Date: November 8, 2021
This week the Board of Trustees is on the campus. The work of the Board is important, and we stand ready to support them as they do their work.
The Board meeting coincides with an article written by Amanda P. Bourne and the Rev. Melody D. Knowles, Ph.D., in the prestigious journal Anglican & Episcopal History entitled “The Assyrian Reliefs at Virginia Theological Seminary: A History of Decisions” (Volume 90, September 2021, No.3, pp.251-272). I must admit I read the article nervously; this was a difficult decision for our Board, and there were strong feelings in the community. However, the narrative is told accurately, carefully, and fairly. The processes are all carefully described.
Disagreements continue to abound in the community over this decision. However, it is right that the story is told. We are not alone in having to make these decisions. And it is appropriate that as the Board gathers, the story of one of the hardest decisions that the Board has had to make in recent years is shared in this remarkable article by Amanda and Melody.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President