INNOVATION, ANCHORED IN TRADITION

Dean G. Sujin Pak came to STH in 2021. Here, she discusses her vision for the school.

How would you describe the School of Theology you hope to lead?

Hospitable. Invitational. Real. My hope is that the school will be rooted in its own traditions and robustly engage other religious traditions with humility, hospitality, and a true posture of listening and co-learning. STH is a United Methodist–affiliated theological school, and it is ecumenical (welcoming a variety of Christian perspectives), and it holds interfaith commitments (welcoming a variety of religious perspectives). I’d love STH to be a place that models one way, if not a leading way, of honoring traditions and being innovative, both rooted in a particular identity and steeped in practices of interfaith hospitality—a place that both critically appropriates traditions (plural!) and seeks to decenter dominant narratives in order to foster real space for diverse engagements and diverse embodiments.

How does the school’s Methodist tradition play out today?

Our Methodist roots, our Communities of Learning (COLs), and our partnerships with a variety of local and regional churches and nonprofit organizations provide important tethers and spaces of mutual learning that help STH keep its ear to the ground as to the needs of religious leaders and the changing landscapes in which they will be serving. These connections strengthen STH’s solid sense of what’s really happening out there.

That’s a key consideration as we rethink our curriculum. We need to be preparing ministers for the ministry of today. What kind of vocations are people actually pursuing, and what jobs are they getting? What are the skills, training, and knowledge they need to be ready for this work? I believe STH’s distinctive gifts in religion and conflict training, chaplaincy preparation, and spiritual care all deeply prepare religious leaders for the work they are called to today. My hope is that STH will equip multiple forms of leadership, including denominational ministers and pastors for congregational ministry as well as many forms of non-parish leadership such as chaplains, community organizers, and social workers.

What other strengths do you hope to build on?

STH has a proud legacy of being the “School of the Prophets.” Social justice is and has been at the core of our identity, evident in our alumni past and present. In addition to the religion and conflict, chaplaincy, and spiritual care programs, I hope to build upon the school’s leadership in ecological justice, Latinx ministries and programs, gender and queer studies, and global engagement—seen, for example, in our travel seminars and projects such as the Chinese Historical Christian Database and the Dictionary of African Christian Biographies. How do we embody a spirit of hospitality in discussing the challenging conflicts that face us today? What does it look like to hold stated convictions and yet not be hostile to other views?

Our diverse faculty is another core strength. STH’s faculty members are doing such amazing things, and I’m seeking to make their incredible contributions even more visible.

For example, we plan to launch a colloquium that will highlight the research of our faculty and invite external scholars to foster a space of rich collaboration on an interdisciplinary theme, such as religion and science, faith and ecological justice, trauma-responsive care, theology and the arts, the Bible and race, queer studies in theology and religion, chaplaincy, comparative religions, and many more.

Can you say more about what you mean by “the ministry of today”? Many are disillusioned with religion today, particularly institutionalized religion. Indeed, they may be suspicious of institutions and traditions. Yet, I think many still seek God in some way, and many care deeply about spirituality.

I believe most of us are looking for real community. Ministry today needs to tap into these deeper human needs of care, community, spirituality, and connection. STH provides beautiful resources, conversation partners, and a variety of possible frameworks to reimagine ministry and reimagine religious leadership. If someone is seeking to deepen their connection to certain traditions, we have the tools to do that. If someone is looking for innovative pathways and a space to reimagine beyond traditional frameworks, we have the tools to do that. STH offers a space to explore spiritual questions, a community that fosters co-learning, and a curriculum that offers a multiplicity of resources to ask deep questions, discern gifts, and receive equipping for a diversity of religious vocations.