Volume 21, Number 1 Fall 2012 C o l l o q u y www.ats.edu

Ethics and Accountability Dear friends, Fall 2012, vol. 21, no. 1 s a membership organization with an accrediting function, ATS is essen- Colloquy is a semiannual magazine published and distributed free of tially in the business of accountability. The board, committees, and staff charge to ATS member schools and to those interested in the practices of the Association are accountable to the 273 member schools to provide and improvement of theological worthwhile support and ongoing education through conferences, webi- education in North America. nars,A publications, networking opportunities, data resources, and special initia- © 2012 The Association of Theologi- tives that meet the needs of more than 6,200 administrators and faculty members, cal Schools. All rights reserved. serving more than 74,000 students. The schools are accountable to one another, Editor through the Commission on Accrediting, to meet specified standards of edu- Eliza Smith Brown cational quality. The work of accrediting, in turn, is accountable to the schools ASSISTANT EDITOR and DESKTOP PUBLISHER to promote improvement; to state, provincial, and federal entities that relate Linda D. Trostle to higher education; and to the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to The Association ensure quality on behalf of the public. The schools are further accountable to of Theological Schools the faith communities and other publics their students will ultimately serve—to 10 Summit Park Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1110 prepare graduates for service in an increasingly diverse world, in parish and Phone: 412-788-6505 other ministries, as pastors, counselors, chaplains, social service professionals, Fax: 412-788-6510 Website: www.ats.edu and academics, and in a host of other vocations. The Mission of The Association of Theologi- As we strive to meet the many expectations for each of us, both individually and cal Schools in the United States and Canada is to promote the collectively, accountability manifests itself in the broad range of topics covered improvement and enhancement of in this issue of Colloquy. Daniel Aleshire, in “Surprised by seriousness,” reminds theological schools to the benefit of communities of faith and the chief executives to face the daunting challenges of ethics and accountability with broader public. the kind of joy that even the most serious person can experience. In “A sabbatical ATS BOARD OF DIRECTORS for the dean,” Steven Schweitzer speaks to the balance that he seeks among com- J. Dorcas Gordon, President James Hudnut-Beumler, Vice President peting obligations—to his vocation as dean and to his scholarship, not to mention Patricia Schoelles, Secretary to himself to carve out time for rejuvenation. Kurt Gabbard, the new treasurer Kurt Gabbard, Treasurer Richard Mouw, Past President, of ATS, broadens the traditional definition of financial accountability—beyond ex officio good accounting and internal controls—to include providing value in institu- Alice Hunt, Commission Representative tional programs and services and efficiently meeting the needs of constituents. Janet Clark Writing for development officers, Anne Marie Tirpak focuses on “The privilege Mario D’Souza Heidi Hadsell of accountability” that involves trusted relationships between donors and the James Holsinger, Jr. Charles Kosanke institutions they choose to support. Nancy Nienhuis discusses how to be effec- Steve Land tive in responding to the needs of students, the hidden curriculum, and ourselves Jan Love Myron McCoy in “The good, The bad, and the ugly: Accountability to multiple stakeholders in Deborah Mullen the world of student personnel.” In “Cyber chastity: The moral response to inter- Ronald Peters John “Jay” Phelan, Jr. active pornography,” Sebastian Mahfood offers useful insights for developing a Barbara Reid student conduct policy. We encourage you to read these and other articles and to Dorothy Ridings Richard Stover spark conversations at your own school about issues of ethics and accountability. Junias Venugopal Rod Wilson

This issue of Colloquy will likely be our last in print. In the interest of account- Board of Commissioners Ron Mercier, Chair ability to both the needs of our constituents and the Alton Pollard, Vice Chair budget of the Association, ATS will begin an increas- and Treasurer Tisa Lewis, Secretary ingly online communications program with the rollout William Cahoy of a new website in summer 2013. We hope you enjoy Harry Gardner Gregory Heille the issue, and as always, we welcome your feedback. David Hogue Alice Hunt Mignon Jacobs Best regards, Mark Latcovich John Martin Helen Ouellette Eliza Smith Brown Jennifer Phillips Editor Robin Steinke Tite Tienou Nancy Washington Phillip Zylla Find current and back issues online Daniel O. Aleshire at www.ats.edu > Executive Director o l l o q u y Resources > Publications > Colloquy. Ext. 229 | [email protected] C

Nadine Banks Executive Assistant Ext. 252 | [email protected] biennial meeting Susan D. Beckerdite Accrediting Coordinator 2 • Report of the 2012 Biennial Meeting Ext. 222 | [email protected] 4 • The arts as companions on the spiritual journey Helen M. Blier Director, Student Information By Wilson Yates and Organizational Evaluation Ext. 248 | [email protected] 6 • Community and diversity Eliza Smith Brown By Daniel O. Aleshire Director, Communications and External Relations Ext. 244 | [email protected] 10 • Barbara G. Wheeler receives ATS Distinguished Service Award Janice Edwards-Armstrong Director, Leadership Education Ext. 253 | [email protected] The Association of Theological Schools Lea Ann Fairall Administrative Assistant, Accrediting 12 • The case for sexuality education in professional ethics training Ext. 249 | [email protected] By Kate M. Ott Linda L. Giehll Coordinator, Leadership Education 14 • Global consultation Ext. 239 | [email protected]

Stephen R. Graham 15 • ATS Board of Directors welcomes six new members Director, Faculty Development and Initiatives in Theological Education Ext. 251 | [email protected] Departments Linda Griffin Administrative Assistant, Student Information presidents Ext. 223 | [email protected] 16 • Surprised by seriousness Alissa Horton By Daniel O. Aleshire Administrative Assistant, Business and Information Technology Ext. 235 | [email protected] chief academic officers 20 • A sabbatical for the dean: A creative example Lisa Kern Communications Coordinator By Steven Schweitzer Ext. 245 | [email protected] student personnel administrators Tisa Lewis Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation 23 • The good, the bad, and the ugly: Accountability to multiple Ext. 228 | [email protected] stakeholders in the world of student personnel Mary M. McMillan By Nancy Nienhuis Meeting Coordinator Ext. 237 | [email protected] development officers Chris A. Meinzer 26 • The privilege of accountability Director, Finance and Administration By Anne Marie Tirpak Ext. 232 | [email protected]

William C. Miller financial officers Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation 30 • What does it mean to be “financially accountable”? Ext. 247 | [email protected] By Kurt Gabbard Chris Olsztyn Director, Information Technology technology professionals Ext. 233 | [email protected] 34 • Cyber chastity: The moral response to interactive pornography Frances Pacienza By Sebastian Mahfood Coordinator, Faculty Development and Initiatives Ext. 224 | [email protected] student information Lester Edwin J. Ruiz 36 • Assessment as stewardship: Finding meaning in the vocation of Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation Ext. 255 | [email protected] student information work By Helen Blier Tom Tanner Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation Ext. 229 | [email protected] commission on accrediting 38 • Comings and goings Linda D. Trostle Communications Coordinator Ext. 246 | [email protected] 39 • ATS Board of Commissioners welcomes five new members

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Report of the 2012 Biennial Meeting

n late June, 414 registrants gathered in Min- School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, Ineapolis, Minnesota, for the forty-eighth New York; and Treasurer, Kurt A. Gabbard, ATS/COA Biennial Meeting. The theme of the Vice President for business affairs, Austin Pres- meeting—Celebrating Community—was evident byterian Theological Seminary, Austin, Texas. in the diversity of faith traditions, backgrounds, In addition, the membership elected six new and vantage points among those present. The members of the ATS Board of Directors (see page group included 347 from 197 member schools; 15), five new members of the Board of Com- fourteen representing ten new associate member missioners (see page 39), and more than forty schools; forty-three representing affiliate orga- individuals to serve on various committees. nizations and consortia, public board members, and other guests; one representing a new affili- New member schools and affiliates ate organization; and twelve ATS staff. The membership voted to admit thirteen new associate members of the Association: Opening ŠŠ Augustine Institute in Greenwood Village, Following words of welcome to Minneapolis Colorado from five leaders at local member schools—Jay ŠŠ Freed-Hardeman University Graduate Stud- Barnes of Bethel Seminary of Bethel University, ies in Bible in Henderson, Tennessee Rick Bliese of Luther Seminary and the Min- ŠŠ Georgia Christian University School of nesota Consortium of Theological Schools, Bill Divinity in Atlanta, Georgia Š Cahoy of St. John’s University School of Theol- Š Grace Mission University Graduate School in Fullerton, California ogy and Seminary, Barbara Holmes of United ŠŠ Marylhurst University Religious Stud- Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, and ies Graduate Department in Marylhurst, Christopher Thompson of Saint Paul Seminary Oregon School of Divinity—John Witvliet from Calvin ŠŠ Midwest University Graduate School of Theological Seminary led the participants in an Theology in St. Louis, Missouri ecumenical worship service. Daniel Aleshire then ŠŠ Northwest Baptist Seminary in Langley, offered the opening address, which can be read British Columbia on page 4. ŠŠ Oklahoma Christian University Gradu- ate School of Theology in Oklahoma City, Business sessions Oklahoma ŠŠ Presbyterian Theological Seminary in In four separate business sessions, Richard America in Santa Fe Springs, California Mouw, as president of the Association, and ŠŠ Seattle Pacific Seminary of Seattle Pacific David Esterline, as chair of the Commission, led University in Seattle, Washington the membership through elections of officers ŠŠ Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary, and committees, approval of members and affili- North Carolina ates, adoption of minor revisions to the Bylaws ŠŠ St. Thomas University School of Theology and Procedures, and—representing the culmina- and Ministry in Miami Gardens, Florida ŠŠ Wesley Seminary of Indiana Wesleyan Uni- tion of two years of intensive work—adoption versity in Marion, Indiana of revised Educational and Degree Program Standards. Eleven of the newly admitted member schools had representatives present for the Elections votes, which brought the total number of The membership elected the nominated member schools in the Association to 273. slate of new officers for the Association: Presi- In addition, the membership voted to grant dent, J. Dorcas Gordon, Principal, Knox College, affiliate status to the United Church of Christ Toronto, Ontario; Vice President, James D. and the World Spiritual Health Organization. A Hudnut Beumler, Dean, Vanderbilt University representative of the WSHO was also present. Divinity School, Nashville, Tennessee; Secretary, Patricia A. Schoelles, President, St. Bernard’s

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Approval of new Educational and Degree Program Standards

In the course of considerable discussion of the proposed revised Educational and Degree Program Standards, seventeen motions were presented, discussed, and referred to the Com- mittee on Reference and Counsel for its delibera- tion and recommendations to the body. Of those motions, some were recommended, some not recommended, and some recommended in an C y adapted form. ele nit brating Commu Panel on the three ecclesial families in ATS

In the spirit of celebrating community, Dorcas Gordon (Knox College), the newly elected presi- also had the opportunity to view the St. John’s dent of the Association, moderated a productive Bible, the first handwritten, illuminated Bible in dialogue of five individuals: John Buchanan 500 years. Commissioned in 1998 by St. John’s (Christian Century) representing the mainline Abbey and University, it was created by cal- Protestant tradition; W. Shawn McKnight (US ligraphers led by the scribe to the Queen of Conference of Catholic Bishops) represent- England, working in a scriptorium in Wales and ing the Roman Catholic tradition; and Leith using the text of the NRSV. This magnificent Anderson (National Association of Evangelicals) work is at once old and new, a masterpiece of representing the evangelical Protestant tradi- the ancient crafts of calligraphy and illumination tion; with commentary by Stephen Lewis (The executed with the latest capabilities of computer Fund for Theological Education), who shared technology. the perspective of vocation and calling among At the Wednesday evening banquet, Barbara individuals entering into ministry, and Katarina G. Wheeler, director of the Auburn Center for Schuth (Saint Paul Seminary School of Divin- the Study of Theological Education, received the ity), who offered a broad perspective on issues 2012 Distinguished Service Award. Her remarks for theological schools across ecclesial families. are featured on page 10. Generously sponsored by the Kern Family In addition, Christa Klein was honored Foundation, the panel is highlighted in a new with a resolution in recognition of her twenty- video, Celebrating Community through Collegial four years of exemplary service to In Trust and Conversation. her work as a revered authority on governance with Lilly Endowment Inc., the Association of Workshops Governing Boards, The Association of Theologi- cal Schools, and dozens of individual seminaries A dozen workshops offered opportunities to to improve the effectiveness of the boards that share best practices in the areas of manage- govern ATS member schools. ment and governance, educational issues, and Minutes of the Biennial Meeting are posted as accrediting. Bulletin 50, part 3, on the Publications page under Resources on the ATS website, www.ats.edu.w Gatherings and celebrations

Two receptions—one hosted by the Kern Family Foundation and one by In Trust—facilitated further fellowship and networking. Participants

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Community and diversity

Highlights of the Biennial Meeting opening address By Daniel O. Aleshire

grew up at a time and in congregations where defined, at least in part, by whom and what Ianything that resembled sex education was we avoided. I memorized the conclusion of the perceived as a Communist plot, likely designed passage: “be ye therefore separate.” Separatism to destabilize the purity of Baptist youth. It was in that congregation did not end with distance further understood that if that were to happen, from the pagan and evil. It continued with sepa- the fall of the free world would not be far ration from believers with whom we disagreed, behind. The message was that sexual expression which at that church generally meant most other was for marriage and that Christians should not Protestants and all Roman Catholics. be unequally yoked with unbelievers. It cited All of us have religious histories, and the the questions posed in 2 Corinthians 6: “what vast majority of yours do not resemble mine. partnership is there between righteousness But if separation from Christians with whom and lawlessness” or “what fellowship is there you disagree is important for purity’s sake, then between light and darkness” or “what does a ATS is not really your kind of organization. ATS believer share with an unbeliever?” These were includes as broad a spectrum of North American fundamental questions in a congregation that Christianity as any organization, maybe even understood that faithfulness as Christians was the broadest. That breadth, FIGURE 1 reflected in the diver- Distribution of Schools by Percentage sity both within and across ATS schools, 100% brings gifts even as it raises issues. ATS 90% 20% 28% schools have con- siderable consensus 80% affirming the impor- tance of diversity. 70% It is first on the 19% organization’s list of 60% 42% core values, identi- fied in numerous 50% places in the accredit- ing standards, and 40% frequently cited in schools’ self-studies. 30% Diversity is a value 53% that most member 20% 38% schools affirm as a life-giving, quality- 10% enhancing reality to be embraced. 0% The broad story of 1981–82 2011–12 theological education Mainline Evangelical Roman Catholic/Orthodox in ATS schools across the past half century

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has been away from FIGURE 2, 2011–12 homogeneity in almost everything— Distribution of Students by Ecclesial Family students, faculty, 100% 3% educational practices, 8% 7% 9% 14% 11% institutional struc- 90% 17% 19% ture, and theological identity. ATS schools 80% have each become 46% more diverse inter- 70% nally, and they have become more diverse 60% 64% 59% from each other, 62% 52% particularly in the 67% 50% 80% 62% thirty years between 1981–82 and 2011–12 40% (see Figure 1).

