Alumni News
BUSTH Hosts Fall 2022 Bi-Annual Lowell Lecture
On November 2, 2022, the Boston University School of Theology with the generous support of the Lowell Institute was proud to sponsor the bi-annual Lowell Lecture in the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground. The lecture by Dr. Emmett G. Price III, entitled “The Sacred Sounds of Black Disinherited Creatives,” sought to demonstrate how the Black/African-American experience has been shaped by and expressed through spirituality and the creative, transcendent power of music. Following the lecture, guest respondents Assistant Professor of New Testament Shively T.J. Smith and Rev. Joshua Lazard (STH’25) insightfully remarked on the engaging talk along with Greg Groover, Jr., Assistant Chair of Ensemble at Berklee College of Music, who responded musically by playing his tenor saxophone. The responsive panel was moderated by Professor of Music Andrew Shenton.
Watch the full lecture below, courtesy of the Lowell Institute and GBH Forum Network.
The Lowell Lecture is made possible by the generous support from the Lowell Institute.
Prof. James McCarty Featured in BU Today
The following is an excerpt from BU Today’s article “Why We Need More MLK in Schools” by Steve Holt, featuring Assistant Clinical Professor of Religion and Conflict Transformation James McCarty, published on November 29, 2022. Click here to read the full article.
BU Today: As a King scholar, what was your first reaction to hearing that initial drafts of Virginia’s public school curriculum mostly erased King from its K-5 history and social sciences requirements?
McCarty: My initial thoughts are that it is truly incredible to think that King, perhaps the most recent addition to the pantheon of American democratic heroes (if the Washington Mall is any indication), is not appropriate for students preparing to become citizens. King was a Christian pastor, a champion of democracy who secured voting rights for millions, quoted Thomas Jefferson regularly, and is an internationally influential voice for peace—but he’s too dangerous for youth to learn about? It raises the question of what is actually so dangerous about King. The most likely answer to that is his firm stance on behalf of racial justice, economic restructuring, and critiques of America’s militarism. In the era of critical race theory panic, all of these, especially the concern for racial justice, come to mind.
Prof. Steven Sandage quoted in Boston Globe
The following is an excerpt from the Boston Globe’s article “‘Gray divorce’ brings struggles and a possibility of late-in-life reinvention” by Robert Weisman, featuring quotes by Professor Steven Sandage, published on November 19, 2022. Click here to read the full article.
Some who’ve worked with couples contemplating a breakup during the past three years say the couples’ experiences are marked by upheaval, from the virus to racial tension and climate degradation — even as rising prices and economic slowdown hit them in the wallets.
“People are certainly feeing financial stress,” said Steven Sandage, a couples and family therapist who is research director at Boston University’s Danielsen Institute, a mental health clinic. “Two people of color may be encountering racism but choosing to cope with it differently. We’re also seeing existential anxiety about the planet.”
BUSTH Welcomes New Congregations for Trauma-Responsive Congregations Project
November 2022 – Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) is pleased to welcome eight additional congregations to the “Trauma-Responsive Congregations” program, part of a grant funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Thriving Congregations Initiative. The four-year project is entering its third year. It is designed to help urban congregations respond to trauma from theologically-informed and spiritually-integrative perspectives.
Starting a trauma-responsive grant in the midst of COVID-19 was challenging, but the five congregations who began with the program last year were motivated to respond to the specific needs in their community. They developed projects to support existing ministries and to lay the groundwork for more robust trauma-care, whether through supporting staff doing front-line care for vulnerable populations, investing in youth leaders, or training facilitators to run trauma-healing circles for unhoused congregational members.
Partnering with trauma experts from across Boston University and at the Danielsen Institute, project leaders have been building online learning modules tailored for congregational leaders. With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the BU leadership team plans to build more interactive trauma education into the second phase. The program’s partnership with Chaplaincy Innovation Lab provides a national network of spiritual care professionals to support the program efforts, and the Lab hosts the Trauma-Responsive Congregations public webinars.
