The CRCDS Bulletin: Winter 2013 by Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

CRCDS B u l l e t i n o f t h e C o l g at e R o c h e s t e r C r o z e r D i v i n i t y S c h o o l

Winter 2013

Faith. Critically engaged.

Inside:

✛ “And Still We Struggle to Be Counted” ✛ A Special Look at the Inaugural Symposium Address from Dr. Emilie Townes P lu s : Meet the New Open and Affirming Student Caucus Read Reflections on the Late William Hamilton from Three Alumni Missed Our 12th Presidential Inauguration? Insights and Video Links Inside

Reflections on Events in Newtown, Connecticut By President Marvin A. McMickle

I have waited a few days to write out my thoughts about the terrible events that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connnecticut. There are no words that can help us understand the depth of grief that has encompassed that school and those families that lost loved ones, both children and adults. A peaceful community will forever be linked to other sites of mass killing like Oklahoma City, Columbine, Aurora, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech, a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin and a mall in Tucson where public officials and innocent bystanders were shot and killed. The fact is, what happened in Newtown is different in its targets, but not different in its causes and consequences. Innocent lives were taken by a disturbed individual that was in possession of a weapon of mass destruction. In Oklahoma City it was an explosive device. In all of the other cases it was guns. Not a pistol for target practice or self-defense or a rifle designed to meet the needs of sportsmen in the woods. In every case the weapons of choice were high-powered, automatic and semi-automatic weapons more suited for a battlefield than as part of the culture of a 21st century industrialized society. Without easy access to such guns it is possible to imagine that none of these horrific events would ever have occurred. Crazed and/or cowardly people do not become mass killers without access to such weapons. On the Cover:

A view of CRCDS’s 12th Presidential Inauguration. Pictured is Rev. Marvin A. McMickle, Ph.D., during his Inaugural Address.

I am comforted by the fact that our public officials extend their “thoughts and prayers” to the families of those that have lost their lives in this spiraling cycle of gun violence. Now I wish those same public officials would expand the breadth and depth of their courage and invite our nation to embark upon a serious discussion about gun control. I can already hear the response from the gun lobby that “guns don't kill people; people kill people.” The easiest response to such a knee-jerk comment is that people without assault rifles and other automatic guns do not kill nearly as many people as we have seen in the last few months and years in this country.

DESIGN: MillRace Design

Did the founders of this nation really mean that the Second Amendment should give us the right to purchase, own and carry around guns that can penetrate the bullet-proof vests of police officers? Could the patriots of the 18th century—whose weapon of choice was a single shot musket—blame us for wanting to control guns that discharge 10-to-12 bullets per second? Is it too much to expect that a criminal and mental health background check be performed before a gun can be purchased? We demand an ID to buy alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, but do not expect rigid but reasonable guidelines for purchasing guns. Bear in mind that this is not a call to criminalize guns in America; it is a call to wake up to the fact that the level of violence we see in this country on account of the ease with which guns can be acquired is out of control.

PRINTING: St. Vincent Press

[continued on inside back cover]

CRCDS: Faith. Critically engaged. is a quarterly publication of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School 1100 South Goodman Street, Rochester, New York, 14620 PUBLISHER: Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS) EDITOR: Christopher White

CRCDS

Winter 2013

Faith. Critically engaged.

oin the conversation online! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re connecting with alumni/ae, friends old and new, supporters, congregations and communities across the country online. Join us on this journeyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;follow us on Twitter (@crcds) and connect to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/crcds.

And Still We Struggle to Be Counted

Out in the World

Open and Affirming

Alumni/ae Reflections: Dr.William Hamilton

Helen Barrett Montgomery Conference

A Place of Healing for Veterans

Challenges of the 21st Century

Inaugural Community Worship

BSC Honors Pres. McMickle

BMTS Journey Continues...

In Memoriam

Horizon Society

Memorial & Appreciation Gifts

And Still We Stuggle to Be Counted E m i l i e M . T o w n e s , P h . D . , A n d r e w W. M e l l o n Professor of Afric an Americ an Religion a n d T h e o lo g y , Ya l e D i v i n i t y S c h o o l

n the morning of November 5, 2008, we gathered for our daily worship in Yale Divinity School’s Marquand Chapel.

there was much joy and celebration in the air as almost all of those gathered felt a new day had dawned across America Emilie M. Townes, Ph.D., was the honored guest lecturer for the Inaugural Symposium on October 17th, 2012, which was held at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York. This article is a transcription of her opening lecture that was followed by responses from a panel: City of Rochester Mayor and CRCDS Life Trustee Thomas S. Richards and CRCDS faculty members Drs. Melanie Duguid-May, James H. Evans and David Kim. This text reflects the unique blend of academic and poetic prose style that marks Dr. Townes’s spoken and written work.

i was doubtful perhaps it was the cranky ethicist in me peaking around the corner of ecstasy maybe it was the pragmatic womanist in me, looking back at history and forward at the future and being grounded in the present but whatever or whoever was my touchstone that morning as the chapel erupted with joy sans my circumspection i was absolutely sure that though some things had changed, most had not and it was going to be a rough four years and i am bitterly disappointed that i was right that although president obama’s list of accomplishments is long a syndrome that w.e.b. du bois noted in 1935 is more powerful than ever du bois notes in his powerful essay, “The Propaganda of History”: One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over. We must not remember that Daniel Webster got drunk and only remember that he was a splendid constitutional lawyer. We must forget that George Washington was a slave owner, or that Thomas Jefferson had mulatto children, or that Alexander Hamilton had Negro blood, and simply remember the things we regard as creditable and inspiring. The difficulty, of course, with this philosophy is that history loses its value as an incentive and example; it paints perfect men and noble nations, but it does not tell the truth.1

I have felt the impact of his words time and again as our studied, selective amnesia or willful oblivion has painted a perfect, simplistic picture of a complex and fascinating nation. And truth-telling is often tossed to the wind when it comes to electoral politics and public policy formation. Gone are statesmen and stateswomen and in their place have arisen politicians running for office but rarely governing with thoughtfulness and an eye to the common good. This is bad history and macabre political process because it does not tell the truth of the living and breathing that goes on in our lives and in the lives of countless others as we struggle to be counted.

We are learning to be circumspect about what we read, what we hear and what is presented to us as “fact” when it comes to politics. Having a history that paints perfect men and women and noble nations through selective history, means we use misshapened and false models to craft our democracy, develop our public policies and set our global policies. And our religious bodies are of little help if they are like an inept Greek chorus that intones lies and deceptions in collective voice—off key, cracking jokes and failing to give healthy guidance. As we are in the thick of a national election season, I find this set of concerns highlighted for me as I listen to the rhetoric of the candidates and study the party platforms. And I find that one thing that is getting buried, or perhaps better put, “renamed,” is the long and troubling history when it comes to race and politics. We do not hear very often and certainly not in the national campaigns of either party, the word “race” or “racism.” For one party, they know little of what it means to have genuine diversity and for the other, it has weighed the cost of naming the obvious and decided to let image speak, rather than calling forth the dangers and violence, as well as the joys and triumphs we find in darker skinned peoples in this country.

