Anglican Episcopal House of Studies Perspectives Duke D ivinity S chool 2008-09

inside 2 Director’s Message 3 Lambeth Reflections 6 Perilous Joy of Friendship 7 Open House, Open Heart From the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies Director Phone: 919.660.3588 Fax: 919.660.3473 Email: [email protected] Web: www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/aehs

Roots down, walls down. This fear the federation of theological sums up what we’re about at the institutions representing other Anglican Episcopal House of Studies. denominations—not to mention Roots down: growing roots down into other Anglicans, who are some- our rich tradition and the broader times more threatening. The Christian tradition, so that future distinctive gifts and graces of leaders may be securely grounded in one church group—the “Anglo- and continually excited by the his- catholics” or the “evangelicals”— toric resources of faith. Walls down: surely may be shared without then, out of the profound yet invisible being lost, if these gifts and anchor that sustains our identity and graces are of God. purpose, seeking to re-view our world Roots down, walls down. Psalm and re-think our ways. This relates to 1 uses tree imagery for the faith- church life, to pastoral practice and ful. “They are like trees planted to mission, as well as the barriers that by streams of water, which yield School, we are feeding the roots. What undermine them. their fruit in its season, whose leaves happens to our walls then follows Roots down, walls down. I first heard do not wither. In all that they do, they less predictably. We re-examine the this phrase and came to appreciate its prosper.” As director of the AEHS, implications and practices of faith— value in the . It was I long to grow leaders whose leaves in the fields of ethics, liturgy and coined by Bishop Graham Cray while will not wither, whose branches have spirituality—and relate to one another he served as principal of Ridley Hall the capacity for summers of fruitful- (a diverse set of branches for sure!) in Cambridge, UK. It challenged stu- ness and winters of frost. Preparing at school and church. dents of an evangelical seminary not to for all the seasons, by addressing the As director I have witnessed situ- roots first and foremost, is what I ations where some walls are hurdled

p h oto b understand we are doing in the work joyfully for the adventure beyond, of spiritual formation. while others are dismantled painstak- y Ch ris Hildr e t h / D uk Ph otogr Roots down, walls down. This work ingly stone by stone. Most, perhaps, is not easy. While roots are hard to are unlikely to move. Again and again discern, walls are often painfully and I rejoice to see them no longer serving publicly evident. We construct them for defense and security but for map- precisely because contemporary ping out territory that is shared—not challenges would seem to attack least because the roots below ground

a p h y or undermine our roots, as well as are intertwined. the branches. In fostering investment and enthusiasm for the classic Jo Bailey Wells is the director of the “catholic” disciplines of Bible, Anglican Episcopal House of Studies. and church history at Duke Divinity

Director Jo Bailey Wells greets local clergy at a worship service in Goodson Chapel at Duke Divinity School.

2 A n g l i c a n E p i s c o p a l H o u s e o f S t u d i e s Anglican Episcopal House of Studies Lambeth Phone: 919.660.3588 Reflections Fax: 919.660.3473 Email: [email protected] Web: www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/aehs

BY SARAH KERR Good A few nights later at a Korean choir concert, we watched a video about the work of Anglicans in Korea to S tewardship bring forgiveness and healing between North and South Korea, and heard stunning songs asking God to make On July 23, I arrived at Canterbury along with two other them a bridge of reconciliation. One night, we celebrated Duke Divinity School students to serve as stewards at the evening prayer in Portuguese with the Church of Brazil, Lambeth Conference. and the next night the Church of Jerusalem and the The stewards were a group of 50 young adults who Middle East took its turn. Being at Lambeth as a steward had come from across the Anglican Communion to the made me proud of our Anglican Communion and more University of Kent, the host campus for the decennial invested in seeing it flourish and grow in its various minis- assembly of bishops tries around the world. of the Anglican As stewards, we wore Communion convened neon orange, high visi- by the archbishop of bility vests with the title Canterbury. The uni- “Steward” emblazoned versity sits on a hill across the back so that overlooking Canterbury the conference delegates Cathedral and the could see us all the way surrounding town. across campus and ask Archbishop Rowan Williams gathers with other bishops at the Lambeth Conference. As we went about for assistance. our stewarding duties of ushering, answering questions But we were not the only ones at Lambeth who and maintaining security, we had front row seats to the deserved the title of steward. The bishops too were stew- richness of the Anglican Communion. When we checked ards, albeit with fancier uniforms that came in purple delegates’ passes as they went into Bible study, we were rather than orange. They had gathered there to become reminded of all the different parts of the world where the better equipped for their ministry as stewards and shep- Anglican Church is present. When we served as ushers herds of their dioceses and churches. Indeed all of us, at the daily worship services, we welcomed bishops and whether present at Lambeth or connected to Lambeth their spouses from every language, nation and tribe who through prayer, e-mails and news reports, were made had gathered to worship God together. stewards of a gloriously diverse communion that had deep gifts of faith, hope and love—gifts that were on display throughout the conference. When Lambeth came to a close, I prayed that we would be good stewards of the communion that God had given us.

