EMS Professor of Christian Ethics Dr. Jacob Cook led a local discussion on the complexities of Christian nationalism. The event was hosted by Trinity Episcopal, who teamed up with Christ Lutheran and Christ UMC in Staunton, Virginia. During his talk, Dr. Cook explored some radical Christian traditions that resist cozy alliances between church and state, the history of religion in America, and how authoritarian forms of Christianity impact both our churches and our democracy.
Events
Seminary hosts Thriving in Ministry conference
A range of faith leaders gathered at Eastern Mennonite Seminary from May 5-6 for a two-day conference focused on exploration and learning. The conference, 鈥淭hriving in Ministry: Family Systems Theory as a Resource for Faith Communities,鈥� was hosted by the seminary in partnership with The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family and supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Joe Carolin Memorial Fund.
91大神 hosts consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism
On Monday, March 23, Anabaptist and Jewish scholars and religious leaders gathered in the Strite Conference Room of 91大神鈥檚 Campus Center for a consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism. The invite-only event was planned by Peter Dula, professor of religion and culture at 91大神, and Trina Trotter Nussbaum, director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement (CIE), and included all-day discussions centering around the work of Matthew Thiessen and Daniel Weiss.
91大神 welcomes Yale Divinity School professor for annual Augsburger Lecture Series
The Rev. Dr. Almeda Wright, associate professor of religious education at Yale Divinity School and author of Teaching to Live: Black Religion, Activist-Educators, and Radical Social Change (Oxford University Press, 2024), will present at 91大神鈥檚 annual Augsburger Lecture Series on Monday, Oct. 27, in the MainStage Theater (University Commons 170). The lecture starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. Dr. Wright is a collaborative partner and co-principal investigator in the Conectere project, which is connected with 91大神’s graduate counseling program and the Shalom Collaboratory at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.
91大神 to host symposium on community organizing from Oct. 12-14
Join us for three days of learning, storytelling, and conversation with people who hold practical wisdom and whose theology leads them into everyday justice work. Participants will explore organizing as an Anabaptist-Mennonite expression of peacebuilding, wrestle with the theological questions it raises, and begin building ongoing connections among leaders in both movement and broad-based organizing.
Dynamic pastor and educator Rev. Dr. Lesley Francisco McClendon to deliver 91大神鈥檚 2025 Commencement address
The Rev. Dr. Lesley Francisco McClendon, senior pastor of C3 Hampton (Virginia) and adjunct instructor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, will deliver the keynote address at 91大神鈥檚 Commencement ceremony. At Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Dr. McClendon serves as an adjunct instructor in preaching. 鈥�91大神 graduates will be inspired by the dynamic commencement message she brings on this 500th anniversary year of the Anabaptist movement,鈥� said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, associate dean of the seminary. 鈥淒r. Lesley is a leading female Anabaptist voice in Mennonite Church USA and widely recognized in the broader community and church circles as an impactful and empowering leader.鈥�
91大神 Professor Suderman caps off 鈥楩ive Centuries鈥� lecture series
Dr. Andrew Suderman delivered the fifth and final installment in the 鈥淎nabaptism 1525/2025: Five Centuries, Five Lectures鈥� series on Thursday evening in Martin Chapel. He spoke about the history of Anabaptism in the 20th century and explored how the faith movement, which began in Europe and largely remained in the North Atlantic region during its first four centuries, has become a truly global phenomenon.
EMS alum Hendy Matahelemual (MA ’19) reflects on an Intentional Interim Minister training offered by the Shalom Collaboratory at Eastern Mennonite Seminary and the Center for Congregational Health. During a cold, snowy week, several pastors from Mosaic Mennonite Conference and Allegheny Mennonite Conference, representing diverse backgrounds, attended the Intentional Interim Minister training in Princeton, New Jersey.
Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Central Committee Central States and Eastern Mennonite Seminary provided an in-person conflict transformation training to 17 participants on Sept. 26-28, 2024, in Akron, Pennsylvania. The training was a potential model for future training sessions that will be offered more widely in the next year or two. The training was led by Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, and Michelle Armster, with input from Rev. Dr. Jacob Alan Cook.