I. I became aware of the dangers and violence of this history when I was eight years old in 1963. It was found in the slain faces of four little girls who were older than me but as Southern and black as me. four little girls carol robertson carole denise mcnair addie mae collins cynthia wesley four young black girls who arrived at sunday school for youth day at the sixteenth street baptist church in birmingham, alabama on september 15, 1963 one was 11 years old, the other three were 14 four little girls living in the midst of the racial turmoil that marked birmingham and so much of the united states as black folks and their allies sought the right to vote killed when a bomb planted by a ku klux klanman who opposed integration ripped through the basement of their church killing them as they were buried beneath the rubble in a blast that blew out the face of jesus in the stained-glass window and stopped the church clock

it is rare for me, during any federal election, to not think of those 4 little girls along with james chaney, andrew goodman, and michael schwerner for me, their martyrdom should not be sad historical notes of the ways in which our lust for supremacy and control begets such vicious and evil children as hatred, bigotry, racism, sexism, classism…the list goes on You see, growing up in the liberal segregated South of Durham, North Carolina, in the late 1950s and 1960s, one of the things that was drummed into little black kids heads was the power and right of voting. From Civics classes to conversations in our homes to messages from stormy pulpits, we learned the story of the hard-won victories black folk in the U.S. fought to be able to go to the polls without physical threat (or in spite of it) and pull the lever—this was democracy, this is what citizens do. One of the most exciting things I did as a youth was to vote in my first election. I asked my folks and

…I deeply believe that a strong democracy rests on an informed and voting electorate. other adults over and over again what they actually did behind that curtain as a little kid. And the idea that I would soon be behind that curtain marked, for me, not only a rite of passage but the act of assuming responsibilities for my right to vote. We learned the importance of studying the issues. Our teachers recited as mantra the importance of being informed, knowing the issues, not letting others try to tell you what to do with your vote, studying the candidates, listening to others as they discuss the issues, putting your opinions into the mix. There was little hint of spin in the air (at least nothing like what we hear now) but we did learn the power of what has come to be known as dirty tricks. Intimidation at polling places, broken machines, too close electioneering were stock in trade in black and poor white precincts even then. My education included the stories of black folk going to town hall to register to vote and being turned away by the local police. My father, a World War II veteran, told me about being forced to go the back of restaurants to get food from takeout windows when in full dress uniform. And I can remember the “No Colored” signs in dress shops and the “Colored Only” window at Dairy Queen—

the only restaurant that would serve black folks in Aberdeen, North Carolina, close to my grandmother’s home. Strange fruit was more than a Billy Holiday mournful song as black and white civil rights workers died so that I could be free enough to vote my conscience. In spite of, or perhaps because of, these realities, we were told, and I deeply believe, that a strong democracy rests on an informed and voting electorate. So, when I entered the voting both on November 6, 1973, for the first time, I was proud to be one of the 1,687 registered voters in my precinct and one of the 767 votes cast from our precinct in our municipal election. And I was not the odd kid among my peers. We were all proud to be voting and some of us even dressed up to do so—like folks used to do to travel by plane or go to church.

I still study the candidates and their positions. But what has given me pause is the way in which we substitute innuendo and worse for facts in much of the political debates of the day. And I have become one of those black folks annoyed at both parties for caricaturing my community and reducing me and others as social projects, pathological problems, and ecstatic worship. for we must have dreams that are more powerful than nightmares possibilities more radical than realities and a hope that does more than cling to a wish or wish on a star or sit by the side of the road, picking and sucking its teeth after dining on a meal of disaster and violence No matter how young or how old we are, we have a responsibility to the generations now living and to those yet to come to keep justice-making alive and vibrant in shaping our American story. We are complex people who come from complex people who were decidedly not perfect men or women. They were committed to founding something new, something fresh—and most certainly the ideal was greater than the reality they created. As their inheritors, we are not called to be poster-children for the status quo.

II. Emilie Townes, Ph.D., was the guest lecturer at the Inaugural Symposium on October 17th, 2012, which was held at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York. You can read the responses from Drs. Melanie Duguid-May, James H. Evans and David Kim by scanning theQR Code with your smartphone, or by visiting www.crcds.edu//inauguration2012/panelresponse

Do I remember the municipal bonds that were at stake that year, no. But what I do remember is how proud I was that I was finally old enough to vote and at the time, I knew the issues cold, but still hesitated for a minute before I flipped the small levers and then pulled the big one to register my vote. The hesitation was making sure I had voted as I had planned and to this day, I still have that moment of hesitation as I punch the card in my home precinct… I have to get this right, my vote counts.

At first glance, it seems that race has disappeared in this election season. It is remarkable that in a nation so full of darker-skinned peoples of varying hues that they remain such a national enigma. And this, friends, means all of us commit these acts of ignorance. Race has become more complex as we become more diverse because the numbers of peoples from different racial ethnic groups are growing—Latino/a and Asian in particular. For example, in my home town of Durham— far from the southern border of this country—the city and state government signs on buildings and direction markers are in English and Spanish. Neither party names racism (or race) directly, but it is there, in the coding of words that are symbols of centuries-long hatreds and discriminations. They are more powerful as symbols because they tap into our imaginations, or what I often call the “fantastic hegemonic imagination.” This imagination traffics in people’s lives through gross caricatures so that we can control the world in our own image.

This imagination conjures social structures that are based on the ordinariness of evil and we then proclaim this normal, acceptable or natural.

they create a real problem: denying legitimate voters the opportunity to vote in a participatory democracy?

I don’t think there is anything normal or natural about the way we continue to countenance evil pigswill as acceptable. Although racism may be harder to detect by some these days, for others it continues to stand front and center. We now see it in such acts as voter suppression and within the subtext of discussions surrounding immigration reform.

Perhaps the reason can be found in candidate Romney’s infamous pronouncement:

Out of the 30 states that have enacted Voter ID laws, 23 of these are where Republicans dominate. Whether it be voter ID laws or shortened early voting hours in urban districts, this suppresses the ability of the poor, former prison inmates, the elderly, Latino/a, and blacks to vote in local, state and presidential elections. They are making it more difficult for college students, the disabled and immigrants to vote. For instance, Pennsylvania enacted a strict voter photo ID law, although the state has not offered any evidence of voter fraud to justify this law. Earlier this month, a state judge, Robert Simpson, ruled that voters could cast their votes in the November election without photo IDs but failed to toss out the law completely. Governor Corbett says that it protects the integrity of Pennsylvania elections while House majority leader Mike Turzai boasted the law would “allow Governor Romney to win the State of Pennyslyvania.”2 Hmmmmm…that this law results in disproportionate harm to minorities, people with low incomes and senior citizens since voters are required to present a government issued or other appropriate photo ID at their polling place to vote. To confuse matters more, Judge Simpson refused to stop election officials from asking for IDs at the polls although they are not required for the November election. As the old black women who raised me used to say: ummmmph...ummmph...ummmph. I could understand enacting these laws if we had rampant voter fraud in the US, but we do not. CBS Evening New reporter Elaine Quijano’s August report noted that in the 10 states that recently passed photo ID laws, there were fewer than 70 voter fraud convictions in the past decade among the 40 million registered voters in these states. These laws prevent something that rarely happens and the application of these laws are a bit too mercurial—they do not stand up under scrutiny as being necessary. I am left wondering why does it often seem to be in the swing states where folks who are more likely to vote Democratic and so many darkerskinned people and poor people are still struggling to be counted? Why do some folk rush to “fix” a problem we do not have and ignore the fact that

There are 47% of the people who will vote for the President no matter what. All right, there are 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what.... These are people who pay no income tax.... And so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

Talk like this can only come from the fantastic hegemonic imagination. I won’t quibble with him that the actual figure is 46%, but I do feel the need to point out that most of the 46% are employed, most earn higher than average wages and that they are more educated than the overall population. But when he talks about a culture of dependency, it sounds like he’s got darker-skinned people on his

Although racism may be harder to detect by some these days, for others it continues to stand front and center. eyeball. I seriously doubt he was thinking about US soldiers who do not pay federal income tax while they are in combat zones and who rely on government benefits when they come back. I’m sure he forgot or perhaps did not realize that the group he demonized includes many other modestly paid workers or retirees who contribute to this nation— underpaid kindergarten teachers in inner city schools, young police officers and firefighters, social workers. Dependency talk has a long history beginning with the work of black sociologist E. Franklin Frazier in the 1930s and 40s to the Moynihan Report of the 1960s that spent many pages demonizing single black mothers. It springs from contemporary social theorists like George Gilder and Charles Murray who were influential in the Reagan administration. For them, welfare causes dependency and this leads to unemployment and poverty. Dependency talk usually blames welfare recipients rather than looking at the structural factors that cause and entrench poverty. But many of 46/47% Romney

was referring to will pay more than one-quarter of their incomes in total taxes. I wonder what percentage those over $250,000 pay on average? I’m sure Romney’s 14% pales in comparison.3 One important thing to note: 96% of all Americans have used government social policies at some point in our lives— rich and poor, Democrats and Republicans.4 This includes the things like the direct policies Romney alludes to: social security or unemployment insurance; as well as submerged policies like the home mortgage interest deduction and the tax-free status of employer contribution to employees’ health insurance.