30% Diversity of race 51% and gender 20% Schools that 32% have been working 29% 29% 26% 10% 21% 20% hard to build racially 12% diverse communities 0% and educate students Asian Black Hispanic Multiracial Native Not Available Visa White for ministry in a American racially diverse world Mainline Evangelical Roman Catholic/Orthodox can claim a sense of accomplishment over the changes of the past thirty years (see Figure 2).1 Likewise, theo- diversification because it expands access and logical schools related to religious communities makes theological education less expensive. with no restrictions on gender in religious lead- Others worry that something essential to theo- ership have made significant strides on gender logical education may be dissipating. diversity, and schools related to faith commu- nities that maintain gender restrictions have Diversity of institutional form become more gender diverse within the limits of Since its first meeting in 1918, the Association the confessional expectations to which they are has included schools in both Canada and the accountable. Still, more needs to be done. United States that share many common educa- tional practices but also substantive differences Diversity of educational practices in institutional form and affiliations, in pat- Thirty years ago, there were no distance terns of public certification and support, and learning courses nor was there the infrastruc- in ways by which they are given the authority ture to support them. Today those programs are to grant degrees. And the institutional diver- a fast-growing edge in theological education. sity is growing. For instance, the percentage of Thirty years ago, it would have been difficult schools related to a college or university has to find schools that offered counseling degrees, increased from 20 percent to 35 percent, a trend degrees in missiology, or specialized profes- that is likely to continue. With recent additions sional master’s degrees beyond youth, educa- to the membership, there are now ten member tion, and music. Those kinds of degrees are schools that serve Asian students, more than now common, and virtually every ATS school the Association’s historically black theological is offering more degrees now than it did thirty school members. These patterns of institutional years ago. Expressions of ministry have been diversity and the jurisdictions of two separate diversifying across these years, and the schools nations have a direct influence on the applica- have diversified their programs to accommo- tion of accrediting standards, the issues that date the changing shape and expressions of ATS programs attempt to address over time, ministry in North America. Some welcome this how schools are financed and governed, and the

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FIGURE 3, 2011–12 These differ- ences in educational practices by ecclesial family reflect differ- ing educational goals and needs within the communities these schools serve. Most mainline Protestant schools are related to denominations with requirements for ordained ministry that include semi- nary education as a responsibility of the candidates. Evangeli- cal Protestant schools tend to be related to much more free church and para- church constituencies in which theological education is often elective, requiring them to “sell” the value of theological education. In con- ways in which the schools articulate and pursue trast, Roman Catholic education for the minis- their missions. terial priesthood is deeply formational, highly regulated by church authorities, and exclusively Ecclesial family: The underlying diversity residential. In order to meet these differing needs, the revised Educational and Degree Of the many patterns of diversity that exert Program Standards have been designed to be growing influence in theological schools, eccle- both robust and flexible. sial family is a powerful, underlying diversity And the ecclesial diversity is not just an that moderates all the others. Thirty years ago, issue across the member schools of the Associa- there were more mainline Protestant schools tion. While most schools are primarily anchored in the Association than Roman Catholic and in one or the other of these ecclesial families, evangelical combined, and the conventions students are bringing the theological leanings of and perceptions of mainline Protestants were these ecclesial groups to classroom after class- dominant in the work and mores of the Associa- room, regardless of the ecclesial identification of tion. Today, evangelical Protestant schools have the school. increased in number by almost seventy, and the ATS membership has nearly an equal percentage Theological diversity of mainline and evangelical Protestant schools (about 40 percent each), with 20 percent Roman Theological schools are value-laden communi- Catholic/Orthodox schools (see Figure 1). ties of faith and intellectual inquiry, and they are This diversity of ecclesial family exerts a all advocates for the doctrinal commitments that powerful influence on all the other patterns of they understand to be “good.” In this way, the diversity. The numbers pertaining to racial/ diversity of ecclesial family, based on theological ethnic enrollment, women MDiv students, convictions, is of a different order than diversity women faculty, and educational practices all of race or gender. None of us would assert that vary according to the ecclesial families of the one race or gender is better than the other, even schools (see Figure 3). if our actions at times might lead some to think otherwise. All of us, however, are convinced that some theological construals are better, smarter,

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or more faithful than others. The ecclesial fami- within one faith tradition. lies to which ATS schools are related disagree A third practice is civility, which would theologically on issues like gender roles and appear to be a bit out of style in the United States moral expressions of human sexuality. They these days. It seems as if firm commitments have also disagree on the fundamental nature of the been confused with militancy and rudeness. Triune God, of human begins, of sin and salva- A fourth practice is to ensure that the diverse tion, and of creation and the physical world, not voices are present at all levels of the organization. to mention the Christian meaning of life here To that end, the Association seeks, through its and hereafter. nominating processes, to build boards and com- This theological diversity has significant mittees that reflect the diversities most present effects on the work of the Association. What do in member schools: race, gender, United States/ we do with theological diversity that results in Canada, and ecclesial family. perceptions that one position is more true, or A fifth practice is to provide a neutral space right, or faithful than another? to gather in the midst of competing advocacies. One option is to follow that holiness code ATS needs to be the space where schools with in 2 Corinthians and separate from those who competing theological visions can encounter one are perceived to be wrong, less faithful, or less another, engage one another, even support one intellectually credible in their theology or reli- another. gious practices. The Modernist-Fundamentalist These practices have value beyond the struggles of the early twentieth century spun off work of the Association. They would be good a good bit of conservative Protestant separatism, practices for recent seminary graduates to take but it occurs as much on the left as it does on into an increasingly multifaith world and into a the right. Separation is a tried and tested way to North American context in which religion has a exercise holiness, to be set apart to a particular smaller place in the public square and persons vision or particular theological understanding. of theological difference cooperate to speak Another option is to try to find a way to be a with a voice of common concerns. The practices community, despite the deep differences. Some- that make diverse communities thrive are the times those efforts can be strained, but over very ones that are most needed in a culture the years ATS has discerned and demonstrated all too inclined to respond to diversity with several practices that are worth noting. divisiveness.

Practices that contribute to theologically A concluding word diverse communities We begin this 49th biennium of the Association The first practice is a commitment to know as the most diverse community of theological persons and to relate to them as individuals, schools ever assembled—one of the few spaces even as conversation partners, a practice that where the broad spectrum of North American some ATS presidents have found useful— Christianity is present—but with common pairing evangelicals and Roman Catholics, problems that accrue to running schools for the liberal Protestants and Pentecostals. To the education of religious leaders. We begin the extent that this Association is a community, biennium with the gift of diversity, a glimpse it provides space for people to come to know into the realm of God through the assembled others and to discover people completely wholeness of the human family.w outside the tribal enclaves of North American Christianity. This article is excerpted A second practice is creating space for from Daniel Aleshire’s persons or schools to be who they are reli- opening address at the ATS Biennial Meeting in giously. Creating this kind of space requires June 2012. The address the discipline not to privilege one tradition or can be viewed in its en- perspective over another. A school should be tirety on the ATS website, able to be truly conservative, truly liberal, truly www.ats.edu. Orthodox, truly middle of the road, or whatever it truly is and be able to be a full participant in Endnote the life of this organization. Authentic interac- 1. See Daniel Aleshire, tion is possible only when theological convic- “Gifts Differing: The Educational Value of Race and Eth- tions are firmly held and honored, both across nicity,” Theological Education 45, no. 1 (2009): 118. faith groups and across different perspectives

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The arts as companions on the spiritual journey

By Wilson Yates

ur spiritual journey or religious pilgrimage the contours of our religious faith; we will be Ois a deep and profound undertaking. It has better able to see judgment proclaimed against to do with our search for the ultimate meaning idolatry and injustice; we will be able to feel of our lives and our relationship to the Divine, the Spirit moving in our soul. And that is, after with the purpose of our being here on this earth, all, the heart of our journey’s destiny. Works of and with the struggle to define ourselves amidst art—mundane, profane human creations—can the brokenness and alienation of human exis- become burning bushes that tell us to remove our sandals for we are standing on Holy Ground. Through them, the Holy Living One can speak to us—through glass and paint, stone and fabric, wood and metal; through the move- ment of the body in gesture and dance; through the metaphor of poetry, the narrative of story, and the dramatic moment of the play; through the very art that is the liturgy itself. The power of art can be great in its impact upon us. We should invite our students to dis- cover the arts as sources of religious insight and spiritual encounter, to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit both brooding and joyful, and perhaps, in a moment unaware, to glimpse the face of God.w © iStockphoto.com St. John the Evangelist statue in the atrium of St. Paul’s Basilica, Rome.

tence. It has to do with our search for wholeness and a sense of unity with the world about us. It is a journey whose quest is uncertain, the end necessarily defined by the limits of our under- standing and imagination and the mysterious presence of that which lies beyond us. And what of the arts? They are not only good companions on the journey; they can also become crucial companions upon which we © iStockphoto.com Ancient Roman mosaic of the apostle are dependent. Through the arts, if we engage Philipe, carrying a crown in a veiled hand. them fully, we will be better able to understand From the Neonian Baptistry, Ravenna, Italy.

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Five roles the arts can play in our search for spiri- tual wholeness:

Art as liturgical art, where our spiritual yearnings are engaged by the arts through images, religious symbols, stories, sounds, and movement within the context of worship.

Art as visual theology, providing symbolically rich sources that connect us to diverse historical and contemporary expres- sions of Christian spirituality and the larger history of our faith.

Art as a tool for raising religious questions about the complex nature and meaning of human existence— through symbol and image—pulling us onto spiritual turf and engag- ing us in recognizing and responding to matters of ultimate significance, of

© iStockphoto.com/cstar55 birth and death, order and Above: Installed in 1911 in the First Presbyterian Church of chaos, love and hate, the Topeka, Kansas, this stained glass window is a unique glass called “favrile” invented by Louis Comfort Tiffany. demonic and the divine. Below: Symbol of martyr at gate of Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rome. Art as prophetic

expression that enlivens © iStockphoto.com our own spiritual con- sciousness by renouncing human idolatries and injustice and pointing Interior of the Orthodox Church, Uglich, Russia. toward new possibility.

Art as a sacramental mediator, a means through which we might know God’s truth and grace and receive nurture and suste- nance, assurance and wholeness, joy and hope.

