Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Fall 2024
Windows is published two times each year by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. To read prior issues, go to: www.austinseminary.edu/windows
Austin Seminary Windows
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
100 E. 27th St. Austin, TX 78705-5711
phone: 512-404-4808
e-mail: marcom@austinseminary.edu
austinseminary.edu
Message from the President
Living Hope
Hope in Every Mile: A Journey of Faith and Reflection on the Camino
Finding Hope in the Incoming Class of 2024
Why We Give: Jerry and Ruth Anne Camp
Hope In Action: Shaping the Next Generation of Latinx Leaders
Alumni Story: Meet Becca Edwards (MDiv’23)
Program Spotlight: 787 Collective
Faculty Spotlight: Politics and Faith
Faculty Reading Recommendations
A Message from the President
When societies face the challenges of the times, their responses can be located within a continuum that reveals generative optimism on one side and paralyzing pessimism on the other. Challenges expose never-considered opportunities we can seize to achieve different outcomes, even to shape a new future. However, challenges can also overwhelm both mind and spirit with scenarios of an unredeemable future where options are limited, if not completely nonexistent. Yet, as we fluctuate back and forth within this continuum, something remains constant: our Hope. Hope propels us forward because it is a force that makes us trust that a future, if not wholly evident to us in the present, is awaiting us if we dare enough to forge it. This hope inspired the apostle Paul to advise us that “now, though we see through a glass dimly, yet there will come a time we will see face to face. That while now we know in part, we shall know in time even as we are known (1 Cor. 13:12).”
But hope also appears to us in moments of suffering and confusion when we have accepted surrendering to the world as is. Hope is that fragile thread we still hold to when everything else seems to dissipate. It is the hope that, if not fully committed to a future, at least promises a livable and bearable present. This is the hope the apostle equally describes when saying, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:8-9).” The wisdom of our elders is pertinent at this point: of all the things that perish, hope dies last.
This edition of Windows offers stories of hope rooted in faith. Each story is told in a voice that speaks from various places on this continuum: individuals and communities that have found hope in new opportunities for growth and vitality, as well as in the enduring peace and grace we experience amid life’s numerous trials. As you will discover in reading this edition, Austin Presbyterian Seminary is committed to the practice of hope. As you read these stories, may you be inspired to hold fast to this divine gift. For faith, love, and hope abide, and although love might be the greatest of all, hope may be the last one to embrace us.
Faithfully yours,
José R. Irizarry President
It is difficult to stay hopeful these days. Our political life is riven by discord, animosity, and dire predictions. If our favored candidate doesn’t win, we are told, there’s little hope for the future. The climate crisis has bred a new kind of fatalism: sea levels are rising, temperatures are climbing, glaciers are melting, deserts are encroaching on croplands, and there’s little we can do to arrest any of it. Economic life likewise generates little hope, with more and more people living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet, and laboring at multiple jobs to pay the bills. War rages in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. Considering these realities, hope seems utter folly.
Living Hope
by Dr. David H. Jensen
We hope because we know the future will be blessed. One version of this kind of hope is the “prosperity gospel,” which promises material blessings to those who keep the faith in tough times. But these sentiments are rather distant from genuine Christian hope. One problem with equating hope with optimism is that it encourages us to ignore present injustice, suffering, and the groans of creation. A hopeful outlook is not a plastered smile on one’s face or a glance through rose-tinted glasses. Christian hope fosters attention to the places that hurt: right here, right now.
What is Christian hope? The word rests on our tongues multiple times a day, expressing desires as basic as our next meal (“I hope it tastes good.”) to more existential concerns (“I hope the cancer test turns out negative.”). Because the word has many meanings in seemingly endless contexts, it might help us better understand Christian hope by first understanding what hope is not Christian hope is not optimism. Sometimes, hope gets reduced to starryeyed, heady naivete about the present or idle wish-fulfillment about the future. I’ve sometimes heard that Christians can dwell on the positive and walk around with smiles on their faces because they are people who hope. Better days are sure to come. Stay positive! Keep your chin up! All things happen for a reason, and those reasons are always good.