It remains for those of us who seek to live our religious convictions rather than simply rehearse them in a funhouse mirror of self loathing to find our cues in sacred texts... In the long run, what I hear and see both parties referring to and courting are middle class white folks. The black class structure earns far less than the white class structure. In 2009, the black middle class, which was 38% of black households ranged from $35,000 to $100,000 and the upper middle class, or 8% of black households, made $100,000 to $200,000. For me and my house, $250,000 means you are upper class if you are black. We see no references to the poor from either party because they have done a statistical calculation and figured that the 2012 electorate is likely to be 72% white. Republicans need to get at least 62% of that white vote to win and Democrats need to get 38% or more of the white vote. Obama has become mute on advocacy for truly disadvantaged blacks and rarely speaks out forthrightly on racial issues for fear of alienating more conservative white voters who may quickly turn into a Republican if he does. Many of us who are black can appreciate his dilemma and may well vote for him regardless of his silence. It’s a deeply racist society that creates this kind of conundrum with a fantastic hegemonic imagination as its drum major. It remains for those of us who seek to live our religious convictions rather than simply rehearse them in a funhouse mirror of self-loathing to find our cues in sacred texts, or to paraphrase the spoken word poet Thuli Zuma from her powerful piece, “Coming Up Short”:

the privilege for not having to apologize for what you are is not given to those like us… there is an apology assigned to this skin we must unlearn5

III. we have become painfully aware that it takes more than electing the first black male president it takes more than the rallying cry of “yes we can” because we are now having to answer “how” and realize that although obama may have won in 2008 and assumed office in 2009 some folks never accepted that he was elected to actually govern and it amazed me to hear mitt romney re-write history by declaring that the republicans wecomed obama with open arms in 2009 and wanted to work with him let me just say, that was not the mugging i witnessed and continue to witness from the republican party that has charted a course of denial and obstruction from the day obama was inaugurated some folks never accepted the fact that he is president the republican party, or should i say the tea party, has been determined to deny him a second term by denying him any achievement no matter the cost to the economy or our national security or our nation’s credit rating meanwhile conveniently forgetting that obama inherited two wars and the worst recession since the great depression that were started by president george bush who took the surplus he inherited from president bill clinton and put through a series of tax cuts that created the deficit that sparked the recession and now the romney-ryan economic proposal wants to keep all of the bush tax cuts that got us into trouble and then cut taxes much further, particularly for the rich the only difference now is that bush admitted his plan would mean a high price tag while romney-ryan say that their plan won’t grow the deficit by a dime [continued on p. 24]

Out in the World U p d at e s , news and notes from CRCDS a lu m n i / a e Rev. David M. Evans (CRDS ’53) and Mrs. Grace Norton Evans (BMTS ’53) David and Grace celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary at First Baptist Church (Ithaca, NY) this past June. Ms. Susan K. Hall Soria (BMTS ’58) This past October, eight BMTS Alumnae gathered at a Naperville, IL, restaurant to renew their fellowship and friendship. Present were Susan Hall Soria (BMTS ‘58), B.J. Choate Murray (BMTS ’53), Betty Musselman Johnson (BMTS ’57) and husband, Paul, Betty Anderson Warren (BMTS ’53), Joan Devening Criswell (BMTS ’57), Elle Frieberg Wurster, and Dorothy Klyn (BMTS ’53). Dr. Donald L. Weaver (CRDS ’60) Dr. Weaver and his wife, Barbara, are among the Upper New York United Methodists who are volunteering to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Dr. W. Hugh Tucker (CRDS ’62) Dr. Tucker celebrated his 50th Ordination Anniversary this past June at the First Baptist Church in Ithaca, NY. Rev. Edward I. Carey (CRDS ’72) Rev. Carey recently celebrated his 40th Ordination Anniversary. Rev. Amos Acree (CRDS ’74) Rev. Amos recently retired after nearly 20 years as pastor at East Aurora Christian Church (Aurora, NY). He still consults for Parish Nurse Ministry/Health Ministry for the United Church Home, Inc. of Western New York. Rev. Dr. Tony MacNaughton (CTS ’76) Dr. MacNaughton retired from Hildale Park this past October after serving 41 years. Rev. Dr. W. Kenneth Williams (CRDS ’76) Dr. Williams recently celebrated his 35th Ordination Anniversary.

Rev. James Hegley (CRDS ’78) Rev. Hegley is now serving as Interim Minister at the East Penfield Baptist Church (Penfield, NY). Rev. Dr. Ralph H. Elliott (Honorary CRDS ’90) Dr. Elliott recently celebrated his 65th Ordination Anniversary. Rev. G. Travis Norvell (CRCDS ’00) Rev. Norvell recently celebrated his 15th Ordination Anniversary.

Pres. McMickle Named Alumnus of the Year by Princeton Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. John P. Colatch (CRCDS ’03) This past August, Dr. Colatch became the University Chaplain at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. Coincidentally, the precursor of Crozer Theological Seminary was the Bucknell University Department of Theology. Rev. Anthony Sampson (CRCDS ’05) Rev. Sampson recently celebrated his 5th Ordination Anniversary. Rev. John McNeill (CRCDS ’05) and Rev. Starlette McNeill (CRCDS ’06) Congratulations to John and Starlette on the birth of their first child, John Curtis McNeill, III, who was born November 23rd, 2012. Mr. George C. Payne (CRCDS ’06) In November, Mr. Payne, moved from a contractual appointment to full-time status at the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence at the University of Rochester. At the Gandhi Institute, he serves as a community organizer, teaches seminars and courses and leads trainings as a peace and justice educator. In addition, he enjoys working part-time as an adjunct professor of philosophy at Finger Lakes Community College. This summer Mr. Payne and his wife, Amy, moved from the Monroe Avenue neighborhood to the Plymouth-Exchange (PLEX) neighborhood in downtown Rochester.

Pres. McMickle was recognized in October as a 2012 Distinguished Alumnus at the 200th anniversary celebration of Princeton Theological Seminary from October 22-26. Over 400 people were in attendance at the award dinner held and about 300 came to hear Pres. McMickle preach at a service in the seminary's historic chapel.

Rev. William H. Wilkinson (CRCDS ’06) Rev. Wilkinson was unanimously approved for ordination by the Genesee Valley Presbytery. He has been called by the Trinity Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (Rochester, NY), where he has been serving as supply pastor. Emmanuel Presbyterian Church is the only AfricanAmerican congregation with the Genesee Valley Presbytery. Ms. Margaret Meeker (CRCDS ’08) Congratulations to Peg and Marie Gibson on the birth of their grandchild, Cora Estelle Gibson. Ms. Erin Kennedy (CRCDS ’10) Erin was ordained through the American Marriage Ministry. Rev. Dr. Rickey B. Harvey (CRCDS ’12) Dr. Harvey recently celebrated his 25th Ordination Anniversary.

Open and Affirming Student Caucus Joins Tradition of Activism on The Hill

first year student at CRCDS, Sara Campbell lives with her wife and son in Buffalo. After a long spiritual journey that included a conversion to Judaism at nineteen years old, Campbell joined the United Church of Christ, a denomination that passed a resolution in 2005 supporting same-gender marriage equality. Campbell came to CRCDS to study under faculty members like Dr. Melanie Duguid-May, whose work speaks very clearly to the values of openness and acceptance that the divinity school stands upon. In an interview, Campbell explained how she has navigated both the LGBT and Christian communities throughout her life. She pointed out that, within secular society, the Christian LGBT community is largely unknown; many equate Christianity with a complete rejection of any deviation from traditional, heterosexual male and female relationships. So when she shares her faith with other people who identify as LGBT, they often express surprise. At the same time, the condemnation “you’re going to Hell” is not an uncommon phrase from some Christians she has met when they learn about her sexuality.

Photo credit: flickr user “anemoneprojectors”

When she first received her calling and applied to the M.Div. Program at CRCDS, she did not want her sexuality to define her ministry. However, after talking with former Director of the Program for Black Church Studies Dr. Gay Byron (now at Howard University School of Divinity) about her own path to ministry as an African American woman, she learned that she really had no choice; her identity and her experiences are intrinsic to her own unique calling from God to share the Good News. “God doesn't discriminate or put conditions upon His love for me, or for anyone else,” she said.

