170 02_13_09

February 13, 2009

Kairos

A Publication of the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Community

Issue #170

By Stella Burkhalter, MDiv Senior

“Tell me about your trip!” everyone keeps saying, and it’s essentially what Paul Dubois said on your behalf, too. He recently sent an e-mail to past Kairos contributors inviting us to write again, and he specifically suggested that those of us who went on the Holy Land travel seminar should write about it. I laughed out loud. Where would I even begin? My stream-of-consciousness notes are 28 single-spaced pages long. Should I write about what it felt like to stand at the foot of the great pyramids of Giza? Or what it looked like to gaze out on the Sea of Galilee at sunrise? Or what it sounded like to join with my classmates in reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic and Hebrew, the languages of the warring parties only a few miles away, in the very spot where it was first taught? I could go on and on, but if I had to choose, I think the best things I experienced were Stephanie and John and Isabel and Ruth. Traveling to Egypt and Israel was amazing, but traveling with the seminary group made it even more meaningful. In addition to seeing what I saw, I got to watch others experience and make discoveries of their own. Stephanie Cripps wanted to see the separation wall since she has studied and written about it extensively. She got stuck with me as a roommate and seatmate on the bus, so I got to hear her gasp and freeze in awed stillness when she realized that the graffiticovered wall she’d considered from every angle was right outside her window. I got to see a woman who passionately studies and seeks truth as her understanding was enriched by firsthand stories from those who live in the middle of the conflict. I got to see John Leedy discover the joys of pottery shard hunting, and I was there not only when he found a piece of iridescent Roman glass from the Byzantine era, but also when the jeweler in Jerusalem handed it back to him in a silver pendant setting. I got to see a man who loves his wife treasure and anticipate the thought of giving her a priceless and one-of-a-kind gift. I got to be with Isabel Rivera-Velez as she and

her husband walked through the markets and peered in the glass cases in the shops. They’re still newlyweds, and one time, I overhead Hector as he put his arm around her waist, leaned in close, and said, “If you want it, mi amor, let’s get it.” I got to see a woman who had wept in my arms as she struggled through the agony of her husband’s death now get to be loved again by a man who wanted to buy her everything. My favorite, though, was Ruth Martin. Ruth graduated in 2008, so some of you don’t know her. Those who do know her surely understand. Let’s just say she’s not shy about speaking her mind, and her exuberance is infectious. Ruth’s number one goal was to put her feet in the Jordan River—to fulfill a promise made to her grandmother. When we made our way down that hill, everyone cleared a path. Ruth took off her shoes and walked gingerly toward the water. “Somebody give me a hand,” she said. Andy Dearman was the closest, and he, like the rest of us, knows you better always do what Ruth says. Ruth took his hand, stepped in, closed her eyes, and sighed, “Halleluiah!” I will be forever grateful my camera was ready to capture what I got to see – an answered prayer and the joyful expression of a woman who constantly longs for a double portion of God’s Spirit. At one point in the trip, we got to see the exact spot on the ground where Jesus was standing when he ascended into heaven. OK, so maybe it wasn’t the spot, but people love to designate these things, so a spot of bare rock is framed with pavers in the middle of a chapel. People say you can see the shape of a footprint there. That spot wasn’t particularly meaningful to me, though. Maybe it’s because I can’t imagine that Christ ever left. I saw him all over the place in the lives of my companions. You’ve heard this before, but please hear it again: GO on a travel seminar while you have the gift of this community to travel with. There’s no telling what you’ll see. Note: Early on the morning of February 10, 2009, Ruth Martin’s grandmother passed away, peacefully in her sleep. © 2009 Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

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Chapel Schedule February 16—February 20 Monday:

Morning Prayer Service Led by Scott Spence

Tuesday:

Service of Word and Sacrament Rev. David Johnson, preacher

Thursday:

Morning Prayer Service Led by Sally Wright

Friday:

Morning Prayer Service Led by Mari Lyn Jones

Senior MDiv students will begin preaching in chapel during the week of February 23.

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Welcome New January and Spring Term Students! MASTER OF DIVINITY January Term: Ms. Anna Michelle Bowden University Baptist Church, Austin, TX Mr. Thomas (Ty) Gordon Wood First Baptist Church, Amarillo, TX Spring Term: Mr. Chang Wan Choe St. Luke United Methodist Church, Killeen, TX Mr. Dong (Don) