Nonprofit Inside: US Postage Meet Sujin Pak, STH’s new dean PAID Boston MA Hospital and prison chaplains in 745 Commonwealth Avenue Permit No. 1839 the time of COVID Boston, Massachusetts 02215 Resilience in Black collegiate 2021 gospel choirs It’s never too early to consider your legacy. Make your impact through a planned gift. Contact us today at [email protected] or 800-645-2347. Ryan (from left), Faye, and Casey Darmody. My time at BU was life changing. STH challenged Breaking me to develop my social conscience and understanding of justice, both by working in my local community and THROUGH by traveling the world. Those experiences play a role in 2020 tested us again and again. Alumni adapted, shaping who I am every single persevered—and looked to the future. day. As an alumna, I consider myself part of BU’s legacy. And now, through our estate, I’m proud that STH will forever focus is made possible be a part of my family’s legacy. by donations from BU Jack Darmody STH alumni and friends —Casey Darmody (’12) TABLEof Boston University CONTENTS School of Theology 2021 STH WELCOMES A NEW DEAN 2 JOURNAL: RESILIENCE Dean G. SUJIN PAK Assistant Dean of Development FEATURES The Pandemic of Racism 30 Make Sure You Give a Damn 42 and Alumni Relations One family navigates a year, amid a A calling for the next generation of students RAY JOYCE (Questrom’91) lifetime, of racist violence By LaTrelle Easterling (’04) Breaking Through 12 Assistant Director of Alumni By Ronald Angelo Johnson (’06) and Donor Relations Four alumni share their lessons from the ANDREW KIMBLE (’19) pandemic—and how they will apply them Singing with Purpose 34 to the future Communications Director and How historically Black collegiate gospel ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Journal Reviewer choirs build pride and resilience KIMBERLY MACDONALD From Seminary to Short Ribs 18 By Teddy Hickman-Maynard (’03,’15), (CFA’04) David With (’20) has a plan to reverse associate dean for students and community life STH News 6 Editor shrinking church budgets—and it starts and assistant professor of Black Church studies A creative approach to remote learning; MARC CHALUFOUR with mouthwatering BBQ lifelong learning opportunities; Invest in distinguished alumni; DMin program Contributing Writers Rethinking Resilience Within 38 RICH BARLOW Faith and Resilience in a 22 Global Charity recognition MARA SASSOON Difficult Time What international aid organizations ANDREW THURSTON Heidi Kugler (’97) and Ylisse Bess (’17) miss about the importance of family and Reflection 48 students Designer reflect on the challenges of prison and Blessed and Broken: Finding purpose and community BRUNO PEROSINO hospital chaplaincy during COVID-19 By Nicolette Manglos-Weber, assistant strength in trauma Produced by Boston University professor of religion and society By Zina Jacque (’97,’05) Marketing & Communications On the Margins 26 seeking focus is funded by donations from As a reporter, then a priest, Cristina alumni and friends to the Boston Rathbone (’09) has helped people University School of Theology excluded from society share their stories Will you give to the Annual Fund. Learn more at ecological bu.edu/sth/giving. Study of Indigenous Peoples Opinions expressed in focus do not necessarily reflect the views justice of Boston University. & Faith Traditions? STAY CONNECTED TO THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Indigenous Studies Fellowships may be awarded to a limited The Faith and Ecological Justice Fund Keep up with STH, share your number of applicants who seek to study theology in relation latest news, and access free religious to indigenous cultures or to prepare themselves for leadership will support programs at STH seeking to articles at bu.edu/sth/focus. ground students in ecologically informed To contact the development within indigenous communities worldwide. spirituality and practices as they prepare and alumni relations team, email [email protected] or call for meaningful and effective work in 617-353-2349. faith-based environmental initiatives. Your gift will help students excel in their studies at STH. COVER IMAGE: Your gift will help students explore the AlessandraRC/iStock rich depth of religious resources for ecological justice work. Please recycle Email [email protected], call 617-353-2349, or visit bu.edu/sth/giving. In keeping with Boston University’s commitment to sustainability, this Email [email protected], call 617-353-2349, publication is printed on FSC-certified BU Photo Summit for Above or visit bu.edu/sth/giving. paper. 