“...share the knowledge that Christ accepts them.” As a student in the late 1980s at Mississippi State University, Brae Adams witnessed again the fear of violence with which men and women lived who identified openly as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. She took action and set up the first Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) group on campus. Due to the level of threat its members received from potential violence, the group had to operate in secret, using a safe phone number that had to pass through a variety of filters before accepting new members.

Adams began the M.Div. Program at CRCDS last spring. She is an active member of the United Methodist Church (UMC), a denomination which voted against endorsing same-sex marriage earlier this year. When she heard Jimmy Creech, a UMC minister who was ousted from the denomination for performing a same-sex marriage in 1997 and who is now a social activist for LGBT rights within the church, she was inspired to not only return to activism, but to remain within her church in order to work for change. Although Adams is heterosexual, she feels very strongly, like Campbell, that Christ's message is not limited to certain sexual identities.

The Open and Affirming Student Caucus (OASC) Campbell and Adams’s conversations eventually brought them to students Bronwyn Evans and Lisa Peters, who had together formulated a plan for creating a student group that would represent the LGBT voice on the Hill. The outcome was a fresh initiative, the Open and Affirming Student Caucus (OASC). Fifteen students currently make up the OASC and Dr. Melanie Duguid-May is the faculty advisor. The OASC was established in order to ensure that explicit cues—which may go unnoticed to someone who is heterosexual—are properly in place at CRCDS. One of the goals of the group is to see CRCDS become the leading model of what an open and affirming divinity school looks like. Core to what Campbell and Adams envision for the group is delivering the message that, no matter their sexual identity, “Christ accepts them.” To do this, they hope to foster dialogues with regional churches, colleges and universities in order to create a network of support. Twice a year, CRCDS holds the Christian Faith and the LGBT Experience Lectureships, which are designed to address the intersections of LGBT identity and Christian faith within the church today. The OASC hopes to build on the conversations these events inspire with a variety of activities, such as a half-day workshop that actively pursues the question, “What does it mean to be an open and affirming campus?”

Photo credit: flickr user “jemsweb”

The Open and Affirming Student Caucus (OASC) Mission Statement “The Open and Affirming Student Caucus enriches the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning seminarians, together with persons who actively support them. By being a visible presence and engaging in dialogue and education, the OASC works in partnership with Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School as it lives out its commitment to be a safe, radically hospitable space in which LGBT students prepare for ministry in the 21st century.”

Future updates and announcements from the OASC will be published at www.crcds.edu.

Alumni/ae Reflections: Dr. William Hamilton Pr o f e s s o r o f S y s t e m at i c T h e o lo g y , C o l g at e R o c h e s t e r Divinity School (1953-67)

e are honored to publish in this issue of The Bulletin the following reflections from a few of the many students that adored Dr. Hamilton and who were shaped by his scholarship. “William Hamilton was a distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Colgate Rochester Divinity School for fourteen years. Along with Thomas J.J. Altizer, Dr. Hamilton was an advocate for what they referred to as Radical Theology; a central tenet of which was the claim that ‘God has died in our time, in our history and in our existence.’ That controversial claim set churches and divinity schools ablaze as they wrestled with the meaning of the term ‘God is dead.’ I remember reading the book Radical Theology and the Death of God during my own college years and being helped by having to rethink what I meant by the word ‘God’ and how that word was being used and understood around me.” —President Marvin A. McMickle

“I remember reading the book Radical Theology and the Death of God…and being helped by having to rethink what I meant by the word ‘God’ and how that word was being used and understood around me.”

Pa u l H a r d w i c k ( C R D S ‘ 6 3 ) The professor walks into the classroom, takes down the Sallman Head of Christ and posts another head of Christ, by Georges Rouault. He plays with his pipe, and before the hour is over, we are assigned our first reading in theology, T. S. Eliot’s “The Cocktail Party.” Soon we are engaged in a lively discussion about choices and duty: “Which way is better?” The answer: “Neither way is better. Both ways are necessary. It is also necessary to make a choice.” I had never thought like that before. So began an exciting three year journey exploring theology. The next year in the two semester course in Systematic Theology we delved the depths of classical and modern theology. The outline for the syllabus for those two semesters was the Apostles’ Creed, yes, the Apostles’ Creed. Each week a different theme: God, creator/creation, Jesus; and each week there was the assigned reading and the six-to-eight page paper to indicate we had understood the reading and come to some conclusions of our own. Our own conclusions were always important–we never had to agree with the reading or the professor. Throughout my career I always thought that course was also a perfect preparation for preaching: reading, some personal reflections, and a six-to-eight page paper! The next year there was Bonhoeffer and Luther. What an experience reading and talking about those letters and papers: religionless Christianity, how can Christ become the Lord even of those with no religion, discovering God not on the borders of life but at its center. Wow, ideas to last a lifetime! How grateful I am to have had Bill Hamilton as one of my teachers at Colgate Rochester. Linda Rae and I baby sat for his kids, he gave the Charge to the Candidate at my Ordination, he taught me how to think.

So I send this deep and heartfelt word of appreciation for the life and teaching of Bill Hamilton, teacher and mentor, whose classroom was always an exciting adventure. Many thanks.

in Worcester. He was symbolically and intellectually present during my 36 years of teaching at the Pacific School of Religion and Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA.

Bill Hamilton often used humor to make his case. Here is one example: “Our soft age needs the wisdom of Cordelia’s trap, this age which believes (or at least in the 1960s believed) that ‘all you need is love,’ that forgiveness is the abolition of all moral discrimination in a lovely world of forgive-and-forget in which we’re all OK because we are told so on the talk shows” (2000:106).

I remember when Bill Hamilton and two other students (Richard Jones and Napier Baker) were selected by the student body to attend a funeral in Birmingham, AL. On Sunday, September 15, 1963, four girls were killed: Addie Mae Collins (14), Cynthia Wesley (14), Carol Robertson (14) and Denise McNair (11). I call their names because that is what Bill Hamilton would have us do. Remember and be transformed by the sufferings of others! These children were cruelly destroyed. Professor Hamilton, students Jones and Baker shared their experiences with us. And we began to rethink the curriculum and the way we went about our theological business. Bill Hamilton shared with us an unforgettable question. A father of one of the destroyed children asked, “Where was God last Sunday?!” Ah! There it was, a theodicy question! How do we reconcile the destruction of innocent children with a loving God and divine providence? Hamilton’s sensitivity toward human suffering, his influence and questions surfaced again for me when I interpreted the events of the People's Temple, San Francisco, and the mass murders/suicide of over 900 people in Jonestown, Guyana. Many of them were children, women and African American.

Another classmate, Professor Eldon G. Ernst, American Church Historian, recalled the time in class when Dr. Hamilton would be in the midst of a lecture. “He would get excited about what he was saying, walked about the classroom and waving his hands as he lectured. He removed his coat and hung it near the window on an imaginary coat hanger that did not exist. The coat fell to the floor. The class roared with laughter.”

Professor William Hamilton will be remembered as a Christian theologian who chose to explore theological themes through the lens of drama and classical literature. In so doing he scrupulously situated, in the middle and mess of life, certain central Christian narrative themes. Those themes included God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, world, theodicy, divine providence, sin, repentance, forgiveness, redemption and agape, among others.

I still have the Jones-Smith project on reel-to-reel audiotape. Hamilton’s teachings and writings influenced my street and community ministry while I was on staff at the First Baptist church of Worcester, MA. I drew on Bill Hamilton’s questions to help interpret and guide my inner city and prison ministry during the turbulent 1960s. What a decade! I believed that the city was not only a place for pastoral ministry, but also for theological interpretation. These were among my “Bill Hamilton” questions: “How does the metropolis and world get on without God as a working hypothesis?” “Where on earth is God?” “Who is Jesus for us today?” Hamilton’s questions and influence were a source of strength during my teaching in the religion department at the College of the Holy Cross (1969-1975), and sociology department at Clark University (1972-1975), both

He used classical literature to critically interpret the meanings of these themes. He raised perplexing questions about them. He spoke through noble and less than noble characters and provided an analysis of their various positions and context. This style and tone was an interesting way to do theology and raise disturbing questions about Christian engagement in the world. Bill Hamilton was known as one of the “Death of God” theologians. Who is the God that has died? We find a description of ancient Israel’s wilderness experience in Psalm 107: “12Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor; they fell down, with no one to help.13Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;14he brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder” (NRSV).