Sarah Kerr, M.Div. ’08, is the assistant rector of Christian formation and youth at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in St. Petersburg, Fla. She served the Lambeth Conference with Sam Keyes, M.Div. ’09, an aspirant in the Diocese of Fort Worth, and Ross Kane, M.Div. ’09, a postulant in the Diocese of Virginia.

S t u d e n t p E r s p e c t i v e s 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 3 Clinical Pastoral Education

It’s three o’clock on a damp Wednesday afternoon when For me, it’s simple. At the Eucharist, Jesus gives us his I unlock the last wooden door into Ward 531—twelve whole self; we are gathered into his living, broken body. cinder-block bedrooms and a common room tucked This means that my body somehow becomes part of his. away in the back of a psychiatric hospital in Butner, N.C. God’s humility transforms my haywire muscles into a Precisely two and a half seconds later, a gleefully shrieking means of grace. So I go—wheelchair, service dog and all— blur of a boy—blond and sit quietly with people whose brains are haywire. hair, translucent skin, This is the best way I know to say thank you. I listen to Willa’s Way eyes bright as birth- stories. Sometimes I tell a story in return. When words BY CLAIRE WIMBUSH day candles—swarms mean nothing, I offer my presence and my dog. onto my lap and Willa’s most important role at the hospital is also the p h oto b clamps his sticky one she likes best: official conversation starter and soaker-

y fr fingers around my up-of-affection. Before we begin our weekly spirituality a nklin gold e n neck. “It’s a doggie?” group for acutely ill adults, she prances from patient to he asks uncertainly patient. She nudges hands, snuffles pockets, whacks knees after his eyes slide with her tail. Occasionally, she decides that more drastic down the side of measures are required. Then she shoves her entire head my wheelchair. into someone’s lap and sighs theatrically until her patient “Yes,” I tell my cracks a smile. newest patient firmly. Willa reminds people of home. That’s the simplest way “It’s a nice doggie.” to explain what she does at John Umstead. My job, as a Willa the chaplain, is to stay with my patients wherever they are; Astonishingly I try to keep them company within their shattered reali- Wonderful Service ties. Willa’s job, as a chaplain’s dog, is simply to be real. Dog steps languidly She is a living, nudging, shedding, thoroughly insistent Claire Wimbush and Willa, a 5-year-old Labrador retriever, prepare for work with psychiatric patients to the front of my reminder that life outside the hospital exists. Beyond at John Umstead Hospital. wheelchair and John Umstead’s maze of locked doors, beyond the maze nudges her slim head under his arm. The boy scrambles of mental illness, there’s a wide, clear world. With dogs off my lap and curls up on the linoleum, burrowing his in it. Trees. Squirrels. People. Homes. Even cats, if you face into her belly. She licks his exposed ear, then glances like them (Willa doesn’t). Because if the world—neatly up at me: I’ve got this one. You take care of the rest. personified as a Labrador rubbing her face on your jeans— As a student in the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies is still there, perhaps there’s room to keep hoping. In the at Duke Divinity School, Willa and I are part of a group end, that’s what chaplains come here to say. I can’t fix of five intern chaplains participating in Clinical Pastoral anything. I can’t make my patients well (though I want Education (CPE) at John Umstead Hospital. I have spastic to). But I can stay with them, and hope with them. And, cerebral palsy, a neuromuscular disorder that means that by God’s mischievous grace, I can bring my dog along. my muscles don’t speak the same dialect as my brain. I am doing my required CPE at the state mental hospital because Claire Wimbush, M.Div. ’09, is a postulant in the Diocese of working and praying with people who have physical and Southern Virginia. mental disabilities have always been part of my calling.