But Christian hope isn’t realism either. It’s not the seasoned wisdom of checking our ambitions, modifying our dreams, or settling for what is “possible” given current realities. There is much in our culture that encourages truncated hope: stay within your lane; don’t dream too big; you don’t really belong here; accept the coming catastrophes and learn to live with them; adapt; the church is dying. This kind of outlook can only nurture very limited hopes; mostly, it fosters resignation: Nothing new will emerge; accept things as they are.
Christian hope is different. It shares with realism close attention to the present: the pain, travail, and injustice of today. People who hope are keenly aware of all that seems hopeless; they are moved with compassion by all who suffer. This is what makes Christian hope different from realism and what it shares with optimism. It knows that the present
does not have the final word, ever. However, unlike optimism alone, Christian hope does not look only to the future. Christian hope, instead, encourages us to see the present world differently.
Where do we see such hope in action?
One place is at the Lord’s Table, where our eyes are opened to a different economy than the one we think we must accept as inevitable. In the “real world,” life, things, and resources are a zero-sum game. The more someone has, the less someone else has. If I give you something, I have less in return. But at the Lord’s Table, the economy is different. In this simple, shared meal of bread and wine, we receive God’s abundant gifts. God gives and keeps on giving. God does not somehow have “less” after bestowing us with gifts. And we, receiving these gifts, are enabled to share our gifts with each other and the world. Nourished, sustained, and invigorated at the table, we are equipped to nourish others, to comfort the afflicted, and to be agents of justice in our broken world. Satisfied at the table, we rise from it and invite others into the abundance offered here.
To a realist’s eyes, the Lord’s Supper looks like a meager meal: a scrap of bread and a sip of wine. To an optimist’s eyes, the meal is only a foreshadowing of a heavenly banquet. But to hopeful eyes, the Supper encourages us to see the present differently, to acknowledge
our pain and the pain of the world, to take it to heart, to be with that suffering. Because Christ is with us in this meal, offering himself to us, the Eucharist invites us into an abundance that bread alone cannot supply. That is how the meal enables us to see the world differently: We are not alone. Gifts of God for the people of God. All are welcome at this table. Shown in Christ’s life given for the world, offered in a gift that keeps on giving, inviting us to give of ourselves.
The Apostle Paul speaks of hope not in terms of optimism but as the fruit of being justified by faith. The Christian life, he says, does not promise ease. It will produce its own kind of suffering, but “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5 NRSV). Hope draws us to others. Hope creates community. Hope shows us that the world needs our lives, our gifts, and our character for the healing of the world: in politics, in economics, in the earth’s climate, and in peacemaking. Hope is given in Christ’s meal that takes root in our lives.
Dr. David H. Jensen is Professor in the Clarence N. and Betty B. Frierson Distinguished Chair of Reformed Theology at Austin Seminary. His teaching and research focus on Reformed theology, interfaith dialogue, and the interconnections between Christian theology and daily life.
Hope EveryinMile: A Journey of Faith and Reflection on the Camino
The Camino Francés, or the “French Way,” is the most famous and traditional route of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a centuries-old pilgrimage that stretches across northern Spain. Spanning approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles), the Camino Francés begins in the town of St. Jean Pied de Port, nestled in the French Pyrenees, and traverses through varied landscapes, including rolling hills, forests, and historic cities like Pamplona, León, and Burgos. The journey culminates in Santiago, Spain, where pilgrims present themselves at the Cathedral, believed to house the remains of Saint James the Apostle. Historically, pilgrims walked the Camino as an act of religious devotion, but today, it draws people of all backgrounds seeking a physical challenge, spiritual renewal, or simply a break from daily life. Along the way, the Camino serves as a place of community, reflection, and connection as pilgrims share the experience of walking, each at their own pace, toward the same destination.
In May and June of 2024, Austin Seminary Professor Reverend Dr. Jennifer Lord led a group of 13 pilgrims on a transformative journey along the historic Camino Francés. Over 14 days, the group walked 205 kilometers (127 miles), starting at the headwaters in St. Jean Pied de Port and crossing the Pyrenees into the Basque region. They passed through notable towns like Pamplona and Sarria and eventually reached their destination, Santiago de Compostela.