Wilson Yates is president emeritus and professor emeritus of Religion, Society and the Arts at United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, Minnesota. These excerpts were taken from his presentation at a pre- conference meeting at the 2012 Biennial Meeting that the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools hosted at the Guthrie Theatre. © iStockphoto.com

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Barbara G. Wheeler receives ATS Distinguished Service Award

’ve watched a lot of award ceremonies in my life, and I’ve interesting experiments. I stayed in the Crossroads Motel— Iobserved that the automatic response of recipients is to you are all too young, but that substandard place of lodging thank a long list of persons who made possible the achieve- used to get a sympathetic laugh from theological educa- ment for which the award is being given. Now that I have an tors who had been forced to stay there by the Association’s award myself, I understand the impulse. I look at the roster penny-pinching staff. I was too young to mind. I eagerly took of those who have received the prize before me—Krister Sten- notes on everything Marvin Taylor and Jesse Ziegler told me dahl, my revered mentor Robert Lynn, Shelby Rooks, Sara and fed their comments back to the group that had sent me. Little, David Alan Hubbard, Martin Marty, Vince Cushing, I won’t go into detail about all the ATS projects that under- Bob Cooley, Barbara Brown Zikmund, Diane Kennedy, Joe girded my work over the next four decades—Issues Research, Hough, and David Tiede. The only way to escape the certain which was the most significant intellectual experience of my sense that I can never live up to the standard they set is to off- life (I edited or wrote for at least ten of the dozens of books load the credit onto others. that stemmed from that project); the Institute for Theological So I’m going to follow the standard practice and take my Education Management (which Tony Ruger and I helped to time to say thanks. But I’m not going to list all my invaluable organize—it survives today in the form of presidents’ events colleagues, people like Tony Ruger, without whose partnership at ATS); Underrepresented Constituencies (at one point I was Auburn and I would have accomplished very little. Nor will I an advocate for women in a seminary consortium, and ATS name my family members, with the exception of my husband support of our efforts was critical); an ethnographic study of Sam, who is here tonight. Sam enabled me to do my job by two seminaries, published as the book Being There, by a team never complaining about all the travel it required. If you ask that included Daniel Aleshire, then an ATS staff member; him how long we’ve been married, he will say “Well, forty- Strategic Information, a joint project of ATS and our research three years on the clock, but if you count only the nights she’s center at Auburn; and more recently, other joint efforts, the been home, it’s four.” (My son said something once that made Financially Stressed Schools and Economic Equilibrium me think that my absences might not be entirely unwelcome. projects. Virtually every item on my resume has an ATS link. When he was eight or nine, someone asked him if he minded So thank you, ATS: I couldn’t have done much, if any, of it that I was away so much. “No,” he said, “When Mom’s not without you. here, Dad and me, we eat like kings and we live like slobs.”) My guess is that most of you in this room have your own Instead of listing all the other individuals who made my ATS autobiographies. In fact, our lives as theological educa- work possible, I’d like to express my gratitude to the institu- tors are so intertwined with this organization that it’s easy tion that has been the center for excellence and faithfulness in to take it for granted and to forget how remarkable it is. I’m theological education during my whole career and that has, going to take a few more minutes to remind myself and all of in one way or another, facilitated every contribution that I you of its larger significance. have been able to make: That institution is The Association of This is, I believe, the broadest-based Christian organiza- Theological Schools. tion in North America and probably the world. It includes schools associated with Roman Catho- lic, Orthodox, Protestant—all stripes of The chief benefit of so many schools from so many traditions Protestant—and Unitarian traditions. Can joining in a single organization for their strengthening and you think of another body that includes leaders of that wide a range of Christian improvement is the richness of the conception of theological communities? education that we have created together. Some might say its present-day breadth is ironic. The predecessor to ATS, the Conference of Theological Schools, was My first job in theological education was research organized to crowd out the diversity of schools and training assistant to a seminary planning task force. That was forty institutes that had sprung up during the progressive period. years ago. Reform was in the air. There were new ideas and Accreditation was the means by which a handful of mainline innovative programs all over the educational and theological Protestant graduate schools chose to make their own stan- landscape. My task force sent me to Vandalia, Ohio, to ask dards and practices the norm and, in so doing, to put many of the staff of what was then the AATS about the boldest, most those other institutions out of business. In the first decade of

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the Association’s life, fewer than forty schools, of the hundreds that were preparing Christian workers, were deemed worthy of accredited status, and over the next twenty years, even fewer than that were judged adequate to join them as members. This small knot of institutions thought of itself as the center of the theological uni- verse. It’s said that the offices were located in Dayton, Ohio, because at the time that was the population center of the United States, the crossroads of America—hence the name of that awful motel. But in fact, the seventy- five schools that were members in the 1950s represented only one segment of American religion. And then, in the mid-1960s, the spirit of renewal that was sweeping over churches and schools infected ATS. With Jesse Ziegler’s strong support, Roman Catholic seminaries took their place in the organization, the majority joining at almost the same time. More gradually, evangelical and orthodox schools joined the handful of nonmainline Protestant schools that had been accredited earlier. Ziegler’s successors continued to promote and helped us to understand the role that liturgy plays in theolog- support the expansion. Leon Pacala began the practice of ical formation. I could give a whole speech about how the dif- hiring a religiously diverse staff to match the increasingly ferent conceptions of academic excellence from each of these diverse membership; Jim Waits placed special emphasis on sources have increased the intellectual quality of each other’s racial and ethnic inclusion, as more schools serving those con- work. Yes, there are strains. Yes there are deep differences in stituencies gained accreditation. Daniel Aleshire, their succes- ideas, beliefs, aspirations, and values. But remember: At the sor, has worked tirelessly to understand and to serve all types same time, all our schools are much, much better because of of schools—different structures, varied religious traditions— each other, and no other organization anywhere has created with equal vigor and care, and to balance goals and interests this diverse a community of Christians seeking to do their among the schools where they compete or come into conflict. work in ways that are both faithful to their separate traditions The expansion of ATS continues, in large measure, I believe, and yet part of a common, mutually enriching enterprise. because of the hospitable ethos Dan and his colleagues have There are personal benefits, of course, as well as pro- created. If the current rate of initial accreditations holds up, fessional ones, that flow from being part of this extraordi- ATS may admit twice as many new members in this decade nary organization. I can testify to this. Except for leaders of as it did in the last. seminaries of my own church, Presbyterian USA, who have The point, of course, is not numbers. The chief benefit of become treasured colleagues, I would not—absent ATS—ever so many schools from so many traditions joining in a single have met most of my closest Christian friends. I said I would organization for their strengthening and improvement is the not name names, but some I must mention: Katarina Schuth, richness of the conception of theological education that we David Tiede, Christa Klein, Martha Horne, Richard Mouw, have created together. The Roman Catholics brought a major Dan Aleshire. From you, and from many more who are or emphasis on formation—what seminary here does not now were once part of this fellowship, I have learned what the pay attention to that dimension of education? The evangeli- Christian life looks like and how it is lived. Indeed, in a day cals taught the rest of us to think of education in missional when my denomination is bitterly divided into factions and terms. The creaky old mainline Protestants who started it all tribes, I have more of a sense of being part of the church of have promoted a renewed focus on congregations: congrega- Jesus Christ here than I expect I will have next week at the tional studies can now be found somewhere in most curricu- Presbyterian General Assembly. So thank you, all of you, for lums. I could go on—the peace churches contributed the idea this humbling award. Thank you even more for the parts you of community as educational formation, the Orthodox have play in the amazing organization that conferred it.w

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 11 the association

The case for sexuality education in professional ethics training

By Kate M. Ott

lergy and ministerial staff deal daily with a Cvariety of sexuality issues beyond identify- ing, reporting, and preventing sexual miscon- duct. From my own experience as a youth and family minister, as a seminary professor, and as associate director of the Religious Institute, a non- profit organization, I have had the privilege of working with many seminary students and current clergy on sexual- ity education. I know that clergy and ministry staff

ŠŠ provide premari- tal education and counseling; ŠŠ assist in developing courses or maintaining child and sexual abuse preven- upper tion policies; level electives, ŠŠ offer pastoral care to through compre- couples dealing with hensive policies, or infertility; in extracurricular learning ŠŠ oversee or offer sexuality edu- opportunities like liturgy. cation to youth group members; ŠŠ respond to current event debates on re- While most studies focus solely productive healthcare and marriage equality; on sexual misconduct, a 2009 study conducted by the ŠŠ preach on lectionary texts that address sexual behaviors Religious Institute, Sex and the Seminary: Preparing Ministers and relationships including polygamy, rape/incest, chas- for Sexual Health and Justice measured sexuality content in tity, childbearing, divorce, and so on; the curriculum; institutional commitment to sexuality and ŠŠ address global crises such as maternal mortality and gender equity (e.g., the existence of antidiscrimination, sexual HIV/AIDS; harassment and full inclusion policies); and advocacy and ŠŠ counsel pregnant teenagers; and support for sexuality‐related issues in thirty-six US seminar- ŠŠ deal with attraction to and from congregation members. ies. At the time of publication, only ten institutions met even two-thirds of the evaluation criteria. Many of the institutions This is only a sampling of the sexuality issues present in a did offer sexual abuse/violence prevention learning opportu- congregation. Unfortunately, many seminary graduates are nities, which is a welcome improvement. Yet these offerings not prepared to deal with these issues. Research findings do not cover the range of professional sexual ethics issues document the lack of professional preparation clergy receive that ministerial students will address upon graduation and in dealing with youth education, marriage counseling, and may reinforce silence and shame by addressing sexuality sexual attraction. A recent study of seminaries shows that from a negative perspective. Since the release of the report, a many are not addressing professional sexual ethics in core review of the participating institutions has been conducted. Now twenty of the original surveyed schools meet at least

12 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 the association

two-thirds of the criteria to be designated as a “Sexually the theological foundations for a youth group dating policy. Healthy and Responsible Seminary.” My own institution, Explicitly attending to professional sexual ethics issues in cur- Drew Theological School, is one of them. ricular and extracurricular initiatives provides, as Stephens While each seminary teaches out of its denominational suggests, “a baseline of preparation for ministerial leaders, affiliation or encourages students to work out of their own faith establishing a standard of expectation and a foundation upon traditions, every student can graduate with professional sexual which lifelong continuing education can build.” ethics training. In fact, given the data that clearly show future In order for seminaries to begin to meet their obligation clergy and ministerial staff are ill-prepared to deal with the regarding professional sexual ethics training of future clergy most basic sexuality-related issues of their congregants, semi- and ministerial staff, faculty will need to make some minor, naries have an obligation to provide education that will result and a few major, shifts. When it comes to core courses, sexu- in the following learning outcomes in response to the ATS ality-related issues and professional development need to be degree standards. Imagine for a moment if students graduate integrated across the curriculum. Faculty will need networks and additional training, in some circumstances, to accom- ŠŠ knowing how scriptural interpretation and historical plish this task. Professional ethics and comfort in dealing theological traditions shape current denominational with sexuality issues is learned as much through content as policy and sexual ethics (Religious Heritage); through modeling. Thus, faculty will need to be as aware of ŠŠ with a well developed understanding of sexuality and their pedagogy and conduct as they are with the readings gender informed by current social scientific research in they assign. conversation with the breadth of recent theological and For my part, I hope students do not leave any of my ethical literature on sexuality, including attention to di- classes without having learned something about professional verse racial and ethnic experience (Cultural Context); ethics in ministry—not because of the content I teach related ŠŠ having reflected on how their own experience of sexuali- to Christian ethics, but because I am aware and attentive ty and relationship informs and is informed by their faith, to things such as how I deal with attraction from students, moral integrity, and calling as a public witness (Personal whether I name and observe the nondiscrimination and and Spiritual Formation); and ŠŠ ready to implement policies on sexual abuse and mis- language policies of the institution in the classroom, how I conduct, stop bullying based on sexual discrimination, respond to the embodiedness of my students, what issues I address socially divisive sexuality issues with care and integrate in assignments and class discussion, and whether attentiveness, and minister to congregation members with I invite or silence comments related to sexuality issues, to difficult, often traumatic sexuality-related pastoral con- name a few. Each of these is an example of “teaching” about cerns (Capacity for Ministerial and Public Leadership). professional sexual ethics. At my own institution, we have many faculty who are attentive to a wide range of sexuality The ATS Commission standards for Master of Divinity and issues and sexual ethics in their scholarship as well as in their Master of Arts in Ministry degrees highlight areas where courses. Like many seminaries, we are consistently seeking to professional sexual ethics ought to be integrated within the balance academic endeavors and professional development seminary curriculum. needs of our students. Partnerships with denominations (like For some institutions, that may mean adding a required that of UMC, through GCSRW) and area congregations assist course on professional sexual ethics that covers the wide us with faculty resources and provide students with opportu- range of sexuality issues. Recently, the Metropolitan Com- nities for integrated learning. munity Church and the Unitarian Universalist Association For your part, are students graduating able to responsibly moved to standardize and require that ordination candidates address sexuality-related issues in each of the four areas of take a full course. As a seminary faculty member, I know the ATS standards? Where is professional sexual ethics taught there is overwhelming resistance to adding yet another in your institution? Future clergy and ministerial staff deserve requirement for already overburdened students. Another to be well-prepared for the needs we know they will face. option, both creative and sensitive to the learning patterns Seminary administrators and faculty can begin to provide and experiences of students, has been developed by Darryl W. vital professional sexual ethics training through creative part- Stephens, assistant general secretary for advocacy and sexual nerships, thoughtful curricular adaptation, and intentional ethics of the General Commission on the Status and Role of professional conduct.w Women (GCSRW) of The United Methodist Church (UMC). Its strategy for improving professional sexual ethics educa- Kate M. Ott is assistant professor of tion includes encouraging faculty to connect the dots between Christian social ethics at Drew Univer- the good work they are already doing in core courses and sity Theological School in Madison, New Jersey. Sex and the Seminary: Prepar- electives related to gender, sexuality, ethics, and leadership to ing Ministers for Sexual Health and the practicalities of ministry. For example, a New Testament Justice can be found at http://www course would integrate discussion or an assignment on how .religiousinstitute.org/resources. a student would respond pastorally or preach about texts on male superiority in marriage related to domestic violence. In a systematic theology course students might be asked to name

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 13 the association

Global Consultation

On September 30 and October 1, 2012, ATS hosted a consulta- Following introductory remarks by Daniel Aleshire and tion on the Association’s role in global theological education. Lester Ruiz to review ATS work on global theological educa- The consultation brought together ATS director staff with tion since the 1980s, each of the seven guests offered reflec- seven representatives of member schools and organizations tions to help guide the future of ATS global engagement.w with international involvement in theological education.

