Date: November 4, 2025
Tonight, we have another Deanery event as we welcome Dr. Sousan Abadian to reflect on her interfaith work here in Washington, D.C. Dr. Abadian holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University, has a significant profile in the field of Adaptive Leadership, and has been a Fellow at MIT’s Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values. Part of the joy of being at VTS is the opportunity to hear from such remarkable voices.
My wife and I are pleased that the Deanery serves as one of the venues for these gatherings. On Monday (when I was unable to attend because I was teaching my C. S. Lewis course), the St. Nicholas Center hosted a powerful one-person play called Prisontown. And last Thursday, the Deanery was the setting for Dr. Mark Vernon’s engaging presentation exploring the imaginative world of William Blake.
Naturally, these events require support, and I want to express my gratitude to those who make them possible. My thanks to Ms. Gloria Ventura, who works so diligently to keep the St. Paul’s Library clean and welcoming, and to Mr. Lee Valerio from Meriwether Godsey, who faithfully manages the setup and cleanup of coffee and dessert for our guests. Thank you, Gloria and Lee, for your dedicated work and hospitality.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.