Archie Smith (CRDS, ‘64) “…we must accept our subjectivity and partial vision, and save ourselves from the errors of the earlier essence-of-Christianity tradition simply by not claiming permanent validity for what we see.” (Hamilton 1961:19) William (Bill) Hamilton was a brilliant and creative teacher and writer of theology. A former classmate, Dr. Bruce Bueschel, provides an example from a personal communication: “… I thought back through lots of memories of him, especially the one in class one day when he quoted a whole page out of Augustine’s City of God from memory in answering a student’s question. Unbelievable! He was the best teacher I ever had over the years.”

This is the God that Hamilton said has either withdrawn, is gone, deaf or dead to our sufferings and wilderness experiences. Merited and unmerited suffering proved to be the stumbling block and insurmountable problem for trust in a forgiving and accepting God. “It is a very short step, but a critical one, to move from the otherness of God to the absence of God. But this is what the problem of suffering attempts some to do” (1961:55). Hamilton goes on to comment on the death of God in our time. “I am not here referring to a belief in the non-existence of God. I am talking about a growing sense, in both nonChristian and Christians, that God has withdrawn, that he is absent, even that he is somehow dead” (1961:55-6). In the end Hamilton’s death of God theology is really a theology that eschews escape from the world. It acknowledges finitude, accepts responsibility for the human condition and holds us accountable for our own deeds. We are the ones who must repent, seek and offer forgiveness to one another. We must steadfastly work together in community to repair the world. We are vulnerable to hostile forces and the ravages of time. Together, we must find ways to resist evil and work to redeem the world. We must work without having the trump card of a final answer. At the turn of the 21st century Hamilton argued, “I don’t see how you can hold on to the Christian God without either making him cruel…or inept… unless you decide to follow the Christian multitudes today into a comfortable other-worldliness which takes care of all the problems of faith and life that this world cannot solve” (99). Hamilton’s position meant that one must follow Jesus all the way to the Cross. Jesus is the one who makes God accessible. Jesus’s cry of abandonment is ours, too, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!” (Psalm 22:1, Mark 15:34). This is not a message that prosperity gospel types and many Americans can hear. Hamilton knew this. Yet, Hamilton remained honest and faithful to his theological task throughout his academic career and beyond. Hamilton helped to raise the following enduring and always challenging question in a time of the death of God: “What does it mean to be for others, without expecting a reward?” Can we not follow his lead of being honest, daring, faithful and radically Christian as we move further than he could have into the 21st century? William Hamilton married Geraldine and me in the CRDS chapel in 1966. Jerry and I remain grateful to Bill Hamilton and his family. We wish to say “farewell” to a mentor, trusted guide and questioner of the human condition. A big tree has fallen!

References: William Hamilton, The New Essence of Christianity (New York: Association Press, 1961). William Hamilton, Shakespeare, God and Me. (San Jose: Writers Club Press, 2000).

Hugh Tucker (CRDS ‘62) Earlier this year, Oberlin College, in Portland, OR, lost one of its prominent alumni (class of '43) and I lost a major influence in my life. William “Bill” Hamilton was not only nationally known (and often reviled) for his “Death of God” theology but he was also a passionate teacher. After he left Colgate Rochester, he taught at New College in Florida and served as Dean of the Liberal Arts College at Portland State University. He also taught at Hamilton College and Syracuse University (as a visiting professor). I first encountered Bill when he spoke in Finney Chapel at the Sunday afternoon guest preacher series held monthly while I was an undergraduate. While most students went to hear the Oberlin College Choir, I went to hear the preachers. Afterward he spoke at First Church on Christianity and sex. Bill was one of the reasons I went to Colgate Rochester Divinity School (Clyde Holbrook's alma mater) for my ministerial training. While I was at CRDS, I took every class that Bill offered. It was during this period that he immersed himself in Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Herman Melville. These studies were the basis of his theological writings on the death of God. His major contribution to my thought was his emphasis (and that of his colleague, Harmon Holcomb, who taught philosophy of religion at both CRDS and the University of Rochester) that the most important thing is to be honest about what you believe. Harvey Cox led me into the ministry as an undergraduate and Bill kept me there. Not bad for two theologians that many evangelical conservatives consider to be “sons of the devil!” I am now celebrating 50 years as an American Baptist minister and three Oberlin American Baptist clergy (Cox, Hamilton and Holbrook) have been the major influences on that ministry.

The 16th Helen Barrett Montgomery Conference Puts Focus on Body Image The 16th Helen Barrett Montgomery Conference met with great success as we welcomed Dr. Michelle Lelwica to the Hill. By elaborating her concept of the “Religion of Thinness,” a discussion was enabled over the course of the three days that allowed many to share their experiences and thoughts on how body image has impacted their lives and their faith. Touching upon how we relate to food, the representation of the female body in popular culture and the role of identity as it relates to sexuality and transgender issues, Dr. Lelwica and our many guests offered a broad view of not only problematic histories within Christianity, but also the redemptive resources available for achieving a healthy, empowering relationship with our bodies.

A message from Dean Barbara Moore “The presence of our keynote speaker, Dr. Michelle Lelwica, our preachers, Revs. Carrie Mitchell, Jennifer Zogg and Vonda Fossitt, as well as our panelists, opened the eyes of many of our students and community attendees to the spiritual and theological dimensions of the “Religion of Thinness.” Dr. Lelwica encouraged all of us to practice critical thinking as we face cultural definitions and portrayals of women and their bodies as well as celebrating the positive aspects of our Christian faith that serve as an antidote to the negative and commercial messages all around us. The whole weekend was a perfect way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Program for the Study of Women and Gender in Church and Society. All the aspects of our mission were present in the details and content of the program. We are grateful for all who participated in the event.”

New Trustee Rev. James C. Miller Awarded Honor

The Rev. James C. Miller (CRDS ‘63) was inducted as the 6th John Gardner Fellow at Common Cause Rhode Island’s 42nd Annual Meeting on November 1st. A letter, dated November 8th, 2012, from Caroline Mailloux, Associate Director of Common Cause Rhode Island, announced the award. “Jim has been involved with Common Cause ever since his divinity school professor of social ethics admonished students to choose key social justice and political reform organizations to support and align their ministries.... As soon as Jim set foot in RI, he convened RI interfaith leaders to join business and civic leaders and Common Cause RI to form the RIght Now! statewide coalition calling for ethic and political reform of state and city government.”

Rev. Susan S. Shafer (CRDS ‘82), Distinguished Alumna of 2012, at her reception dinner, held earlier this year. She is Senior Pastor of Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York, which hosted the Inaugural Symposium on October 17th, 2012. Alumna Dr. Sally Dodgson (CRDS ‘84) is also pictured.

N e w C o l l a b o r at i o n O p e n s H i l l a s

A Place of Healing for Veterans A

t a press conference last September on campus, CRCDS announced a new partnership with the Veterans Outreach Center (VOC) and Tempro Development Corporation, a homeless housing agency tied to Temple B’Rith Kodesh in Brighton, New York.

Pres. McMickle with Major General John Batiste (retired) President and CEO of Klein Steel Services Inc., who was commander of the First Infantry Division of the United States Army, which was deployed to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005.

CRCDS students will have diverse opportunities to continue their ministerial education and training by working with the veterans in residence.