Photo credits: Jen Lord, Aiden Diaz, and Monica Hall
Hope in Every Mile
The group, which included five students and alumni from Austin Seminary, family members, and faith leaders, experienced the deep challenges and rewards of the Camino. Walking between 8 to 16 miles daily, the pilgrims encountered physical, emotional, and spiritual trials, carrying lessons about what is truly necessary in life. Dr. Lord describes the Camino experience as “…a leveler, a sieve, a means of sorting out the dross. Explicitly, this happens because we make choices about what we carry, what we think we need for the journey/each day, and what we realize we don’t need (but merely want). And the sorting happens at the deeper level of the self: What do I need? What do I value? What is an excess that has taken center stage in my life?”
Highlights for the pilgrims included visiting the Burgos Cathedral and the Antonio Gaudi Bishop’s Palace in Astorga. One participant described the crossing of the Pyrenees as “exciting and empowering.” At the same time, the arrival at Santiago’s Cathedral plaza, greeted by cheers from fellow pilgrims, was an emotional and deeply moving moment for all.
This journey, part of a larger, ancient pilgrimage tradition, was more than just a physical trek—it was an opportunity for self-discovery, reflection, and connection with fellow travelers on the Way. Dr. Lord describes the journey’s impact: “The Camino causes deeper reorientation to what matters in one’s life. Like the Prodigal’s moment of realization, it is an opportunity to return to oneself.”
Finding Hope in the Incoming Class of 2024
by Rev. Sarah Gaventa
For weeks before seminarians arrive on campus, in the office of Student Affairs and Vocation they are names on a spreadsheet. At first, we know just the facts—their age, whether they are married, if they have children and pets—all those basics a staff member needs to place them in appropriate housing units. During orientation week, it is always a delight to see those names emerge as fully-formed human beings with personalities, stories, and histories. This year’s orientation was no different. This year’s class gives me so much hope. They are young, curious, faithful, and enthusiastic. They include a student who
has already done a year of graduate social work at The University of Texas, a couple of students who are joining us after experiences at other seminaries, two students deep into ecumenical ministries, students who have been part of their traditions for a long time, and students who are new to the church. We have students from Austin and students from Ghana, students who want to be pastors and students who want to serve the world in other contexts. All of these students are committed to learning, working hard, and treating one another with kindness and respect. Our students truly make it a pleasure to welcome them to campus!
First row [left to right]: Emily Fenwick, Ally Anjum, Virginia Noble, Taína Specie, Lynelle Bathan, Tara Litton, Chelsea Williams
Second row [left to right]: Dickson Tembo, Catherine Wicker, Rhya Stepanova, Holly Phillips, Alex Asare, Bryson Wallace, James Blackwelder, Meg Foster, Grace Asare
Third row [left to right]: AynNichelle Slappy, Hannah Hoffman, Rhodalynn Jetton, Emma Edwards, Morgan Reeves, Rose Walters, John Curran
Not Pictured: Eun Joo Kim and Laura Stoner
Why We Give:
Jerry and Ruth Anne Camp
For over ten years, Jerry and Ruth Anne Camp, active members of First Presbyterian Church of Kilgore, have supported Austin Seminary students as part of their philanthropic activities. When asked why, Jerry immediately said, “Because churches like ours, indeed all churches, need theologically educated ministers and Christian educators.”
He and Ruth Anne have served on many committees in their local church and at the Presbytery level. They see the difference it makes when leaders have the training and spiritual growth provided by Austin Seminary. Ruth Anne added, “All churches need sound leadership. When we search, we look to Austin.” As our conversation continued, Jerry said, “We know all of our congregational leaders won’t come from Austin, but we support Austin Seminary because even if we don’t get them, some other congregation will benefit from our giving. We know that our gifts support the greater church, which is important to all of us.”
The Camps are both very involved with many types of volunteering in the Kilgore community and the FPC Kilgore congregation. Their family highly values the link between personal service and giving, and has for generations. Ruth Anne’s aunt established an endowed scholarship in honor of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ross. Her family members’ gifts have directly and positively impacted Austin Seminary students, and will do so, for many years.
As Jerry concluded, “We believe that educated Christian Leaders in a residential program like Austin Seminary’s make the strongest leaders. Regardless of age, training in a community of learners equips them to serve congregations better. We don’t know how someone can learn to fully lead a group of Christians without being immersed in a learning community. We believe it. We support it.”
