Vol. 18 No. 1 Fall 2012 magazine www.astheology.ns.ca AST 40th Anniversary A Special Report Honorary Doctorate Creative Recipient Coursework Brian Stewart Leads to Read His Convocation Recording Address on Page 17 Contract Focus on AST Grad Lisa Waites magazine INSIDE 8 AST 40th Anniversary: A Special Report 13 Feature Article: The Future of Theological Education and the Mission of the Church 15 What's Happening 16 Convocation 2012 20 Focus: Creative Coursework Leads Lisa On the cover: Waites to Recording Contract with Tate Brian Stewart Music Group AST Honorary Doctorate Recipient 2012 Cover and staff photos (unless noted otherwise): 22 © Dawn Robertson/Atlantic School of Theology Alumni News 24 AST Magazine is a publication of CCEPA News Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, NS. Published on paper twice annually, 25 AST Magazine is mailed under Faculty News Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Agreement # 40016126. 27 Fond Farewell: On to the Next Adventure Editor/Graphic Artist: Dawn Robertson 28 Please address correspondence to: Arts and Theology: The AST Arts Scene The Editor, AST Magazine 660 Francklyn Street Halifax, NS B3H 3B5 30 ISSN: 1207-7771 People News email: [email protected] web address: http://www.astheology.ns.ca 34 Donations his magazine comes at the end world around us, creating one new of an important milestone in household of God. The unity of the the life of Atlantic School of church is to be nothing less than a Theology.T Through the academic year sign and foretaste of this possibility 2011-2012, we celebrated forty years and hope. of excellence in ecumenical theological • That the God of peace is at work education. We did this through worship reconciling all the complex differ- at a large gathering of members of the ences of the world into a reality that AST family at All Saint's Cathedral is bolder and more beautiful than any here in Halifax. We did it through one of us alone can imagine. Unity is engagement with contemporary culture, not threatened by diversity; it is made both at our Think Film Think Faith meaningful by it. After all, what is event in fall 2011 and in our engage- surprising or hopeful about the unity ment with Brian Stewart at our gala of the likeminded? dinner and convocation. Most of all, • That the church is called to partici- we did it through the celebration of pate in the healing of creation not the achievements of our graduating by imposing its own perspectives, students. but by hearing and discerning the The years have seen many changes, work of God in the complexity and Ecumenism both in the school and in the churches conflict that we see around us. We and society that we serve. If we are hon- do not take Jesus out into the world, est, we will have to admit that they have we recognize that Jesus has always Continues to not dealt kindly with the ecumenical already gone before us, and we name enthusiasm that gave birth to AST. We the presence of God where we find Have a Place are now deeply aware that ecumenism is it. The church is thus to be a visible difficult, and the hopes that gave birth sign of the possibility of reconcilia- to AST have, for many, been dashed tion. It is in our capacity to work for and a Purpose by the failure to achieve the unity we the healing of the world ecumenically, sought and by the preoccupations of working together across our differ- churches experiencing the challenges ences, that this sign is made most The Reverend Canon of decline. Yet there is an irony in this. visible. As our churches face the challenges of The year that AST came to birth Eric Beresford declining demographics, rural depopu- (1971), John Lennon wrote his extraor- lation, the impacts of urbanization and dinary song “Imagine.” In truth, it is secularization, and increasing cultural difficult to agree to do away with every- and religious diversity, the demand that thing John Lennon wants to do away we find new ways to cooperate with with. But surely his vision of a world each other is increasing. The prayer of where we are not motivated by mistrust, Jesus on the night before he died seems fear, hatred, greed, or hunger, where sadly to be answered in its shadow as the world can “be as one” is a vision our conflicts and divisions seem to that we can and do share. This should strengthen the indifference and even not surprise us. We share it because we distrust of us by the wider culture that inherit it from a common tradition, and surrounds us. Ecumenism is not as from shared human experiences and popular as it once was, but I venture to hopes. In 1971, those hopes were in the suggest that we have never needed it air. Today the hope has faded somewhat more. in the wake of disappointment, disil- In the face of these challenges, the lusionment, and cynicism. I believe that ecumenical commitment draws us back this makes clear the need for places like to some of the central insights of the AST; places that continue to witness to Gospel: those hopes; places that do not give up • That God is one and is at work in the in the face of challenges but are com- midst of the complexity and confu- mitted to keeping those hopes alive now sion that seems to characterize the and into the next 40 years. AST MAGAZINE Fall 2012 / 3 he entire AST community in which we commented on the many gathered in the chapel on changes that have happened in the Friday mornings joyfully world and church over the 30 years celebratingT the Eucharist, everyone since the proposed union of the ACC participating; a faculty member of each and UCC denominations. For example, of the three founding denominations there were theological and ecclesial taking turns to preside according to developments such as the publication of his liturgy. These are among my most Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982) precious memories of my first year at by the World Council of Churches, AST in 1977-78. Those were exciting further dialogues with other denomina- days for ecumenism, and for me! The tions at the international level, and the impact of Vatican II, liturgical research emergence of eco-theology. In society, and change bringing the churches more the breaking of silence on hitherto hid- closely together in worship, liberation den evils such as racial discrimination; theology, the rise of feminist theology, domestic violence and sexual abuse, Photo: Malcolm Swan Malcolm Photo: joint action on justice issues, and the including the revelations of abuse at the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) was Indian Residential Schools that shook finally ordaining women! the churches of AST's three founding Circumstances pulled me away from parties; issues of human sexuality; the Memories and AST for a few years. When I returned in dismantling of the social safety net, 1983, “the times they were a-changing.” which the churches had been instru- For complex reasons, the AST com- mental in creating in earlier decades; Reflections munity decided that Eucharistic sharing the reduction in respect for institutions with the entire community could not and authority; increasing materialism, continue. I remember the sadness as consumerism, and militarism; the rise Chair of the Board this decision was made. That's the way of the Internet; the growing number of it has been ever since. Some readers Canadians belonging to other faiths; The Reverend might not even be aware of that amaz- and the decline in mainstream church ing freedom of the first decade of AST's affiliation. It is easy to forget how enor- Margaret Sagar existence. mous the changes have been. For those Out in the field after ordination, I who need their memories refreshed, the recall a couple telling me after a Sunday September 2005 interim report makes evening service that they had wor- interesting reading. It can be found as shipped with house guests in the United, Appendix C to the St. Brigid Report Anglican, and Roman Catholic churches (2009) on the websites of the ACC and that day! They were amazed that the UCC. The St. Brigid Report itself is scriptures were the same, and the well worth reading. sermons were similar. I well remember I certainly experienced the impact the late Bishop Leonard Hatfield being of such changes in my own ministry. so delighted when the three denomina- Changing times influence liturgical tions in his home community were each content, reveal themselves in needs served by an AST graduate. This was for pastoral care and give rise to new a fulfillment of the vision that had in- situations requiring prophetic speech spired the founders of AST. Though we and action. For example, I remarked clergy did not know each other, having to my congregation in 2005 that 20 studied at different times, we shared a to 25 years earlier, the rights of the common bond and similar perspectives. lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender The three of us initiated an ecumenical (LGBT) community had not been on vacation Bible school that summer, my my radar. It had never entered my head last in that community. that I would officiate at a marriage of While I was serving for the United a same-sex couple as I had done the Church of Canada (UCC) during the previous day. The theological education past decade with the Anglican/United I received at AST provided me with a Church dialogue, we wrote a report solid foundation from which to view the 4 / AST MAGAZINE Fall 2012 world and to function as a church leader.