The project has seen the renovation of Andrews Hall, originally a student housing unit, to house twelve veterans who are part of a VOC-led program that stages their return to stability and independence after an experience of homelessness following service in Vietnam, or more recently, Afghanistan and Iraq. Congresswoman for New York State Louise Slaughter, City of Rochester Mayor and Life Trustee Thomas S. Richards and CRCDS President Rev. Marvin A. McMickle, Ph.D., spoke at the event. Stuart Mitchell (CRDS '70), CEO of PathStone Development Corporation and Chair of the Board of Trustees of CRCDS, served as Master of Ceremony. Over the past semester, M.Div. student David Mills has come to know the face of the VOC, its mission and the people it serves. He decided to pursue a Specialized Direct Study, an academic option that allows students to conduct a research project in lieu of a traditional classroom course, around the collaboration. One way in which he involved himself was by going through the VOC's volunteer orientation and training course in order to work at the org-anization's Welcome Center in downtown Rochester. As a greeter there, he directed visitors to the Center to the appropriate services, such as financial assistance, counseling and computer literacy courses, which are only a few of the resources offered there to help veterans returning from conflict. “They're doing great work,” Mills said to describe the insight he has gained from his work. The VOC program at CRCDS was funded through a US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant of $552,654 secured by the collaborating organizations. The apartments in Andrews Hall will continue to be owned and operated by CRCDS. Christa Development Corporation, VP Plumbing Supply and IEC Electronics will donate services to provide handicap accessibility to the housing unit and to several apartments. Providing opportunities for the spiritual development of the residents is a key feature of the project. Through a $16,900 grant from the Farash Foundation awarded to A future resident of Andrews Hall

CRCDS, the school will host a conference in the Fall of 2013 that will bring together organizations involved in the care of veterans throughout western New York to explore the role of spirituality and pastoral care of veterans returning from service. The grant also provides funding for the integration of the residents into the immediate community through a series of meal gatherings, events and an ongoing book club. CRCDS students will have diverse opportunities to continue their ministerial education and training by working with the veterans in residence through these activities.

Continuing the Mission “This collaboration is an innovative use of the CRCDS campus. It provides new opportunities for furthering our mission while meeting a serious need in the Rochester community,” commented Thomas McDade Clay, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, who worked with other CRCDS officials to bring the project to the Hill.

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter

…student David Mills has come to know the face of the VOC, its mission and the people it serves. He decided to design a Specialized Direct Study, an option that allows students to conduct a research project in lieu of a traditional classroom course, around the collaboration.

(above) Stuart J. Mitchell (CRDS ‘70), Chair of the Board of Trustees (right) Andrews Hall

Challenges of the 21st Century: Week of Lectures, Reflection and Community Worship (April 1-5, 2013) This week-long event will bring four engaging and thematically unique lectures to the Hill that will each explore the challenges of ministry in the 21st century. CRCDS will pause classes and regular schedules during this week, allowing all who wish to attend to be renewed and refreshed in mind and spirit. Alumni/ae, students, trustees and members of the public are all invited to join us to listen, consider and rejoice. Lectures will include the Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Lectureship with Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, the Spring LGBT Christian Experience Lecture with Dr. Horace Griffin and the J.C. Wynn Faith and Technology in Worship Lecture with Dr. Quentin Schultze. The week will culminate with the Alumni/ae Reunion, where we welcome Dr. Mark Braverman, a leading international expert on the Israel-Palestine conflict, for the 2013 Stanley I. Stuber Lectures.

The lecture schedule will be as follows: African American Legacy Lecture Rev. Dr. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock Lecture in Ithaca Auditorium April 1, 2013, 7:00 pm Worship in Chapel April 2, 2013 , 10:30 am

Dr. Horace Griffin

Dr. Mark Braverman

Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock

Dr. Quentin Schultze

“Made as Makers” Documentary Screening Callid Keefe-Perry (Director) April 2, 2013, 1:30 pm Lecture following in Ithaca Auditorium The Spring LGBT Christian Experience Lecture Dr. Horace Griffin April 2, 2013 Lecture in Ithaca Auditorium, 7:00 pm J.C. Wynn Faith and Technology in Worship Lecture Dr. Quentin Schultze April 3, 2013 Worship in Chapel, 10:30 am Lecture in Ithaca Auditorium, 1:30 pm The 2013 Stanley I. Stuber Lectures “Kairos, USA” Dr. Mark Braverman April 4, 2013 Worship in Chapel, 10:30 am Lecture in Ithaca Auditorium, 1:30 pm April 5, 2013 Lecture in Ithaca Auditorium, 10:00 am

The Rev. Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. Inspires, Energizes at Inaugural Community Worship The Rev. Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. was guest preacher for the Inaugural Community Worship on October 17th, 2012 at Aenon Baptist Church in Rochester, NY. Enjoy his powerful, moving sermon, “The Burning in My Bones,” for yourself by scanning the QR code on the right with your smartphone, or by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pnD9aCwp8&feature=plcp

The Black Student Caucus Honors Pres. McMickle with Gift

The Black Student Caucus surprised President McMickle at the close of the Inaugural Symposium with a special gift: a painting representing sankofa. A word used by the Asante people of Ghana, sankofa encompasses the sentiment that we must go back and reclaim our past in order to move forward. By doing so, we better understand ourselves today. The two symbolic forms of sankofa, a heart and a bird looking behind as it pulls a jewel from the feathers on its back, are figuratively represented in the painting. Jimmy Allen Bedgood is a current M.Div. student and the President of the Black Student Caucus. Regarding the gift to President McMickle he said, “He is a very wise man both in merit of scholarship and experience. However, in his immense wisdom I realize that he will never know how I am, utterly, captivated by his person. He’ll never know how it feels to be in a world most often absent of wisdom, because he has been graced with the anointing of the enlighten-ment of God. I am blessed to be his pupil.”

The two symbolic forms of sankofa, a heart and a bird looking behind as it pulls a jewel from the feathers on its back, are figuratively represented in the painting. The Black Student Caucus presented Pres. McMickle with this gift to honor his commitment to CRCDS and its role in preparing alumni/ae who have encouraged people to understand their past and to grow wiser from it.

James Cone James Cone’s address on October 16th, 2012 at the Inauguration Ceremony was both a call to remain critical and lively in how we think about our faith and a deep reflection on how he “found his voice” at CRCDS. It is available to watch online. Simply scan the QR code above with your smartphone or type this link into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 0nEP94Re6ZQ&feature=plcp

First CRCDS Event to Stream Live Online Did you know that the Inaugural Symposium was CRCDS’s very first live, web-streamed event? We are very thankful and indebted to the Revs. Susan Shafer and Phillip Phaneuf at Asbury First United Methodist Church for making this streaming possible. Through their technical support and the wonderful venue they shared to provide live streaming, we were able to have an additional 100 people take part in the Symposium. Friends from afar were not only able to watch and listen live, but they could take part, too, using Facebook, Twitter, email and texting. If you would like to view the Symposium, scan the QR code (above on the left) with your smartphone.

he Baptist Missionary Training School Journey Continues... Enabling women for ministry for over 130 years

Visitors to the Hill Stress Global Mission of Church Today In May this past year, three delegates came to the Hill to share their unique story of Zhongnan Theological Seminary in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Rev. Shuilian Zhang, Rev. Zhenren Wang and Rev. Zhiguo Zhu (from left to right) are pastors, as well as regional leaders of China's state-sanctioned Protestant church, known as the Three-self Patriotic Movement. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts between the visiting pastors and Pres. McMickle, on behalf of CRCDS.

Introducing the 2012-13 BMTS Scholarship Academic Year Recipient Nicole Iaquinto

Nicole, an American Baptist, is a first year student. Nicole grew up in a working class family and is the first person in her family to go to college. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and her MA from Ashford University. After graduation from CRCDS, Nicole plans to continue her education and pursue her Ph.D. Nicole would ultimately like to teach theology or religious history at the college/university level. “This scholarship has helped make it possible for me to attend seminary, and it is safe to say that without the support of the BMTS I may not have been able to attend CRCDS. I am honored to have been chosen as one of the recipients. Your investment in me will not be wasted and, God willing, my education here at CRCDS will be just the beginning of the work God has called me to do.”

In Memoriam

A delegation of seminary students from the Congo came to the Hill in early 2012 as part of their tour of the United States.

Dorothy Banion Hathaway BMTS ‘39 Mary L. Andersen CRDS ‘41 Russell H. Bishop CRDS ‘41 Alberta L. Kilmer BMTS ‘42 George A. Johnson CRDS ‘46 Rollin D. Williams CRDS ‘49 Horace Whitaker, Sr. CTS ‘51 Gordon F. Kurtz CRDS ‘52 Ruth Lacker CRDS ‘52 Francis E. Stewart CTS ‘52 Shirley Barr Bailey BMTS ‘53

Walter B. Barger CRDS ‘53 H. Arthur Dechent CTS ‘53 G. William Huckabone CTS ‘58 Norman D. Gano CTS ‘59 F. Barry Stipp CRDS ‘59 Lloyd R. Applegate CTS ‘62 Robert G. Kelly CTS ‘65 Howard B. Warriner, Jr. CRDS ‘65 Glenn N. Evans CRDS ‘71 Richard H. Grizzard CTS ‘73 Jacqueline Thompson CRCDS ‘03

Horizon Society

ack and Barbara Kraushaar know how vital planned giving is to not-for-profit organizations. fortunate in our lifetime to accrue funds beyond our annual needs. We felt that a portion of these funds should be shared with CRCDS.”

