Windows: The Interfaith Perspective (Spring 2017)

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

spring 2017

In this Issue Graduate fellowships | 4

The Interfaith Imperative | 8

Alumni awards | 18

Substance.

Scripture.

Service.

Preparing strong, imaginative leaders for the church.

100 East 27th St. | Austin, TX 78705 | 512-404-4827 | AustinSeminary.edu

AUSTIN

AUSTIN PRESBYTERIAN

PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGI C AL

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

SEMINARY

spring 2017 President

features

Theodore J. Wardlaw

The Interfaith Imperative 8 Teaching Islam: It’s Personal

Board of Trustees

G. Archer Frierson II, Chair James C. Allison Margaret Aymer Janice L. Bryant (MDiv’01, DMin’11) Claudia D. Carroll Katherine B. Cummings (MDiv’05) Thomas Christian Currie Consuelo Donahue (MDiv’96) Jackson Farrow Jr. Beth Blanton Flowers, MD Stephen Giles Jesús Juan González (MDiv’92) Walter Harris Jr. John S. Hartman Ann E. Herlin (MDiv’01) Rhashell D. Hunter Keatan A. King Steve LeBlanc J. Sloan Leonard, MD Sue B. McCoy Matthew Miller (MDiv’03) Lyndon L. Olson Jr. B. W. Payne David Peeples Mark B. Ramsey Jeffrey Kyle Richard Conrad M. Rocha Matthew E. Ruffner Lana Russell Lita Simpson Anne Vickery Stevenson Martha Crawley Tracey Carlton B. Wilde Jr. Michael G. Wright

Volume 132 | Number 2

By Whitney Bodman

12

Choosing to Talk

13

A Rabbi at Home at Austin Seminary

By Neil Blumofe

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Lebanon: Fruitful Field

8 Cover: Professor Whit Bodman helps to demystify the beliefs and practices of Islam; he and other writers make the case for greater involvement in interfaith dialogue.

Illustrations by Maria Fabrizio; see her work at mariafabrizio. com.

By Caroline Barnett

By Kate Loveless McGee

& departments

2

seminary & church

3

twenty-seventh & speedway

15

live & learn

15 16 18

faculty news & notes alumni news & notes

Trustees Emeriti Stephen A. Matthews Max Sherman Louis Zbinden

ASA Board

Matt Miles (MDiv’99),President Kristy Vits (MDiv’98), Past President Denise Odom (MDiv’99), Vice President Barrett Abernethy (MDiv’13), Secretary

Kennetha Bigham-Tsai (MDiv’03) Paul Harris (MATS’10) Dieter Heinzl (MDiv’98) Sandra Kern (MDiv’93) Josh Kerr (MDiv’14) Daniel Molyneux (MDiv’86) Valerie Sansing (MDiv’00) Sheila Sidberry-Thomas (MDiv’14) Ayana Teter (MDiv’06) Caryn Thurman (MDiv’07) Michael Ulasewich (MDiv’05)

Editor Randal Whittington

Contributors

Selina Aguirre Jacqueline Hefley Candace Mathis Gary Mathews Alex Pappas Alison Riemersma Sharon Sandberg Mona Santandrea Kristy Sorensen

Windows is published three times each year by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Austin Seminary Windows Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary 100 E. 27th St. Austin, TX 78705-5711 phone: 512-404-4808 e-mail: windows@austinseminary.edu fax: 512-479-0738 AustinSeminary.edu ISSN 2056-0556; Non-profit bulk mail permit no. 2473

seminary church

from the president |

T

President’s Schedule April 27: Lunch with the President, Sante Fe, New Mexico April 27: Evening with the President, Albuquerque, New Mexico May 14: Preach, Setauket Presbyterian Church, Setauket, New York July 2: Preach, Montreat Summer Worship Series, Montreat, North Carolina

his issue of Windows explores the theme “The Interfaith Imperative.” The relevance of this topic in this time and place can be documented by consulting virtually any cable news source or newspaper on any day. In recent weeks, we’ve been bombarded by stories of tombstones being randomly vandalized in any number of Jewish cemeteries across this country; of Muslims (such as, to use just one example, the widow and son of Muhammad Ali) arriving at American airports from international flights being detained because they were asked if they were Muslim and they answered, Yes; and children of Muslim families expressing fear for their safety in school or in their communities all across this country. Much of the public rhetoric in this country and around the world is now steeped in expressions of nativism and fear of the other. It is time, therefore, for thoughtful Christians, Jews, Muslims, and those of other faith traditions to listen to, rather than talk at, one another. In this very diverse country, made great by waves of immigrants across its entire history, this need for reverent dialogue is an interfaith imperative.

What follows is a series of thought-provoking offerings from within the Austin Seminary community. Dr. Whit Bodman, a United Church of Christ pastor and associate professor of comparative religion, offers the lead essay—an informative, plaintive, and deeply moving assessment of the interfaith project from the perspective of the Islamic world, a world in which he has lived and which he has known deeply. When it comes to that world, Bodman says, “We have news but no experience.”

Imam Okan Dogan earned a Master of Arts (Theological Studies) degree at the Seminary and was a deeply collegial student in our midst. His work centered on Muslim-Christian relations—relations that he believes are, as he said to writer MDiv student Caroline Barnett, “vital in the face of increasing violence and animosity against Muslims.”

Rabbi Neil Blumofe of Congregation Agudas Achim here in Austin is a well-known and beloved leader in this community, and he is a dear friend of Austin Seminary. He has taught widely here, and, from the vantage-point of Conservative Judaism, has encouraged the study of what he calls “the legacy of our mutual traditions together.”

Rabbi Blumofe embodies such mutuality in many ecumenical and interfaith settings in and beyond Austin.

The Reverend Kate McGee, an alumna of the Seminary and pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas, concludes this series of essays with a moving reflection on a recent trip to Lebanon in which she and fellow members of Grace Presbytery participated. “Is God’s grace big enough?” she asks poignantly as she surveys her experiences there.

Read, too, of the latest news from the Seminary, and please keep us in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead!

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2 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Faithfully yours,

Theodore J. Wardlaw President

twenty-seventh speedway Focusing on ministry to twenty-somethings

Austin Seminary Launches 787 Collective

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ustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary begins a new project, 787 Collective, the result of a $1.49 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that Education Beyond the Walls (EBW) received in December. The grant is part of the Young Adult Ministries Initiative, Lilly’s national program for helping churches create innovative ministries that engage young adults.

“Congregations can easily slip into old practices of ministry that are unhelpful or even push away young adults rather than engage them and draw them into ministry and service opportunities,” said Dr. Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “A significant part of this work will focus on helping congregational leaders understand young adulthood today and the changing contexts that shape what young adults value and expect.”

The 787 Collective team will work with local churches to create a community of support for Austin’s twenty-somethings. EBW launched the new project with a party on Fat Tuesday, featuring a Mardi Gras theme, complete with an accordion player and oodles of beads.

The focus of this project has been of some concern to the church in recent years. Melissa Wiginton, vice president for Education Beyond the Walls, said, “Very few people in their twenties fit the patterns and expectations of traditional congregational life. But we believe God is shining within the lives and passions of twenty-somethings.

Our grounding assumption is that if churches were to give up an agenda of recruiting members and rather befriend and support twenty-somethings, they might discover new, innovative ways to mediate the faith, hope, and love found in life with God.”

The lives and passions of Austin twenty-somethings are at the heart of the work. Storytelling entrepreneur Mark Yaconelli (see information about his “Soul Stop” workshop on page 15) will be working with 787 Collective for several months. During that time he will produce five personal storytelling events with live music, visual art, and true stories from six different young adult populations within Austin: artists, Latino/a immigrants, veterans, environmental activists, and refugees. These personal storytelling

events will be held at various locations around Austin. Churches will have an opportunity to hear true, firsthand experiences of the passion and struggles of young adults. Following these storytelling events, congregations will be resourced to discern how they are called to respond to the lives of young people. A collective of twenty local churches will be gathered to spend three years innovating new forms of Christian community, service, and ministry with young adults. Congregations that demonstrate readiness for risk and deep change will be eligible for grants to fund innovation; more than one-third of the Lilly Endowment funds are earmarked for grants to congregations.

“The development of 787 Collective coalesces years of investment on behalf of Austin Seminary in the lives and spiritual needs of young adults through the AYAVA House program,” says Martha Lynn Coon, director of Congregational Innovation. “After investing in the spiritual well-being of twenty-somethings through the lens of this small, intentional community, we seek to apply this learning and our resources to address the expansive potential inherent in the challenge of re-connecting young adults with the church. We are excited to cultivate a community of knowledge and practice among congregations that invites a renewed spirit of creativity and innovation to their work.” v

Construction of The John and Sue McCoy House student apartment building continues on schedule with a projected move-in date of summer 2017.

Spring 2017 | 3

twenty-seventh speedway

Seniors receive fellowships in acknowledgment of ministry potential At the finale of the Austin Seminary Association Banquet on February 1, five Master of Divinity students received fellowships. They were elected by the faculty because of their academic excellence and promise for ministry.

Meet them here!

Jessie Light | Prairie Village, Kansas David L. Stitt Fellowship | $18,000 prize

Jessie Light is a member of Village Presbyterian (Kansas) Church; she holds a bachelor of science degree from Vanderbilt University. She is passionate about campus ministry and social justice. Jessie is a Crawley Fellow and has been very active in the Seminary’s worship life, using her gifts for music and song. She completed an internship at North Decatur (Georgia) Presbyterian Church and seeks ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

“Jessie Light became part of our team immediately. She wrote liturgy, prayed, and preached for us with grace and power in a time when police shootings and racial injustice were tearing at our social fabric. This is a woman who is thoughtful, imaginative, full of integrity, and is believable. When someone like this comes to the church, with such love and such talent, the only adequate response is, ‘God, you’re the best. Thanks for Jessie.’”

–Rev. David Lewicki, pastor of North Decatur Presbyterian Church 4 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Ben Masters | Minneapolis, Minnesota Pile-Morgan Fellowship | $8,000 prize

“Jesse seemed to flourish in the intensive course format, exhibiting a deeply personal engagement with the content of each course; that is, he worked to discern how it related to his own developing identity as a scholar. Without question, Jesse produced excellent work for the classroom. More important, in my view, however, was the energy with which he applied himself to the academic task. His tenacity and perseverance inspired all of us to dig into the course material. His personal attributes made him a most enjoyable colleague in the classroom.”

–Professor Emerita Ellen Babinsky

Ben Masters (left, above, with his partner, student Hierald Osorto) is a member of Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. He holds a bachelor of arts from George Mason University. Before coming to seminary, Ben served the wider church through ReconcilingWorks, an organization advocating for the full participation of LGBTQ people in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is a Jean Brown Fellow and worked with AYAVA House residents for two years, providing leadership and pastoral care during crucial times of formation. Ben is pursuing ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

“Ben is such an ideal student that it was as if he were dreamed up by a teacher: He is smart, responsible, knowledgeable, hardworking, and articulate. Yet Ben is not just a brain—he is also kind, funny, clever, and a delight to be around! No matter how deflating life can be at points, Ben makes everyone’s day just a bit more joyful, lively, and cheerful.”

–Professor Suzie Park

Jesse Lee | Ann Arbor, Michigan Janie Maxwell Morris Fellowship | $5,000 prize

Jesse Lee is a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Austin. He holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan. Before coming to seminary, Jesse was an active youth group leader. He has been very involved in campus life, serving on the Student Life Committee, Admissions Commission, and the Financial Aid Committee. He completed a summer supervised practice of ministry internship at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin. Jesse is pursuing further graduate study in church history.

Spring 2017 | 5

twenty-seventh speedway

“Meg has emerged not only as an academic star, but also showing strength both as a student leader and practical theologian. These and other notable accomplishments are surpassed by none, save her compassion for the least of these.

Meg does ministry with both head and heart, learning and burning, and represents the best of God’s promise for her future church.”

–Professor Asante Todd

Evan Solice | Slidell, Louisiana Alsup-Frierson Fellowship for Excellence in Biblical Exegesis and Hermeneutics | $3,500 prize

Evan Solice is a member of Hope Chapel in Austin, Texas. He holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and he worked as a physical therapy tech and assistant youth director prior to seminary. Evan completed an internship at the Travis County Correctional Facility, and he is pursuing ordination with Hope Chapel with a focus on chaplaincy in either a hospital setting or a correctional facility.

“Evan has availed himself fully of the offerings of the Bible department, taking more electives in biblical interpretation than most of his peers. In every class, he has distinguished himself as a creative, thoughtful reader and interpreter of the Bible. The Bible Department was unanimous in their choice of Evan to receive the Alsup-Frierson Fellowship.”

–Professor Margaret Aymer

6 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Meg Vail | Austin, Texas W. P. Newell Memorial Fellowship | $3,000 prize

Meg Vail is a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Austin. She holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA from the University of Texas at Austin, an MA in chaplaincy and pastoral care from Seminary of the Southwest, and a MPAff from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She served in campus ministry at the University Catholic Center and has been a chaplain intern and community volunteer at the State Supported Living Center in Austin. Meg is a Jean Brown Fellow and serves as president of the student body; she is a member of this year’s Company of New Pastors cohort. Meg completed two internships: at Central Presbyterian Church and at University Presbyterian Church, both in Austin. She is pursuing ordination as a teaching elder in the PC(USA).

The Reverend Dr. Joseph Parker, pastor of David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Austin, was the 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Preacher. The HustonTillotson Choir sang in the service, February 14.

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For worship on March 2, Diane Pennington, Dallas development officer, and junior student Diana Small presented a two-character drama exploring different characters’ experiences of Lent.

JoĂŁo Chaves, a Brazilian student from Baylor University, visits with Dr. Afe Adogame, our 2017 Settles Lecturer.

January brought doctor of ministry students to campus for courses taught

by Professors Tom Currie on the theology of prayer, Carolyn Browning Helsel on narrative theory and homiletics, and Suzie Park and Timothy Lincoln who taught two seminars on qualitative research methods.

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Spring 2017 | 7

I m p e The Interfaith r a t i v e

8 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

By Whitney Bodman

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t is dark—early on Christmas Eve. I come across an article about Steve Kerr, the coach of the Golden State Warriors. It is not about basketball but about him and his father, Malcolm Kerr, president of the American University of Beirut (AUB), assassinated in 1984. My parents knew him. I went to nursery school at AUB. For reasons I cannot fathom, I dissolve into tears.

leppo. 1999. My father, my son, and I stay at the venerable A Baron Hotel, where Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express, and where Dad spent weeks doing research for his dissertation. We sit in the bar with beers listening to him reminisce and then wander through the souk, the bazaar. I buy a tablecloth which graces our dining table in Austin. Aleppo, however, now lies in ruins. I don’t imagine the bar is serving beers today.

Early January. 2017. An article by Robin Wright, also a family friend, about the chaos in the Middle East. She describes an Arab world devoid of leaders, in the turmoil of violently competing tyrannies; death and destruction have been unleashed and no one has the power and authority to bring it under control. It is like the Europe of a century ago, if one cares to remember.

Tears again, unexpected.

This is personal, this mess, this unholy violence, spewing forth refugees by the millions and murderers by the hundreds. No explanation is adequate, but silence is indefensible. So when I teach about Islam, which I do weekly at churches and elsewhere, it is more than conveying understanding and perspective. It is grief therapy.

___________________

Teaching Islam: It’s personal

The Reverend Dr. Whit Bodman is associate professor of comparative religion at Austin Seminary. His current research focuses on the Qur’an and notions of scripture. He is president of Texas Impact and is active in Austin Interfaith and the National Council of Churches Local and Regional Ecumenism Committee and two interfaith dialogues.

Last spring I developed a Sunday school series on Islam in an effort to produce a concise and relevant introduction to the tradition, addressing the questions I know people have. This is what I do: In the first of three classes we explore the Qur’an, the life of Muhammad, and a bit on Islamic law. I compare the Qur’an to our Bible. It is different in many ways. It is, to Muslims, the perfect, exact replication of God’s dicta-

Spring 2017 | 9

tion to Muhammad in the early 7th century. Hence it is an oral scripture, of which the written book is but a transcription, a libretto. Its parallel in Christianity is not the Bible but the wholly divine, perfect, Son of God. Qur’anic recitation is intended to mimic the original revelation. In some ways this is comparable to the Eucharist in which the original sacrifice of Jesus is re-presented.

An important difference between the Qur’an and the Bible is that the Bible is essentially a history and the Qur’an is more like a set of homilies and prayers. Everyone wants to talk about violence, so we do. Though both scriptures contain episodes of violence, there is no narrative in either scripture as ferocious as the complete destruction of Jericho and other cities during Joshua’s conquest of Canaan. These are holocausts. These stories

It is the vast majority of Muslims you never hear about that demonstrates true Islam. The news is not wrong; it is just a keyhole that we mistake for a panorama. are told in retrospect; one knows what follows, that never again do such massacres occur in the Bible. The violence in the Qur’an, however, is usually told in the present tense, with no context, no subsequent narrative, and no further exposition. You cannot understand the lessons Muslims take from these without recourse to biographies, commentaries, and histories. As most Muslims understand them, the violent episodes are directed at specific groups for specific reasons that are explained in these other texts. The history of Muslim violence is quite comparable to the history of Christian violence. The ethics and laws of warfare are in line with Jewish halakhic law and Christian Just War tradition.

Christians reading only the Qur’an will get it wrong.

We move on to Islamic law—shari’a—very much like Jewish law. Some have come across The Reliance of the Traveler, a thick compendium of law translated into English, and they believe they have the text of Islamic law. They don’t. They have one 14th-century jurist’s opinions about a variety of legal topics. Islamic law, unlike American law, is not codified. Certain areas of law, mostly having to do with ritual, are fairly settled. There are maxims that are well established, such as the principle that one obeys the laws of the country in which one resides. The rest is adaptable.

10 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Islamic law includes rules of procedure, rules of evidence, and variations according to context. On many issues there is a wide variety of opinion, ranging from the compassionate progressive to the punishingly primitive, leaving much to individual choice. It is organic, constantly in motion, yet rooted in fundamental principles such as the innate value and protection of life, religion, property, intellect, and family. Little of this can be understood from the Qur’an, just as little of the dynamic of Jewish law can be understood from reading Leviticus. It is complicated; law usually is.

All this in forty-five minutes. Vastly oversimplified.

On to modern Islam.

The Islamic world is vast. Half of Muslims live east of Pakistan. We seldom hear about them, especially those 200 million quiet Indonesian Muslims. Instead we hear about the Arabs, 20 percent of the Islamic world, and the Shia (some of whom are Arabs), 10 percent of the Islamic world, and especially those Saudis, 0.1 percent.

Perhaps 30 percent of Muslims could be called “cultural Muslims.” They don’t pray. They don’t fast. They drink alcohol and eat ham—both against Islamic law. We know Christians like that: Christmas and Easter Christians—the “hatch, match, and dispatch” Christians. Perhaps a similar percentage are “traditional Muslims,” praying with varying degrees of regularity, showing up for the Friday service at the mosque, usually, fasting during Ramadan—pretty much. We know Christians like that as well.

And there are those Muslims with a more rigorous piety, who never miss a prayer, know significant portions of the Qur’an by heart, who are deeply faithful. Like the cultural and traditional Muslims, they are butchers and bakers and candlestick makers, loving husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, not violent, not particularly political, fairly ordinary.

All of these together constitute most of the Muslim world. They are the ones you never hear about. They are not very interesting.

The fact that you don’t hear about them should not be surprising. The illustration I use is this: Every morning on the radio I hear about collisions during the morning rush hour. Every single day. The TV shows crunched up cars, fire trucks, maybe an ambulance. Clearly driving on the roads of Austin is very dangerous. One would be foolish to try. But we know this is a false impression. Our experience is that collisions are quite rare. Most of us may have one or two in our lifetimes, if that. The news we hear is qualified by our own experience.

I m p The Interfaith e r When it comes to the Islamic world, we have news we support their dictators, invade their lands, and then a but no experience. Around 60 percent of Americans do do not interfere to save them from the violence in their t not personally know any Muslims. Just as we never hear society. Many think that with all our power we can set i of the drivers who make it safely to their destinations, things right. Generally we can’t. But they see us as better v we never hear of the Muslims who travel through life do- at breaking things than fixing them. e

ing nothing more exciting than loving their families, doing their work, and drinking coffee. Relying solely on the news, it is logical to believe that Islam is a violent religion.

Those who do make the news are relatively few. Terrorism is, unfortunately, easy and cheap. Boko Haram is a savage militia in Nigeria of about 6,000. There are high schools in Texas larger than that. ISIS in Syria and Iraq normally numbers about 35,000. Many join, and as many leave, mostly in shrouds and coffins. They are vicious, completely dedicated to their deadly cause, and it is their single-minded, total commitment that is the primary source of their success. Shock and awe. They believe that the culmination of history is near—their version of the Christian Rapture and Tribulation—which gives an urgency to their campaign. As in martial law, normal rules do not apply.

Some will say they are not Muslim. This is wrong.

They are zealous Muslims, though it is their zealotry that most deforms their Islam. Some say that they reveal what true Islam looks like. This is equally wrong. Rather it is the vast majority of Muslims you never hear about that demonstrates true Islam. The news is not wrong; it is just a keyhole that we mistake for a panorama.

Some of what we see in the Middle East is a consequence of colonialism, though it would be wrong to blame everything on that. Some of it is rebellion against autocratic and often brutal leaders who rule with military backing and ensure that civil society is never strong enough to challenge the generals. Some of it is resistance to Western cultural, political, and military encroachment.

As in many parts of the world, traditional societies stand in tension with modernizing forces and globalization (which often means Westernization). They are putting new wine in old wineskins. Most nations are less than 100 years old.

Their relationship with the West is complicated. In my many travels in the Middle East, I have been welcomed everywhere with warmth and hospitality. They admire our constitutional values (though many think we take some of our freedoms a bit too far, allowing too much crudity and too little clothing), but freedom and prosperity is their dream. At the same time they do not understand our actions in their part of the world, the way

Once I was standing at a bus stop in Damascus when several young men came up to me and tried to guess where I was from. When I told them I was American they welcomed me with open arms. Then one came close and asked with utter seriousness, “Tell me, why do Americans hate us?” The “us” could have been Syrians, Arabs, or Muslims, perhaps all of the above. The answer that popped out of my mouth was, “Because we do not know you.” In retrospect I think that is about right.

So that’s the next 45 minutes. Immensely oversimplified.

The final class is all question and answer with two Muslims I bring with me. I mostly stay quiet. The conversation almost inevitably turns to women’s clothing, so I always bring a woman. Why this infatuation with women’s clothing? The hijab has become symbolic of all that is Islamic.

And then come the emails. Some are complimentary—always nice to read. Some tell personal stories of encounters with Muslims—these are the best. Some are thoughtfully critical—these are the most important. But many recycle the same worn arguments of the ignorant (to be blunt), long passages copied from blogs from people whose delight in excoriating Islam is only exceeded by their lack of knowledge of the tradition. Sometimes I dutifully try to respond in detail, just in case someone with a doctorate in Islamic Studies, working among a large community of scholars of Islam, and with long experience in the Islamic world, just might have better understanding than someone whose credentials are that he has read a couple of books and a lot of blogs. I wonder if it is a waste of time, but I am an educator. That is my responsibility.

Mostly I am a pilgrim searching for the best comparisons, the best images, the most efficient ways to distill the nature of a religion no less complex, divided, and confusing as Christianity. In forty-five minutes.

______________ It is exciting and sometimes discouraging, a mission, a burden, and a charge. Almost every Sunday I am in some church unfolding this story, answering questions when I can, noting where I need further study when I can’t. It could be your church some time.

But deep in the darkness of night, there are tears. v Spring 2017 | 11

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or Okan Dogan, Austin Seminary class of 2013, interfaith work is an essential part of his vocation. The imam at the Raindrop Turkish Cultural Center, Dogan’s day-to-day routine is filled with the usual markers of religious leadership: caring for his community, leading prayer services, teaching children the fundamentals of faith. But this religious education extends beyond his own Muslim community as Dogan works to foster connections and learning among people of different faiths in Austin, Texas.

These relationships are made possible when the local religious communities share a meal and participate in discussions about a topic of faith. According to Dogan, these events happen every couple of months in a variety of formats, including an Interfaith Academy and dinner of Abrahamic traditions. During Ramadan, a month-long fast in which Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during the day, Dogan and his congregation invite people of all faiths to share in the breaking of their fast. So far, Dogan says, no one has turned down his invitation.

Events such as the Ramadan dinners are a good way for people to get to know each other, but they are not the first introduction people have to different religions.

As residents of a religiously diverse country, people are already interacting with those of different faiths. It’s just a matter of what sort of interactions they have. “We are already in contact with people of other faiths in our daily lives,” Dogan says, “in our workplace, in our schools. Either we have some misinformation or we say, ‘Let’s talk.’”

Instead of letting the misinformation persist, Dogan is choosing to talk about faith with those who are different from him. And his experience as a student at Austin Seminary helped him practice these sorts of relationships while learning the basics of theological leadership. Between classes and living in Currie dormitory, Dogan spent his time among Christian peers, some of whom would go

Choosing to Talk

Caroline Barnett is a junior student from Prairie Village, Kansas.

She was an intern for Sojourners magazine and writes for Austin Seminary here: www.AustinSeminary.edu/studentblog 12 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

By Caroline Barnett

on to pastor churches in the Austin area. “Everyday I was among them, and I lived with them, and so I was not talking with a stranger, but a close friend of mine,” Dogan says of his theological conversations with peers. Now as religious leaders, it is easier for Dogan and his classmates to engage their congregations with one another.

Interfaith relationships are vital in the face of increasing violence and animosity against Muslims. In 2015, hate crimes against Muslims rose by 78 percent, the highest yearly increase since 2001 (New York Times, 9/18/16). Prejudice persists, but those who have strong relationships with people of other faiths act out of compassion rather than fear. According to Dogan, “After the election, several pastors sent emails to us [the Raindrop Turkish Cultural Center] saying no matter the result of what happened, we are in support of you.” The church down the street wrote messages of encouragement and affirmation on the center’s sidewalk as a show of solidarity. “It happened because of our relationships,” says Dogan.

If anything, Dogan’s relationships with other religious leaders in Austin are a reminder that interfaith work is never abstract. It is always done within a context—with neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And in this context, Okan Dogan and his Christian classmates can continue the conversations long after they’ve graduated from seminary. v

A Rabbi at Home at Austin Seminary

By Neil F. Blumofe

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s a Jewish seminarian, I was taught to encounter sacred texts with an exploratory eye—to reverentially uncover the surface of meaning by turning each word in relationship to other words and thoughts so that the texts shimmer on the page, offering kaleidoscopic meaning. To study is not a theoretical exercise; rather, the learning beckons us to apply our discoveries practically in our everyday lives in order to promote thoughtfulness, civility, and shalom—wholeness—out in the world.

