It is important to remember that there are always two board meetings. The VTS Board meeting was first, followed by the GTS Board meeting. Board members take seriously their obligations to think through the interests of the institution that they are represent. The key decision is the budget parameters. The idea is that Board determines […]
Today the Board meeting is happening. It will be the last meeting as student body president for Ms. Stephanie Townes. She will provide a report from the student perspective to the VTS Board. It is an important moment. After all, we exist for the students. Our work is the formation of students. The report from […]
The February Board meetings for VTS and GTS are held on line. However, even an on-line Board meeting involves considerable work. Papers are prepared; PowerPoints are constructed; the link must be sent out; and of course the meeting needs minutes and appropriate process. The issue that dominates the plenary today is the shape of the […]
Forma, the network for Christian formation in the Episcopal church and beyond, concluded its annual conference this past Thursday. This year’s conference invited participants to explore rest as a spiritual practice and a form of resistance in a world that relentlessly demands our production. Just under 400 participants, from Hawai’i to the East Coast, engaged […]
It is always my honor as Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary to welcome leaders from around the Anglican Communion to spend part of their sabbatical with us. Their presence on our campus enriches this body and keeps us ever mindful that our Anglican tradition is far broader than our often-blinkered view of the […]
Today, I am joining Nicky Burridge and Shelagh Casey Brown in Atlanta. This is a friend making trip. We will gather both VTS and GTS alumni and friends and share with them the exciting news about the state of the two seminaries. These trips take considerable coordination. Invites need to go out. A venue needs […]
The start of the semester sermon is now up on our YouTube channel. You can find it here. In the sermon, I explain why we issued the statement in support of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. We were getting various letters, emails, social media posts, and phone calls accusing VTS of educating a marxist woke Bishop […]
It was my mistake. As I set out the VTS position for the calendar year in my start of the semester sermon, I should have highlighted our support for our international students. In a season where “deportation” is a key word, it is not surprising that our international students are concerned about both harassment and […]
The break from Christmas to the end of January is a delight. However, for many staff and faculty, January has been busy. We have had intensives on the campus. Many of the seniors had the General Ordination Examinations. For many departments, there has been some travel. It has been a busy time. Yet this morning […]
On Wednesday afternoon, the faculty made the journey to Meadowkirk at Delta Farm. We are spending two night and one complete day together. It is an opportunity to refresh, connect, and build on our relationships as Faculty sharing responsibility for this remarkable place. VTS is a strong institution for many reasons. However, one element that […]