September 6, 2013Top
In This Issue
STH Calendar
Peer Mentor Program
STH Weekly Worship
Come Join the Seminary Singers!
Religion & Conflict Transformation Fall Retreat
Office of Spiritual Life
School of Theology Distinguished Alumni Panel
Welcome to Visiting Professors
BTI Trolley Tour
MLK 50 Years Later
Dr. Walter E. Fluker Advice to Incoming Students during Summer Orientation
STH Service of Matriculation
Welcome to Dr. Peter J. Paris -Visiting Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics
Religion and Conflict Transformation Grant Announcement
Vocational Discernment Sessions
Anna Howard Shaw Thursday Lunch Talk
The Spiritual Growth and Stress Support Group
STH Calendar 
calendar
Divider blue

Quick Links...

Peer Mentor Program
Orientation

 

New students! Welcome to the wild world of STH! While we're sure that you've come prepared, starting in a new place can be overwhelming.  

 

To join our peer mentoring program, email Community Life Coordinator, Ashley Anderson (ajanders@bu.edu).

 

 Current students! Congratulations! In your second, third, or seventh year, you probably know what's going on about half the time. If you are a current student who would like to be a peer mentor to a new student, email Ashley. You may also sign up in the admissions office. The mentor program is available to students in all programs at the School of Theology. 

 

Back to Top^  

 

Divider blue  

STH Weekly Worship
Wednesdays 
11:10 - 12:00 
Marsh Chapel

 

September 11

(Eucharist)   

Desi Sharp

 

September 18
Matriculation Service 
Dr. Peter Paris
Worship begins at 11am; all faculty (in academic dress) and new students are encouraged to join the procession by lining up outside of Room 110 at STH at 10:45am

 
Come Join the Seminary Singers!



All are welcome to come and sing with the Seminary Singers this year. 
We have a robe for you!  Join us on Tuesday afternoons in Marsh Chapel from 5pm to 6:30pm for rehearsal; then we sing each Wednesday for Community Worship - 10:30am to 12noon.  This is an excellent community of folks who love to take a break from rigorous academic study and do something they love - MAKE MUSIC!  Come join us.  No audition needed, just a love for diverse sacred music.  Questions?  Rev. Chad W. Kidd, ckidd@bu.edu 

 

Religion & Conflict Transformation Fall Retreat
Walker Center

 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

The Walker Center

144 Hancock Street

Auburndale, MA 02466 

 

Dear RCT students, alumni, faculty and friends,

 

We are looking forward to our upcoming Fall Retreat with Yehezkel Landau on October 5 at the  

Walker Center.   

If you are a current student in this program and have not yet signed-up, please respond by RSVPing to the RCT Retreat (rct@bu.edu).  

The retreat is mandatory for all students in the program.  

The RSVP deadline is Monday, September 9th,  

so please respond promptly so we can get final numbers to catering as soon as possible. If you have special dietary needs such as vegetarian or gluten-free please let us know by Monday, September 9th as well. If you cannot attend this year's retreat, please let me know so we may discuss a make-up assignment.

We are looking forward to our work with Professor Landau, who lectures internationally on Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations and Middle East peace issues. At Hartford Seminary,  

Dr. Landau directs an interfaith training program for Christians, Jews, and Muslims titled, "Building Abrahamic Partnerships." You can read more about Dr. Landau and his work at: www.hartsem.edu.

Shalom,

David Weekley

RCT Program Administrator  

 

Back to Top^

   Divider blue

Office of Spiritual Life
Spiritual Life Office

Spiritual Life Office News

Welcome back to a new year of spiritual exploration at STH!

 

 Please see our fall flyer of keys for spiritual formation.  Some of the practices offered are quiet and contemplative, and some inevitably include raucous laughter.  Check out the multitude of opportunities, and discover the keys to your own robust spiritual life.

 

I am so happy to meet with students to hear your stories and to dream together about what makes you come alive.  In this beginning of the semester while Community Center construction is underway, I can best be found by email: rolson@bu.edu. 
My temporary office is in back of the library, in the Technical Services room,  and my virtual offices are at Facebook  

https://www.facebook.com/busthspirituallife

and the STH website 

  

 

Some highlights and upcoming events:

- Morning Prayer has a NEW TIME of 8:30 -8:50 am.  (see flyer).   

Same days, Monday-Thursday.  Same lovely way to begin a focused, grateful day.  Volunteers gladly received to lead.   

Contact:

Lindsay Popper  

lpopper@bu.edu

 or Debbie O'Driscoll dodrisco@bu.edu.

 

 

- Guided Intoning starts up on Monday September 9th, 1-2 pm.   

This ancient/modern fusion of contemplative prayer is led this month by Rev. Holly Benzenhafer Redford. 