To have the opportunity to teach at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary enables me to add additional perspective to my encounter of sacred texts. Engaged in new and thoughtful viewpoints different from my own disrupts my own truths enough for me to not rely on what is easy, convenient, and already presumed. In addition, I teach my Austin Seminary students to value the questions more than the answers—not to assert relevance by accommodating every inquiry with an answer. Rather, living in the world with its complexities adds intuition and context to the navigation of our own certainties. To learn together is the holiest enterprise of all.

From our classroom, we emulate the great sages who wrestled with the texts, deriving meaning and practical purpose—sharpening our own individual perspectives in contradistinction to each other. I have learned in my years of leading a Jewish community that we all

I m p The Interfaith e r a t i v e

need each other, in our diversity. No church can flourish within its own hermetic seal. I have learned in teaching that even rooted in different traditions, we are linked in our appreciation and honoring of God, and that we share a quest for significance and purpose that transcends our own sense of self.

It is a privilege to associate with the Austin Seminary students, and very often I bring an idea that I have gained in the classroom back into the synagogue, refining my own considerations. Because of my experience at Austin Seminary, I am more deliberate in my reflections and quicker to interrogate my own assumptions. We need our strong alliance to uplift the importance of our respective traditions—realizing that the more that we know, the more prepared we will be to address the relativism, the drift, and the uncertainty that seems to take hold of many in their life’s search for meaning.

As we study the legacy of our mutual traditions together, we are able to develop a stronger sense of kinship and compassion; an understanding that religion and spirituality is not a zero-sum game. Rather, our identities are strengthened in our constant pursuit of knowledge and in the daily reminder that we are always speaking beyond our own circles; our decisions have ramifications far beyond the position of our respective communities.

I admire the courage and the example of Austin Seminary to enable such flourishing to take place. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and to offer additional perspectives to curious and talented students. I do not take this opportunity for granted—together we can practically improve our world as we cultivate confidence in sharing the best of our traditions and of ourselves. As Austin Seminary convenes the space to open up to the difficulty of offering honesty and vulnerability together, we can continue to model such opportunity as a regular way to live, thus inspiring others to reach beyond themselves with humor, grace, and humility. v Rabbi Neil Blumofe leads Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin and is past president of Interfaith Action of Central Texas.

Spring 2017 | 13

I m p The Interfaith e r a t i v e

Lebanon: A Fruitful Field

By Kate McGee

A

s I walked into the makeshift classroom, a young woman in a hijab smiled at me as she chased after her toddler. I wondered if I was in the right place. I was in Tyre, in southern Lebanon, and the sign said that we were visiting the Presbyterian Church on this September Saturday night. So why were a Muslim mother and child hanging out in a Christian church? As we moved into the sanctuary, several other Muslim families filled the pews. They had gathered at church to share their stories. They were Syrian refugees, leaving their lives behind to flee civil war. These Muslim families had found welcome in the Presbyterian Church and its ministries. That night, sitting in the familiar wooden pews with the racks of Arabic Bibles and hymnals, we heard children share what they were learning in school. We heard about their need for emotional and spiritual healing. We heard from women about their sewing classes, learning to make goods to sell and support their families. We heard from a man who had needed shoulder surgery and who found support from the church. These Muslims and Christians were one family.

With its multi-confessional government, Lebanon is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world with estimated divisions of 50 percent Muslim, 44 percent Christian, and 6 percent other. Christians and Muslims learn, work, play, and even worship side by side.

The Reverend Kate Loveless McGee (MDiv’10) is the pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas. She was part of a PC(USA) team that traveled to Lebanon and Syria in the fall of 2016 to learn from and develop relationships with our Presbyterian partners as they respond to the Syrian conflict and refugees.

14 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

On Sunday morning, as we entered a full sanctuary in Alma al Chaab, we sang “How Great Thou Art” together in our respective languages. After worship, we met three UN peacekeepers—two Presbyterians from Indonesia who had brought their Muslim sergeant. Far from home, this Muslim man felt welcome in that church community. We returned to Tyre and found Muslims in the pews, waiting for worship.

In every worship service in Lebanon, Muslims joined us in a spirit of peace and unity. On World Communion Sunday, I worshipped in the Presbyterian Church in Minyarah. A young Muslim named Jad was sitting next to me.

As the communion plates were passed, Jad took a piece of bread. Inwardly I gasped—he can’t have that; that’s MY table, that’s MY sacrament. I quickly realized that even on this extraordinary trip in Lebanon, I wanted to put up gates around Jesus, gates around his grace and mercy. I wanted to limit our limitless God. But the trip to Lebanon opened my ears and eyes to the possibilities of Christian-Muslim relations. How would our American churches respond to the presence of Muslims in worship? Would we welcome them to the table, to the pews, to our own table? Is God’s grace big enough?

The prophet Isaiah envisions a future for Lebanon: “Shall not Lebanon in a very little while become a fruitful field? On that day the deaf shall hear … and the eyes of the blind shall see.” May our ears and eyes be open to the new things that God is doing in Lebanon, Syria, and in our own country. v

live learn

upcoming from education beyond the walls WEBINAR WEDNESDAY: “Murder, Mayhem, and Betrayal” with Whit Bodman|April 26; $15 (online only)|How do we make meaning of stories in scripture? We will explore the complex interaction between creator, work, and viewer/reader, examining the intricacies of meaning making and its implications for teaching and preaching. Whit Bodman will be your guide to investigating Jewish, Christian, and Muslim stories and interpretations, including artistic interpretations.|Limited to 25 participants.

The College of Pastoral Leaders at Austin Seminary

“How Pastors Write for Public Life” with Charlotte Gullick|In partnership with the Collegeville Institute|May 8-12; $460 (lodging and meals included; scholarships available)|In

this workshop, learn to listen well to different publics, expand the language palette beyond insider words, adopt a collaborative practice, and find your own public voice.|Presented by The Wesley Connection at Austin Seminary|For clergy and lay leaders of all denominations.

FALL 2017 “Know Your Number” An Enneagram workshop with Suzanne Stabile|In partnership with SCRAPCE|October 16-17|Ignorance is bliss—except in self-awareness.

What you don’t know about yourself can hurt you and your relationships—and even keep you in the shallows with God. The Enneagram is an ancient personality type system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively.

Know Your Number is a foundational course and is the first step in working with the Enneagram.|Recommended for clergy, lay leaders, teachers, and others interested in the Enneagram as a tool for spiritual transformation.

Learn more and register at AustinSeminary.edu/EBW

“Post-election Detox,” Nov. 9, 2016: hope in the midst of division The night after the November election, we hosted a playful, creative, nonpartisan service to help all of us with election fatigue regain a sense of sanity, belonging, and a focus on the eternal.