ON THE WEB To read the full version of this article, go to the Spring 2008 issue of Divinity magazine at www.divinity.duke.edu/about/divinityonline.

4 A n g l i c a n E p i s c o p a l H o u s e o f S t u d i e s Field Education

BY WREN BLESSING

A Humble People, A Modes t People It is a warm September morning in the Piedmont of Mauricio repeats “Somos una gente humilde,” and for North Carolina and my first Sunday at Iglesia El Buen a moment I see what he means. Buen Pastor’s dilapidated Pastor (The Good Shepherd Church), a Spanish-language brick building is not a tower to the heavens; its mix of Episcopal mission in east Durham. By the end of the indigenous tongues and regional accents is not a single service, the mission’s senior warden and I both wear language. We join hands to pray and Mauricio reminds sweat-stained shirts. He turns to shake my hand. His us that the church is one body, the gathering of Christ’s 2-year-old daughter perches in his arms, and her feet 10,000 strange and scattered faces at a single festive kick impatiently at the buckle of his crocodile skin belt. table; or, as Mauricio says, at a single fiesta whose maria- “Somos una gente humilde (We are a humble people, chis’ singing and dancing and feasting will one day never a modest people),” he says to me, words of introduction end. He prays in a language foreign to every ear in the and apology. “The sanctuary is hot,” Mauricio says with room but his own, thanking God that we share a common a shrug. “Services can be disorganized. But,” he smiles, Word, a common bread, a common prayer. “Somos una “the people are faithful. They come every week to wor- gente humilde,” says Mauricio in conclusion as we hold ship.” I tell him I’m delighted to be with his congregation, sweaty hands, “y somos el pueblo de Dios (and we are and I forget the encounter until 10 months later when the people of God).” we are again together and again sweating. It is July, and Mauricio and I are preparing to tell a local parish about Wren Blessing , M.Div. ‘09 , is in the process of discernment the ministry of Buen Pastor. Walking into the parish hall, in the Diocese of North Carolina and is seeking as Mauricio repeats those four familiar words: “Somos una a . gente humilde.” As part of the certificate program with the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies at Duke Divinity School, I spent nearly a year as a field education intern with Iglesia El Buen Pastor. In several ways, for many reasons, I became in that congregation an interpreter: a teller of stories not my own. When groups from Buen Pastor traveled to area churches to explain why there existed a Spanish-language mission in a worn-out corner of an old tobacco town, I interpreted. Mauricio commenced each meeting, each presentation, with the same four words: “Somos una gente humilde.” “We are from indigenous villages and vast cities,” he says on this muggy July evening. “And we—a scattered people—meet in a building on Liberty Street to worship.” Our time for discussion, for questions and answers is made awkward by the unwieldy rhythms of speech and translation. In a moment when I am not interpreting, my thoughts drift to the ancient story of Babel. I recall the crushed tower, the confused languages, the scattered peoples.