 

- Mark your calendars for the Fall 2013 Reading Retreats, 1st Saturdays on October 5, November 2, and  

December 7.

 

Blessings Abound,

Rev. Dr. Robin Olson (rolson@bu.edu), Coordinator

Bryanna Benedetti, Graduate Assistant

Debbie O'Driscoll, Contextual Education Intern


  

Daily Morning Prayer

Monday - Thursday

8:30 - 8:50 am

Muelder Chapel 343

 

Leaders

Tuesday:

Kathleen Decker Szakas

 

 

Guided Intoning 

Monday, September 9th 

Muelder Chapel 343

1pm - 2:00pm
Leader
Holly Benzenhafer Redford
  Divider blue
School of Theology Distinguished Alumni Panel

Thursday, September 19, 2013 

2pm-4pm

King Room in Mugar Library,
3rd Floor

The 2013 School of Theology Distinguished Alumni will respond to the "Three Greatest Challenges Facing Us in the Next Decade." 

Dr. Walter Fluker will moderate. The 2013 Distinguished Alumni are Andy Crouch (STH '94), Rev. David Farley (STH '78), Bishop Deborah Kiesey (STH '76) and Rev. Dr. Michele Shields (STH '81).
Join Our Mailing List
All submissions for the Collegium must be sent to the Office of Community Life & Lifelong Learning (vp@bu.edu) by noon on Wednesdays in order to appear in the next edition. Please include the title of your event, the date, the time, and the location as well as a brief description of your event.
WELCOME TO FALL 2013!

A warm welcome to the new school year, Friends! 
From the bright, anxious and excited faces of first years to the furrowed brows of tenured faculty, we can't wait to see what the year has in store for our community.

A prayer for us all, as we begin a new year:

At the beginning of a new school year, O God of wisdom, we offer thanks and praise for the gift of new beginnings and for the opportunity to learn and to wonder. We pray for teachers, students, and staff that this year might be rewarding for all.

Be with us as we face the challenge of new tasks, the fear of failure,the expectations of family, friends, and self. 

In our learning and our teaching, may we grow in service to others and in love for your world, 

through Jesus our Christ.

Amen.

(UM Book of Worship, adapted)

 
BTI Trolley Tour
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013 Trolley

 

This Saturday (9/7/2013) from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM, and again next Sunday (9/15/2013) from 2 - 5 PM) I will be narrating a discussion on the 10 schools of the Boston Theological Institute.

This has been a very popular event in the past, and we look forward to good attendance this year as well. The discussion is rooted in twenty years' research and presentations on the history of communities of faith in the greater Boston area, and on focused input from each of the schools on its own history, as well.

As we travel from school to school, we give current practical information about the various schools' scholastic offerings, and on transportation options to and from each one.

We thus help to familiarize new students with the (often crazy!) layout of the greater Boston area, while drawing their attention to points of historical religious importance and to notable churches, synagogues and mosques in the area.

This tour would be of interest to those new to the area, especially those with a concentration of interest in the history of religions; in faith communities' use of art and architecture; and in the sociology and anthropology of religious growth in a large, culturally diverse
area such as Boston. Space is limited to 15 people, so please sign up now! Register at: btinews@bostontheological.org 

Donna La Rue, Independent Scholar 
and Tour Guide 
ihsdlrue@gmail.com
781-646-3013

MLK 50 Years Later

MLK
USA Today Advertisement

Martin Luther King, Jr. came to Boston University in 1951, searching for a multicultural community and a setting for his study of ethics and philosophy.  He became "Dr. King" by earning a PhD. in systematic theology here in 1955.  We have created a Commemorative Website in his honor.
 
Back to Top^
Dr. Walter E. Fluker Advice to Incoming Students during Summer OrientationWalter E. Fluker Advice to Incoming Students
Walter E. Fluker Advice to Incoming Students
STH Service of MatriculationBU Logo

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

11:00am, Marsh Chapel

 

We hope the entire STH community will make every effort to join together on Wednesday, September 18th, 11am, in Marsh Chapel, for our annual Service of Matriculation. This is a special ceremony and worship service where we will officially call all new students, faculty, staff, and administration by name and welcome you into the community. There will be great preaching by Dr. Peter Paris, great music by the Seminary Singers, the faculty will all be vested in academic regalia and there will be many alums present.

 

All incoming students and all faculty are invited to walk in the opening procession by gathering outside of Suite 110 just before the service at 10:45am (or as soon as you can get there after class) so you can all walk in and sit together when the service begins at 11am.  Please mark your calendar for the 18th.   