Front Row: Eleazar Fernandez, Professor of Constructive Theology, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities; Helen Blier, Director, Student Information and Organizational Evaluation, ATS; Limuel Equina, Executive Director, Association for Theological Education in Southeast Asia (ATESEA); Daniel Aleshire, Executive Director, ATS; Janice Edwards-Armstrong, Director, Leadership Education, ATS; Nantawan Boonprasat-Lewis, Professor of Religious Studies and Ethnic Studies, Metropolitan State University; Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation, ATS. Back Row: Jeffrey Kuan, Dean and Professor of Hebrew Bible, Drew University Theological School; Eliza Smith Brown, Director, Communications and External Relations, ATS; Tom Tanner, Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation, ATS; (hidden) Chris Meinzer, Director, Finance and Administration, ATS; Steven R. Graham, Director, Faculty Development and Initiatives in Theological Education, ATS; Dietrich Werner, WCC Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education Coordinator, World Council of Churches; Kwok Pui Lan, William F. Cole Professor of Christian Theology and Spirituality, Episcopal Divinity School; Tisa Lewis, Direc- tor, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation, ATS; and Liberato Bautista, Assistant General Secretary for United Nations Ministry of the General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church 2012 ATS Global Initiatives

March 2012 Lester Ruiz participated in the World Council of Churches Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education (WCC/ETE) in Geneva, Switzerland.

May 2012 Dan Aleshire participated in the WOCATI Executive Committee and Christian Consultation in Sofia, Bulgaria.

July 2012 Helen Blier presented an Assessment Workshop for theological educators in Jakarta, Indonesia.

July 2012 Lester Ruiz presented at a conference of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA) conference in Hong Kong.

14 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 the association

ATS Board of Directors welcomes six new members

Janet Clark Kurt A. Gabbard Alice W. Hunt Tyndale University College Austin Presbyterian Chicago Theological Seminary & Seminary Theological Seminary Chicago, Illinois Toronto, Ontario Austin, Texas (Commission Representative)

Deborah Flemister F. Mullen Ronald Peters Barbara E. Reid McCormick Theological Seminary Interdenominational Catholic Theological Union Chicago, Illinois Theological Center Chicago, Illinois Atlanta, Georgia

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 15 presidents

Surprised by seriousness

By Daniel O. Aleshire

If you made it to your inauguration as a slap-happy person of faith, the subsequent years in office have likely had a way of “serious-ing” you up. As we ponder the daunting challenges of ethics and account- ability that face every chief executive of a theological school, it is important—and pro- ductive—to embrace the kind of joy that even the most serious person can experience.

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was a serious teenager. I was involved in a of a semester’s worth of study in her pastoral Ivariety of roles at church and studied hard theology class. After studying ministry in the at school. Life was a serious thing. It was the contexts of illness, death, grief, life crises, failed sixties. The civil rights movement was at its marriages and divorce, chemically addicted height, and Vietnam loomed for the country spouses and adult children, persons victimized and for every high school senior. My father was by injustice and neglect, domestic violence, and killed in an accident as I began high school. human conflict, the seriousness of it all seeped These events made seriousness make sense to into her students, and some of the joy they had me. I was not smart enough to be a nerd, not brought to the course dissipated as the semester athletic enough to be a jock, not good looking progressed. enough to be a hunk. That left either being a Over the years, the Santa Fe Intensive for delinquent or being serious, and I chose the presidents has been a little like Professor Mos- latter. It also seemed to me that serious issues chella’s pastoral theology course. One year we were the most Christian ones. I did not think had two former presidents tell their stories of that frivolous fun and sinful deeds were the being fired or resigning because of intractable same thing, but I had a hunch they were at least conflict. The mood that morning was heavy and close cousins. I was cast as the professor in my did not lift for the rest of the day. Two years ago, high school’s production of “Good News,” the we devoted a day to cases about how schools musical comedy about college life in the 1920s. had dealt with harsh realities of the onset of My character appeared with books in hand and the Great Recession. I remember the emotion in voiced suspicion of the playful antics of the the room when one president talked about the college student characters. As with most high process at his school where people were told school plays, typecasting makes up for minimal acting skills. I believed as a teenager in the 1960s what Jurgen Moltmann wrote in the 1970s, although he did not get the idea from me. “How “The serious business of heaven is joy.” —C. S. Lewis can we laugh and rejoice when there are still so many tears to be wiped and when new tears are being added every day?” that they were laid off in the morning, had their My profile as a teenager is not atypical of severance packages explained, and were told clergy. I know that some of you were party that they could go home—to the great sadness animals, some of you were jocks, and some of of every supervisor who met with each laid-off you were hunks, cheerleaders, and elected to the employee. As the president was leaving at the high school homecoming court. Those of you end of a long and very hard day, he encountered with those kinds of backgrounds were always a laid-off groundskeeper who was trimming the better youth event speakers than serious people hedge. The president reminded him that that the like me. I think that many clergy of my genera- seminary did not expect any work after receiv- tion were teenagers more like me than the party ing the news that morning. He replied that he kids and lived closer to the serious side of life had been trimming the hedge for years and did than its joyful side. And, as we matured into our not want to leave until it was properly trimmed. work in ministry, we had intimate contact with Sometimes, doing the president’s job well results unnecessary suffering, profound tragedy, and in grief for others, even good people who have tear-generating sadness. Moltmann’s insights worked faithfully, and for most of them, the grief were deeply seared into us: “How can we laugh your actions create for others is amplified in your and rejoice when there are still so many tears to own lives. Across the years, the ATS Presidents’ be wiped . . . ?” Intensive has had sessions on conflict, financial pressure, personnel crises, and baffling legal Joy overpowered issues. The job imposes a certain seriousness whether a president welcomes it or not. I began thinking about what I wanted to say this One year, I met with spouses for a session year at Santa Fe when Yale Divinity School’s and talked about what I saw as the pressure Mary Clark Moschella was reporting on her and strain in the CEO’s position. The mood got research in last year’s Henry Luce III Fellows in heavier than I anticipated it would; there were Theology conference. She quoted the Moltmann even a few tears. I was talking about the pres- line above in her project on “Making Room sures of this work and inadvertently brushed for Joy.”1 Her research had been motivated, against the pain that those pressures engender. in part, as she noticed the effects on students These jobs often demand preoccupation. Even

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 17 presidents

when a president is not on the phone or the Joy described computer, he or she is not far from the person- nel issue that will not go away, or the financial I am not a party animal. I am not much of a pressure that will not relent, or the demands of player of games, I don’t take much time away the major donor who feels an entitlement com- from the ATS work that you have granted me mensurate with the gift. Presidents live with the privilege of doing, and I can never remem- problems that cannot be fixed or resolved and ber the punch line of a joke. My adult children that do not go away. will tell you that I am not much fun and that All is not pain and trauma, of course. anything I have to say about joy is surely theo- Ministry in the Christian tradition is about retical, not autobiographical. profound goodness, sure salvation, true justice, The first time I began to think seriously and transcending love. The president’s job about joy—which is how people like me like gives glimpses of goodness and meaning, to think about it—was from an autobiography. and meaning and goodness are serious reali- I was in high school, struggling with under- ties. They are part of the blessing of this work. standing the faith that had claimed me. I read Despite all the pressure in these jobs, there is sermons of some famous preachers, but the ones surely more meaning than pressure, at least I read seemed a bit vapid, a term I would not most days. But what about joy?

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have known back then. Along the way, someone Making room for joy told me that I should read C. S. Lewis. I did— everything I could find by him. For the first Moschella warns her students not to make joy time, I found intellectual perceptions of faith into a Christian virtue that needs to be cultivated that were accessible to me. I read Lewis’s auto- by discipline—yet one more religious task that biography, Surprised by Joy, in which he recounts his conversion to Christianity. For a Baptist, conversion stories are as close to the Holy Grail as one can get. It was a struggle that began in his Joy comes down to this: to being awake and deeply alive, teenage years, so it had special meaning for me aware of the love and grace of God and the gift of life, in mine. The road to faith for Lewis ended with the discovery that a way of life he thought intel- both in and around us. lectually untenable was actually one of intel- lectual substance and joy. It was a serious book —Mary Clark Moschella about joy, and it provided the first occasion for me to think about joy as something other than happiness. What is joy, and what does it mean for serious people should undertake. Rather, it is a institutional leaders who understand all too way of attending to the world, to others, even well the abundance of human tragedy? Mary to our work, that creates a fertile space. And, if Clark Moschella spent her Luce fellowship there is any space available in our overly busy year researching joy—which is exactly how we lives, Christian joy will find its way into them. serious types would imagine that true joy could Joy seldom comes in the absence of sadness; be discovered. She concluded that she could not gift seldom shows up without curse. But if we define it in an intellectually comprehensive way, attend sensitively and make room for joy, it will so she offered a description instead: “. . . joy gently seep into our lives. As you engage the comes down to this: to being awake and deeply tasks that you must do in your jobs, carry the alive, aware of the love and grace of God and burdens that only you can carry, live with preoc- the gift of life, both in and around us.” I thought cupation that comes with jobs from which there to myself as I read her description that this is the is almost never escape, as you deal with the kind of joy a serious guy could have. ambiguity of needing to act and not knowing “Awake and deeply alive” . . . People need what the best action might be, make room—as to be awake to the goodness of life. A source of Moschella suggests—for “being awake and joy can be intimately present but go completely deeply alive, aware of the love and grace of God unnoticed if we are not awake to it. “Awake” and the gift of life, both in and around us.” is the intentional attending to life like the close So, all you serious people, make room for reading of a text. Unnoticed goodness does not joy. It is a heavenly gift.w nourish our souls like the goodness we actually see. “Deeply alive” is an interesting image. Life This article was abridged is a gift we cannot give ourselves, and we cannot from Daniel Aleshire’s engage its wonder if we only live in its shallows. address at the Santa Fe “Aware of the love and grace of God” . . . Presidents Intensive in December 2011. One of the dangers of handling the holy, which is what we ministers do for a living, is that we become anesthetized to it. We have sermons Endnote and essays about love and grace, but we do not 1. Moschella attributes the phrase “Making room always let these realities penetrate our flesh or for joy” to Peggy Way, become part of our bones. who uses it in her book, “Aware of the gift of life in us and around Created By God: Pastoral Care for All God’s People, Chalice us” . . . The pressures of work and the trauma of Press, 2005. life have a way of blurring our vision of the gift of life, if not blinding us altogether. The good- ness of life never appears by itself, in isolation from the sadness of life. So, it is a matter of being aware—of seeing the good gift in the middle of all the things that are the curse.

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 19 chief academic officers

A sabbatical for the dean: A creative example

By Steven Schweitzer

There is an old joke (or, perhaps, part of my contract, I negotiated that I would be eligible for a sabbatical in the third year of my a warning) I was told when I was service as dean, in the 2011–12 academic year. considering becoming a dean: As with many institutions, Bethany has a “The first year, you stop writing. lot going on right now: We are implementing practices for assessment of academic programs The second, you stop reading. and student learning. Our board approved a The third, you stop thinking.” new strategic plan in fall 2009, and we started a financial campaign in summer 2010. Addition- t is easy for those in the role of dean to neglect ally, we began a curriculum review in fall 2010 Ireading, writing, scholarship, and eventually and plan to have the new programs in place their own self-care. Deans can become absorbed for fall 2013. Needless to say, many important by the work, the details, the reports, the endless things require attention. emails that need replies, and the increas- How could I, as dean, take a sabbatical in ing demands on their time and focus. While the midst of all this and still keep our momen- most deans still teach courses, finding time for tum moving forward? While we could have research, rejuvenation, and vocational develop- asked one of our faculty members who had pre- ment can be difficult. But, it doesn’t have to be viously served as acting dean to resume that role this way. Deans should have a sabbatical. again, this would have caused another series of Must one sacrifice scholarship or personal problems to solve. I proposed another solution and professional development and simply to the president to see if it could work. forfeit sabbatical time during the years of service I had no elaborate travel plans for my as dean? No, the years as dean should include sabbatical. I had writing projects I wanted to opportunities for sabbatical. Many schools, and finish and more research projects to begin. I even their deans, may say, “But, I [the dean] also wanted to spend part of my time reflect- cannot be away from the office for an entire ing on the vocation of being dean. I see myself semester! I’d spend the whole next semester on both in the role of a teaching faculty member my return simply trying to find my desk. I’d who works in Hebrew Bible and as a dean who never recover from a semester away. It simply works intentionally to develop my understand- won’t work. So, I’ll just have to give up my sab- ing of “thinking, being, doing” as a dean. Both batical.” That can lead to burn out, to resent- aspects of my position are my vocation, my call; ment, and to an ineffective dean. I should not need to sacrifice being a scholar I want to share my experience of a “creative, or an effective teacher to be dean, and I should staggered sabbatical” as an alternative. It may not need to sacrifice being an effective dean not work for everyone or every school, but it is a to pursue my scholarly interests in the field of 1 success for me and for my institution. Perhaps it, Hebrew Bible. Perhaps wanting to be attentive or a version of it, could work for others. to both of these aspects of my identity is why In making the shift in summer 2009 from I currently serve as cochair of a Section for the another institution to become academic dean Society of Biblical Literature and as a member at Bethany Theological Seminary, I was giving of the CAOS Steering Committee. I believe up an opportunity for a sabbatical at my former that both of these groups have necessary roles school, and I didn’t want to lose that privilege to play in professional development, both for and the time for my research and writing. So as myself and for others.