Associate Professor of Theology Shelly Rambo, who directs the program, identifies several thread that connect the next cohort of congregations: “First, these congregations are culturally diverse with members coming from various parts of the world. Several congregations are responding to challenges facing refugee communities. Second, housing and food insecurity are major issues in their neighborhoods, given the cost of living in Boston and San Diego. Harbor Online Community is exploring what it means to support those seeking a faith home who have experienced religious trauma. And how do they do this virtually? Another is a church without walls; Border Church, recently featured in a Boston Globe article, provides spiritual care and the sacraments at the border wall dividing San Diego county and Tijuana.”
In addition to Prof. Rambo as director, STH alum Ylisse Bess (‘17) serves as the program director. Dayna Olson-Gerry serves as program coordinator. A number of BUSTH administrators, graduate students, and alumni provide support: Nataly Romero (‘23), Martha Schick (‘22), Andrew Kimble (‘19), Megan Strouse (‘23), Mary Page Wilson-Lyons (‘25), Jeehyun Baek (‘23), Shelby Hall (‘27), and Montague Williams (‘18). The program also welcomes several skilled consultants, including Assistant Professor of Spiritual Care and Counseling Eunil David Cho and Dr. Eric Brown. Michelle Shoemaker from Fuller Seminary and Kate Davis, a Lilly grant recipient from Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, will join the team as project advisors.
New participating congregations are as follows:
- Calvary Baptist Church, Lowell, Boston: They hope the program will grant them access to emotional, social, cultural, academic, and spiritual resources appropriate for supporting the first and second generation immigrant preteens and teens in their congregation. They will further develop and bolster their TeensAlive ministry program, which supports young people from four different congregations from Cambodia, Burma, and Africa.
- Hyde Park Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hyde Park, Boston: They hope to build partnerships to help facilitate their commitment to serving folks in their local community who are facing food and housing insecurities, as well as substance abuse struggles. They will provide more specialized care and services to unhoused individuals and be able to enhance the holistic aim of their mission.
- Common Cathedral, downtown Boston: For over 26 years, Common Cathedral has built community between unhoused and housed people through a variety of public programming. This program allows them to build and implement a “healing institute” that will create equip emerging leaders to engage in trauma-informed spiritual care, as well as create a storytelling program that will encourage healing through the sharing of personal narratives.
- Brighton-Allston UCC, Brighton, Boston: As their congregation becomes a supportive sanctuary for unhoused guests, they will focus on assisting their leaders to live into a covenant of mutual support and be in loving community with their neighbors. They hope this program will assist them to become trauma-informed and work with persons experiencing acute and chronic trauma.
- Harbor Online: They aim to focus on forming a restorative and healing space for the leaders of this progressive, LGBTQIA+-affirming congregation to take rest and practice self-care. They will have an opportunity to process and work through their own religious trauma and better serve their online community.
- St. Luke’s North Park, San Diego: They hope to provide more assistance to congregational members who are former refugees from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They hope to launch a spiritual friendship program to create structured spaces of interpersonal, faith-based support for all of their congregants.
- New Vision, San Diego: Through this program, they hope to expand the impact of their Urban Mission program which supports people experiencing homelessness and those transitioning from homelessness to permanent supportive housing. They want to expand their street and hotel ministries by collaborating with multiple local partners in ministry.
- The Border Church, at the San Diego-Tijuana border: They hope to provide trauma training to those who live and work in the borderlands community. They hope to build support for the faith and justice workers who serve displaced persons along and across the San Diego-Tijuana border.
The program continues to support Living Water Church of the Nazarene (downtown San Diego) as it pilots its trauma-responsive curriculum, designed in collaboration with expressive arts therapists, Sook Kyoung Kwon and Jamie Harris Rosen. Pastor Chris Nafis and Justina Kimball had a vision for leading healing circles in their community over five years ago, and the support of this program is bringing it to life.
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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 www.bu.edu/sth.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a national private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J. K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr and Eli – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Co. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment’s grantmaking in religion is to deepen and enrich the lives of American Christians, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.
Minister to Children and Youth, full-time, United Congregational Church: Compton, RI
Ministries to children, youth, and families are at the heart of our mission at the United Congregational Church of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Our church has created this full-time position with generous compensation and benefits because we believe in this mission.