HOPE IN ACTION:
Shaping the Next Generation of Latinx Leaders
For over twenty years, the Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA), in partnership with The United Methodist Church and The Episcopal Church, has empowered Latinx high school and college students to explore their call to ministry, deepen their faith, and serve their communities. Austin Seminary Instructor Reverend Patricia Bonilla describes the program as “a retrieval of our ways of knowing and being and relating to each other that the church often neglected. We have a different way of relating to each other that is steeped in an experience of deep solidarity and commitment to our communities. A desire to be and do better and help our communities thrive.”
Each summer, HYLA students and leaders gather to reflect on discipleship, vocational growth, leadership in the church, and resources for higher education, all aimed at developing Latinx leaders in the church. For Bonilla, witnessing the energy and creativity of the HYLA participants was nothing short of inspirational. “I think one of the things that we tell the young people in this program is that they are the hope and the promise for their communities. They are the fruit of this work because now it is their turn to create spaces for mentorship, leadership, community engagement, and for themselves. They must see themselves as leaders now.”
This summer, a group of leaders gathered alongside the students at Austin Seminary. “The meeting here was to think about what HYLA will look like in twenty years. So we invited our partners from Peru and Colombia to join this gathering here in Austin and start envisioning, thinking, and dreaming big,” said Bonilla.
The presence of HYLA students and leaders on campus allowed Austin Seminary to begin what hopefully will become a long-lasting relationship. Seminary staff shared information about resources and programs and invited everyone to become part of the community. Bonilla shared the students’ positive response to the connections made. “One of the students said they really liked that Austin Seminary staff came and talked to them about their programs. The Seminary staff invited them to come back, be a part of everything happening here, and discern how this institution can support us.”
By the end of the gathering, it was clear that Austin Seminary’s relationship with HYLA carries the potential for deep mutual growth. Bonilla is encouraged by what she heard as the students left with new insights and hopes for their endeavors. “These young people are saying it’s not a hope for what is to come. It’s a hope for what is here now. We are the ones that our community needs right now.”
HYLA REFLECTIONS
It has raised my hope in what the Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA) is doing in the US and internationally. They have created spaces for dialogues according to the context of each community and region and continue to empower the dreams and call to ministry of young women, people of color, and non-binary people and their potential to be leaders.
Miriam Payton
Austin Seminary student
It was a joy to experience HYLA with its rich worship and the incredibly kind and talented students from different parts of the country and the world. The students’ brilliance and creativity were on full display. It was a privilege to see the fruits of HYLA and Professor Bonilla’s strong leadership in nurturing and fostering the gifts these students bring to the changing face of the church in North America and the Global South.
Rev. Dr. Crystal Silva-McCormick (MDiv’10)
Austin Seminary Visiting Assistant Professor in Evangelism and Missions
It gives me hope to see the young adults who were present and interested in service to the church.
Estela Sifuentes (MDiv’19)
Austin Seminary staff
ALUMNI STORY
Meet Becca Edwards (MDiv’23)
by Jeff Sanchez
What if climate change presented not only a human responsibility to care for the Earth but also a theological imperative to love your neighbor? That idea is central to Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards (MDiv’23) and her work in climate justice. “We are called to love our neighbors; for me, we want our neighbors to have a healthy environment to live and thrive.”
Becca’s fascination with the weather goes back to her childhood. “I was always interested in weather. As a kid, I lived in South Florida, where we had hurricanes, and I thought they were really interesting. I have core memories of putting up the hurricane shutters on the house and having campouts in the living room. As a kid, it was mostly a sense of adventure.” Not surprisingly, when it was time to choose a field of study in college, Becca went the way of atmospheric science, eventually earning her PhD in Wind Science and Engineering. Her childlike fascination with the dynamics of hurricanes became her dissertation topic; Becca studied the differences between hurricane winds and extratropical wind (what people typically call “regular wind”).
After earning her PhD and teaching over ten years at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Becca responded to a call to ministry. She enrolled at Austin Seminary in the Fall of 2020 while pursuing ordination as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. Little did she know that her journey would come full circle, and her childhood curiosities would once again become a pivotal part of her work.
