Report from the 2012 ASM Eastern Fellowship
Three faculty members–Drs. Robert, Daneel, and Thangaraj–and seven students attended the 2012 ASM Eastern Fellowship last weekend. Daewon Moon filed the following report:
The 2012 ASM Eastern Fellowship was held at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York on November 2–3, with the theme “Classics of Mission Spirituality.” STH alum, Prof. Ben Hartley of Palmer Seminary, presided.
Dr. Rady Roldan-Figueroa of Boston University gave his presentation on the spirituality of Bartholome de Las Casas (1484–1566), a Dominican missionary and social reformer in the Americas. Roldan-Figueroa
discussed the significance of Las Casas’ treatise “De unico vocationis modo” (“On the Only Way of Conversion”), focusing on distinctive characteristics of sixteenth-century Spanish spirituality in the Observance movement within the religious orders.
Sister Claudette LaVerdiere of the Maryknoll Sisters presented her research on the spirituality of Mother Mary Joseph Rogers (1882–1955), the founder of the Maryknoll order. While a student at Smith College in 1904, Mary Josephine organized a Mission Study Club for Catholic students. Her recognition of women’s power for mission significantly contributed to the formation of the Maryknoll Sisters, which sent its first missionary sisters to China in 1921. Mother Mary Joseph’s focus
on cultivating character became an integral part of the spirituality of the Maryknolls, who adopted the motto “Making God’s love visible.”
Dr. Grace May of City Seminary of New York gave a talk on Margaret Emma Barber (1866–1929), a missionary to China who was a spiritual mentor of Watchman Nee, the most influential leader in the Chinese house church movement. Strongly influenced by the Keswick holiness movement in England, Barber emphasized the discipleship training of indigenous people, particularly the training of local “Bible women” to reach out to other women.