Alumni News
BUSTH welcomes new Assistant Professor of Homiletics
Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) is pleased to announce the appointment of new full-time faculty member Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Adkins-Jones ('09, '20), who will begin on July 1, 2025. Rev. Dr. Adkins-Jones will join the faculty as Assistant Professor of Homiletics, most recently serving as Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Union Theological Seminary.
Rev. Dr. Adkins-Jones is a scholar and pastor whose work embodies the Black preacher-scholar tradition. He currently serves as Pastor of the historic Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, and was mentored by his grandfather, the Rev. Leroy Jones, at Pilgrim Journey Baptist Church in his hometown of Richmond, VA.
A sought-after preacher, lecturer, and teacher, Dr. Adkins-Jones has previously taught courses in homiletics and polity at Yale Divinity School and has been featured on national platforms such as SiriusXM’s “For Your Soul Sunday.” He holds a PhD in Practical Theology with a concentration in Homiletics and an MDiv from the Boston University School of Theology, and a BA in Psychology from Amherst College. His forthcoming book, Let the Church Say Amen: Practicing a Black Communal Homiletic (Fortress Press), explores the communal nature of Black Preaching and illumines the ways that the Black Preaching tradition includes the voices of the congregation before, during, and after the sermonic event.
“What an amazing time to join this incredible faculty and be a part of this dynamic and diverse community.” - Rev. Dr. Adkins-Jones
“I am thrilled to return home to BU and pick up the mantle held by my esteemed advisor Dr. David Schnassa Jacobsen, my late mentor Dr. Dale Andrews, and many other amazing homileticians before them," says Rev. Dr. Adkins-Jones. “What an amazing time to join this incredible faculty and be a part of this dynamic and diverse community. I’m looking forward to working with Dean Pak and all of the gifted students at BUSTH.”
“It is a great joy and honor to welcome Rev. Dr. Timothy Adkins-Jones back home!” says Dean G. Sujin Pak. “He brings multiple gifts, new energy, and compelling vision, particularly in his insights for a communal homiletic and work on preaching and protest. I have no doubt that he will enrich the ongoing legacy of homiletical studies and prophetic leadership at STH.”
Prof. Cornell Brooks (’87) remembers George Floyd’s death 5 years later
The following is an excerpt from the CBS News article, “Remembering George Floyd 5 years after his murder" published on May 25, 2025. Click here to read the full article and watch the interview with Prof. Cornell Brooks.
May 25 marked the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of police prompted worldwide protests. Prof. Cornell Brooks discussed what has changed for Black Americans since the incident and what further actions are needed to reform policing and tackle racism in the U.S.
Reverend Alton R. Pope (’57)
Alton Rask Pope September 11, 1928 - May 5, 2025 Lenexa, Kansas - Alton Rask Pope, age 96, died on May 5, 2025 in Kansas City. A memorial service will be at Lakeview Village, 9100 Park Street, Lenexa, Kansas, Monday, May 12 at 1:00 pm led by Dr. Ira DeSpain, Rev. Pam Bauer Nolan, and Chaplain Sara Jo Waldron, followed by a time of visitation. Private burial will follow cremation. Al was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 11, 1928, to his parents Ervin Charles and Mildred Rask Pope. He grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, graduating from Shaker High School in 1946. He attended Cornell University, graduating with a degree in industrial engineering. Following brief periods with DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware and the United States Air Force in the Marshall Islands, he enrolled at Boston University School of Theology, graduating in 1957. Following a year's study at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, he began serving in churches and administrative appointments with the United Methodist Church in eastern Kansas and for three years in Sydney, Australia. During that time he also served for 20 years as adjunct faculty at Saint Paul School of Theology, and completed a Masters Degree in philosophy at Kansas State University. Following his retirement in 1994 he continued for 18 years as one of two pastors for the Lake Quivira Community Ministry, an interdenominational congregation emphasizing missional outreach into the Greater Kansas City community. Al's lifelong enjoyments included bicycling, tennis, singing, and the piano. During retirement he especially enjoyed volunteering as a book-sorter for the Johnson County Library, singing with the Johnson County Chorus, and playing songs of the 40's for fellow diners in his Lakeview Village highrise. His favorite song: "All the Things You Are." Al was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jane Stauffer, and his beloved wives Dottie, Suzie, and Jane, each of whom was and remained a gift to him. He is survived by and was grateful for his nine children and step-children from his well-blended family from three marriages: Eric Pope (Jenniphr), Jeff Pope, John Pope (Ursula), Elaine Roseberry (Jay), Mary Jane Joyce (Steve), Scott Mize (Phyllis), Mark Shumate (Darcy), David Shumate (Carol), and Melissa Shumate. He leaves also ten beloved grandchildren. Memorials may be directed to Cross-Lines, the Johnson County Library Foundation, or the Lake Quivira Community Ministry.