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My idea of how to make a sabbatical work: adjunct who had taught before to teach again take the allotted time for the sabbatical by that Introduction to the New Testament online spreading it out in two- to three-week intervals course. That is the extent of the cost to the insti- over the entire year. Our institutional policy tution for my sabbatical. allows for four months of sabbatical time, which Besides having a capable colleague willing I am taking as sixteen weeks this academic year, to serve the institution this way, the success but not all at once. of this experiment depends heavily on my administrative assistant. She is efficient, reliable, The details well-organized, able to identify problems and suggest solutions, and able somehow to “keep In conversation with the president, I identi- all the balls in the air.” This scenario is made fied the targeted sixteen weeks, making sure to much easier having someone of her caliber in be present on campus for major events and for that crucial role. key times in our institutional life (such as board With the support of the president, my sab- meetings, budget planning, our Presidential batical proposal for 2011–12 went to our board Forum, and certain denominational responsi- in fall 2010 for approval (sabbaticals must be bilities). With this sketched out, we asked the approved one year in advance). Board members faculty member who had previously served affirmed my intentions and the proposed plan. as acting dean to consider doing so again, but They were slightly concerned about the integ- only for those designated weeks. As compensa- rity of the sabbatical—that I would be able to tion for this shift in responsibility, we agreed to disconnect and would “actually be on sabbati- provide one course release and contracted an cal”—but they saw this as something that would

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 21 chief academic officers

be beneficial both to the institution and to me. In the recently-published C(H)AOS Theory: They were willing to think creatively about how Reflections of Chief Academic Officers in Theological this could work. Education, long-time dean Bruce Birch writes this By March 2012, I had taken eight of my advice to deans: sixteen weeks. During those eight weeks, I was able to disconnect effectively, enjoy my sab- Give yourself time away from the role of batical time, and be productive. I had a private dean. This is particularly important after carrel in the library, where I spent my time. a time of crisis or unusual pressure. Take During those weeks, I completed three writing the vacation time you are due. Observe projects: I wrote and submitted two invited your own personal patterns of renewal essays on different aspects of the Book of Chron- week to week even when crisis looms. icles for collected volumes, and I secured a book Consider negotiating short sabbaticals contract for a commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah from the office (one to four months) after writing and submitting a sample chapter from time to time. Most deans end up to the series’ editorial board. In addition, I read, missing sabbaticals they would other- read, and read some more—something that gave wise have taken as faculty members, so me great satisfaction. I also engaged in prayer asking for some shorter times is not out and personal retreat. I found renewal and more of the question.2 vocational clarity. I was able to spend more time with my family. I couldn’t agree more. Our institutions need I could not have done this without the effective deans. Sabbaticals are a valuable part of support of my institution, from the presi- the life of the dean. dent and other key administers, from faculty I’m not saying that every institution should members who affirmed the value of my sabbati- do what we did (they shouldn’t!). This arrange- cal and particularly my scholarship, from my ment worked for me and for Bethany. I hope administrative assistant, and from the board that in sharing this idea about a creative sab- members who were willing to try something batical that other institutions might be willing new. to “think outside of the box,” which may allow deans who wouldn’t get a full-semester sabbati- cal to still have one, though in a different form. So, ask at your institution, “how can the dean (or other administrators, too) have a productive C(H)AOS Theory brings sabbatical?” There is freedom to try new things. together in one volume per- They just might work!w spectives from more than thirty Steven Schweitzer is deans and chief academic academic dean of Bethany officers at theological schools Theological Seminary in across North America. These Richmond, Indiana. veteran administrators share their wisdom on a variety of Endnotes topics related to academic 1. I have been tremen- dously helped in this leadership, from understand- area by my participa- ing institutional contexts and tion in the first Colloquy for Theological School nurturing relationships to Deans sponsored by the negotiating conflict, setting Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and meeting academic goals, and Religion. The conversations around the “vocation of being dean” have been invaluable to me, especially as building budgets, working someone hired to be dean with no fixed number of years with assessment and accredi- of service—there is also no spot on the teaching faculty tation, and more. guaranteed for me when I no longer serve as dean at Bethany, whenever that day eventually comes. With its rich amalgam of useful information, bold 2. Bruce Birch, “Finding Wholeness in the Role of the instruction on a host of academic leadership issues, and lively Dean,” in C(H)AOS Theory: Reflections of Chief Academic narratives on the ways that different colleagues address common Officers in Theological Education, eds. K. D. Billman and challenges, C(H)AOS Theory will serve as a helpful resource for B. C. Birch (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2011), 389. academic leaders. To order, visit www.eerdmans.com.

22 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 student personnel administrators

The good, the bad, and the ugly: Accountability to multiple stakeholders in the world of student personnel

By Nancy Nienhuis

Accountability to student needs and counselors, pastors and priests, advocates and policy creators, first responders and gentle look back at three weeks last spring cap- guides, disciplinarians and hand holders. We are Atures the range of responsibilities that fall the people, often behind the scenes and unseen, to the student personnel administrator. First who provide the infrastructure to ensure that there was the student who was feeling suicidal. those who feel called to ministry find a place to He had just gone through his first break-up with fulfill that call, find the funding to support them, a love interest and was overwhelmed by that and complete their studies successfully so they experience combined with his ongoing anxiety can go on to do great things in the world. and depression and semester-end pressures. Then suddenly I was meeting with students to plan a service to mourn the senseless death of The rewards for this work are probably what keep us Trayvon Martin. Next a student came forward with allegations that she had been sexually all in it. Very rarely do I have a day when I don’t leave, harassed by her employer, an off-campus however tired, knowing that my actions directly con- vendor who works on our campus, and I was tributed to a student’s success. involved in the investigation, offering support and compassion to students reeling from the knowledge that someone they thought they knew could hurt another member of their com- munity. In between, there was the student who Accountability to the hidden curriculum disappeared in March because his insurance stopped covering his medications for anxiety It is largely those of us in the student personnel and depression, and he couldn’t get out of bed world who are responsible for the secondary in the morning. curriculum in our schools—the so-called hidden In the midst of all this were the “normal” curriculum, which is everything students activities—meeting with the student govern- encounter when they’re not in the classroom. ment president, working with resident hall Every year graduating students tell me they representatives, helping our registrar to arrange learned an immense amount through their for medical incompletes for a student who studies, but they learned as much or even more was ill, alerting the housing director that a from their experiences in the community life we disabled student had been prescribed a service foster on our campuses. What we oversee has a dog, talking with admissions about upcoming huge impact on who students become and, ulti- recruiting events, attending the thesis defense mately, on how effective they are in ministry. of one of my advisees, writing reports for the Although this nation is becoming more diverse, president, and more. our communities are increasingly segregated by This is what it means to work in student class as well as race, and religious difference is affairs. Every day is different and unpredict- at the heart of much of the world’s conflicts. Our able. We are deans of students, registrars, students are the ones who will go on to become financial aid people, admissions and recruiting the moral and spiritual leaders in this diverse people, and others whose priority and focus are landscape, and much of the skill set they need working with students. We are accountable to a to lead with compassion and integrity will be full range of stakeholders, at once cheerleaders honed in what they learn from us and each other.

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 23 student personnel administrators

Remaining effective

Accountability to ourselves How do we remain effective in light of these challenges? Three areas are key.

The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest. • First: In all of our work we must be permeable to God’s It makes me lie down only when exhausted. leading and to our students’ It leads me to deep exhaustion. needs. Our work on behalf of students defines us as It hounds my soul. people of faith and should reflect the love that Jesus It leads me in circles of frenzy for activity’s sake. demanded of his disciples. But we also have to ensure Even though I run frantically from task to task, that the infrastructures I will never get it all done for my ideal is with me. we create foster the skills students need to be effec- Deadlines, and my need for approval—they drive me. tive in the diverse country we’re becoming. We need to They demand performance from me beyond the limits build relationships across of my schedule. boundaries of difference and understand the reali- They anoint my head with migraines. ties of the lives of students who are most different from My in-basket overflows. us. If we’re trying to ensure that our work on behalf of Surely fatigue and time pressure shall follow me all all students is accountable the days of my life, to the particular challenges some students in our midst And I will dwell in the bounds of frustration forever. may face, we must create a student support infra- 1 structure that facilitates the —Paul Borthwick future ministry of all of our students, not just those who are like us. • Second: We have to find the Sometimes we can get caught up in the courage to respond to those demands of every day and come to believe that needs, especially on our we are somehow indispensable. We are not indis- most exhausted days. Often pensable, however, and we need to clear away our task seems daunting. some of the clutter of our lives and take time for Sometimes our lives are so the rest and renewal that allow us to be at our hectic we feel we can barely best. Isaiah 58:10 provides us with a promise, get through the necessities of something that comes with working on behalf each day, let alone do more. of those whose needs are greatest: “The Lord But while the task of serving will guide you always, will satisfy your needs all students is huge, it begins in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your with small actions. Never frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, underestimate the impact like a spring whose waters never fail.” God some small act may have. understands the necessity of plunging into the • Finally, we can’t do this waters and resting beside them, of toiling in the work alone. We need allies for this journey, hot sun and resting under the shade of the tree. people in our lives who understand what it Even Jesus went into the desert to rest, and his is we do and why. Cultivate colleagues who ministry was only three years long. Without rest, believe in you enough to know that who we will not be effective in this work on behalf of you are today is not all of who you can and students—it demands our best, and we’re never will be. And never forget that God has been at our best when we’re exhausted.

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present in this work long before we ever Nancy Nienhuis is vice showed up, guiding and comforting our president of strategic ini- students, even before we knew who they tiatives/dean of students were. We must respond to the call, but we’re and community life at never acting alone. Andover Newton Theo- logical School in Newton The rewards Centre, Massachusetts. This article was abridged from her presentation at Ultimately, the rewards for this the SPAN Conference work are probably what keep in April 2012 in San us all in it. Very rarely do I Antonio, Texas. have a day when I don’t leave, however tired, knowing that Endnote my actions directly contributed 1. Paul Borthwick, Simplify: 106 Ways to Uncomplicate to a student’s success. We’ve Your Life (Colorado Springs, CO: Authentic Press, 2007). prayed at the bedside of stu- dents who were dying, helped disabled students get the accommodations they needed Student Personnel Administrators Network in the classroom, supported some as they got help for addic- (SPAN) Conference tions and returned to school to April 10–12, 2013 • Scottsdale, AZ finish with great success. We’ve helped students struggling By registration. This conference provides a collegial network with schedules and finances, or for support and information sharing for admissions direc- relationships, or eating disor- tors, financial aid officials, registrars, and deans of students. ders, or feelings of isolation and Practical how-to workshops, complemented by broader loneliness. We’ve counseled stu- presentations common to those who work with students, will dents whose faith was shaken, be the focus. helped them mourn loved ones, and celebrated new relation- ships. We’ve had students pop Preconference Workshops into our offices after preaching Entering Student, Graduating Student, and Alumni/ae Ques- their first sermons, absolutely tionnaires certain that this is what God This workshop will address the basic use of the instruments and called them to do and be, and interpretation of the data, with a special focus on using the data positively glowing. And we’ve for institutional assessment and their connection to the Com- talked to alumni who are doing mission Standards of Accreditation. For new and experienced users great things, knowing that the of the instruments. work we did facilitated a small part of that ministry. These Finding Your Voices are the unbelievable gifts and Depending on your role in your school, it can sometimes feel privileges of what we do. We like you don’t have a seat at the table when crucial decisions get to walk with students at are made, particularly those pertaining to students. How can some of the most important you ensure that you are involved from the beginning in areas moments in their lives. The good, the bad, and the ugly all of policy development, emergency planning, and other critical coalesce in an amazing, vibrant matters? This workshop will explore ways you can ensure that tapestry of student lives and your expertise is taken into account at appropriate times. ministries, a tapestry that deliv- ers to this hurting and divided world an array Getting Started as a Student Services Professional of committed and faith-filled graduates who are For those transitioning into the student services profession, at- dedicated to easing the pain and challenges of tend this session to meet your new ATS colleagues. Reflect on the this world, to bringing the love of God into their significance of student services in the larger scope of theological communities.w education, explore the gifts and challenges of being new to your position, and learn more about ATS and the SPAN resources.

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 25 development and institutional advancement program

The privilege of accountability

By Anne Marie Tirpak

The ethical requirements of ac- the mission of our organization as the largest Roman Catholic graduate school of theology countability in a development and ministry in North America and the myriad program involve multiple facets. relationships that make it possible to fulfill this It is not simply a matter of ac- mission of “[preparing] effective leaders for the Church, ready to witness to Christ’s good news curately and promptly recording of justice, love, and peace.” and acknowledging gifts. Ulti- And so we contemplate: what makes CTU unique, why is our mission worthwhile, and mately, accountability involves why are we grateful to our hundreds of donors the consequences of trusted and friends who aid our students in prepar- relationships between donors ing for lives of ministry and our faculty and staff who support them in this process? Nearly and the institutions they choose always, the international character of our student to support. Accountability there- body, our ecumenical and interreligious focus, and the preparation of lay men and women fore includes the integrity and studying alongside men preparing for the significance of a school’s mis- Catholic priesthood are noted as hallmarks of sion, the effective communica- this institution. For some, it is radical that a rabbi has been a member of CTU’s faculty since the tion of that mission to its publics, school’s inception in 1968. For others, the fact mutual respect and cooperation that a woman can earn the very same Master of Divinity degree that our seminarian candidates among all of the personnel and earn is revolutionary. Jews and Muslims gradu- components of the theological ating from a Roman Catholic graduate school school, and a profound aware- of theology in a commencement ceremony that happens to take place in a nearby Jewish temple ness of the sacredness of the mis- is unthinkable. Yet each of these realities is a key sion and gratitude for being able component of the community and scholarship that is CTU and a main reason why our donors to serve it. I would like to note support our mission. CTU is respected for being some of these dimensions in the bold and faithful, rooted in Catholic tradition account that follows. while also being open and prophetic. I had this reaffirmed when our president, Fr. Donald Senior, CP, and I conducted a feasibility study very year in late spring, Catholic Theologi- before embarking on our “Building the Church cal Union’s (CTU) development department E of the Future” capital initiative to raise $3 million gathers with the marketing team and the presi- for lay student scholarships. dent to discuss the theme of our annual report. In this quite rewarding process, I came to This report is a culmination of a year’s worth learn from a broad spectrum of our supporters of development activity and the prime market- what I discovered for myself in the fall of 2006 ing vehicle in which we display accountability when I embarked on theological studies here: to our donors. It communicates monies raised CTU is an oasis of hope. and spent, but, more importantly, it captures

26 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 development and institutional advancement program

“I remember the first day stepping in there, there is something intangible about CTU; it just sets my heart on fire. There are people of such integrity, passion, and unbelievable commit- ment—you cannot not be touched.”

