Alumni News

STH mourns loss of Peter Berger, Professor Emeritus of Religion, Sociology and Theology

By Kimberly Macdonald June 29th, 2017 in Archive

Brookline, MA – Peter Berger, Professor Emeritus of Religion, Sociology and Theology, died on June 27, 2017, at the age of 88. He was Professor Emeritus of Religion, Sociology and Theology in the CAS Religion Department, and was the founding Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA). At the School of Theology (STH), he most recently worked with the Center for Practical Theology in a series of conversations and he collaborated in the annual Peter Berger Lecture, co-sponsored by CURA and STH. Peter’s founding of CURA was a major gift to Boston University, and it continues to thrive as part of the Pardee School of Global Studies, with which STH continues to partner. 

STH Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore reflects that Peter's legacy "runs deep and wide in multiple fields, especially the sociology of religion, sociology of knowledge, and theology. His work has been ground-breaking for a vast range of people wrestling with thorny questions of human culture, religion, secularity, and meaning. His written legacy will go on, but his large personal presence will be missed by everyone who knew him." 

Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies Dean Adil Najam also shares that Peter "was amongst the most notable intellectuals of our age and his book The Social Construction of Reality is considered a classic. The founding and nurturing of CURA – now a part of the Pardee School family – is only one of his many outstanding contributions to Boston University."

Nancy Ammerman, Professor of Sociology of Religion in the Sociology Department of the College of Arts and Sciences and in STH, offers that "Anyone who knew Peter not only knew his amazing intellect, but also his addiction to humor. He always had a new joke to share and frequently punctuated his theoretical excurses with a vivid story. But even more than humor, Peter was shaped by faith, the kind of faith that is built on skepticism, not certainty. Over the years he wrote almost as much about theological questions as about sociological ones, but his theological work was always deeply informed by his humanistic sociological sensibility. It’s a rare combination, but one I have valued and learned from."

Please click here for additional information on Peter Berger's life and work, courtesy of the Pardee School of Global Studies.

Click here to view the feature published by BU Today on Friday, June 30, 2017.

Dr. Rev. Newell J. Wert (STH'58)

By yaragj June 23rd, 2017 in Archive

Dr. Rev. Newell J. Wert, passed away on May 25, 2017.  He was 90 years old.  He was a doctoral student at BU, graduating with a PhD in 1958.  Prior to that he graduated form Albright College, Reading, PA (B.A., 1947) and earned a M.Div. in 1950 from the Evangelical School of Theology in Reading PA.  He was assistant professor of sociology at Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio, from  1954-1957, and went on to become Professor of Christian Ethics and Dean of United Theological Seminary (United Methodist Church) in Dayton, Ohio, retiring in 1999.  He had a long and productive career as Dean at UTS, initiating over a dozen new academic programs (as outlined in his CV) . He was also active in his community and served in an advisory capacity with the City of Dayton.
Newell J Wert Sr obit May 2017

Full-Time Pastor, Reservoir Church, Cambridge, MA

By yaragj June 21st, 2017 in Archive

Job description here: http://www.reservoirchurch.org/news/reservoir-is-hiring/
Reservoir Church is a dynamic, multi-ethnic, inclusive, Jesus-centered faith community in North Cambridge, Massachusetts. Four to five hundred people attend our weekly Sunday services and programs. We host thirty community groups and are involved in many local and global partnerships as well. In all that we do, we aim to inspire people to discover the love of God, the joy of living, and the gift of community. Learn more about our community.
Reservoir has a pastoral retirement at the end of 2017 and is seeking to add a high capacity pastor to our team. Our start date is flexible, but the following criteria are not. Our preferred candidate:

• Maintains a vital, experienced personal communion with Jesus.
• Studies and teaches the Bible, familiar with more progressive and conservative interpretations.
• Encourages people into a Spirit-filled life of following Jesus, rather than a pre-set worldview or lifestyle. (Reservoir practices what we call a centered-set Jesus ministry, with a “third way” approach to ethical differences and matters of conscience. This includes LGBT inclusion.)  
• Joyfully engages in thinking and relationship with a post-Christian, pluralist, and secular world.
• Practices relational skills of empathy, reconciliation, hospitality, and love that make you a delight to lead, partner with, and follow.
• Is enthusiastically committed to personal and professional growth.
• Brings diversity of identity and experience to our pastoral team serving a diverse congregation, which is inter-generational, a blend of urban and suburban, and multi-ethnic. (We are approximately two-thirds White, with the other third of our people largely African-American/African and Asian-American.)