Sunday Morning Preschool Director
Preschool Ministry Teacher (Part-Time)
Aldersgate United Methodist Church (North Reading, MA) seeks a loving, creative, and responsible individual of Christian faith to lead our growing Bible Buddies Preschool Class. This part-time role (4 – 5 hrs/week) includes teaching Sunday mornings (Sept–May, 2nd Sunday off each month) and 1-2 hours of prep weekly. Must be 18+, experienced in childcare, and pass a background check. Educational background preferred. Responsibilities include lesson planning, engaging with families, coordinating volunteers, and supporting preschool ministry activities. Pay is $125/week. Option to extend for Vacation Bible School in August.
To apply, email your resume and a sample 30-40 minute preschool lesson plan from any Bible story to Holly Vietzke at aldersgateumc@gmail.com.
Director of Religious Education (DRE), Part Time/Other, UU Society of Amherst; Amherst, MA
Job Title: Director of Religious Education (DRE)
Reports to: Minister and coordinates with RE Ministry
Compensation: $24/hour
Hours: Society calendar year (42 weeks) @ generally 15 hours/week plus Summer: 60 hours total
Start date: August 2025
Notice: this position may be adapted into a half-time 22-month ministerial internship.
Position Summary: To provide leadership based on Unitarian Universalist principles and sources and provide programming designed to explore Unitarian Universalism, other religions, and social justice. Programs should nurture individual spiritual and intellectual growth.
The Director of Religious Education is responsible for the religious education programming of the congregation for children and youth. The DRE will be the lead teacher, unless another lead is appointed, for the K-6 class, with the help of congregational volunteers. The DRE will supervise paid support staff, such as RE Manager/Preschool Teacher and Teaching Assistants, and volunteer teachers from the congregation. The DRE works closely with the Minister and Congregational Administrator. The DRE has a presence in Sunday worship services and facilitates student and youth participation in worship.
Location and hours: This position can be fulfilled with a mix of remote and onsite hours. Instruction, Sunday worship, and meetings occur at set times and places, but many hours are flexible and can be completed offsite.
Education and Experience: Must have experience or degree in the field related to education or human services, ability to teach to people of various ages, have an understanding of UU values, comfort with a wide variety of religious views, and knowledge of UU RE or a willingness to learn. Will also have organizational, administrative, communication and volunteer management skills as well as initiative and an ability to encourage others.
Continuing Education: The DRE shall engage in an ongoing process to increase their knowledge of the UU tradition, teaching methods, religious philosophies, and spiritual practices such that this knowledge might augment the RE program. The Society shall support this endeavor with professional development funds.
Non-Discrimination Policy: The UU Society of Amherst shall not discriminate in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States of America, and will provide equality of treatment to its applicants and employees with respect to race, color, creed, religion, marital status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, age, or ancestry. Any exceptions to this policy which may arise must be consistent with applicable laws and must be based on specific goals of the position.
To apply for this position: send resume and letter of interest to hiring@uusocietyamherst.org . Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
Website: https://uusocietyamherst.org/
Peacemaking and Prophetic Action: Development of BUSTH’s Inaugural Circle Keeping Program
By Kendall Doty ('25)
During the 2024-2025 school year, Boston University School of Theology (STH) launched a new contextual education internship program offering students the opportunity to practice circle keeping. Under the direction of Clinical Assistant Professor of Religion and Conflict Transformation and Director of the Tom Porter Religion and Conflict Transformation Program James McCarty, three students—Daniela Harrigan (‘26), Dzidzor Azaglo (‘25), and Mustard Uzu (‘25)—kept bi-weekly peacemaking circles throughout the semester and planned a two-day conflict transformation retreat which took place in late April.