“In my last semester at seminary, I took a public policy class for my capstone with Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, and Professor Asante Todd (MDiv’06), associate professor of ethics, as my instructors. One of the assignments was to get to know a policy area and spend the semester learning about it and writing a policy memo, and to preach a sermon about it. My sermon ended up being a combination of both air quality and climate change related issues. After my sermon, Bee offered me a job with Texas Impact.” Becca now serves as the Climate Change Fellow at Texas Impact, where her work has brought her back to Austin Seminary, this time leading a project called Science at the Seminary.
Science at the Seminary is a grantfunded initiative led by Becca designed to educate individuals on the underlying science behind climate change and the theological implications of this critical issue. Through a series of “lunch and learns,” Becca aims to empower pastors and faith leaders with the knowledge they need to have these crucial conversations with their congregations. “Knowing what a problem we have in the U. S., I thought it was important to have a productive conversation about climate change in our churches.”
While the issue of climate change can seem overwhelming, having a better understanding of the issue is a way to dissipate the fear most churches have of discussing it. “People often start out understanding climate as a partisan issue. But once they understand more about the basic science, which isn’t super complicated, they understand it to be just a math and chemistry problem,” explains Becca. “If
we had a little more background in science, we might be less fearful of having the conversation because once you see past the partisan-ness that it’s become, we find out it is a scientific issue and a justice issue, and that is one way our faith can inform the way we think about it.”
As people of faith, leaders must be courageous enough to bring these issues to the forefront and strive to do something for the sake of humanity because even though it may seem like an insurmountable problem, there is hope. “There are a lot of good people working in the direction we need to go. I find hope in knowing that those people are out there working,” says Becca. “Looking back to the liberation theologians, I find hope where they find hope. The whole story of the relationship between humans and God is that God is on the side of oppressed people and wishes for their liberation, but the work of justice and liberation can be very slow. But it’s that slow, long-term drip, drip, drip that makes a difference over time, even when we can’t see those incremental changes happening.”
Ultimately, it comes back to Jesus’ mandate to love our neighbors. Ignoring that imperative can harm our neighbors. “You can’t love someone while you’re also harming them,” Becca observes, noting, “That’s not so much on an individual scale regarding climate. It’s more of a societal scale. So, we can’t show love to our neighbors in Africa if we are also heedlessly emitting carbon dioxide and causing climate impacts like drought that make their lives so challenging.”
This inclination toward justice was evident while Becca was a student at Austin Seminary. She embraced the theologies of Gutiérrez and Moltmann in one of her favorite classes taught by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Rigby. Becca fondly remembers an encouraging phone call from Rigby: “I remember when I wrote my first paper in the first class I had with her. I remember thinking that I didn’t know what I was doing. And that I was crazy. I thought it was terrible when I turned it in. Then she called me on the phone and said, ‘I think you like theology.’ And it was such a contrast to how I felt about the assignment, but she liked the paper and gave me some really good feedback.”
Becca remembers seminary as a transformational time and encourages everyone to try it: “I think everyone should go to seminary even if you don’t want to be clergy. It’s an opportunity to think about your faith, talk about your faith, look at the history and theology, and see the breadth of ideas and perspectives on faith. Without that kind of examination, you would assume everyone thinks the same way. To know the diversity of thought and the bigness of God is just such a gift.”
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: 787 COLLECTIVE
The blessing AND curse of belonging
by Rev. Phil Dieke
The 787 Collective is a Lilly Endowment-funded initiative that creates new ways for young adults and faith communities to be in relationship for mutual transformation toward healing and wholeness. Part of our work in The Collective is understanding the lived experiences of young adults, specifically through the lens of their curiosity and ongoing faith formation.
In partnership with The Harvest Colaboratory, we recently published ethnographic research inviting young adults who had been active in college-age ministry to tell us about their faith formation, or lack thereof, post-college. One theme that emerged is belonging. Young adults are seeking authentic belonging. They are more interested in smaller spaces that provide opportunities for vulnerability and better quality over a wider quantity of relationships. One interviewee, Isabella, poignantly said, “The people I ‘belong’ to are the people I know I’m allowed to inconvenience.”
about being their true, authentic, God-created selves.”