This alumna and donor continued,

“There is something about the conglom- eration of people that gather there— where they are coming from, what they are going out to do. I don’t think you find that in many places. CTU is unique. And when you walk in the front door you feel like you are walking in the front door of your home.” Cheryl Tupper (third from left), program director for Religion and Health Care for the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, visited Catholic Theological Union as part of a site visit for a This woman captured what I have heard proposal submitted to establish the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations—Leaders in Ministry at repeatedly from our “traditional” students, CTU. Tupper met with administration, faculty, and several lay students whose education is funded through scholarships. those who participate in our Summer Institute or audit our classes, or those who attend our after a board of trustees meeting and included Sundays at CTU quarterly lecture and liturgy students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, donors, and series and other events. Because what we do at trustees. In previous work environments I CTU and what is done at other schools of theol- would have been given a no-limitations budget, ogy touches the essence of life. Such feelings and I would organize something appropri- of intense emotion and deep connection with ate and simple, yet celebratory. Here at CTU, I others and one’s experience of God demand care learned quickly from our president about frugal- and respect. And we are careful to honor that. ity—understandable from a man who for more Our special events, lectures, e-communica- than twenty years has made financial discipline tions (including our Weekly Scripture Reflec- a strong commitment of the school. Our con- tions prepared by our faculty and emailed to cluding event was a short prayer service with our donors and friends), represent a sampling of music, brief prayers that formed a “spiritual an “exchange,” a spiritual gift for our donors in bouquet” offered by various representatives of return for their monetary gift. This, and all that the school and its constituencies, and a simple we do, is intended to stir the heart, challenge the reception. The “grand” affair for the steer- mind, and feed the soul. Our donors’ contribu- ing committee of the largest campaign in the tions are intentional and personal, and we must school’s history was heartfelt, but not grand. respond in kind. I learned early on of the leanness of this In the course of our Lay Scholarship Initia- institution—in finances and personnel. A penny tive feasibility study, one donor commented that is never wasted. I am proud to know that every “donating to CTU affects the Church worldwide gift, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated and the entire world.” Another remarked that and used effectively. And I am honored to she feels good about giving to CTU because her serve at a place where our donors, and all of the donation is well-used and stewarded—“this is a CTU community, know and respect this. Our strength of CTU in being accountable and trans- accountability to the development profession parent.” And so when we undertake the exercise demands that all nonprofits function similarly. of preparing our annual report, we diligently Within the CTU development office we work to reflect accuracy in our reporting—in constantly strive for accountability. Prompt accuracy of donor names and level of giving and and accurate acknowledgments, in writing and in the accompanying pie charts and graphs that occasionally via phone, are expected. Precise reflect our sources and use of money. and timely reporting to foundations is required. Just months into my role as development Regular communication with the finance office director, I was charged with preparing two and daily, monthly, and quarterly reconcil- events that would celebrate the successful ing of our accounts are part of our way of life. conclusion of our $20 million “Making a Place In our quarterly reports to the board of trust- for Faith” capital campaign. The first took place ees and annual reports to the corporation (a

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 27 development and institutional advancement program

that—relationships for a greater good helping to prepare men and women throughout the world for service to the Church. And though we may be given the privilege of intimately knowing a person and what illumines his or her life, our role is one of a servant to our organization and its mission. As much as I appreciate the amazing opportunities I have been given in my role to know and deeply care for many who admire this institution, I am still an employee, rather than a friend; a representative of a cause; a conduit for engagement with our school’s mission. And at times when my heart bursts in gratitude at the kindness I experience, the generosity I may help facilitate, the life-changing encounters I may be a part of, I thank God for the opportunity to work in a field where the love for all humanity is a daily part of my life. Just recently the executive director of a foundation and longtime supporter of CTU was on campus to meet with our Oscar Romero Scholars—Latino/a men and women pursuing graduate degrees in theology and ministry. This exchange gave our students the opportunity to meet the representative of an organization that supports their education. In turn, the executive director was able to witness firsthand the lives she is directly affecting and hear of the lives they are affecting through their ministries. One young man shared that he pursued graduate theological education because of the profound Irene Phelps (front center), president of the Siragusa Foundation, a foundation that exists “to influence gang violence has had on his life. He help underserved people in the Chicago area help themselves and experience a better qual- ity of life,” met with CTU’s Oscar Romero Scholars. said that despite the good that social service agencies extend, “they can never touch the hole that only God can fill.” I thought to myself that he and these other students are my greatest conglomeration of twenty-four men’s religious teachers, and I am also accountable to them. As I orders that own CTU), our numbers are pre- walked the foundation director to the door, she sented as a group effort between the develop- told me that until that day she had never spoken ment and finance offices, and the numbers are about her personal story or relationship with directly tied to the budget. These numbers are God on a site visit but found these students to be also shared with our faculty at faculty meetings, sincere, open, and grateful. because they should know and because they are As development officers, when we are able an essential part of the institution and our out- to bring donors and recipients together it is a reach. Faculty members speak at our quarterly privilege, a beautiful, symbiotic relationship, lectures, celebrate Mass at our quarterly litur- each of us needing one another and learning gies, prepare the Weekly Scripture Reflections from one another. We that are sent to thousands of people worldwide, are accountable to and give financial gifts as they are able. both and privileged Our accountability as development officers for that.w is to the mission of the organization we serve and the donors and foundations that support it. Anne Marie Tirpak is Confidentiality is paramount. Data is not shared, director of development and the content of notepad entries on donor at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. records is illustrative yet neutral. Sacred rela- tionships that may develop with donors are just

28 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 development and institutional advancement program

DIAP: Engaging the Future Today Registration ends January 14 Why We are So Passionate about Theological Education February 20–22, 2013 • Scottsdale, Arizona

re you challenged by the changing “rules of engagement” of today’s culture? Do you Discussion Huddles Astruggle to find ways to more effectively transfer a vision for stewardship in support of theo- Online Giving Strategies and Tools logical education to your constituencies? Would Doug MacMillan, Union Presbyterian Seminary you appreciate an opportunity to “come apart” as Using Alumni in Development a development professional so you can re-engage Carolyn Cranston, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary yourself with the passions, drive, and belief in the importance and relevance of the work we do? Online Giving through Community Building Howard Freeman, The Focus Group If just one of these questions describes your situ- ation, then the thirty-first annual gathering of the Integrating Strategy across Departments TBD DIAP (Development and Institutional Advancement Program) community is a must-do! The 2013 confer- Using Faculty in Development ence, titled Engaging the Future Today—Why We are Tom Pappalardo, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary So Passionate about Theological Education, continues in Leading Your Team our long-held vision for peer education in a format Lee Solomon, Ashland Theological Seminary that encourages dialogue and interaction, provides Increasing Your Donor Base new perspectives, experience, and information, and Dawn West, Ashland Theological Seminary enhances networking opportunities. There will be Special Event Fundraising (incl. Donor Weekend Fundraising Tool) discussion huddles that will provide the opportu- Anne Marie Tirpak, Catholic Theological Union nity to learn from others with the same questions, Priority Management in Fundraising interactive workshops and panel discussions to give Patricia Webb, McMaster Divinity College new information and ways of thinking, and space Unified Communication betweenA dvancement and Enrollment for networking with colleagues and for making new Randy Tumblin, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary friends. The DIAP annual conference is known for The Relationship between Financial Aid Planning and Development its peer education model that provides the interac- John Ranheim, Covenant Theological Seminary tive platform to share experience and best practices How Do You Allocate Your Advancement Budget? with one another so all participants—no matter David Lindquist, Duke University Divinity School the level of experience—grow and develop in their Developing a List of Peer Institutions work. Chris A. Meinzer, The Association of Theological Schools There is no doubt that, in today’s development Engagement Versus Solicitation world in theological education, we are experienc- Greg Henson, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary ing change and challenge—it is a good reason you need to join us February 20–22, 2013, in Scotts- dale, Arizona. Bring your questions, challenges, and experiences to share with and learn from one Preconference Workshops another. w New Development Officer Workshop w Are You Ready for Engagement? There is no place like the Greg Henson, Chief of Institutional Advancement, desert to regain perspective Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and bring clarity to your Gary Hoag, Spiritual and Strategic Counsel, work! See you there. Generosity Monk

w Senior Development Officer Workshop w Patricia Webb, Chair DIAP Steering Committee Engaging a New Generation of Donors David Heetland, Vice President for Development, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 29 financial officers

What does it mean to be “financially accountable”?

By Kurt Gabbard

People used to think about finan- Traditional notions of financial account- cial accountability only in terms ability of safeguarding the institution’s or most of my career in higher education, financial and physical assets.1 Ac- Fit seemed that financial accountability was fairly straightforward. Institutional leaders countability, however, has taken are accountable to one another and to external on a much larger meaning today. constituents (donors, denominations, and the public) (1) to protect institutional assets from As internal and external forces theft or misuse and (2) to produce accurate, demand more accountability reliable financial information. The key words from institutions, the meaning of here are control, authority, delegation, process, procedures, approval, and verification. financial accountability has ex- This should be familiar territory to seminary panded significantly. leaders (faculty, administrators, and trust- ees). Traditional accountability is hard work.

Efficiency

30 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 financial officers

Institutions can find it challenging to balance restructuring, campus property sale and/or their budgets, comply with accounting and legal relocation, merger, or even closure. A perennial requirements, prepare accurate and up-to-date preoccupation with survival would certainly call financial statements, and implement systems for an evaluation of whether a school is being of internal control to reduce the risk of theft or accountable for the use of its physical, financial, fraud. There are plenty of examples of individu- and human resources. By the same token, a als and institutions that failed in the perfor- resource-rich institution that spends its money mance of one or more of these basic aspects without regard to efficiency and effectiveness of being financially accountable.2 The conse- would seem to fail this test of financial account- quences (legal, monetary, and reputational) for ability as well. these failures can be severe. The remedies for such breaches of institutional control (better Accountability on steroids internal controls, removing the incentive and opportunity to commit fraud, better training and Accountability today, however, has come to screening of employees, audit committees and mean more than just avoiding financial mis- auditor rotation, etc.) are both well known and management and staying on the right side mostly noncontroversial. of the law, as crucial as those two things are. Safeguarding institutional assets also has to Broadly speaking, accountability, as defined by do with the institution living within its financial Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, means “being means. This is a perennial challenge for most responsible for one’s actions.” According to ATS member schools, made even more difficult author Joseph Burke, this places six demands by the Great Recession. Twenty years ago, I on institutions and their officials. They must served as CFO for an institution that was almost (1) demonstrate that delegated power and entirely tuition-driven and had barely enough authority has been used properly, (2) show that resources to make payroll each month.3 Two the mission and priorities of the school are being other institutions I have served since then have achieved, (3) report regularly on institutional fairly large endowments. Budget-balancing can and individual performance, (4) demonstrate be heart-wrenchingly difficult at both types that institutional resources are being used both of schools. Being financially accountable for a efficiently and effectively, (5) ensure the quality financially stressed school may mean radical of the institution’s programs and services, and

Effectiveness

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 31 financial officers

(6) show that needs of the school’s constituents Second, financial accountability means (i.e., the public, using Burke’s terms) are actually bringing to bear the full power of the institu- being met.4 You might think this is “account- tion’s most valuable and important asset: its ability on steroids” and an unwelcome intrusion people. Maintaining and improving the quality of _____ (insert your favorite “interloper” in of the institution’s programs and services the blank: government, donors, church govern- requires a high degree of consultation.6 We tend ing bodies/officials, or even the general public) to give ourselves a hard time about how well (or into the otherwise serene scene of seminary life. poorly) collaboration works on our campuses, Regardless of how we feel about it, I think it is but the theological schools that I have observed fair to say that the trend is toward more and not do an amazingly good job of involving students, fewer of these accountability demands. faculty, administrators, trustees, alumni/ae, and others in the evaluation and improvement of both academic and nonacademic programs and As institutions whose raison d’être is linked to the services. Institutions do need to have appro- gospel, it seems to me that we have a responsibility to priate mechanisms for overcoming decision- making gridlock. We tend to have an either/or produce a better response to the question, “Why are you mentality about people and addressing strategic doing it that way?” than “Because we can afford to.” institutional issues and problems: Either we employ rather large representative groups, or we revert to individual leaders (or sometimes leader-driven work groups). I believe that being The interest in “accountability, metrics, and financially accountable for the employment of outcomes” for the educational enterprise is no an institution’s precious human resources in the longer new and has been increasing for many future will require a more thoughtful approach years now.5 This trend is already in the process to deciding when and how to use different kinds of changing understandings and expectations of groups to work on crucial issues of institu- regarding financial accountability. I would tional quality and, when and where appropriate, like to focus on three of the above-mentioned foster the creation of “real teams.”7 accountability demands (quality, efficiency/ effectiveness, and meeting constituent needs) Efficiency/Effectiveness and what this might mean for a theological school to be financially accountable today. Higher education as an industry has been the target for a lot of criticism for perceived failures Quality both to control costs and to achieve its purposes,8 leading to a heightened public interest.9 Part of You may not think of quality as a financial the criticism and the response has focused on accountability issue; but I would argue that efficiency (i.e., getting more things done less it is, in at least two ways. Educational quality expensively and perhaps faster) and effective- often comes up when leaders (faculty, trustees, ness (i.e., achieving the desired results). Both effi- administrators) at our schools debate various ciency and effectiveness are related to financial approaches to improving efficiency and, in some accountability in the following way. Beyond sur- cases, the path to establishing (or reestablish- vival, I believe schools need to demonstrate how ing) financial equilibrium. These discussions they are financially accountable by seeking to can become contentious, particularly when the maximize all of the good work they are capable question is framed as a “trade-off” between of doing for the least possible cost. This should quality and cost effectiveness with regard to lead to as much soul-searching for schools that a school’s mission-critical programs. Part of are well-off financially as for those who may be what it means to be financially accountable, I struggling to make ends meet. Why? In order to would argue, is to stay in conversation with one be financially accountable to donors and other another on these issues until a clear and focused external constituents, to be sure. Even more than institutional strategy emerges that addresses that, as institutions whose raison d’être is linked both quality and efficiency. In these times, our to the gospel, it seems to me that we have a constituents will not suffer us to compromise on responsibility to produce a better response to the either one. question, “Why are you doing it that way?” than “Because we can afford to.”