 

Back to Top^ 

Welcome to Dr. Peter J. Paris -Visiting Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics
Peter Paris
 
The Boston University School of Theology welcomes Peter J. Paris as the Visiting Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics for the academic year, 2013-2014. Dr. Paris is a world renowned scholar, honored most recently by a collection in his honor, Ethics That Matters: African, Caribbean, and African American Sources. Indeed, he is known for his teaching and research in "ethics that matters." He is the Elmer G. Homrighausen Professor Emeritus of Christian Social Ethics, of Princeton Theological Seminary, having worked closely also with the Princeton University African American Studies Program. He has also been Fellow at Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University, in 2008-2009, and has been Visiting Professor in Harvard University Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary (New York), and Trinity Theological College (Legon, Ghana). Formerly, Dr. Paris taught on the faculties of Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Howard University School of Divinity. Read more here.

We also Welcome to Visiting Professors
 
Visiting Researcher and Adjunct Instructor in New Testament 

Welcome Back to Thomas Tangaraj: 
Visiting Professor of World Christianity; Professor Emeritus of World Christianity at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Religion and Conflict Transformation Grant Announcement
        
Luce logo
It is with great joy that we announce that the Boston University School of Theology (STH) has received a three-year grant of $350,000 to establish a clinic on Religion and Conflict Transformation (RCT) from the Directors of the Henry Luce Foundation.

 

This Grant will be used to advance the RCT program with a major new direction in contextual pedagogy, community service, and interfaith peacebuilding. Our goal is to establish a sustainable, replicable model for clinical teaching and service in theologically-informed peacebuilding. We expect the new program to enhance and expand STH's capacity to serve the larger community-congregations, business and professional communities, public and social service organizations and NGOs-while giving our students structured opportunities to develop as future leaders in conflict transformation and interfaith peacebuilding, wherever they are called. The program will include congregational workshops, prison courses with inmates, interfaith workshops with business and professional leaders, and a global interfaith engagement seminar.  The work will also include the development of resources in the form of web and print publications, oral histories, and research publications on conflict transformation and related topics. Read more here.

  
Vocational Discernment Sessions with School of Theology Distinguished Alumni
Thursday, September 19
12-1:00pm
STH 325   
 

On Thursday, September 19 from 12pm-1pm, the School of Theology Development and Alumni Relations Office with host informal sessions over lunch with two of our Distinguished Alumni.

 
Are you thinking about hospital chaplaincy? Join Rev. Dr. Michele Shields (STH 1981, M.Div.), Director of Spiritual Care Services at UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and oversees 20 chaplains, for lunch in Room 111B.

Interested in urban ministry? Join Rev. David K. Farley (STH 1978, M.Div.), pastor at Echo Park United Methodist Church in the urban core of Los Angeles, for lunch in Room 325. 

 

Michele and David will talk a little about their work and then talk to you, about your questions regarding your vocation after seminary. Both lunches will take place from 12pm-1pm. Even if you can only attend part of the session, please sign up.  

 

You must RSVP to Jaclyn Jones at  jkjones@bu.edu by Friday, September 13 so enough food can be ordered.

 

Also, the Anna Howard Shaw Center is hosting Bishop Deb Kiesey (STH 1976, M.Div.) who was assigned to the Michigan area in July 2012, as their featured speaker on Thursday, September 19. Bishop Kiesey is also a School of Theology Distinguished Alumna. Contact the Shaw Center for more information.

 

You have three opportunities to meet with alumni doing fascinating work. Do not miss this opportunity!! RSVP to Jaclyn (jkjones@bu.edu) today.

 

Anna Howard Shaw Thursday Lunch Talk Series 
Thursday, September 12, 2013
12:30pm, STH 320

Anna Howard Shaw Thursday Lunch Lecture starts on September 12th.  

Our first guest speaker is Dr. Choi, Hee An. She will lead a discussion about "New Beginning." 


Please come and enjoy free lunch and fun conversation.
The Spiritual Growth and Stress Support Group 
Thursday, September 19, 2013  
2pm - 3pm  Spiritual Support STH 320  

 

The Spiritual Growth and Stress Support Group, sponsored by and held in the Anna Howard Shaw Center, is for STH female and male students who are interested in self-care and spiritual renewal. 

 

This group is intentionally designed for students to share their struggles and support each other in the process of their vocational discernment and academic quest. The maximum number of participants for this group will be 8-10 members only.  A senior staff member from the Danielsen Institute with more than 20 years of professional counseling experience will lead the group with Dr. Choi.  This group will meet ten times per semester, every Thursday 2-3pm in the Shaw Center. Our first meeting is on September 19 at 2pm in the Shaw Center. 

 

If you are interested, please send an email to Rev. Dr. Choi, Hee An. (hchoi@bu.edu)