S t u d e n t p E r s p e c t i v e s 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 5 p h oto b y Le s T

Spiritual odd / D uk e Ph otogr Formation a p h y

BY SAm Keyes

Perilous Joy of Friendship

Some years ago I remember reading a book published like the things that you like and do the things that you by InterVarsity Press titled The Pursuit of God in the do. What we’ve attempted in our mutual exploration of Company of Friends. I can’t say that I remember much vocation is to put our own self-interest up for grabs. Thus about the book—probably it was small fries compared when Thomas tells me that my position on the ordination to the Barthian-Thomist-Hauerwasian mix of your of women is inconsistent, or when Ross defends Lutheran normal Duke syllabus—but the title has stuck with me. theology, I have to listen, not because I particularly want The Christian gospel presupposes a particular group of to or because I think that my convictions are wrong, but people called the church; if there is a single insight that because I do not have any choice in the matter. has both led me to catholic and informed I hope that years from now, if all three of us, Lord my experience with “Duke theology,” this would be it. willing, are made priests, the abiding gift of this AEHS With that said, I am wary of the now popular invoca- spiritual formation group will be neither our ability to tion of “community” as some sort of self-defining good peacefully get along (though that is a beautiful thing), nor isolated from particular ecclesial commitments. As our consensus on all issues (I doubt that will happen!), the Anglican Communion is now painfully aware, but our commitment to one another as friends seeking “community” cannot be reduced to some sort of effort- together to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems to me less getting along. I have heard critics describe Anglican that such friendships are a gift to the church precisely gatherings such as the Lambeth Conference as glorified because they highlight our divisions rather than smooth tea parties; the problem in this criticism (and in the them over; our divisions must be an occasion for repen- position it mocks) is not that it has too high an opinion tance, not for triumphant isolationism. The perilous joy of such gatherings, but that it has too low an opinion of of this friendship is that I have abdicated any right to tea parties, and too low an opinion of friendship. control my own story; nor do I have any right to refuse As a participant in one of the Anglican Episcopal House to involve myself in the stories of others. of Studies spiritual formation small groups, I realize that Yes, we are one body because we share one bread and friendship is a risky business. Some who are aware of the one cup; but it is a cup of death and resurrection, not of current conflicts in the Episcopal Church might find it niceness. I don’t need Ross or Thomas to be nice to me; I odd that seminarians from the dioceses of Dallas, Fort need them to show me the body of our crucified and resur- Worth and Virginia get along, much less meet every week rected Lord. As Walter Brueggemann says in Reverberations for spiritual conversation. My small-group colleagues of Faith: A Theological Handbook of Old Testament Themes, (Ross Kane and Thomas Kincaid) and I are well aware “The trick of community is to hold together real differ- that our differences cannot be pasted over by friendli- ences of interest in the midst of treasuring a passionate ness—I, for one, am simply not that friendly, as Ross commitment to belong faithfully to one another.” especially can attest from the several times that my remarks have stretched the bonds of charity. Sam Keyes, M.Div. ’09, is an aspirant in the Diocese of Fort Of course, some things are easy: we like food, drink Worth and AEHS spiritual formation group member along with and talk. Those go a long way, as does our common partic- Ross Kane, M.Div. ’09, postulant in the Diocese of Virginia, and ipation in the daily office. But it’s easy to like people who Thomas Kincaid, M.Div. ’09, postulant in the Diocese of Dallas.

6 A n g l i c a n E p i s c o p a l H o u s e o f S t u d i e s House News

Open House, Open Heart Bishop Curry Joins AEHS in Celebrating Accomplishments BY J. DANA TRENT

“My heart sank as I saw who was serving at the Eucharist Rowell offered her the communion cup. She spoke of that evening,” recounted Lauren Kilbourn, a recent M.Div. her inner struggle in accepting the cup—the culmination graduate. “AEHS gatherings are so intimate, and this time of the turmoil she had felt mounting all semester. I wanted to hide. Could I accept the cup of blessing from What happened next? As the students told it, their Andrew [Rowell], given our differences and our anger? hands met at the cup, connecting them to the holy mys- Would he be willing to offer it?” tery. In that moment, they weren’t friends or enemies, About 50 local clergy—Episcopalians as well as a few victims or villains, but simply children of God, redeemed other Anglicans—listened raptly as Kilbourn shared the by grace and fellow guests at the table. Each received experience at an open meeting of the Anglican Episcopal “the blood of Christ poured out for you,” and through House of Studies in April. The meeting was part of an it was reconciled to the other as well as to God. AEHS open house that included a worship service led by “We realize that we have very different views on the North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry and a seminar led future of the church, but our bonds as fellow students,