Below: Muna Hussaini and her daughter, Meesha, who opened the service with a recitation from the Qur’an, stayed for the dialogue afterward.

“Into the Noise” CPL cohort used part of their grant for a pilgrimage to Austin’s South

By Southwest Music Festival.

“CPL allowed our group to go Into The Noise and explore the life of the church and the vitality of culture within an intimate community.”

Application Deadline

May 15, 2017 AustinSeminary.edu/CPL Above: Artists who performed at the event included the Brian Turner Band, featuring NPR reporter John Burnett, harmonica, and Ruby Jane Smith, fiddle.

Spring 2017 | 15

faculty news notes

Bill Greenway writes book promoting love of all creation

P

rofessor William Greenway has published a new book, Agape Ethics: Moral Realism and Love for All Life (Cascade, 2016). In line with earlier efforts to articulate a wholly reasonable faith—A Reasonable Belief (WJK, 2015), For the Love of All Creatures (Eerdmans, 2015), and The Challenge of Evil (WJK, 2016)—in Agape Ethics, Greenway develops a compelling argument for the transcending reality of agape and for a spirituality awakened to the sacred value of all life.

Greenway writes, “Consider intense moments when you have been seized by joy, or, in different contexts, by anguish for another person or a cat or dog or perhaps even for a squirrel or possum struck as it dashed across the road: whether glorious or haunting, these are among the most profound and meaningful moments in our lives. Agape Ethics focuses our attention on such moments with utter seriousness and argues they reveal a spiritual reality, the reality of agape.”

Peter Paris, past president of the Society of Christian Ethics, praises the book: “Agape Ethics will be warmly welcomed by theologians, ethicists, philosophers, and all who have ever longed for a theory of morality and ethics that would be inclusive of both human and non-human life.

Scholars will be pleased with Greenway’s endeavor to paint a compelling portrait of the way modern science, philosophy, and theology have diminished the moral realm of life by their … claim that reality pertains only to that which science can explain.”

Hak Joon Lee, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary says, “Inspired by Emmanuel Levinas’ moral philosophy, Greenway presents a thoughtful and plausible case for a new agape ethics … as a constructive alternative to the ethical relativism of postmodernity, the ethical extremism of religious radicals, and the ethical foundationalism of modernity.”

Janet Parker, United Church of Christ pastor and expert in feminist and ecological ethics, calls “Agape Ethics … a tour de force in meta-ethics and philosophical spirituality. Greenway extends Emmanuel Levinas’ insights on responsibility to the Other into the domain of animal well-being, and builds a compelling case for agape as an irreducible moral-spiritual reality. Greenway … opens a path to dimensions of joy, meaning, and belonging at the heart of the moral-spiritual dimension of life.”

Professor Greenway will unfold core themes from his books at his inauguration to full professor on April 25. v

Faculty colleagues salute Bill Greenway on the publication of two new books.

faculty notes | In February New Testament Professor Margaret Aymer was the Duerr Lecturer at St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Houston. Her chapter, “Toward the Stewardship of Incarnation,” is in the book Making Stewardship Whole (ed. Adam Coupland, WJK, 2017).

Whit Bodman, associate professor of comparative religion, led workshops at “Main Event” for the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley in Birmingham, Alabama, in February. He taught classes on Islam in Kerrville and Austin this spring.

Gregory Cuéllar, assistant professor of Old Testament, has been named a COMPAS Visiting Academic (December 2017June 2018) by the Centre on Migration, Policy, and Society at the University of Oxford (UK).

Carolyn Helsel, assistant professor of homiletics, was a facilitator for the HBCU Truth & Reconciliation Oral History Project at Texas Southern University, Houston, on February 18.

She gave the keynote for the New Covenant Presbytery meeting in March. She also participated in the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and

16 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Religion Workshop for the Early Career Faculty Winter Retreat, January 19-22, 2017.

A poem by Associate Dean Paul Hooker appeared on poetrybreakfast.com on December 19 and another was published in The Presbyterian Outlook on October 10.

Blair Monie, The Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Distinguished Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership, will keynote the Men’s Conference at MoRanch, May 5-6.

Jennifer Lord, The Dorothy B. Vickery Professor of Homiletics

and Liturgical Studies, became president of the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) in January and delivered the keynote address to the membership at that meeting.

Suzie Park, associate professor of Old Testament, was featured in the “Ask an Old Testament Scholar” column of The Presbyterian Outlook, Sept 26, 2016. She gave a presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in November and has joined the editorial board for Biblical Theology Bulletin.

continued on following page

Asante Todd, assistant professor of Christian ethics, gave the E.T. Dixon Lecture at Huston-Tillotson University on January 26.

Eric Wall, assistant professor of sacred music, planned and led a Hymn Festival for the Professionals Gathering of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) in January and was the Edmunds Lecturer at Second Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, Virginia, in March.

David White, The C. Ellis and Nancy Gribble Nelson Professor of Christian Education and professor of Methodist studies, presented a keynote address in Sydney, Australia, at the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry on January 2-9, 2017, and gave a TED talk and workshop in Orlando, Florida, at the Center for Youth Ministry Training’s annual Youth Ministry Academy, January 17-19, 2017. He attended the Yale Joy and Faith Consultation in Bermuda, March 18-19.

Research Professor Melissa Wiginton’s essay, “Hispanic Presbyterians pursue love, learning and mission”was in the July 25, 2016, issue of The Presbyterian Outlook. In January she spoke at the 2017 Latina Leadership Institute in Camp Buckner, Texas.

Phil Wingeier-Rayo, associate professor of evangelism, mission, and Methodist studies, wrote an article for the November 11, 2016, issue of The Presbyterian Outlook. He delivered a paper at the Wesleyan Theology Group of the American Academy of Religion in November. v

good reads |

I

n some communities, the effects of the Great Recession of 2008 are still with us.

Matthew Desmond, in his book Evicted: Poverty & Profit In the American City, explores the housing crisis as a window into poverty, leading readers to identify with the poor. Drawing from years of living with the poor as a research anthropologist in trailer parks and downtown apartments in Milwaukee, his book has a human touch. I became convinced that eviction is a pastoral care issue.

He follows several white and African American families and one gay man through their attempts to forestall eviction.

Many of his protagonists have nothing to fall back on when tragedy strikes. People renting after eviction often cannot bring children, and reporting domestic violence to the police can cause one’s rental to be deemed a nuisance, making it more likely that one will be evicted.

The most moving parts of the book were the human portraits: one woman sharing her food stamps to buy another family a nice Thanksgiving dinner, or another woman shaming her son for wanting new tennis shoes when his were worn out, simply because she could not afford to buy him new ones.

In the U.S., one in five renting families spends half its income on housing, leading to a precarious existance. Eviction, which is a path toward homelessness for some families, occurs most often among the marginalized. In Milwaukee, more than one in five African-American women, one in twelve Hispanic women, and one in fifteen white women had been evicted.