32 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 financial officers

Meeting needs Endnotes 1. See, for example, the Financial Accountability Guide Finally, there is the connection between financial on the UC Santa Cruz website: https://financial.ucsc.edu/ Pages/Management_Accountability.aspx. accountability and meeting the needs of constit- uents (students, donors, denominational/church 2. The Enron (2001) and Lehman Bros. (2008) failures come to mind as examples in the commercial/business hierarchies, alumni/ae, etc.). We exist to serve world as well as the United Way scandal (1992). Enron our constituents and meet their needs in confor- led to the Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, whereas the Unit- mity to the school’s stated mission. Theological ed Way scandal led to the IRS “Intermediate Sanctions” schools are not businesses (except when they and increased scrutiny of executive-level compensation at nonprofits. are!), but this is one area in which the dynam- 3. Sadly, that institution (Mary Holmes College in West ics can be very much like the market-driven Point, Mississippi) no longer exists. dynamics of a for-profit enterprise. These forces 4. Joseph C. Burke, Achieving Accountability in Higher are like a strong current, pulling an institution in Education: Balancing Public, Academic, and Market Demands the direction that meets the needs of its constitu- (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005), 2. ents. Successful for-profits immerse themselves 5. Andrew S. Rosen, Change.edu: Rebooting for the in the flow and constantly adjust to meet their New Talent Economy (New York: Kaplan Publishing, customers’ needs; they allocate resources based 2011), 101. Andrew Rosen is the CEO of Kaplan, Inc., and much of this book reads like an apologia for the private, on predictions of how those needs might change for-profit education industry. Nonetheless, I think he has in the future. Theological schools and other some very good insights into the trends at work in higher nonprofits make strategic choices about which education today. constituents’ needs they choose to meet and to 6. Burke, Achieving Accountability, 9–14. what extent the institution can or should adjust 7. Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, The Wisdom to meet those needs within the bounds of the of Teams: Creating the High Performance Organization (New institution’s mission.10 Not surprisingly, institu- York: HarperCollins, 2005), 45. Katzenbach and Smith define a real team as “a small number of people with tions tend to pay close attention to the needs complimentary skills who are committed to a common and wants of those constituents who provide purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they the institution significant resources in the form hold themselves mutually accountable.” of money, students, personnel, and validation 8. Burke, Achieving Accountability, 6. of their mission. Following the money is clearly 9. Steve Farkas, “Hiring and Higher Education: Busi- NOT always the best policy. Meeting needs ness Executives Talk about the Costs and Benefits of Col- while being financially accountable often means lege” (Public Agenda and the Committee for Economic Development, 2011), 12, http://www.publicagenda.org/ making difficult choices about whose needs are files/pdf/Hiring_HigherEd.pdf. met and whose are not. 10. Alan R. Andreasen and Philip Kotler, Strategic Mar- The “accountability agenda” for higher keting for Nonprofit Organizations, 3rd ed., (Upper Saddle education and other institutions is expanding. River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1987), 60–61. Societal expectations of institutions for financial accountability go well beyond good accounting practices and internal controls. Among other things, financial accountability involves artful application of human resources to the improve- Meeting needs while being financially accountable often ment of institutional programs and services, a “religious” commitment to increasing institu- means making difficult choices about whose needs tional efficiency and effectiveness, and excellent are met and whose are not. judgment in making strategic adjustments to meet the needs of constituents.w

Kurt Gabbard is vice president for busi- ness affairs for Austin Presbyterian Theologi- cal Seminary in Austin, Texas.

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 33 technology in theological education

Cyber chastity: The moral response to interactive pornography

By Sebastian Mahfood, OP

ith each new academic year, our student conduct poli- policy into the student conduct policy is even stronger in the Wcies are newly challenged by the arrival of men and post-2012 Biennial Meeting world now that the Commission- women into our seminaries and theological schools who have ers of The Association of Theological Schools will accredit not yet cultivated the habit of chastity in their online commu- schools with completely online academic Master of Arts nications. An unchaste disposition is one that seeks ephem- degree programs. Most of the students who sign up for those eral pleasure over an enduring relationship with the object programs will never step foot on campus and are therefore of their study. That we all have social conduct policies is an not bound by the campus network technology policies, and important indicator that we have standards for student inter- they, along with the on-campus students, should be made action in face-to-face environments, both on and off campus, to know that, if they are matriculating through any kind but it may be the case that the student conduct policies do of program that is part of a seminary or theological school, not explicitly address online conduct, which is more often their conduct online is a concern of the school because the found under the campus network technology policies. These last thing the school wants to see in the Wall Street Journal is policies should be merged so that the student conduct policy a photo of one of its students with the caption “Theological explicitly proscribes a student’s “acting out” online even School Student Found Naked on Facebook!” when he or she is not using the campus network (e.g., the In brief, and you can email a copy of this article to all learning management system or institutional email server). the online students in your school, the concern is about the The need for the integration of an “acting out online” manner in which anyone can objectify him- or herself online, and this is done not only through viewing pornography online but also through participating in it. Pornography, as we know, is a means to arouse the sense desires and emo- tions in a manner disproportionate to human reason. The specific difference between traditional forms of pornography and those that exist within cyberspace lies not in ubiquity but in interactivity. In cyberspace, we become the pornogra- phy even when we think that we are only watching it, interact- ing with others who have the same desire

34 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 technology in theological education

to objectify themselves. Such pursuits are nothing other than spiritual expression, are incomplete acts, they can never be voyeurism and exhibitionism, and this is why interactive more than perversions of reality and, therefore, devoid of real pornography provides only the simulation of a relationship meaning. Some methods that we might pass on to our stu- without the corresponding reality. What really exists between dents who struggle with the issue of inappropriately acting the persons pursuing sexual or emotional gratification out in their online relationships are as follows: through interactive pornography, therefore, is an abuse of the dignity of the human person. As John Paul II explained in his ŠŠ Remember the human. That sounds basic, but is often encyclical Familiaris consortio, love is our true vocation, not forgotten. All technologies are extensions of the persons abuse, for we are created from relationship through God’s love who use them. Behind every communication is a real for the purpose of relationship—and not for any other reason. human person who is not only an individual substance of In a society such as ours that promotes objectifying the a rational nature but is also a being created in the image human body as a commodity, the acting person has greater and likeness of Christ. Š difficulty resisting the appeals to his or her lower appetites. Š Keep Christ at the center of any social network that The While an act over is developed. temptation exists which man has no in our social inter- dominion is morally The last thing a school wants to see in the Wall Street actions to bracket neutral, acts over Journal is a photo of one of its students with the caption Christ when we which he does exer- “Theological School Student Found Naked on Facebook!” perceive a good or a cise dominion can be value that we would good or bad. For an like to pursue in the act to be good, it has satisfaction of our to be good in its intention, its object, and its circumstances. own desires. The advice is traditional, but meaningful for Pornography is none of these. It intends to arouse the pas- online interactions—never do anything or say anything sions of others without the pornographer being both physi- online that you cannot share with your communion meal. cally and spiritually present. Even synchronous pornography ŠŠ Begin all real-time chats with prayer for the good of the titillates but ultimately refuses the relationship with the flesh community gathered and the participation of the Holy it seems to invite; absent refusal, it would more properly be Spirit. called fornication. Asynchronous pornography, furthermore, ŠŠ Apply established “netiquette” rules to the social net- advances itself through its repeatability, enabling the user to works that are created. People who find themselves the view it multiple times and in a variety of ways without any hosts of very large social networking sites will want not relationship at all between the persons involved. only to follow established standards but also to promote Those struggling with their proper human role in the them actively as a form of evangelization and prayer. cosmos do not have a complete understanding of their right place within it, and do not, as a result, recognize vice as That the problematic nature of interactive pornography a disintegrating force in their lives. This is because social from a moral perspective does not necessarily present itself conditioning from various forms of media leads interactive to our culture means that we who know have an obligation pornography to be considered a legitimate means of sexual to teach others. To do this, we should first remember we are expression. Participants in interactive pornography usually persons created in the divine image with transcendent and do so with full and brazen consent, preceded by an act of eternal destinies, and we ought to order our appetites to the true commitment, called assent, on the part of the intellect. Par- good that our reason enables us to perceive and that our faith ticipants in interactive pornography raise many arguments teaches. We should next help others do likewise, building them as to its benefits, yet absent in all of these arguments is the up for the Kingdom of Heaven—and our being explicit in our realization of the damage that inordinate sexual acts do to the student conduct policies about the harm pornography can cause person committing them. The acting person cultivates the vice is a good first step any institution can take for both on-campus w of lust, closing off avenues to authentic sexual expression. and online students. The corresponding virtue of chastity is thereby diminished. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, is director of Persons involved in interactive pornography are conditioning distance learning at Holy Apostles College themselves to use other persons as objects, either for sexual or and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. emotional gratification. The sense of the person as a unity of He also serves on the Board of Trustees body and spirit is exchanged for the gratification of the senses at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. or emotions of the person engaged in this act of destruction. Louis, Missouri. This article was edited The only way the object of human sexuality can be for Colloquy by John Kahler, media con- spoken of as a good, of course, is by the right object’s being sultant, Lutheran Theological Seminary pursued with the correct intentions and in the appropriate at Philadelphia. circumstances. If our sexual acts, which John Paul II defines in his Theology of the Body as a corresponding bodily and

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 35 student information

Assessment as stewardship: Finding meaning in the vocation of student information work

A conversation with Helen Blier

ED: How do we come to be talking about assess- students and alumni/ae (the Qs) as well as Pro- ment in an article on student information work? files of Ministry (POM) provide ways of telling HB: The work of student information has shifted your school’s story to various folks who are from just collecting data to using that data in interested in what you are doing, a mechanism assessment. In fact, we have observed a sig- by which the school’s common message can be nificant increase in attendance at our student discerned and constructed in measurable terms. information workshops among individuals who Put another way, assessment is a tool with have assessment as a significant job function but which schools can hold themselves accountable have had no formal training in the area. When to the expectations of their stakeholders. By I started doing these workshops six years ago, looking through a lens of assessment, student the topic of assessment rarely came up. But at information professionals begin to think of the most recent workshop, almost every person the data gathered through the Qs in terms of outcomes and fulfillment of the promises that schools make to students and the promises they Considered more broadly, assessment is a mission-criti- make to those who will hire their graduates. All cal process that should be integrated into the work of the stakeholders can then evaluate whether gradu- ates possess the right knowledge, skill sets, and entire institution, from senior administrators to faculty other qualities to live out their vocational identi- to student information professionals. It’s about align- ties effectively. Looked at from the perspective of those who are being served by our graduates, ment of resources and activities toward intended out- the responsibility is heightened. comes for the sake of fulfilling the institutional mission. ED: Assessment and evaluation—sounds like a daunting addition to an already full workload. HB: Certainly some schools groan under the in the room had a hyphenated title, one that requirements of assessment because it seems like included the word assessment. Considered more an imposed external mandate. But rather than broadly, assessment is a mission-critical process viewing this as a burden, think of it as enacting that should be integrated into the work of the a certain kind of stewardship within the institu- entire institution, from senior administrators tion. Those charged with student information to faculty to student information professionals. gather and hold a storehouse of useful informa- It’s about alignment of resources and activities tion about entering and graduating students, toward intended outcomes for the sake of fulfill- about current students, and about alumni/ae. ing the institutional mission. By interpreting and sharing that information in the context of assessment, student information ED: How would you tie the work of student voices chime in to accurately depict student information to the theme of accountability that realities and help the institution remain faithful is the focus of this issue of Colloquy? to its mission on an ongoing basis. Done well, HB: Accountability has the same root as account, assessment shouldn’t be an additional burden to which translates to “story.” Interpreting and someone’s existing workload, Rather it’s about sharing the information gathered through the engaging one’s work differently. questionnaires for entering and graduating

36 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 student information

ED: How, then, should schools do their work differently? HB: Constantly questioning our work in terms of how it aligns with what we hope to be doing What do the standards have to say in the first place. Constant critical inquiry about the work we do. Hopefully schools have about assessment and evaluation? a vision they are trying to live into; because circumstances and the resources with which school have to work are constantly in flux, it’s General Institutional Standard 1, section 1.2.2: absolutely critical to be asking questions about the impact of the work being done in an ongoing Evaluation is a critical element in support of integrity to way. Times marked by lean resources make this reflective process all the more crucial. institutional planning and mission fulfillment. Evaluation is a

ED: This sounds like more than just a differ- process that includes (1) the identification of desired goals or ent way of thinking about the work of member schools. It sounds like a game changer for the outcomes for an educational program, or institutional service, Association. HB: Certainly it has impacted the work of those or personnel performance; (2) a system of gathering quantita- in accreditation. At the 2010 Biennial Meeting, attendees were gathered in small groups for tive or qualitative information related to the desired goals; focused discussion to inform the revision of the Degree Program Standards. What came out of (3) he assessment of the performance of the program, service, that conversation was the universal conviction that the academic program needs to be driven or person based on this information; and (4) the establishment primarily by outcomes. This wasn’t ATS staff of revised goals or activities based on the assessment. Institu- talking; it was the leadership of ATS member schools. They wanted to be held accountable for tions shall develop and implement ongoing evaluation proce- the outcomes of their education, and wanted that to be the primary lens through which their dures for institutional vitality and educational effectiveness. institutions and degree programs were evalu- ated. As a result, the newly revised Degree Program Standards have been prefaced by an Educational Standard, ES.6 Educational Standard that emphasizes the need for assessment of educational effectiveness at the Assessment of student learning requires schools to be able to student learning outcomes and degree program levels. Schools called for this change, and ATS is demonstrate the extent to which students have achieved the doing its best to provide resources and support structures to facilitate this work. Having schools various goals of the degree programs they have completed focus on outcomes rather than just educational curricular content and delivery systems allows as well as indicators of program effectiveness, such as the them to be more creative and thoughtful about how they will prepare tomorrow’s ministers.w percentage of students who complete the program and the

Helen Blier is director of percentage of graduates who find placement appropriate to student information and organizational evaluation their vocational intention and theological education. for ATS.

