MATA Student Bundy Trinz "My Loss, Your Loss...Grief, Healing and Hope."

The first of three different videos showcasing the Theology and the Arts Thesis Projects:










http://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedTheological#p/a/u/1/hTrSCQTVuiE

Graduating Senior Leslie Johnson

I originally came to study at a Christian seminary because I felt it was essential to learn, in part, the theological language of such a powerful world religion.  My own spiritual connection with the divine is a love for nature. I consider myself a non-theistic nature mystic with a Pagan-based liturgical expression of faith.  This expression draws upon traditions that have suffered damaging oppression by culturally dominant religious forces.  I made a vocational promise long ago that I would endeavor to be a voice for the sacred immanent source of pantheistic inspiration.  My desire to study a dominant theological language is based on a decision to seek dialogue concerning the, seemingly misunderstood, faith connection with nature.  Within the dialogue I seek reconciliation; a form of ecumenical inclusivity which would act as a dominant culture validation for the long-oppressed spiritual expression of such ecological connection.

I arrived at seminary with this assumption: that many mainline faiths did not revere nature as religiously valuable; and that in being debased within an overtly transcendent faith perspective Earth suffered as a result of its dislocation from the theological realm of sacred.  I reasoned that eco-abusive behavior of popular consumer culture was, in a subtle and long-standing somewhat insidious sense, endorsed by many mainline religious expressions which partnered with popular politics.  I believed this partnership created leadership of a national market which is rapidly transforming into a global enterprise—fed by the rapacious use of these “profane” natural resources.

While many of my assumptions remain true some have been proven wrong. It has been a truly great privilege to attend United Theological Seminary.  I am especially inspired by the strength of its mission to educate and promote faith and action concerning progressive social justice.  I have been taught patiently to open and express my voice by representatives of a faith that I once considered more of an antagonist than a source of spiritual mentorship.  I have been deeply humbled by the humanistic and religious commitment of Christians whom I have encountered at this seminary, and have been deeply impressed by the strength of the movement of Green Christianity which I hadn’t known existed.  The program of study has had the affect of altering my perspective and refocusing the intended thesis with which I began this educational journey.

Previous to my enrollment I had practiced spiritual attunement, studied comparative theology, and created ceremony for many who are outside the church. I believed that engaging in a degree program would allow me to better communicate my spiritual perspective through learning the specificity of theological language.  I was not fully aware of the powerful gift of guidance and insight that I would receive through the curriculum and community at United Theological Seminary.

At UTS I have been instructed in the ways of discerning my true voice; to decipher and create theological language that best expresses my deepest vocation.  Mine has been a consistent calling to give voice to the expression of spirit on behalf of ecology.  The ecological crisis we currently face, and the ways in which we can move into the future with hope and healing, depends in part upon our spiritual strength and consideration of Earth as sacred ground.  I believe that diversity is absolutely essential in this growing global discourse, and the ethos of UTS encourages this critical inclusivity.  It is my hope that the growth of ecologically based spiritual language will contribute to inspiring community involvement in the movement toward a greener communion with creation.

Alumni Update: Dixie Laube

Well, friends and colleagues of United Theological Seminary, it is my turn to write for the blog. Are you excited? Some of you have not heard from me since I graduated and left UTS back in July of 2009. I have been on an exciting journey since graduation and I will try to include some of that here. I know…I know…you don’t want to read a book.

Anyway, when I packed everything up on July 2, 2009, I moved down to Rochester, MN into a newly constructed town-home. I am renting it, because my length of stay in Rochester (at this point and time) was only a year. I have been working on my carbon-footprint this year, too. If Dwight Wagenius is reading this, he would be so proud to know, that I am taking the City bus to and from work—everyday! For those of you who don’t know, I was accepted into the Residency Clinical Pastoral Education program at Mayo Clinic and Hospitals shortly before graduation. CPE started on August 21, 2009.

I was ordained into the United Church of Christ on October 4, 2009 and have been walking on cloud 9 since then. I will be with Mayo until August 25, 2010. Along with 4 other residents, whom Gage Church and I met, I am enjoying my time down here. Though there are some days (and weeks) that Gage and I reminisce about how wonderful it would be to have a Reading Week or Vacation to help us catch up!

Follow the UTS Global Justice Immersion Trip to El Salvador! March 18-26

http://utsglobaltrips.com/

UTS Alum Peg Chemberlin Responds to Glenn Beck

UTS Alum Peg Chemberlin responds to recent comments by Glenn Beck about the role of social justice in the Christian tradition.  Check it out!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peg-chemberlin/christians-run-as-fast-as_b_495166.html

Notes from a Second Year MDiv by Donna Stucky

Each class I take at United is another adventure into my religious, cultural, theological, social, and sometimes emotional self. Mostly I've felt that each class has so much to offer, especially to someone who loves to learn. My experience at United has resulted in honing, reaffirming, scratching, dismissing, questioning, doubting, rebuilding, and trusting my beliefs. Doesn't that sound like an almost perfect seminary experience...and by the way, I am aware of my social location and have learned to integrate. Most recently, I've learned to integrate world news, national news, local news, personal experiences, lectionary texts, worship elements, and multi-media formats.

This semester I have preached my first, 5-minute, practice sermon. I have the real ones to go. Anyone have a sermon they'd like to loan me. I never thought of myself as a preacher but hopefully I'll manage a couple of good enough sermons. Chaplaincy is my forte and I've been challenged to think about the difference between guilt and shame. I've always thought I'm very good and guilt...but maybe it's shame??? I've also been challenged to consider the value structure, longings, beliefs and maturity of anyone who may show up at the other end of my chaplaincy visit.

The thing that I like about seminary and the thing that's so frustrating it that one's sacred norms, codes and beliefs are thrown in the air like a clay pigeon, shot through with holes and then we're supposed to go pick up the pieces and make eagles out of them. It's tiring and it takes creativity and well worth it.

Blessings to all for a great Spring semester.

Donna Stucky

What do today's seminarians look like?

http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/economic_squeeze_produces_a_new_kind_of_seminarian