We are seeking someone who connects easily with kids and youth, is highly organized and adaptive, and who is able to authentically share their Christian faith in a way that encourages the faith of others. They must be able to embody the warm welcome and inclusivity that is central to our mission. This role can be adapted for either lay or ordained candidates. The full Job Description is available on our website here:
Pastor, Part-time, Mennonite: Boston, MA
The Mennonite Congregation of Boston (MCOB) is seeking a Half-Time Pastor starting spring 2023. MCOB is a small, open and affirming, multi-generational faith community from diverse spiritual backgrounds and grounded in Anabaptist theology. For more details or to apply, email the search committee at:
menncob.pastor@gmail.com.
Or review the Job Description using the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WPyNtvFEGOAW-1vheRX1D_YWWyyt62llptRyZg2Kp9E/edit?usp=sharing
Child Care Provider, Church of the Covenant: Boston, MA
Assistant Director of Spiritual Life, full and part time, Catholic: Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
About Portsmouth Abbey School
Portsmouth Abbey School is a coeducational Catholic boarding and day school for students in grades 9 through 12. Founded in 1926 by the English Benedictine Congregation, the School is located on a 525-acre campus along Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, less than 30 minutes south of Providence and 20 minutes from Newport. Portsmouth Abbey combines a classical education in the Catholic intellectual tradition with Benedictine values. With 350 students, the School believes that the love of learning leads to the desire for God, and that the quest for intellectual understanding propels students to the search for ultimate meaning. The School is known for encouraging students to engage passionately in academic and intellectual pursuits, innovative electives and extensive opportunities in athletics and the performing and visual arts as well as a commitment to service and a focus on things that matter. Students are inspired to become the next generation’s leaders, stewards, innovators and problem solvers all the while grounded in Benedictine values of love of God and neighbor, humility, hospitality and a desire to serve the common good.
Job summary
The Assistant Director of Spiritual Life will work with Abbot Michael Brunner, director of spiritual life, and Paula Walter, assistant head of school for student life, to assist with student programming and engagement in the areas of spiritual life, campus ministry/pastoral counseling, and community service. The person filling this role will also work with the student life office, the infirmary and the monastery to identify and support students who may need additional emotional or spiritual support.
Responsibilities
Spiritual Life
• Help create a vibrant and action-oriented faith community; create a sense of belonging
• Help with Mass planning, readers, altar servers
• Assist with Easter Triduum
• Lead Church Assemblies/Church Talks
• Prepare students for confirmation
• Organize and direct student retreats
• Organize and direct the School’s Lectio Divina program
Campus Ministry/Pastoral Counseling
• Engage in open conversations with students of diverse cultural and faith backgrounds
• Engage students and faculty with ongoing and newly created programs
• Complete training and take a leadership role along with the student life office in advocating for the health and safety of the community
• Grow within the role and actively pursue professional growth opportunities and ways to enhance the position and role
• Acknowledge and celebrate cultural and spiritual diversity within the community
• Nurture students in social consciousness based on the Gospels and Catholic Social Teachings
• Infuse the concepts of justice, peace, human dignity, and the integrity of creation into all aspects of ministry
• Communicate regularly or coordinate with communication office to provide info about spiritual life
• Update website regularly; or coordinate with communications to do so
• Stay abreast of current developments in the area of campus ministry
• Use summer months to prepare for coming year by organizing for retreats, mission work, etc.
• Be visible and present on the school campus and at school activities
• Maintain regular “office hours” for students to drop by or drop in
• Maintain relationships with colleagues in other schools
Community Service
• Serve as club advisor for clubs like the Human Rights Club
• Attend select alumni events to share news about the latest activities/answer questions
• Lead and chaperone service trips, including March for Life and annual pilgrimage to Lourdes
• Lead annual Sixth Form Day of Service, plus ongoing service opportunities for students
• Assist with after-school Christian Community Service program
Education, Skills and Abilities required:
• Practicing Catholic; understanding of Catholic social teaching and adolescent development
• The ideal candidate will have excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills, think creatively and strategically, be a problem-solver, possess proven leadership skills, be a team player, and be a great cultural and mission fit for the School community
• Bachelor’s degree, ideally in a related field. Master’s degree preferred
• Five or more years of experience in spiritual life, campus ministry/pastoral counseling, or community service
• Be adaptable and flexible in a fast-paced environment involving adolescents
Supervisory Impact:
This role is not a supervisory position.
