BUSTH Joins UMC Schools in a Commitment to Justice and Dignity
Boston University School of Theology (STH) has joined with other United Methodist Church institutions in a commitment to conversations and action around issues of justice and human dignity.
Along with other members of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of The United Methodist Church (NASCUMC), STH has adopted a statement that expresses concern about the violence and pain present in our culture and in the church. The statement also pledges a commitment to developing new patterns of communication about polarizing issues.
The statement, passed unanimously by NASCUMC members during the semiannual meeting this February, is especially significant because it includes a commitment to specific actions. Through this year and 2016, STH will join with other participating institutions in a commitment to two actions. First, each institution commits to sponsoring “Conversations that Matter about Matters that Matter,” a series of conversations on justice, dignity, and “concerns that are subject to diverse and strongly held perspectives.” The purpose is to learn how to communicate across differences with genuine sharing, listening and consideration.
Secondly, each institution commits to assessing its own institutional practices and taking “explicit action to prioritize and reshape its policies and institutional culture to foster more fully the dignity of all people.”
“Concerned with deep ruptures in the church and the larger society, we identified a common goal that our institutions can affirm with courage and step up to implement, each in our distinctive way,” said Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore, quoted in an account of the development of the resolution.
“The Committee and the membership of NASCUMC identified the unique roles of educational institutions in addressing the torn fabric of human society,” Moore said. “The decision to issue a statement, combined with two action commitments, was an important step for NASCUMC.”
STH has been engaging in similar conversations about how to deal with conflict in constructive ways, when faculty and staff led a two-day workshop on communicating across differences for the Northeastern Jurisdiction Board of Ordained Ministry. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry is developing resources to help NASCUMC institutions assess their practices and to take action on these issues.