Words matter. That is why the VTS Seminary Covenant is so important, as it articulates the commitment to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. But words should be backed up by actions. For this reason, I have advocated for the Seminary to conduct what is sometimes called a “diversity audit.” This is a […]
Soon after the 2020-21 year began, VTS reaffirmed the Seminary Covenant as part of the Introduction to Intercultural Competency. The first line reads: “We, the community of Virginia Theological Seminary, in response to the love of God in Christ, resolve to embody love, justice, peace, and respect for every child of God on this campus […]
At 1:00 a.m. on August 15, in the midst of a torrential downpour, my phone rang. It was Chris Micklewright, our summer proctor, reporting that the two lower-level apartments in Maywood were flooding. Chris and the two couples, incoming students and their spouses, were frantically moving their most precious belongings to higher ground to keep […]
What does it mean to be interculturally competent? One simple way of understanding this concept is to “do unto others as they would have you do unto them.” In other words, being interculturally competent involves becoming familiar with the cultures of those around us and adapting our communication and behavior to their actual values and […]
For the past two months, I have had the privilege of being part of the Bishop Payne Library team as they begin their move back into the newly renovated space. I have proudly exclaimed to various people that I was hired as their “grunt worker” for the summer, doing the odds and ends of moving. […]
The African American Episcopal Historical Collection (AAEHC) is a trove of surprises – defying my expectations in many ways. For example, I did not think that my time spent would be a return visit to some of the warmest and most comfortable occasions of my boyhood. Walking back through what has gone on before satisfies […]
Over the past fourteen months, as the Seminary archives and the African American Episcopal Historical Collection mitigated the challenges of the library and archives renovations, a temporary location with minimal collections, amidst a global pandemic, I had to keep from not getting overwhelmed by the task at hand. I constantly reminded myself of the adage: […]
Has a library user ever considered the work that allows them to identify, select and obtain the materials that they need for class and research? The life cycle of a library collection encompasses selection, ordering, receiving, cataloging, labeling, and repairing of materials. Selection involves anticipating the needs of current faculty and students before they do. […]
I like to think I care most about the essentials: those key theologians and figures from Church history that are most important to know. So, when we realized the Welcome Center Library would only contain 10% of the library’s total print collections, I thought this might be a welcome reprieve from an ordinarily overwhelming collection. […]
I love words. I love studying their origins and derivatives. I love adding new ones to my vocabulary. I love looking up definitions of even the most commonly used words to catch a fresh glimpse of something that lends a new perspective or context to my understanding. The Oxford Dictionary provided just such a glimpse […]