News of the extended network of faculty, alumni, students, visiting researchers, and mission partners is regularly updated, and some of the big ideas or major events in Global Christianity are covered in the CGCM News.
Rady Roldan-Figueroa Interviewed on His New Book, The Martyrs of Japan
Dr. Rady Roldan-Figueroa recently gave a video interview on the topic of his new book, The Martyrs of Japan.
In the interview, Dr. Roldan-Figueroa, Faculty Associate of the CGCM, shared some significant findings of his interdisciplinary research focusing on the missionary work of three religious orders in Japan.
The book contributes to undercurrents in seventeenth-century history characterized by the period's global Jesuit, Franciscan, and Descalsed mission work. Dr. Roldan-Figueroa analyzed 380 books printed during the period and thereby explores the histories of publishers and publishing houses in Italy and Spain. He also explores the global connections and spiritual influence of this corpus of "travel" literature. One of the book's contributions is the reclassification of the literature on Japanese Christian martyrdom and persecution to religious/spiritual literature. Dr. Roldan-Figuero argues that the proliferation and influence of such literature were held a spiritual and religious purpose for the communities who printed it, received it, and passed it on.
The introductory chapter offers an overview of sixteenth-century Christianity in Japan. The rest of the book focuses on the roles, uses, and receptions of the body of literature produced between 1591-1700 that detailed Japanese persecution, prosecution, and martyrdom. The bibliography will prove valuable for scholars and students of the history of Japanese Christianity. Dr. Roldan-Figueroa uses several approaches in his research: history of missions, history of publication, a new approach to institutional history, and questions of how to classify the literature under study.
For a more detailed summary of the book, view the interview and hear Dr. Roldan-Figueroa explain some of the research discoveries, main arguments, and scholarly contributions held together in The Martyrs of Japan.
To buy a copy of the book, visit the publisher's page here.
The Reverend Jack Amick (STH ’06) and UMCOR’s Global Migration Program
The Reverend Jack Amick, STH alumn, is featured in a recent article announcing $10 million in grants for the work of Global Ministries and UMCOR.
The director of UMCOR's Global Migration Program, Rev. Jack Amick ('06), describes its primary goal to "support the church in its efforts to provide welcome to refugees and migrants of all types, regardless of where they are on the migration journey."
For more information about the grant announcements, to learn more about Global Ministries, UMCOR, and Rev. Amick, read the article here.
Anicka Fast (’20), Bruce Yoder (’16) and Unlikely Friends Mentioned by the Mennonite Mission Network
The Mennonite Mission Network's recent blog post mentions Anicka Fast ('20) and Bruce Yoder ('16), STH Alumni and former advisees of Dr. Dana Robert. Fast's research and Yoder's participation with the Congolese church and Mennonite mission are noted.
Through the post, blog author, Linda Hollinger-Janzen, reflects on Anicka's dissertation research, her current assignment in Burkina-Faso teaching African church history, and her chapter in Dana Robert's Festschrift, Unlikely Friends.
Hollinger-Janzen's reflections offer insight into historical Mennonite mission relationships in French-speaking Africa and present-day applications of friendship in mission through the lives of two STH alumni.
Read the blog post, "Expatriate women and house workers helped dismantle Mennonite segregation in Congo" by Linda Hollinger-Janzen, here.
CGCM Congratulates Former Visiting Researcher Jesse Ciccotti
The CGCM offers hearty congratulations to former Visiting Researcher Jesse Ciccotti on his new position.
At the start of the 2021-2022 school year, Dr. Ciccotti took up a post at Colorado Christian University as Assistant Dean of Spiritual Formation. In addition to his dean role, he will be teaching courses in Philosophy, Global Studies, and Theology.
Congratulations to you, Dr. Ciccotti, and all the best to you and to your colleagues and students at Colorado Christian University.
“A Rite for All Souls” 50th-Anniversary Commemoration
The Boston Globe has featured Mark Harvey (STH '71, GRS '83), Peter Bloom (CAS '71), and the music of the Mark Harvey Group in an article published on Oct.25, 2021. See the Boston Globe article here.
Harvey, a School of Theology alumnus, is known for his work as the director of the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra and his work on jazz as sacred music.
His ministry through music is another example of the Boston University School of Theology's rich heritage in global hymnody and sacred music. For more information on the upcoming BU STH Hymnody Mini-Conference, see this news item.
To attend the free virtual event, "A Rite for All Souls" 50th-anniversary commemoration, held on Oct. 28, 7 p.m., register at www.eventbrite.com/e/50th-anniversary-of-a-rite-for-all-souls-zoom-conversation-and-video-tickets-187825500127
Digital Symposium Commemorating the 125th Year of the Death of Seven Civilians from Leipzig Mission
Digital Symposium “Climbing High Mountains. Colonial entanglement & postcolonial reflections” 29 – 30 October, 2021.
Commemorating the 125th year of the death of seven civilians from Leipzig Mission – Karava, Mrio, and three other Chagga people, as well as the two missionaries Ewald Ovir and Karl Segebrock – at Mount Meru October 20, 1896, Leipzig Mission invites to participate in a digital symposium. Please find details in the file attached, or check our website https://www.leipziger-missionswerk.de/symposium-climbing-high-mountains.html
Kindly register yourselves by Monday October 25, 2001 at info@LMW-Mission.de to receive the link for your digital access. Participation is free of charge.
Fr Luke Veronis to Give IOTA Missiology Group Lecture on Thursday, October 28th
“Still Mining the Forgotten: Black Catholic Nuns in United States History” Lecture by Shannen Dee Williams
The Cultures of American Religion group - with co-sponsorship from the Center for Research on Global Catholicism - is excited to announce that Dr. Shannen Dee Williams Associate Professor of History at the University of Dayton, will give a talk on November 11th, 2021, at 6pm CST entitled “Still Mining the Forgotten: Black Catholic Nuns in United States History.” All are invited and encouraged to attend.
Dr. Williams chose to speak on November 11th in celebration of Black Catholic History month, and in honor of the fourth anniversary of the death of Sister Mary Antona Ebo, FSM.
Dr. Williams is a noted scholar of African American history, who has published work in the Journal of African-American History, the Journal of Africana Religions, and American Catholic Studies, as well as popular articles in America, the National Catholic Reporter, and Religion Dispatches, among others. Her talk will draw on the research for her forthcoming book, Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle (Duke, 2022).
This talk will be presented as a webinar: all attendees can register in advance here.
Also, Dr. Williams is also hosting a Zoom mentoring lunch with any interested students. The lunch will take place on November 11th, at noon CST. Please email kate.moran@slu.edu to receive an invitation.