by Duke Divinity School p h oto b theologians and pastors L. Gregory Jones. have committed us to con- y Ch ris Hildr e t h / D uk Ph otogr During the open tinue the dialogue, just as meeting, AEHS Director Dr. Wells had hoped when Jo Bailey Wells described she wisely counseled all of the house’s mission, but us to keep talking, pray- it was students invited ing and learning together,” to share their own per- Kilbourn says. spectives who gripped a p h y AEHS focuses on the audience. forming thoughtful and Rowell, a recent imaginative leaders, M.Div. graduate from equipped academically Duke Divinity School and spiritually to serve and newly ordained dea- North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry celebrates Eucharist in Goodson Chapel God’s church beyond at the AEHS open house in April. con in the Convocation differences in theology. of Anglicans in America, spoke first and recalled his sense Local clergy glimpsed during the open meeting how of isolation as a conservative in the house. He remem- challenging and reconciling this process can be in light of bered Wells asking him, “Do you realize how many others the current controversies in the Anglican communion. also feel isolated?” “It was wonderfully inspiring to see what’s happen- Rowell’s determination not to avoid those with dif- ing at AEHS,” said the Rev. Liz Dowling-Sendor, a priest ferent theological convictions made for a turbulent in the Diocese of North Carolina. “We were able to see friendship with one particular AEHS member, whom he for ourselves the way in which students are sitting down spoke of anonymously. Then Kilbourn, now a postulant together and, to paraphrase Jo Bailey Wells, ‘as they grow in the Diocese of North Carolina, picked up the micro- roots, the walls come down.’ It sounds like a foretaste of phone and told the story herself. She recalled the night the heavenly banquet. As they talked about their experi- in Goodson Chapel at the small AEHS Eucharist when ences, the Holy Spirit surely was among us that day.”

S t u d e n t p E r s p e c t i v e s 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 7 Visiting Schol ars Progr am Begins

The Anglican Episcopal House of call to ministry. Lynch also shared his Studies has launched its Visiting expertise by providing instruction and Scholars Program. Dr. David Lynch, private coaching to fellow students on a professor of music at Meredith chanting the services. College and organist at Christ Upcoming visiting scholars will be Congratulations to Class of ‘08 Episcopal Church in Raleigh, N.C., Barbara Deutschmann, program officer Members of the AEHS graduating class served as the inaugural visiting scholar with TEAR Australia, a Christian aid gather outside Duke Chapel before the for the 2008 spring semester. He and development organization, and lay Baccalaureate Service. Pictured (from left, spent his sabbatical auditing Duke leader from the Diocese of Melbourne back row) are: Director Dr. Jo Bailey Wells Divinity School classes and partici- in fall 2008; and the Rev. Dr. James and graduates Andrew Rowell, P. Shawn pating in AEHS activities, while Amanze of the University and Diocese Plunkett, Phil Anderas and Mark Storslee; discerning more deeply his own of Botswana in spring 2009. (from left, front row) Holly Gaudette, Catherine Phillips, Sarah Kerr and Craig Uffman. Not pictured: Joshua Whitfield. For more information about the program, contact AEHS. To find out where these graduates are now, visit www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/aehs. paper containing 30% post-consumer fiber 30% post-consumer paper containing on inks vegetable-based with P rinted Anglican/Episcopal facult y at Duke Divinity School Anglican Episcopal House Dr. Raymond Barfield, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Christian Philosophy of Studies Staff Dr. Jeremy Begbie, Thomas A. Langford Research Professor of Theology Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells Dr. Ellen Davis, Professor of Bible and Practical Theology, Associate Dean for Faculty Development Director Dr. Susan Eastman, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Bible and Christian Formation Rev. J. Dana Trent, M.Div. Dr. Joel Marcus, Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins Staff Specialist Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, Associate Professor of the Practice of Ministry and Bible Dr. Samuel Wells, Research Professor of Christian Ethics and Dean of Duke Chapel Dr. Lauren F. Winner, Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality

Anglican Episcopal House of Studies Duke Divinity School Box 90968 Durham NC 27708