Reservoir Church offers our new pastor the following and more:

• A senior pastor, Board, and team that will be utterly committed to the development of this person, including resources for ongoing learning and growth.
• A uniquely diverse church: multi-ethnic; members of significant socio-economic status but also a class-diverse, urban church footprint; third way on controversial issues and inclusive of all people; roots and interest in social justice, Bible, Holy Spirit renewal, and innovation.
• For a church, competitive pay and benefits. Position is listed as assistant pastor – given more experience and training, we could hire as an associate or promote quickly to associate (we don’t use this difference publicly, but there is a difference in supervisory responsibility and pay.)
• A large enough church with enough resources to offer great job security and the opportunity to stay long-term, be equipped to launch out elsewhere with great training after a few years, or be considered for senior pastor succession eventually – as interest and God lead.
• Opportunity to specialize but also to contribute to any area of church life and leadership (e.g. preaching, leadership, local outreach and community development, innovation, etc.)
• A warm, supportive, happy, low-drama and low-politics church leadership and congregation.
• A cutting edge approach in doing church, and Jesus/Kingdom of God ministry for and with a pluralistic culture.
• We are aware of the risk inherent in recruiting a person of color to partner with a White senior pastor and a majority White staff team. We are happy to speak openly and transparently about this in the hiring process. Our Board is multi-ethnic. Our Board and senior pastor are also experienced in cross-cultural relationships and want this new pastor to be a new partner with leadership input into all aspects of church culture.

• Contact Reservoir senior pastor Steve Watson (steve@reservoirchurch.org) for a confidential conversation about your story and Reservoir, or to request further information.
• A PDF version of this job description is available here.

Catholic Chaplain, Waltham, MA

By yaragj June 21st, 2017 in Archive

Job Title: Catholic Advisor/Chaplain
SUMMARY:
This position exists to create a strong Catholic community, serving the religious and spiritual needs of student, faculty, and staff members. Particular emphasis is dedicated to the student body. In addition, it endeavors to collaborate with other religious leaders on campus in addressing religious pluralism through programs, services, and communications.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Make arrangements for Mass and Adoration services on campus. This includes creating a schedule of guest Priests, student leaders, and musicians. Also attending to Mass PowerPoint slides, Sacristy oversight, and limited set-up of the Sacred Space.
Serve as the Advisor to the student organization: CCC: Catholic Campus Connections, attending all their general body meetings and executive board meetings weekly.
Attend bi-weekly Spiritual Life team meetings to maintain connection and to offer creative plans for Center multi-faith events.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:         
Master’s in Divinity or other Master’s degree in related field. Knowledge of Catholic tradition and theology. Experience in ministry with young adults.
Proficiency in professional use of social media and strong organizational skills.
A current, valid and unrestricted United States driver’s license, with an insurable driving history as determined by Bentley’s insurance carrier.
 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience in higher education chaplaincy or campus ministry.
 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS SUMMARY:
This part time position (not benefits eligible position) begins late August 2017. This is a 9-month position of August – May, working 7 hours per week.
Bentley University requires reference checks and may conduct other pre-employment screening.
LINK TO APPLY:
To apply, please submit an online application directly to:  http://jobs.bentley.edu/postings/3061
 