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 37 the commission

Comings and goings

Raúl Gómez-Ruiz, who joined the ATS accrediting staff this past summer, also celebrated the twenty-fifth year of his ordination as a priest of the Society of the Divine Savior. At a meeting of the General Chapter of the Salvatorians in Krakow during the month of October, the Society elected Father Gómez-Ruiz to serve a six-year term as Vicar General, its second-highest administrator. This election reflects the sensitive discernment of Father Gómez- Ruiz and his colleagues at the General Chapter meeting. It is a position of significant responsibility for the Society as a whole and is an honor the Society grants only to its most respected members. Father Gómez-Ruiz came to ATS within the commit- ment of obedience he made when he took his final vows, and it is that same sacred commitment that requires him to accept his election as Vicar General. The ATS staff extends its hearti- est congratulations and best wishes to Father Gómez-Ruiz as he prepares to leave for Rome in January.

Tom Tanner joined the ATS staff in August 2012 as director, accreditation and institutional evaluation. He moved from Lincoln, Illinois, where he had served for thirty-three years at Lincoln Christian University. His various roles there included library director, director of planning and assessment, accredita- tion liaison, undergraduate dean, seminary dean, vice presi- dent of academics, and, most recently, dean of adult and online learning. His teaching experience ranges from Greek and Bible to research and leadership development. A graduate of Lincoln Christian University (BA and MDiv) and the University of Illi- nois (MA, MLS, and PhD), he holds degrees in ministry, New Testament, classical philology, and library and information science. Tanner has served on many accreditation visits over the years—for the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) since 1984 and for ATS since 2006, as well as serving on several joint visits with SACS and HLC. He has presented numerous self-study workshops for ATS, ABHE, and HLC. He also served as a board member and commission member for ABHE. His published works include two books (What Ministers Know and Verses and Voices), a number of articles for various journals, and editorship of the Journal for Biblical Higher Education. Tanner is a licensed minister among Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, having served as resident and visiting pastor for several congregations in Illinois.

38 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 the commission

The ATS Board of Commissioners welcomes five new members

Harry Gardner Mignon Jacobs Acadia Divinity College Fuller Theological Seminary Wolfville, Nova Scotia Pasadena, California

Gregory Heille Aquinas Institute of Theology St. Louis, Missouri

Helen Ouellette Jennifer Phillips Harvard University St. Francis Episcopal Church Cambridge, Massachusetts Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 39 the commission

Board of Commissioners February meeting report

The ATS Board of Commissioners met Candler School of Theology of Emory University, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC at the ATS office February 6–8, 2012. Atlanta, GA Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, OH Catholic University of America School of Theol- This list of actions also includes actions ogy and Religious Studies, Washington, DC The Board acted on reports received from during September 2011 and January Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Shawnee, KS the following member schools: 2012 taken by Reader Panels represent- Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN Ambrose Seminary of Ambrose University Col- ing the full board. Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA lege, Calgary, AB Columbia International University, Seminary & Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Spring- field, MO The Board considered reports from evalua- School of Missions, Columbia, SC Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, tion committees for the following schools: Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN IN Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Spring- Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology, field, MO Denver Seminary, Littleton, CO Azusa, CA Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Johnson City, TN Bangor Theological Seminary, Bangor, ME Birmingham, AL Evangelical Theological Seminary, Myerstown, PA Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, PA Bethel Seminary of Bethel University, St. Paul, MN Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, Fresno, CA Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, TX Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, PA Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Boston University School of Theology, Boston, Valley, CA Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Cincinnati, OH MA Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (ON), Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL Hamilton, MA St Catharines, ON Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX Hazelip School of Theology, Nashville, TN Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO Emmanuel College of Victoria University, To- Heritage Theological Seminary, Cambridge, ON Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO ronto, ON Houston Graduate School of Theology, Houston, Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC Evangelical Theological Seminary, Myerstown, PA TX Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary, Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, Fresno, CA Brookline, MA Miami, FL Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA Knox College, Toronto, ON Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Portland, OR Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, FL GA Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT Loyola Marymount University Department of John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Falls John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Falls Theological Studies, Los Angeles, CA Church, VA Church, VA New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Lincoln Christian University-The Seminary, Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, FL Orleans, LA Lincoln, IL Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, TX Logsdon Seminary of Logsdon School of Theol- Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA ogy, Abilene, TX Louisville, KY Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, OH Meadville Lombard Theological School, Chicago, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Chicago, Regis College, Toronto, ON IL IL Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, TN McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Ber- Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, OR McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON rien Springs, MI Nashotah House, Nashotah, WI Oral Roberts University College of Theology and St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto, Scarborough, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO Ministry, Tulsa, OK ON New York Theological Seminary, New York, NY Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Toronto School of Theology, Toronto, ON Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan Col- CA University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto, ON lege, Rochester, NY Sacred Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA WI PA Palmer Theological Seminary, Wynnewood, PA Saint Francis Seminary, St. Francis, WI Westminster Theological Seminary in California, Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, OH Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Ber- Escondido, CA Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, TX rien Springs, MI Wycliffe College, Toronto, ON Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Rich- Worth, TX The Board considered petitions for new mond, VA St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon, SK Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Hun- St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA or revised degree programs, changes in St. John’s Seminary, Camarillo, CA degree programs or nomenclature, and tington, NY Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Ber- St. John’s University School of Theology-Semi- other petitions regarding course-offering rien Springs, MI nary, Collegeville, MN sites, distance and extension programs, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton and removal of notations from the follow- KY Beach, FL Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Starr King School for the Ministry, Berkeley, CA ing schools: Trinity College Faculty of Divinity, Toronto, ON Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX Worth, TX University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Acadia Divinity College, Wolfville, NS St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto, Scarborough, Dubuque, IA Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, OH ON University of St. Thomas School of Theology, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Spring- St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Houston, TX field, MO South Canaan, PA Urshan Graduate School of Theology, Florissant, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Austin, Starr King School for the Ministry, Berkeley, CA MO TX Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL Western Seminary, Portland, OR Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Rich- Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, OH mond, VA United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH Bethel Seminary of Bethel University, St. Paul, MN Vancouver School of Theology, Vancouver, BC Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA Campbell University Divinity School, Buies Creek, Washington Theological Union, Washington, DC NC Wesley Biblical Seminary, Jackson, MS

40 C o l l o q u y | Fall 2012 the commission

Board of Commissioners June meeting report

The ATS Board of Commissioners met Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, PA at the ATS office June 4–5, 2012. Evangelical Theological Seminary, Myerstown, PA Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, TX Fuller Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary, Cochrane, AB George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor Carolina Graduate School of Divinity, Greensboro, The Board considered reports from evalua- University, Waco, TX NC tion committees for the following schools: Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN Denver Seminary, Littleton, CO Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Corner- Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC stone University, Grand Rapids, MI Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Cincinnati, OH Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Harding School of Theology, Memphis, TN Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St Philadelphia, PA International Theological Seminary, El Monte, CA Catharines, ON Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO School, Chicago, IL and Plymouth, MI Arlington, VA Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, FL Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR Providence Theological Seminary, Otterburne, MB Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Colum- Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, Fresno, CA Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Evanston, bia, SC Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA IL McGill University Faculty of Religious Studies, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evan- Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, SD Montreal, QC ston, IL Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, TN General Theological Seminary, New York, NY Forest, NC Montreal School of Theology, Montreal, QC George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Portland, OR St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, OR Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN South Canaan, PA Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton New York Theological Seminary, New York, NY Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT Beach, FL North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Houston Graduate School of Theology, Houston, TX Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Falls Turner School of Theology of Amridge University, Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, OH Church, VA Montgomery, AL Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Cleveland, TN Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, FL Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Regent College, Vancouver, BC Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Seminary, Mundelein, IL Saint Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, IN Louisville, KY Washington Baptist Theological Seminary of Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, TX McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL Washington Baptist University, Annandale, VA St. John’s University School of Theology-Semi- McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON nary, Collegeville, MN Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, OR St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO The Board considered petitions for new St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Oral Roberts University College of Theology and or revised degree programs, changes in Crestwood, NY Ministry, Tulsa, OK degree programs or nomenclature, and Talbot School of Theology, La Mirada, CA Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, TX other petitions regarding course-offering Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, Regent College, Vancouver, BC PA Sacred Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, sites, distance and extension programs, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL WI and removal of notations from the follow- Tyndale University College & Seminary, Toronto, Saint Francis Seminary, St. Francis, WI ing schools: ON Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Ber- Alliance Theological Seminary, Nyack, NY Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA rien Springs, MI Ambrose Seminary of Ambrose University Col- Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort lege, Calgary, AB University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Worth, TX American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, Seminary, Mundelein, IL St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon, SK CA University of St. Thomas School of Theology, St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY Houston, TX St. John’s Seminary, Camarillo, CA Associated Canadian Theological Schools, Lang- University of Winnipeg Faculty of Theology, Win- St. John’s University School of Theology-Semi- ley, BC nipeg, MB nary, Collegeville, MN Athenaeum of Ohio, Cincinnati, OH Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, NS World Mission University, Los Angeles, CA Beach, FL Bangor Theological Seminary, Bangor, ME Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Rich- The Board acted on reports received from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH mond, VA United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Barry University Department of Theology and the following member schools, including Minneapolis, MN Philosophy, Miami Shores, FL those acted on during the January and University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Bethel Seminary of Bethel University, St. Paul, MN May 2012 Reader Panels and two Officers Dubuque, IA Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Committee conference calls: University of St. Thomas School of Theology, Chestnut Hill, MA Alliance Theological Seminary, Nyack, NY Houston, TX Campbell University Divinity School, Buies Creek, Ambrose Seminary of Ambrose University Col- University of the South School of Theology, NC lege, Calgary, AB Sewanee, TN Capital Bible Seminary, Lanham, MD American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Carolina Graduate School of Divinity, Greensboro, CA Winston-Salem, NC NC Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO Western Seminary, Portland, OR Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Cincinnati, OH Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, OH Westminster Theological Seminary in California, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Escondido, CA Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO IN Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, OH Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Austin, Wycliffe College, Toronto, ON Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC TX Drew University Theological School, Madison, NJ Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology, Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Johnson City, TN Azusa, CA

Fall 2012 | C o l l o q u y 41 Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 686 Q) A N) Conference lumni/ae Questionnaires (ESQ/GSQ/ A A lumni/ae Questionnaires TX TX TX AZ AZ TX S) Conference AO AZ Antonio, Antonio, Webinar dvancement Program ( DIA P) Conference Program A dvancement Antonio, Antonio, dministrators Network (SP Network A dministrators D eans (CE O s) Meeting A merican Presidents/ A cademic O fficers Society (C esearch Grants Conference Grants heological R esearch T April 10–12, 2013 • Scottsdale, April 22–23, 2013 • Pittsburgh, PA April 10, 2013 • Scottsdale, 20–22, 2013 •Scottsdale, February CA 14–16, 2013 • Berkeley, January 26–27, 2013 • San January 7, 2013 • Online February 22–24, 2013 • Pittsburgh, PA February 7–9, 2013 • Pittsburgh, PA March 15–17, 2013 • Pittsburgh, PA March 20, 2013 • San March 21–23, 2013 • San March 27–30, 2013 • San January A ssessment Workshop C OA Student Personnel Student Personnel Workshop evelopment and I nstitutional D evelopment ATS Events ATS January 2013 A frican of Embedded I nstitutions Consultation for Presidents February 2013 Webinar (P O M) I nterpretation of Ministry Profiles L illy March 2013 for 2040: Enhancing Capacity to Educate and Minister C OR E Consultation: Preparing World in a Multiracial Consultation Focused Faculty in L eadership Consultation for D eans Women Chief April 2013 Student, and Entering Student, Graduating ntensive Week L eadership I ntensive Presidential