Jack and Barbara Kraushaar

Lifelong supporters of education, the arts and human services, the Kraushaars have spent their lives giving back by generously sharing their time, expertise and financial resources with organizations that make a difference in the lives of so many. Jack, a retired advertising executive, has served the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School as both a Trustee and, since 2002, as a Life Trustee. When asked why he and Barbara decided to make a planned gift to CRCDS, Jack is quick to answer: “I have seen how difficult it can be for the Divinity School to find annual financial support for its vitally important mission. We wanted to make sure our support continued even after our deaths.” Jack continues, “We have been

There are many reasons to make a planned gift to CRCDS. First of all, your gift provides much needed support for the CRCDS mission after your death, continuing your legacy of giving. Secondly, there are often tax advantages that may benefit you and your loved ones both now and in the future. Third, some forms of planned gifts can provide you with annual income now during your lifetime while providing income for the school later after your death. Finally, as Jack points out, “Planned giving gives you the opportunity to support a cause you are passionate about in a more substantial way than you otherwise would be able to while you are still living.”

Your Gift Would you like to make a gift to CRCDS through your estate? If you would like more information on this important opportunity or if you would like to speak with someone about the possibility of including CRCDS in your estate plans, please contact Tom McDade Clay, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at (585) 340-9648 or tmcdadeclay@crcds.edu.

How easy was it for Jack and Barbara to set up their planned gift for CRCDS? “Quite easy,” says Jack. “We talked to our financial advisor and then had the support listed in our will. It was that easy.” Please join Jack and Barbara Kraushaar and all the members of the Horizon Society by including CRCDS in your estate plans. If you would like to receive more information about making an estate gift to CRCDS, please contact Tom McDade Clay, Vice President for Institutional Advancements at (585) 340-9648 or tmcdadeclay@crcds.edu.

Memorial & Appreciation Gifts T h e Fu n d f o r C R C D s In Memory of: Dr. James B. Ashbrook Dr. William R. Northrup Dr. Oren H. Baker Rev. D. Richard Neill Ms. Arline J. Ban Ms. Marilyn J. Partin Ms. Martha M. Barr Ms. Carol Kolsti Dr. Gene E. Bartlett Ms. Jean Bartlett Rev. Dr. Lowell H. and Rev. Julie P. Fewster Rev. Charles Batter Mr. John Shoemaker Rev. Robert B. Benjamin Ms. Ann B. Benjamin Mr. Ralph Donald Bermudes Anonymous Ms. Violet Bishop Dr. Russell H. Bishop Dr. J. Rodney Branton Rev. Willis J. Merriman Rev. Henry A. Buzzell Ms. Eleonor B. Pope Mr. W. Douglas Call Anonymous Ms. Eloise Cauthen Dr. W. Kenneth Cauthen Rev. Theodore Cox Ms. Ruth A. Cox Dr. John Digangi Dr. Richard L. Means

Rev. Stanley Dodgson Ms. Loretta J. Bigger

Dr. Kenneth L. Smith Rev. and Mrs. Ronald H. Webb

Rev. Richard J. Fears Ms. Nancy K. Fears

Mr. Gary D. Talbot Rev. M. Kathleen Talbot

Rev. E. Robert Ferris, Jr. Ms. Susanna Ferris

Rev. Dr. Paul F. Thompson Ms. Sybrnee J. Thompson

Dr. Robert H. Grizzard Rev. Cheri B. Grizzard

Dr. Howard W. Thurman Rev. Carol J. Allen

Dr. William H. Hamilton Mr. L. David Easton Rev. Dr. Thomas White Wolf Fassett Rev. Paul and Mrs. Linda Rae Hardwick Rev. Robert J. Nelson

Rev. James E. Townsend Ms. Billie J. Townsend

Rev. Ruth Lacker Rev. James G. Denny Rev. Robert Lacker Rev. Barbara J. Lacker Ware and Rev. Michael A. Ware Rev. Harold C. Loughhead Ms. Wilda J. Loughhead Dr. Floyd W. McDermott Ms. Lorena M. Ritter Mrs. Louise McKinney Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee Mr. Lilburn B. Moseley Mr. James B. and Mrs. Helen Moseley Dr. Charles M. Nielsen Rev. Dr. Charles K. Hartman Rev. Thomas A. Hilton Mr. Robert Rowsam Ms. June Morin Rev. Roland V. Santee Ms. Lorena M. Ritter

Rev. Charles E. Walker Dr. Henry H. Mitchell Ms. Edina G. Weeks Rev. Edwin F. Weeks Mr. MacDonald H. Westlake Ms. Jennie Westlake Findley Dr. Lloyd N. Whyte Ms. Laura B. Whyte

In Honor of: Baptist Missionary Training School Ms. Virginia Quiring Rev. Dr. Eugene C. Bay Mr. and Mrs. James S. Emrich Mr. and Mrs. Robert Melech Dr. James Braker Rev. Dr. Donald F. Wheeler Mr. Thomas McDade Clay Ms. Elizabeth T. Clay Rev. Dr. Marvin A. McMickle Rev. Bruce E. Bilman Ms. Elizabeth T. Clay Rev. Dr. Edward L. Wheeler

February 10, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 13, 2012

Rev. Stuart J. Mitchell III and Ms. Martha Neubert Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee Rev. Paul Raushenbush Mr. Walter and Mrs. MaryLu Raushenbush Dr. James A. Sanders Rev. Dr. David C. Marx

O t h e r Fu n d s Gene E. Bartlett Preaching Conference In memory of Dr. Gene Bartlett Drs. Kenneth V. and Sally Dodgson Gene E. Bartlett Scholarship Fund In memory of Dr. Gene Bartlett Ms. Marion B. VanArsdell Gene Bennett Program for Life Long Learning In memory of C. Eugene Bennett Ms. Edna Bennett Pierce Baptist Missionary Training School Professorial Chair In memory of Dr. Werner E. Lemke Rev. Sandra J. Lemke Janice Lynn Cohen Memorial Fund In memory of Mr. Louis Sosne Mr. Marshall and Mrs. Doris Cohen Mrs. Eleanor Levy Barbara Jones-Hagedorn Memorial Fund In memory of Rev. Barbara Jones-Hagedorn American Association of Pastoral Counselors Ms. Jo Ann Baum Ms. Patricia Battisti Mr. Ralph and Mrs. Marline Blevins

Ms. Marguerite S. Bridge Mr. Morris and Mrs. Edie Bridge Ms. Mary Cattan Ms. Dorothy D. Clark Ms. Phyllis Cohen Ms. Gail Dieter Mr. David M. and Mrs. Judith Douds Ms. Kathleen Gardner Ms. Nancy Gernert Mr. Mulford and Mrs. Joanne Gibbs Mr. Richard Johnson Dr. John Jones-Hagedorn, Jr. Ms. Mirian Koo Ms. Carol S. Laco-Cueto Mr. John and Mrs. Anne Lloyd Ms. Barbara Matheson Lynd Meyer Ms. Cynthia Molinari Barbara More, RSM and Ms. Anne Maloy Mr. John G. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Gail Pease MaryJo C. Provenzano RN Mr. Morris and Mrs. Edie Range Mr. Kenneth Rebeck Rev. Dr. Gail A. Ricciuti Mr. John and Mrs. Sharon Riley Mr. James and Mrs. Karin Shiel Mr. Jeffrey D. Tannebaum Ms. Kathryn Tuttle Whirlwind Music Distributors Mr. William Young Rev. Dr. Pat Youngdahl Ms. Anita Zander The Martin Luther King Jr. Endowment Chair for Social Justice and Black Church Studies In memory of Dr. J. Rodney Branton Rev. Willis J. Merriman