Director of Youth Ministry, Lynnfield, MA

By yaragj June 20th, 2017 in Archive

Director of Youth Ministry
 Job Description
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lynnfield, MA seeks a part-time Director of Youth Ministry to direct and participate in our Christian education and spiritual formation program for students in grades 6 through 12.
We desire a person contagious in their enthusiasm about their life of faith to lead a program that will encourage and allow our teens to feel safe to be authentically who they are as they explore the Christian faith in real and meaningful ways. Our teens want to know much more about what it means to follow Christ, to share Jesus’ message of hope and love, and to serve those around us.
Duties and responsibilities include:

• Regular Sunday attendance
• Coordination of all Youth Group meetings and activities
• Coordination of youth programming (working together with the Rector)
• Provide spiritual leadership and mentorship for our teens
• Build relationships with teens and their families
• Building community among teens both from within our parish and throughout Greater Lynnfield, the Mystic Valley Deanery, and the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

Qualifications include:

• Experience in Youth Work, both as a participant and as a leader
• Knowledge of Christian faith and theology
• Familiarity with the Episcopal Church
• A Bachelor’s Degree

Skills/Qualities Desired:

• A person of authentic faith, growing as a disciple of Christ
• Able to build strong relationships with teens, and to be approachable and trustworthy
• A good sense of humor and a strong work ethic
• Able to relate biblical stories to today’s youth in meaningful ways
• Ability to relate to the parents of our teens and our parish community
• Good listener
• Good leader
• Strong organizational and communications skills
• Compassionate and insightful to the struggles of the times for youth
• Spiritually and emotionally mature
• Creative
• Team-oriented
• Willingness to learn from others

Please send a cover letter, resume and a statement of your philosophy of Youth Ministry to The Rev. Robert Bacon rbacon@stpaulslynnfield.org
 

Dr. Dana Robert Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from American Society of Missiology

By Kimberly Macdonald June 19th, 2017 in Archive

Wheaton, IL - Dr. Dana L. Robert, Truman Collins Professor of World Christianity and History of Mission and Director of the Center for Global Christianity and Mission at the School of Theology, was awarded the American Society of Missiology (ASM) 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the annual conference in Wheaton, IL. She attended her first ASM Conference in 1984 and has been a strong contributor and supporter of the Society ever since. She received the award, presented by Frances Adeney and Bonnie Sue Lewis, in front of an audience that included 21 of her former STH students. Dana has said that her real contribution to the field was her students, so it was exciting to have large a great number of them present for this event. 
Congratulations, Dana, on another outstanding achievement!

Dr. Dana L. Robert receives the 2017 American Society of Missiology Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented by Frances Adeney and Bonnie Sue Lewis.
 
 
 
 

STH Announces Dual Degree with School of Education

By Kimberly Macdonald June 19th, 2017 in Archive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kimberly Macdonald
Marketing & Communications Manager
617-358-1858
kmacd@bu.edu

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY TO OFFER DUAL DEGREES WITH BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Boston, MA – June 15, 2017 – Boston University School of Theology is happy to announce the launch of two new dual degrees in partnership with the School of Education beginning this fall. Students pursuing the Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degrees will now be able to combine those degrees with a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with as little as one extra semester added to their STH programs. Students must be admitted individually to both schools.

Both the three-year MDiv and the two-year MTS at the School of Theology engage students in a deep exploration of theological traditions in dialogue with broad understanding of the complexities of the global context. Students in the MTS have opportunities to prepare for a variety of contributions to communities, to faith, and to knowledge while the MDiv educates prophetic religious leaders in multiple roles for a variety of contexts such as pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, the academy, and other forms of global, community, and ministerial engagement.

The Master of Arts in Teaching degree program in the School of Education is designed for college graduates who want to continue their studies in an academic field, and at the same time secure initial licensure to teach at the secondary level. Currently, the School of Education offers MAT degrees in English Education, Mathematics Education, Modern Foreign Language Education, Science Education, and Social Studies Education. While the MAT program requires students to possess an undergraduate degree, or equivalent amount of coursework, in the intended area of study, the program does not presume students have completed coursework in education. The MAT program leads to licensure as a middle or high school teacher in all states and in the District of Columbia through reciprocal licensure agreements. (Individual states may have other requirements).