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
• Ability to learn and teach others established processes - Recognizes the importance of learning and motivates others by own enthusiasm.
• Organizational Skills - Creates action plans to meet administrative goals and objectives. Conducts periodic reviews of progress and measures against goals. Establishes broad policies for the Department of Spiritual Life to ensure success.
• Communications and Written Skills - Effectively communicates Spiritual Life information, as necessary, and processes with students, peers, administrators, and customers in and outside the School.
• Research Skills – Ability to assist students and families and the PAS community meet their mental health and spiritual needs.
• Supervision of students in congenial behavior.
Other Skills and Abilities:
The Assistant Director of Spiritual Life must possess excellent client service skills.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to listen, physically direct, and speak. The employee is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet; however, variations in noise level may occur when the employee attends school functions such as assemblies and other events.
Other Qualifications:
All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check.
Details of Faculty position:
Salary: Commensurate with experience and education;
Willing to negotiate a full or part-time schedule based on the preference of a highly qualified candidate.”, school year
Benefits:
Pension (403b): PAS contribution of 10%; employee contribution of 1%, after 2-year waiting period (waived with prior educational experience)
Health insurance: United Healthcare; Waive, $3,100 stipend
Dental insurance: Delta Dental
Life insurance: equal to one year’s salary
Short-term disability (TDI): paid by employee and administered by State of RI
Long-term disability: 90-day qualifying period; 60% of salary; $7,500 maximum monthly benefit (conversion privilege)
AD&D: per policy
Employee Assistance Program: attached
Tuition remission: 100% tuition remission
Position open until filled.
Please send letter of interest and resume to: humanresources@portsmouthabbey.org. No phone calls please.
Research Assistant Professor Daryl Ireland published in Christianity Today
The following is an excerpt from Christianity Today’s article “On the Streets of China, the Cross Shone Bright” by Research Assistant Professor of Mission Daryl Ireland. Click here to read the full article.
Chinese Christian posters boldly proclaimed salvation, freedom, and hope amid a tumultuous political period
Between 1927 and 1949, millions of Christian posters appeared on the streets of China.
These posters challenged, co-opted, and subverted political messages in circulation and daringly portrayed an alternative vision of national salvation.
Chinese Christian artists used familiar techniques and symbols to proclaim that the kingdoms of this world, whether Nationalist or Communist, would fade before the kingdom of Christ.
BUSTH Announces Faculty Publications for November 2022
The School of Theology is pleased to announce the following faculty publications for November 2022:
- Eunil David Cho
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“From the Yellow Peril to the Model Minority and Back Again: Unraveling the Orientalist Representations of Asian Americans in the Age of Covid-19,” in Justice Matters: Spiritual Care and Pastoral Theological Imaginations in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic, edited by K. Samuel Lee and Danjuma Gibson, 102-120. London: Routledge, 2022.
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- Christopher Evans
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Do Everything: The Biography of Frances Willard. Oxford University Press, 2022.
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- David Schnasa Jacobsen
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Exile and Return: Trauma and the Unfinished Theological Task of Christian Preaching of the Hebrew Bible. International Journal of Homiletics, 5(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.21827/ijh.5.1.1-13
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- Nicolette Manglos-Weber
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“Religious Life in African Societies,” in R. Sooryamoorthy, and Nene Ernest Khalema (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Sociology of Africa (online edn, Oxford Academic, 18 Aug. 2022), https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197608494.013.16
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- Steven Sandage, et al
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Ruffing, E.G., Brody, L.R., & Sandage, S.J. Distress and satisfaction in women whose male partners use pornography: The roles of attitude, religious commitment, and religious conservatism. Journal of Sex Research, 2022. DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2137097
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- Andrew Shenton, as conductor
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Hoh, C. J., Vox Futura, Shenton, A., & Sharrock, M. For the Children or the Grown-Ups? [CD]. Navona Records. November 4, 2022.
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Deutsch, L. P., Vox Futura, & Shenton, A. O Tannenbaum [CD]. Navona Records. November 4, 2022.
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