In memory of Rev. Elijah J. Echols, Jr. Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee In memory of Mr. Paul Graham-Raad Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee In memory of Rev. James Hargrave Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee In honor of Dr. Charles Thurman and Mrs. Mattie Thurman Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee In honor of Rev. Dr. John Walker and Mrs. Barbara Walker Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee In tribute to the following Crozer Theological School Class of 1951 Members Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Rev. Joseph T. Kirkland Rev. Walter R. McCall Rev. Cyril G. Pyle Rev. Horace E. Whitaker Rev. Marcus G. Wood Rev. Frank D. Tyson Benedetto Pascale Scholarship Fund In memory of Rev. Benedetto Pascale Rev. Elmo and Mrs. Ella Pascale

In honor of Rev. Dr. James Cherry, Sr. and Mrs. Eunice Cherry Rev. Lawrence Hargrave and Ms. Brenda Lee

[continued from p.8] what fresh hell is this new form of voodoo economics with poor folk and/or darker skinned folks as the dolls being pierced with needles? some folks are practicing selective amnesia about the incredible destruction globally and disintegration domestically we ushered in from 2001 to 2008 this rode in on the wings of rampant hyperindividualism that celebrates the solitary and heroic individual gone is the sense of community gone is a sense of compassion it is a them vs. us mentality that would cut funding for the national endowments for the arts and humanities, foreign aid, family planning, amtrak, job training, pell grants and food stamps and we, as columnist david brooks notes, are being given a model that gives a hand up and out to folks with engineering degrees or business degrees by “offering skilled people the freedom to run their race”6 but i have heard little beyond a white middle class mantra from both parties little mention of the waitress with two kids not much for the warehouse worker who is trying to survive on wages that have stagnated for a decade barely a whisper for the factory worker whose skills are now obsolete

IV. but you know, political parties do not count on people of faith and commitment telling the truth that not only does the emperor have no clothes, the emperor is, as my grandmother used to say, “naked butt” if those of us who hold that our religious beliefs must be present and active in the public debates and elections of our day can hold on to proclaiming truth and working for justice when it gets buried in political and religious cat fights and mud-wrestling contests, we heed well du bois’s warning to us that we must tell the truth it is my hope that those four little girls carole denise mcnair addie mae collins cynthia wesley and carol robertson are not historical artifacts of the horror of what can go wrong when we blend religion and politics and then stir in a healthy dose of hatred and fear with ignorance and elitism as the maid and butler instead, we must live into and build a vibrant democracy we cannot lean on the memory of the ways that black religion has called for and fought for a robust sense of the common good for all could the black church have been sitting in the empty chair clint eastwood used to construct an imaginary obama? true enough, as luther vandross reminded us, sometimes a chair is just a chair when there’s no one sitting there but i wonder if we will be the ones who sold our souls to homophobia and a few pieces of change and helped usher in four years of misery for black folks and poor folks and old folks because we don’t know that the gospel demands that we be pro-humanity, pro-mercy, pro-justice i wonder what we could say, no i wonder what we must say in the face of the racism (because what i have been witnessing goes beyond partisan politics) that would deny obama the long list of accomplishments he has had in the last four years despite republican attempts to paint him as little more than a minstrel show comedian

Peggy McMickle, wife of Pres. McMickle, was among the audience at the Inaugural Symposium.

now although i have issues with obama’s vacillation between left of center and right of center —particularly on things like guns, his hawkish killing of US citizens suspected of terrorism, on national security, and executive secrecy

he is the same man who took out osama bin laden, helped libya determine its own destiny, oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than bush did in 8 years, and is able handle international incidents without starting a new war we must say it clearly—racism, like sexism, classism, militarism, ageism, heterosexism, and the rest of this wearying laundry list of isms–remain alive and thriving in this country because if the political parties want to ignore these issues, we cannot and must not i close this lecture with a petition, i have issued before and will continue to, particularly in the context of celebrating president mcmickle’s inauguration and the kind of ministry he crafted in cleveland and the ways in which i suspect that ministry will now infuse this seminary and the city in which it sits and beyond there are no days off! now i believe that most of us here this afternoon are hankering for a faith that comes from seeking to live in righteousness to move beyond a ritualized, sterilized, codified and cul-de-sac faith to one that comes from the heart and soul a faith that is so strong, so tough that we can craft a community of witnesses from it made up of peoples of all racial ethnic groups both genders and intersex varied lifestyles and abilities different political and theological agendas

when we turn remembering king’s legacy into a one-day-a-year-feel-good-time paid holiday celebration of inept kumbayas and sashaying allelulias there are no days off we must step into the great challenges we have before us as we choose wisely those leaders we elect

instead, we must live into and build a vibrant democracy

there are no days off we must live in the promises and refuse to accept a trail of false promises as signs of salvation there are no days off we are the righteous standing with the least of these there are no days off no matter what they say about whether you are married, divorced, single, straight, gay, lesbian or who knows what there are no days off no matter where you come from in life and where you hope to go in this life and beyond there are no days off

from all levels of the class structure

no matter what color you are

documented and undocumented

what gender you are

all ages

how old or young you are

and on and on into richness of our living

abled or disabled you are

a community of the righteousness striving to reach out to the “least of these” witnessing through our spirituality and our sense of justice demanding the best of who we can be as a church refusing to accept maudlin loathing as divine commandments when folk are hungry, thirsty, outcast, naked, sick

short or tall your nationality your tribe your religion there are no days off no matter where your people come from there are no days off no matter how many times you are called too tender-hearted or too concerned about “those people”

Pres. McMickle served as Master of Ceremony for the Inaugural Symposium. He made opening and closing remarks, stressing his close relationship with Dr. Townes, as well as the influence of people like Rabbi Daniel Roberts (pictured below) from his time in Cleveland, Ohio.

there are no days off no matter how many times politicians and public figures and other alleged christians pick up the bible to abuse it and then use it to ratify their personal wickedness there are no days off no matter what the world hands us we give back love we stand for goodness we live our faith we live with integrity we live God’s grace large we build bridges of salvation that can carry the depth and breadth of humanity over them to the memory of those four little girls and the countless other martyrs of the faith and with thanks to w.e.b. du bois for believing in black folk even when he didn’t always understand them and the hope i learned in sunday school and sitting on the children’s pew in the back of asbury temple united methodist church (that little church by the side of the road where everybody is somebody and christ is the lord) and the joy i have in what will come from marvin mcmickle’s presidency and work that crcds will do as a teaching community of faith

Notes 1

W.E.B. Du Bois, “The Propaganda of History,” in Black Reconstruction in America: An Essay Toward the History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America (New York: Russell & Russell, 1966), 722.

“Pennsylvania's Bad Election Law,” The New York Times, September 12, 2012.

President Obama paid 29% in 2010, filing jointly with his wife.

Suzanne Mettler and John Sides, “We Are the 96 Percent,” The New York Times, September 24, 2012.

Thulia Zuma, “Coming Up Short” (poem recited in New York City Urbana Slam, The Bowery Poetry Club, May 2012).

David Brooks, “Party of Strivers,” The New York Times, August 30, 2012.

there will be no days off…until justice comes thank you.

Newtown, CT [continued from inside front cover] It may be that our political leaders lack the courage to actually lead on this issue. Maybe they come from districts and regions of the country where gun enthusiasts are plentiful. Apparently the mother of the young man who killed 27 people in Newtown was herself a gun enthusiast. Her son killed her with one of her own guns. Despite the tragedy and irony of that fact, CRCDS and other seminaries and divinity schools ought not be muted in addressing this issue simply because it is politically incorrect. We are not running for reelection to a position in government. We are not looking for a 100% approval rating from the National Rifle Association. We are called to be prophets of protest in a sinful society where many are now saying that the best response to gun violence in the schools is to arm teachers with guns of their own. Is that really where we as a society are headed? We are in the midst of the Advent season. The themes of Advent are joy, hope, love and peace. All of those themes have been challenged by events in Newtown and other communities. Someone must challenge the nation to reflect on its values and repent of its views. Rather than rush out to buy a gun, may I invite us instead to ponder the lines of the song that says, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” This is our calling. This is our mandate. This must be our moment to stand up and be counted! As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men (and women) to do nothing.”

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Winter 2013