Both the School of Education and the School of Theology have a long and distinguished history of offering dual degrees within Boston University. In addition to its joint program with the School of Music leading to the Master of Sacred Music (MSM) degree (the dual MDiv/MSM is also available), the School of Theology has for over 30 years offered dual degrees with the School of Social Work that provide holistic, integrated, and contextual training for those going into various forms of social ministry, advocacy work, or faith-based clinical and macro social work practice.

According to STH Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Bryan Stone, “Opportunities abound for religious educators in both secular and religious contexts, not only for the teaching of a particular religion, but for teaching any number of other subjects in religious or faith-based institutions. STH faculty believe the combination of expertise in theology and religion with the various academic fields for which the MAT prepares persons will uniquely position graduates from the dual degree as interdisciplinary leaders and educators with broad intellectual horizons and pedagogical depth.”

For more information on the new theology/education dual degrees, please contact the STH Admissions office at sthadmis@bu.edu.

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Since 1839, Boston University School of Theology has been preparing leaders to do good. A seminary of the United Methodist Church, Boston University School of Theology is a robustly ecumenical institution that welcomes students from diverse faith traditions who are pursuing a wide range of vocations – parish ministry, conflict transformation, chaplaincy, campus ministry, administration, non-profit management, social work, teaching, justice advocacy, peacemaking, interfaith dialogue, and more. Our world-renowned faculty and strong heritage help students nurture their academic goals and realize any ministry imaginable. For more information, please visit bu.edu/sth.

Dual Degree with SED 6-16-17 FINAL

Organist/Piano Player, Whitman, MA

By yaragj June 16th, 2017 in Archive

Job Posting – Church Organist
Purpose:   We are looking for a highly-skilled Organist/Choir Director to accompany our worship and choir.  We see a dynamic individual who has a love for church music and wants to share that passion with our choir and congregation.
Hours:                         9am-11:30am on the 2^nd and 5^th Sunday of each month
Pay:                             $200.00 per week
Schedule:                    Available for worship services with additional services throughout
the year as needed.
Reports to:                 The Senior Minister and the Deacon’s Ministry
Begins:                                    Position available September 2017
Responsibilities:

• Provide music for regular and holiday worship services, music will consist of (i) appropriate preludes, offertories, and postludes selected by the organist while working with the minister on selections, (ii) accompaniment for choirs and congregational singing (anthems, hymns, Doxology, offertories, and responses), (iii)additional background music at the request of the pastor.
• Provides music for additional services as needed to possibly include: Easter, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Christmas Eve.  Any additional special services added would be paid at the rate of $150.00 per service.
• Accompany choir rehearsals, one hour prior to services as required for anthem and worship preparation.
• Prepare for services and practice as needed.

Qualifications

• Love and enthusiasm for church music is a must
• Experience playing the organ with a knowledge of the mechanics of the instrument and standard organ repertoire
• Proficient in accompanying congregational singing in worship
• Familiarity with a traditional style of Christian worship and liturgies and willing to play more contemporary music as well
• Comfortable playing a wide variety of musical styles
• Experienced in accompanying choirs
• Solid communication and collaborative skills in order to coordinate with the Minister, Ministry of Worship and Care, solo musicians, and choir members
• Sense of humor and versatility a plus

Please submit a cover letter and resume and CD, if available, to:
First Congregational Church of Whitman
519 Washington Street, Whitman, MA 02382
Attention: Rev. Joshua Gray
OR email: whitmanpastor@gmail.com
 

Reverend Dean Benedict (STH'67)

By Jaclyn K Jones June 14th, 2017 in Archive

We are sorry to announce the death of Dean Benedict. Dean was not only a STH Distinguished Alumnus, he was very active for many years in the STH Alumni Association and was instrumental in planning reunions for many classes. Before his death, Dean was working on his own 50th reunion coming up in September.
Dean spent many years as a United Methodist pastor in the New England Annual Conference and was very active in the Rotary Club and was a Master Mason and a member in several Masonic Lodges and the Commandery.  Read all of Dean's obituary online.