Bringing their own skills and backgrounds, these three interns were able to integrate the arts and African diasporic wisdoms into the indigenous practice of peacemaking circles. However, this program of prophetic action did not appear out of the blue; it is the result of over three years of moral formation and organization within the STH community.
Prof. McCarty’s work—which is centered around the intersections of restorative justice, community organizing, conflict transformation, and Christian ethics—informed how he implemented this program. He utilized a “scaffolded” strategy of learning experiences and implementation which “made the [STH] community ready for this more intensive and in-depth student-led use of the practice.” By teaching two-week units of peacemaking circles in his classes The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation and The Principles and Practices of Restorative Justice, Prof. McCarty introduced the practice to approximately 30-40 students each year. Before launching the intern program, Prof. McCarty himself served as circle keeper for two years, helping this community in moments of internal conflict such as the aftermath of October 7, 2023 and the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and the BU graduate workers union strike. After the STH community was introduced to circle processes, Prof. McCarty added an advanced summer school course on Peacemaking Circles which provided the pool of students from which the contextual education interns were selected.
Prof. McCarty explained that members of the community were seeking “values-based mediations and restorative processes” rather than relying on more conventional interventions. He noted a strong desire within the community to embody the principles they advocate—namely, being a beloved community and actively pursuing justpeace. Additionally, he observed that students were lacking opportunities for hands-on experience in conflict transformation and emphasized that even the most innovative classroom settings cannot fully convey “the kind of peace and justice leadership” that is best developed through lived practice.
"Building community is essential as the foundation for any conflict resolution framework." - Daniela Harrigan ('26)
Part of the inaugural team of circle keepers, Master of Divinity student Daniela Harrigan claimed that this internship allowed her to “further explore my passion for conflict transformation.” She learned about the behind-the-scenes preparation work that goes into peacemaking circles as well as how this work affects the body; “[it is] crucial to accurately identify and name what you’re feeling, because if you don’t, you may unknowingly carry those emotions with you [...] and it is vital to release what isn’t yours to carry.” Additionally, she emerged from this program with the insights that “this work is not just a skill, it is a way of life” and that “building community is essential as the foundation for any conflict resolution framework.”
This new program provides students with an accessible contextual education placement located on campus and an experiential learning opportunity in conflict transformation which is unique to STH. Yet, the most important aspect of the program to Prof. McCarty is that it is “a space in which students can build a community rooted in shared values and practices of mutual care, respect, and justice.” Similarly, Daniela shared that this program is important because “it offers a model for how we can be with one another—choosing not to assimilate into the dominant culture, but instead creating an intercultural space where we honor and value one another.” For both of them, the program is more than an opportunity—it is a way of being in community that embodies the values of STH.
As new sets of student circle keepers participate in the intern program in the coming years, Prof. McCarty anticipates that their individual interests, passions, and skills will continue to shape it. Although the program is currently in a pilot phase, Prof. McCarty hopes that the peacemaking circle program will become “steeped into the culture of STH” and that it will attract enduring funding so that students may participate for many years to come.
Land acknowledgement: We acknowledge that the territory on which Boston University stands is that of The Wampanoag and The Massachusett People. We also acknowledge the Tagish and Tlingit who have taught peacemaking circles to those outside their communities. Our classrooms and the BU campus are places to honor and respect the history and continued efforts of the Native and Indigenous community leaders which make up Eastern Massachusetts and the surrounding region.
Prof. Emilie Townes to receive William Rainey Harper Award from Religious Education Association
Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Religion and Black Studies emilie townes will receive the William Rainey Harper Award from the Religious Education Association (REA) at their annual meeting in July 2025.
According to REA president Karen-Marie Yust, ThD, the nominating board believes that Prof. townes's work “has had a profound effect on the theory and practice of religious education,” and that she “inspire[s] us, and we hope future scholars and practitioners in religious education are influenced by [her] work.”
Past recipients of this distinguished award include Elie Wiesel, Paulo and Elza Freire, Martin Marty, Margaret Mead, and Parker Palmer.