As a result of this ongoing struggle, young adults are exploring alternative spaces for connection and belonging. In some instances, they leverage their entrepreneurial spirit and create their own third-space gatherings. Cecie, young adult ELCA pastor and founder of Gather: Austin, told us, “When we started our young adult group, we began with vulnerability. We wanted to set the stage from the very beginning. We may have gone a little overboard and quickly learned we needed to have fun with one another. Tapping into joy creates space for vulnerability and deep knowing.”
Our research found that when young adults make connections in local churches, such connections seldom yield a sense of belonging. Jesse expressed this, saying, “Our congregation does a great job of gathering people but rarely goes beyond basic conversations.” Thus, the connection remains surface-level. Many find that churches fail to offer a space of vulnerability because, based on their experiences, “churches are filled with people who care more about how they are perceived than
Though the common narrative is the struggle to find belonging in local churches, it is not the only narrative. We have been fortunate to hear from young adults who have found belonging with other young adults and in intergenerational relationships. We have been sharing their stories on our podcast, The Collective Voice. These young adults share their experiences of building relationships, exploring challenging theological topics, and being invited to positions of power within the church. Belonging means they are known, and their presence is valued and valuable to the present and future of the church.
But what happens when belonging becomes a curse rather than a blessing?
One of the young adults on our Collective Council posed this question. Our Council is a small group of nine young adults who advise us while receiving spiritual direction and support from one another and the 787 Collective staff. When the Collective Council recently gathered at the Seminary, Ashley challenged this idea of belonging insightfully observing, “Too often belonging becomes the end-all-be-all. Once a group of young adults finds belonging with one another, they become closed off to others, making it difficult, if not nearly impossible, for other young adults to find belonging in their now-closed group.”
As the Council debated this idea, a hopeful realization
emerged: true belonging is not a destination but a part of the ongoing journey of faith. This journey invites us to remain open to new connections, challenge our comfort zones, and recognize there is space for deep, quality relationships without excluding others. Each person holds sacred worth; each person is worthy of belonging. It doesn’t always come easily, but young adults are finding belonging—sometimes in local churches, other times in third-space gatherings.
As a clergyperson and the director of congregational innovation at Austin Seminary, I find incredible hope in the stories of these young adults. Whether it’s their relentless pursuit of belonging, their faithful navigation through ongoing transitions, or their aspirational curiosity, their stories inspire hope not just for the
future of the Christian faith but also for its vibrant present.
The 787 Collective is committed to supporting the ongoing faith exploration and formation of young adults in and beyond local churches. If you are interested in creating welcoming and dynamic spaces for young adults where vulnerability and joy can coexist, or if you have a story of belonging to tell, we’d love to hear from you and feature you on our podcast. Email us at 787@austinseminary.edu.
Faculty Spotlight POLITICS & FAITH
Since I joined the Austin Seminary team, I knew the first event I wanted to hold would be on Politics and Faith. The United States has publicly and legally kept these ideologies separate, but they have tremendous influence on each other. Austin Seminary is uniquely positioned to join in this conversation because of our values of inclusion, diversity, kindness, and truth-telling.
As with any event, there was some fear regarding attendance and engagement, but Politics and Faith exceeded my expectations. With Wright Hall almost at maximum capacity, our panel of five Austin Seminary professors provided wisdom, insight, and hopeful reflections on navigating our current political landscape as people of faith. It was a prophetic reminder that no matter who resides in the White House, our faith remains firmly rooted in a resurrected savior.
by Sean M. Watkins
I have to practice the things I’ve learned, and try to teach others the interpersonal skills of listening and trying to be somewhat empathetic while still communicating my views and my beliefs, even when I think they’re way off in left field. One of the things that I have found challenging throughout this season is how to talk to the people I love who may be on the other side.
Dr. Rod Caruthers
There are times when we can listen with an open mind and an open heart and share from a place of grounding that, as a pastor, needs to come from Scripture, but primarily from Jesus Christ, who is attested to in Scripture. I think the complexity of all of that has been teaching how to lead with love, learning
how to lead with love myself, and recognizing how to do that in a space where we’re not always seeing that modeled by the leaders of our nation.
Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen
When I look at Scripture, I ask, “Where is God?” And even when I look at Scripture with friends, with strangers, and even those who consider me an enemy, I don’t think we’ll have the same answer. But I would suggest that God is near the brokenhearted. Maybe we start with where God is. And if we start where God is, then it informs our decisions moving forward.
Rev. Dr. Crystal SilvaMcCormick
As I tell my students in my Church History class, Christianity is, by definition, political. And if you claim Christ as Lord, that is a political
statement. It was in the New Testament, and it is today. What that means is that you are submitting yourself, what you think, how you spend your money, what you do, and your own body to God. And that is political.
Dr. Ángel Gallardo
The church has a responsibility to prophetic witness. Our purpose is to be that prophetic witness, and it is not partisan loyalty. No matter who is in power, we have to speak justice into those spaces.
Rev. Patricia Bonilla
That is the role of the church. To share the gospel. To share the
witness of Jesus Christ in the world. And it doesn’t matter who is in power. We pray that our leaders will live into the values of holding everybody sacred and holding everybody’s dignity as sacred worth.
Rev. Patricia Bonilla
We get into trouble when we believe that each candidate is supposed to be aligned with Scripture. They are not our pastors. They are not a messiah. When we place that assumption on our political leaders, we put our hope in the wrong place. When we place our hope in the wrong place, we will be disappointed over and over again.
Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen
I always balk at trying to use the Bible to make absolute assertions on either side. Because we are talking about ancient texts and contexts. To try to equate Donald Trump or any other person to messianic figures or specific prophecies, I think, is a mistake. Most of the things we see being talked about in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are
things that have some basis in their own historical context and don’t necessarily carry over exactly where we are today.
Dr. Rod Caruthers
There is rhetoric out there that deems it ok to make people expendable. What gives me hope is that we are finding ways to continue to rehumanize, to put our hands and our feet as Christians and faith communities to do the work, and to be out there with the most vulnerable communities, and that gives me hope.
Rev. Patricia Bonilla
One thing I have noticed in studying the history of the church is that in nearly every generation, there have been Christians who claim to live in a moment of crisis. And you know what, the crisis comes and it goes. And people survive and evolve. And our God remains faithful. And that gives me hope.
Dr. Ángel Gallardo
We are in a frightening time, and I don’t want to minimize that. People are afraid, people are scared, especially vulnerable people. So if we’re near the brokenhearted as the church, then we’re going to build communities that have moral courage and imagination in the face of any darkness. It may not be easy, but we keep doing what the church does, and it gives me abundant hope.
Rev. Dr. Crystal SilvaMcCormick
Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen Rev. Patricia Bonilla Dr. Rodney Caruthers Dr. Ángel Gallardo
Book Recommendations
from our Politics and Faith panel
Dr. Rod Caruthers recommends:
Bitter the Chastening Rod: Africana
Biblical Interpretation after “Stony the Road We Trod” in the Age of BLM, SayHerName, and MeToo
Mitzi J. Smith, Angela N. Parker, and Ericka S. Dunball Hill, ed.
Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Fortress
Academic, 2023
Dr. Ángel Gallardo recommends:
Unholy: How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating Legacy They Left Behind
Sarah Posner
New York: Random House, 2021
Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen recommends:
Elusive Grace: Loving your Enemies while Striving for God’s Justice
Scott Black Johnston
Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022
Rev. Patricia Bonilla recommends:
The Politics of Education: Culture, Power, and Liberation
Paulo Freire
Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 1985
The Divided Mind of the Black Church : Theology, Piety, and Public Witness. Religion, Race, and Ethnicity
Raphael G. Warnock
New York: New York University Press, 2020
White Evangelical Racism, Second Edition: The Politics of Morality in America
Anthea Butler
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2024
Rev. Dr. Crystal Silva-McCormick recommends:
Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God
Kelly Brown Douglas
Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2015
I Think You’re Wrong, but I’m Listening: A Guide to Grace-filled Political Conversations
Sarah Stuart Holland and Beth Silvers
Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2020
The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction: 19481985
James Baldwin
Boston: Beacon Press, 2021
The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America
Greg Grandin
New York: Metropolitan Books, 2020
A MINISTRY OF HOPE: Supporting New Pastors Through Pastoral Residencies
by Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen
Once a month, I open my laptop and join our online cohort of recent seminary graduates serving in pastoral residencies around the country. Laughter, prayer, deep support, and thoughtful questions fill our time together. Questions can range from: “What confirmation curriculum are you all using this year?” to “How do I best support a beloved member and their family navigating life with dementia?” and anywhere between. The energy in the Zoom room is filled with hope and care, as each month we create a sacred space to share the joys and challenges present in the practice of ministry.