0421 STH WELCOMES A NEW DEAN SUJIN PAK BRINGS largest Protestant church in the EXPERIENCE AS AN United States. “Dr. Pak’s scholarly credentials, ADVOCATE OF MODERN The divisions are a source of her gift for building INCLUSIVENESS TO STH pain for Pak. “There is need today for community through consensus BY RICH BARLOW prophetic witness to support all persons of faith in their and collaboration, and her Methodism courses through calling to ministry and/or ability to provide vision Sujin Pak’s DNA—“I am the religious leadership,” she says. and steady, clearheaded granddaughter, daughter, and “I am proud of this legacy of niece of multiple United Methodist the United Methodist Church leadership through periods elders and deacons on both the and can only hope that it will of change have prepared her Korean and American sides of my be on the right side of history family,” she says. Yet the church in support of LGBTQIA+ well to lead the School of “was also my crisis of faith.” persons.” Lack of humility, Theology.” “I too often saw a gap between listening, and condemnation, she what I understood to be the says, “too often have been the —Jean Morrison, Provost Christian message of love, hope, stumbling blocks to churches’ peace, and justice and the actual abilities to bear faithful witness actions of various expressions of to the Christian message of the church across time,” says Pak. reconciliation and justice.” curriculum to remote teaching and As a vice dean at Duke Divinity At Duke Divinity School, operations amid the pandemic this School, her alma mater, she tried Pak oversaw all degree programs, past spring. Sujin Pak to address that gap by, for example, admissions, financial aid, student “It was clear early on that welcoming LGBTQIA+ students, affairs, field education, and Dr. Pak’s scholarly credentials, faculty, and staff. ministerial formation. her gift for building community I am honored to be dean of a school with a future as challenges in the academy, churches, religious Pak will continue that work as In an email sent to the BU through consensus and collab- bright as its legacy. As a historian, I know the impor- communities, and the world. With its gifted faculty, the new dean of STH. She takes community announcing Pak’s oration, and her ability to provide tance of listening to multiple voices and perspectives. I dedicated staff, amazing alumni, remarkable student the helm just months before her appointment, Jean Morrison, BU vision and steady, clearheaded know the necessity of reading contexts well and care- body, and extraordinary centers for social transforma- beloved Methodist Church may provost, wrote: “She thoughtfully leadership through periods of fully. As a biracial person, I understand the challenges tion, practical theology, conflict transformation, and splinter over gay rights, an animat- led Duke Divinity School through change have prepared her well of conflicting identities, values, and priorities. Boston faith and ecological justice, the School of Theology ing focus of her career. significant transitions, advancing to lead the School of Theology.” University School of Theology uniquely merges cultivates transformative religious leaders who Late this summer, the church efforts to enhance diversity by STH is BU’s oldest school, powerful prophetic witness with compassionate and embody passionate prophetic witness and profound is scheduled to vote on a plan to providing greater flexibility to started in Vermont in 1839 as humble listening. It seeks to listen well to a diversity listening. In a world threatened by deepened divides split the denomination, creating students of limited means, and to Newbury Biblical Institute. It of voices, pursue deep contextual engagement, and and a shrinking ability to hold together conviction at least one traditionalist branch improve inclusiveness, particularly relocated to New Hampshire and practice noncompetitive advocacy, where we recognize with humility and prophecy with love, I am proud opposed to same-sex marriage for LGBTQIA+ students, faculty, then, in 1867, to Boston, two and honor intersectionality. to be a dean of a school that seeks to embody and and gay ordination. The vote, and staff.” Additionally, Morrison years before BU’s founding. Its It is an exciting moment in the school’s vocation! practice these together. following years of emotional noted, she had “a major role in history is one of the things that This school is strongly positioned to meet today’s —Sujin Pak Jackie Ricciardi debate, would rend the second- successfully adapting the school’s attracted her to the deanship, 3 boston university school of theology | bu.edu/sth 4 Pak says: “The School of says, “the School of Theology CAREER Theology at Boston University is positioned as a trailblazer in BOOKS HIGHLIGHTS has an incredible legacy of cultivating Latinx theology and advancing women and minorities fostering Latinx church and in leadership, academia, and community leaders.” The Reformation Previously served as the vice ministry—from the first woman Morrison’s email