Director/Minister of Faith Formation, Full Time, Hingham Congregational Church: Hingham, MA
Located in the historic seaside town of Hingham, Massachusetts, the Hingham Congregational Church, an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, is seeking a dynamic and compassionate Director (or Minister) of Faith Formation. This individual will lead, coordinate, and inspire faith development for children, youth, and individuals of all ages, nurturing spiritual growth and deepening engagement in our faith community. We take seriously the biblical call to love God and our neighbors as ourselves, and recognize that, although we are many members, we are one. With this spirit and the love of God, we openly welcome all persons, inclusive of every race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and inclusive of any others, to journey with us as we move forward with the work of this church in the world.
JOB DESCRIPTION
TITLE: Director/Minister of Faith Formation
REPORTS TO: Senior Pastor, Executive Council.
JOB GOAL: The Director/Minister of Faith Formation leads the church community in the faith formation of children, youth, and adults through the development and implementation of relevant and dynamic Christian education programs and opportunities. With an intentional focus on youth programming and engaging families with young children, the Director works collaboratively with the senior pastor and the Board of Faith Formation to promote and ensure the active participation and retention of all new and existing members.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Coordinate and facilitate church school programming, including one week of Vacation Bible School each summer, and one week of youth service trip.
Develop and lead ministries for children and youth.
Promote and support adult education programs and opportunities.
Collaborate with the Board of Faith Formation with regular meetings and timely communication.
Communicate the work, challenges, and accomplishments of faith formation regularly through monthly reports and meeting minutes to the Executive Council, Horizons, (our monthly newsletter) articles, and other means as appropriate.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s Degree
Demonstration of effective communication and technology skills
Related and relevant experience in faith formation programming
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Salary and benefits are competitive in accordance with United Church of Christ guidelines.
Subject to approval by Executive Council.
Send resumes to churchoffice@hccucc.com with “Faith Formation Resume” in the subject line.
Seminarian, Part Time, Old South Church in Boston: Boston, MA
Seminarian at Old South Church in Boston
The position of Seminarian is designed to nurture the professional growth and development of students by creating meaningful opportunities for ministerial leadership, and to utilize the gifts and experiences of the Seminarian to support, serve and expand the ministry and programs of Old South Church in Boston. Old South is a mid-sized (~550 members) vibrant urban church with roots deep in Boston and the nation's history. An Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, we are a theologically progressive Christian community.
The Seminarian will be responsible for:
Worship Leadership: creating and leading liturgy and occasional preaching. Our services are Thursday Night Church on Thursdays at 6pm; First Worship on Sundays at 9am; Festival Worship on Sundays at 11am. The seminarian will be assigned to either Sunday or Thursday services in conversation with the supervisor.
Christian Formation: the seminarian will lead Bible study and other adult formation programs.
Administration: the seminarian will work with their supervisor to learn vital church leadership skills such as time management, priority setting, and working with lay leaders.
The Seminarian will work approximately 10-12 hours/week, including 1 hour of supervision and theological reflection. Work is hybrid, with some in-person requirements.
Compensation
Stipend of $8000 for the academic year (September through Mid-May, paid bi-weekly)
50% of a MBTA Link Pass.
To apply: Send resume and cover letter to ashley@oldsouth.org.
For more information about Old South Church, see www.oldsouth.org.
Dr. Owen C. Cardwell Jr., (’76)
Dr. Owen C. Cardwell Jr., the Rosel Schewel Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Development and co-director of the Center for Innovative Leadership and Professional Development, died this week. He was 78 years old.
When he joined the University of Lynchburg’s education faculty in 2018, Cardwell did so as a longtime pastor, renowned civil rights activist, and well-respected Martin Luther King Jr. scholar.
“I seriously doubt there is a civil rights leader anywhere in the country that Owen didn’t know, that he couldn’t pick up the phone and call,” said Dr. Roger Jones, a University colleague and friend. “He was a remarkable man.”
A Lynchburg, Virginia, native, Cardwell was one of two Black students to integrate E.C. Glass High School in 1962. He was 14 years old when he first met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a life-changing event he spoke about at Snidow Chapel in 2019.