Through a generous gift, Mr. Paul and Ms. Beverly Dickson of First Presbyterian Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, established the Austin Seminary Dickson Post-Graduate Pastoral Residency in 2020. This gift provides funding each year for up to two graduating PC(USA) seniors at Austin Seminary to serve a two-year pastoral residency under the supervision of an experienced and capable pastoral mentor in a thriving, best-practice congregation.
So far, seven Austin Seminary graduates have served as Dickson Pastoral residents in congregations in Texas and Louisiana. Many have moved from their residencies to serve as pastors in PC(USA) congregations, and the skills and experience gained in their residencies have deeply benefitted their congregations.
One of the hallmarks of the Pastoral Residency is the ministry project, which is contextual and responsive to the needs of the community. When Parker Lucas served as the Pastoral Resident at First Presbyterian Church of Waco, he discovered the artistic gifts of many in the congregation and surrounding community, as well as a yearning to connect with God more deeply. Working with a team of people both within and outside of FPC Waco, Parker created a series of events called “Art and Well-Being” that engaged the community in spiritual practices and the arts. Parker and his supervisor, Rev. Leslie King, both felt that this project renewed the spirits of the community and provided new ways for FPC Waco to connect with their neighbors in Christ’s service. Parker worked diligently to equip a team to serve alongside him so that even after his residency concluded, this new ministry could continue.
The residents leave their two-year residency wellequipped for their next step in ministry, ready to embody hope in action wherever God leads them next.
If you have questions about the Dickson Post-Graduate Pastoral Residency, please contact Rev. Dr. Sarah Allen, associate dean for Ministerial Formation and Advanced Studies, at sallen@austinseminary.edu.
David Cuauhtémoc Angulo Bocanegra serving at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas
Ashley Brown serving at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, New Orleans, Louisiana
Parker Lucas served at First Presbyterian Church of Waco, Texas
Savannah Shivers Goodman served at Northridge Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas
Upcoming Opportunities
Cultivating Ideas Faculty Webinar Series
When: Various Thursdays, Fall 2024-Spring 2025 @ noon
Where: Online Cost: Free
Join us ONLINE to hear some of Austin Seminary’s faculty’s most compelling and fresh ideas. On Thursdays, faculty will share ideas and insights they have been cultivating in teaching, writing, and ministry. Come and gather seeds of scholarship to grow in your church and community.
Margaret Aymer (New Testament)
“What is Humanity that You are Mindful of Them? Theological Thoughts about Humankind”
Sarah Allen (pastoral ministry)
“Intentionally Intergenerational Worship”
Patricia Bonilla (Christian education)
“Latinas in Ministerial Leadership and Theological Education: Changing the Landscape”
Crystal Silva-McCormick (evangelism and missions)
“Property Ownership and Christian Witness”
Charles Christian (ethics)
“The Body and Ethics of Diversity”
Gregory Cuéllar (Old Testament)
“Postcolonial Trauma in the Book of Lamentations”
Scan the QR code to sign up for one or all of them. All registrants will receive a link to view the webinar after editing.
Spirituality for Preachers: Preaching Is Your Life, Your Life is Preaching
When: April 26, 2025 @ 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Austin Seminary campus & online Cost: Free
By exploring our backstories, that is the stories, beliefs, and perspectives that make us us but are rarely spoken aloud, we become more aware of and able to offer our whole selves to God in service of our preaching and the benefit of our listeners. The Reverend Dr. Lisa Cressman is the Founding Steward of Backstory Preaching, an ecumenical, all-online ministry for lay and ordained preachers to help them thrive in the process, craft, and spirituality of preaching. This workshop, sponsored by the Faithful Preaching Project, is open to anyone interested in enhancing their preaching skills. Inperson and online options are available.