You have to check a box stating whether

you have been evicted in all rental inquiries.

Desmond explains its effects: “Eviction itself often explained why some families lived on safe streets and others on dangerous ones, why some children attended good schools and others failing ones. The trauma of being forced from your home, the blemish of an eviction record, and the taxing rush to locate a new place to live pushed evicted renters into more depressed and dangerous areas of the city.”

Desmond discovers that evictees are more likely to be clinically depressed and show signs of PTSD. They remain at higher risk for suicide, even years after the eviction. Court eviction rituals seem to humiliate, and watching your things be placed on the curb can lead to psychic dissociation. Indeed, he concludes, “Eviction must be considered a traumatic rejection, a denial of one’s most basic human needs, and an exquisitely shameful experience.”

In the epilogue he argues for a voucher program for the working poor in which the government would manage the price of housing and ensure the decency of its stock. Drawing from research indicating that reliable housing is not a disincentive to work, he indicates that housing is a basic need rather than a luxury. Accordingly, we should ensure housing for the poor to promote their mental health and ensure their dignity. Desmond puts housing first in order to reduce unnecessary suffering, as well as the psychic pain that comes from shameful eviction. v

—Written by Philip Browning Helsel, assistant professor of pastoral care at Austin Seminary

Listen to sermons by your favorite faculty members here: www.AustinSeminary.edu/facultysermons Spring 2017 | 17

alumni news notes

Austin Seminary Association Awards for Service

Three cherished friends of Austin Seminary honored Each year at its annual meeting, the alumni board, Austin Seminary Association (ASA), announces the winners of the ASA Awards for Service. These awards recognize alumni and friends of Austin Seminary who have made substantial contributions to the life of the church. The 2017 Awards for Service honored two graduates, James Lee and Sharon Risher, and also paid tribute to C. D. Weaver, former dean of students and the Seminary’s artistin-residence since his retirement.

Vi Lee, left, accepted the 2017 ASA Award for Service, given posthumously to her son James Lee; C. D. Weaver and Sharon Risher were honored at the banquet.

Matt Miles (MDiv’99), right, introduced C. D. Weaver.

The Reverend Dr. Clarence DeLeon (C. D.) Weaver, joined the staff of Austin Seminary in 1983. C. D. had been a pastor for twenty years in Gainesville, Florida. A graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, he used an academic fellowship to study with Karl Barth at the University of Basel, Switzerland. He also did post-graduate work at the University of Tübingen, the University of Goettingen, Germany, and language study in Israel. He holds a DMin from McCormick Seminary in Chicago.

In his tenure at Austin Seminary as dean of student life and pastor to students, he created various student interest groups, the Kairos student newsletter, and many features of campus community life that still exist today.

Following his retirement from the Seminary, he was named Artistin-Residence in 2002. In this capacity he seeks to use aesthetics as an additional kind of theological or faith language, mounting art exhibits of local and regional artists, resourcing students, and encouraging conversations among the church, theologians, and the arts. C. D. says, “Some ministers and theologians have yet to discover that they are involved in an art-form, but, sooner or later, I will get to them!”

The Austin Seminary campus abounds with evidence of C. D.’s artistry; some of those carvings have won prizes from the Texas Society of Sculptors.

18 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Announcing The Reverend Sharon Risher

(MDiv’07) was serving as a staff chaplain and trauma specialist at Parkland Hospital in Dallas (2012-2016) when her mother, Ethel Lance, was killed along with Sharon’s cousins, friends, and other members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on June 17, 2015.

Her mother’s murder catapulted Sharon into the limelight, and she has become an activist and national Bill Cotman (MDiv’06), right, introduced Sharon Risher. spokesperson with the grassroots anti-gun violence groups Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Gun Sense.

She has testified before the Oregon legislature and met with President Obama on several occasions. Her testimony has appeared in Time Magazine, The New York Times, MaireClaire Magazine, Texas Monthly, and on CNN and BBC radio. She was the preacher for Austin Seminary’s 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Worship Service.

Sharon is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University, in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to her fulltime work as a chaplain, she also served Rice Chapel AME Church, Dallas, as associate pastor for congregational care until 2016.

The Reverend James Hickson Lee

Above left: Trish Holland (MDiv’68) gave the introduction for James Lee’s award.

(MDiv’00), until his death May 6, 2016, served New Covenant Fellowship in Austin, Texas, a new church development he started in 2003.

At the time of his death, James was the moderator of Mission Presbytery. He was also moderator of the Presbyterian Intercultural Network and served on the board of Mo-Ranch. He was a consultant for and member of the African American Ministries in the Synod of the Sun, served as chair for the Church Development and Evangelism Division for Mission Presbytery, and served as field staff for the Intercultural Ministries of the PC(USA).

After playing football and graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, James spent more than ten years serving as an associate pastor at the East Nineteenth Street Missionary Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. He earned the MDiv from Austin Seminary and was ordained to serve as director of Racial Ethnic Ministries and Recruitment at the Seminary in 2002. He served on the Austin Seminary Association Board (2004-2007) and on the Seminary’s Board of Trustees (2010-2016).

A chaplaincy focus in the Doctor of Ministry program at Austin Seminary!

With courses in: • • • • • •

medical ethics practical theology in multi-faith settings leadership and change advanced religious education for adults death, dying, and grieving creative conflict engagement

For information and applications, please contact The Reverend Dr. Paul Hooker, associate dean for ministerial formation and advanced studies, at phooker@ austinseminary.edu or 512-404-4861 AustinSeminary.edu/DMin

Spring 2017 | 19

alumni news notes

class notes |

Gary Mathews new alumni director

1980s The husband of Sally Johnson (MDiv’89), Carlos Lopez, died on January 21, 2017.

1990s Pope Francis has named Msgr. Michael J. Boulette (DMin’93) to be an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Salem United Church of Christ in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has called David Green (MDiv’95) to be their pastor.

Carol Howard Merritt (MDiv’98) has published a new book, Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church (HarperOne, 2017).

2000s Fondren Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, has called Robert Lowry (MDiv’01) as their new pastor.

Blake Brinegar (MDiv’01) has been called as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Yellville, Arkansas.

Paul Burns (MDiv’07) has written a 16-week Bible study, The Sabbath Challenge: Learning to Rest in a World that Never Sleeps.

Derek Forbes (MDiv ’08) was installed as pastor / headof-staff at First Presbyterian Church of Logan, Utah.

2010s JT and Becca Longino (MDiv’13), along with big sister, Abigail, welcomed Bennett “Ben” Michael Longino, born February 2, 2017.

New books by alumni authors

Sheila Sidberry-Thomas (MDiv’14) is the new co-pastor at Greater Ball Tabernacle AME Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Gregory D. Allen-Pickett (MDiv’15) was called to be pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Nebraska.