Cardwell told the audience that meeting King “started a spark in me, that I had to do more than simply walk through the doors of an all-white high school. And, as I look back on that, this really … set the course for my life.”
Cardwell earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Seminary and College and master’s degrees in theological studies, from Boston University School of Theology, and adult and continuing education and teaching, from Cambridge College.
He had a PhD in multi/interdisciplinary studies from Union Institute & University.
Throughout his career, Cardwell worked to improve the lives of children, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds. On LinkedIn, he wrote, “I believe that children are not problems to be solved, but rather assets to our community and that every adult can be and should be asset builders.
“So many adults did not get that support as children and are now socially and emotionally underdeveloped. I am committed to walking along with people to assist them in becoming all they can be.”
Cardwell continued that work at Lynchburg. In 2022, he launched Good Gangs, a grant-funded program aimed at area high school-aged children who have been referred to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice for crimes committed or issues like truancy.
He headed the city of Lynchburg’s branch of the Search Institute, a national initiative that focuses on instilling values in children. He also championed the CliftonStrengths program at the University of Lynchburg.
“This fall, all incoming freshmen are taking the CliftonStrengths assessment and [receiving] coaching from a certified coach,” Jones said. “He was instrumental with that and served on the task force to lay the groundwork for that. …
“He was kind of the guru of strength-based coaching on campus.”
In July of 2023, Cardwell was appointed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the Virginia African American Advisory Board. He had applied for the position and gave honest responses during a phone interview, including that he didn’t agree with all of the governor’s policy decisions.
While a bit surprised to be selected, Cardwell was determined not to let party lines get in the way of progress.
“My position is that someone is going to be governor for four years, and it’s either going to be one party or another,” he said at the time. “It’s not about party politics. It’s about representing the hopes and concerns of my constituents.”
According to Jones, this was classic Cardwell.
“He will be remembered as a unifier, as someone who really wanted to unify communities,” Jones said. “That was one of the things that he wanted to do in Lynchburg, to try to unify Lynchburg around the common vision.
“He will be known as someone who valued all people. Whether he agreed with you or disagreed with you, you knew he would respect you and value you as a person and … work with you to try to create the kind of community and the kind of city that everyone could be proud of.”
That did not, however, mean that Cardwell would compromise his values.
“He was driven by a strong set of values, his own faith and his beliefs,” Jones said. “Those were never compromised, but he was able to reach out and work with people and to find the common ground.”
Cardwell also was a longtime pastor, in Lynchburg and in the Richmond area. For the past four years, he pastored Lynchburg’s Diamond Hill Baptist Church, a church long known for its civil rights work.
University President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar first met Cardwell shortly after she arrived on campus in 2019. “[He] was a mentor, guide, best friend and leader whose life work was to change the lives of others for the better,” she said.
“His conversations with me began in the first month of my tenure here at the University … and always began with him saying ‘I have an idea.’ The same conversations always ended with me agreeing and supporting his idea. I miss him.”
In an email to the campus community, Morrison-Shetlar wrote, “Owen’s work was all about creating a community where everyone could thrive. He had this remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life — to value them, even when there were disagreements.
“He stood firm in his own beliefs, rooted deeply in his faith, yet he always sought common ground, always with a focus on nurturing the growth and development of our youth.
“We have lost an awesome leader, a determined advocate for our young people, and a warm and cherished friend.”
The Rev. Dr. Nathan Albert, Lynchburg’s chaplain and assistant vice president for belonging, also met Cardwell shortly after he arrived at Lynchburg in 2019.
“I met [him] the summer I was first hired here at the University,” Albert said. “Although my role was to be a chaplain, very quickly into our conversation, Dr. Cardwell was a chaplain to me.
“Within that brief conversation, he affirmed my calling and gifts and encouraged me to do good work and pursue justice in my work on this campus. I’m grateful, not only for his leadership but his spiritual leadership and guidance.”
Lynchburg’s chief inclusive excellence officer, Dr. Robert Canida II, described Cardwell as a “Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. brother, my on-campus mentor, and my friend,” and said Cardwell’s “passion for always wanting better for the Lynchburg community, particularly for the unseen community members, will never be forgotten.
“Thank you, Rev. Dr. Brother Cardwell, for being you and always speaking your truth!”