments for JTS new CD, Loving You, of Hartford Seminary. students here during which is the first in a Please stay in touch with Also, over the summer, the 2012-2013 aca- series of new recordings suggestions and feedback we installed a new front demic year. Three JTS of her songs. on our work. We would courtyard. As part of students participated in love to hear from you. this project, through the the Building Abraha- A major focus for us is Thank you, gifts of 16 donors, we mic Partnerships course to increase the number installed special pavers in in June. One of them of students studying the central square. These said afterward, “The at the Seminary. Tina pavers commemorate experience exceeded my Demo was hired a Seminary alumni/ae, expectations, which now, year ago as Director family, friends, teachers looking back, seem to of Recruitment and and mentors. have been far short of Admissions and has Heidi Hadsell what I encountered.” been working with my Another major grant to President the Seminary came from Hartford Seminary • AnnuAl report 2012 3 Trustees ralph e. Ahlberg Heidi Hadsell Frank r.A. resnick Minister Emeritus, Round President, Professor of Social Chief Financial Officer, Hill Community Church, Ethics, Hartford Seminary Mandell Greater Greenwich, CT; Immanuel Hartford Jewish Congregational Church, Community Center, Hartford, CT West Hartford, CT; Beth Amy Hines El Temple, West Hartford, Abubaker Al Shingieti Senior Vice President, The CT Executive Director, Alford Group, Livingston International Institute of Manor, NY; Church of the nancy p. roberts Islamic Thought, Herndon, Larger Fellowship, Unitarian President, Connecticut VA ; All Dulles Area Muslim Universalist, Boston, MA Council for Society (ADAMS), Sterling, Philanthropy, Hartford, VA edward G. Horstmann CT; St. John’s Episcopal Senior Pastor, Immanuel Church, West Hartford, Fatma Antar Congregational Church, CT Emeritus Professor of Hartford, CT Economics, Manchester Community College, Stanley C. Kemmerer James K. robertson Manchester, CT; Visiting Vice President, Challenger, Senior Partner, Carmody Professor of Arabic, Trinity Gray & Christmas, Inc.; and Torrance, Waterbury, College, Hartford, CT; Priest-in-Charge, Christ CT; Treasurer, Board Founding Board Member, and The Epiphany Episcopal of Trustees; First Islamic Association of Church, East Haven, CT Congregational Church, Greater Hartford, Berlin, Watertown, CT CT reza Mansoor Cardiologist, Hartford Karen Bailey-Francois Hospital and Cardiac Care Amy robinson Associate Pastor, Ellington Associates; First Vice Chair, Marketing Congregational Church, Board of Trustees; President, Communications Ellington, CT Islamic Association of Greater Consultant, Hartford, Hartford, Berlin, CT; Board CT Christel Ford Berry of Trustees, Muslim Coalition Principal, Ford Berry of Connecticut and Covenant Alwi Shihab Associates, Hartford, CT; Prep School, Hartford, CT Special Envoy to the First Cathedral, Bloomfield, Middle East and the CT Vanda B. McMurtry Organization of the Partner, Davis & Harman Islamic Conference for Courtney B. Bourns LLP, Washington, D.C.; the President of the Partner, Berman, Bourns, Chair, Board of Trustees; Republic of Indonesia, Aaron & Dembo, Christ Church, Georgetown, Jakarta, Indonesia Hartford, CT; Asylum Hill Washington, D.C. Congregational Church, Scott thumma Hartford, CT umar F. Moghul Professor of Sociology of Partner, Stephenson Religion and Director of Herbert Brockman Harwood Middle East LLP, the Doctor of Ministry Rabbi, Congregation Dubai, UAE; Secretary, Program, Hartford Mishkan Israel, Hamden, Board of Trustees Seminary CT Salahuddin Muhammad Hans ucko Muslim Chaplain, New Martin l. Budd Co-Chair of a Bud- York State Department of dhist inspired interfaith Retired Partner, Day Pitney, Correctional Services; Imam, program, Day of Prayer Stamford, CT; Te mpl e Masjid Al Ikhlas, Newburgh, and Action for Children, Emanu-El,