Steve Miller (MDiv’15) is the founder of the United States Christian Leadership Organization, a human interest organization, and the project director of its HBCU Truth and Reconciliation Oral History Project whose mission is to use the power of spoken and documented words to affect public policy and create spiritual and social change.

in memoriam | John M. Brand (MDiv’59), January 2017, Dallas, Texas James W. Patton (MDiv’61), June 18, 2016, Nashville, Tennessee W. Clark Chamberlain III (MDiv’72), January 3, 2017, Houston, Texas D. Eleanor Sanders (MDiv’78), December 29, 2016, Kingsland, Texas Jack E. Livingston (DMin’86), December 16, 2016, Sugar Land, Texas Lawrence C. Mitchell (DMin’94), November 18, 2016, Forrest City, Arkansas F. Kathleen Trevino (MDiv’94), December 22, 2016, Austin, Texas Rodney L. Swisher (MDiv’98), October 27, 2016, Austin, Texas

20 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Gary Mathews has assumed the role of director of alumni and church relations. He succeeds Lemuel Garcia-Arroyo (MDiv’95) who has resigned to become associate director of Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries in the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the PC(USA).

Mathews has been involved in raising money for scholarships and programs at Austin Seminary since 2010, most recently as director of development. He brings experience as an Austin Seminary student in the 1990s to his responsibilities for building and maintaining relationships with alumni, churches, and denominational governing bodies.

He will also serve as the liaison to the Austin Seminary Association (ASA) Board. Gary is your direct link to all things Austin Seminary and welcomes your comments: gmathews@ austinseminary.edu

Donna Scott, vice president for institutional advancement praises Mathews: “Gary’s dedication to Austin Seminary, coupled with his relational style and attention to detail have been gifts to the work of the Office of Institutional Advancement and will fit well in this new role.”

In other changes to the Institutional Advancement staff, Claire Mathias is now director of development, Sharon Sandberg has been promoted to associate for donor relations, and Selina Aguirre is the new administrative assistant. v

Lemuel Garcia, left, passed the baton to Gary Mathews, right, at the conclusion of the ASA Banquet on February 1.

webXtra: to nominate someone for a 2018 ASA Award, go to: AustinSeminary.edu/nominate or you can contact Gary Mathews, director of alumni and church relations, (gmathews@austinseminary. edu; 512-404-4806) for more information.

Matt Miles elected ASA president Each year the Austin Seminary Association conducts its annual meeting at the ASA Banquet. The following officers were elected on February 1: Matthew Miles (MDiv’99), president; Denise Odom (MDiv’99), vice-president; Barrett Abernethy (MDiv’13), secretary; Kristy Vits (MDiv’98), past president. Elected to the Class of 2019 were: Barrett Abernethy (MDiv’13) representing Region 5; Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai (MDiv’03) representing Region 4; Joshua P. Kerr (MDiv’14) representing Region 2; Daniel R. Molyneux (MDiv’86) representing Region 3; and Michael Ulasewich (MDiv’05) representing Region 5.

teaching ministry

How to read the scriptures anew

By Suzie Park, Associate Professor of Old Testament

O

ne of the key difficulties for a desire to convey an ethical or helpful texts that remain unread and ignored. a seminarian, a biblicist, or lesson. They may be fun and titillating, You cannot exegete the text if you have a preacher—indeed, for any but they don’t really help us with life never read it. And you cannot interpret person who reads the Bible—is keeping very much. Some are just long lists of the text if you cannot think beyond your the biblical text fresh. For many of names in a genealogy or archaic and assumptions of it. Reading the stories us, Bible stories fit into two large confusing lists of laws or rules that are helps with both of these problems. categories, and the narratives in both deemed—well, archaic and confusing.

The second “technique” I employ to categories are difficult to view anew for We may know a name of a character help de-familiarize the biblical narrative different reasons. from these stories or maybe a plot point is to ask lots and lots of questions in

The stories in the first category are or two, but, generally, the tales in this class about a particular story. Because those tales with which we are familiar second category are discarded from our most of us hear a story in the context of (or so we think). Stories that we have choices because they are unreadable, a sermon or a study, we are not trained heard a thousand times. Stories that indecipherable and, therefore, unread to ask questions about it. Indeed, some ministers regularly preach on for and undiscovered. readers are implicitly or explicitly told a variety of reasons. Or tales that

Yet learning how to read biblical that asking questions about the biblical have been made into a movie or are narratives afresh, with new eyes, is text is borderline heretical—that to deemed part of general knowledge. imperative to becoming a good exegete. question is to doubt. But one cannot Narratives about a snake discern a meaning from the and a garden; about an story without asking things ark and a world disaster; a about it. Hence, we practice “You cannot exegete the text if you famous king named David asking questions about the and his giant nemesis, biblical text, not because we have never read it. And you cannot Goliath, or an infamous doubt what it says, but because queen named Jezebel. in asking questions about it, we interpret the text if you cannot think We cannot perceive them recognize that the scripture can beyond your assumptions of it.” anew because we think we and will give us new answers know them. We know their and new insights. And in doing ending. We have been told these practices—reading and all the plot twists. We know questioning—the hope is that the basic ethical lessons that we should

So how do we teach others to read the biblical text is renewed in our minds. squeeze out of them. We recognize this text with fresh eyes? In my classes,

Better readers and interpreters of them, and, hence, our understanding or I make students do two simple things the Bible make for better ministers, lesson is difficult to dislodge. that I hope lead to a new perspective. better preachers, better Sunday school

There is another group of stories The first is simply to assign lots of the teachers, and better youth leaders­. that is difficult to read with a fresh biblical texts to read. One of the most And this is a primary focus of my perspective for a different reason. The basic ways to view the biblical text anew teaching. With new understanding stories in this category are a complete is just to read it—not hear about it, they can write better sermons, have blank. A black hole. Narratives—mainly not summarize it, not try to glean any better understanding of a text that they in the Old Testament—that only a lessons from it—but simply to read deem authoritative, maybe even better few of us have ever read or even heard the words that are there. Many times comprehend what it means to treat of. These stories rarely appear in the students are surprised that the text says the text with respect, and, as a result, lectionary, are almost never taught in what it says, as they have been led to learn to love the text more. They can Sunday school, and are infrequently believe or have assumed otherwise. And then convey that love, understanding, discussed. Why? There is an assortment in reading the stories for themselves, and respect to of reasons why biblical narratives might many students come to realize that even their parishioners. end up in this black hole. Many are the stories they thought they knew are, In short, there disturbing. Some are overtly violent and indeed, new and unfamiliar. Reading the is an important sexual, ethically problematic, and just text not only helps to de-familiarize the trickle-down effect not age appropriate nor fit for polite texts which we assumed we understood to reading anew company. Many simply do not fit our (those in category one), but it also helps the texts that we image of a good Bible story. They lack with the texts in category two—those consider scripture. v Spring 2017 | 21

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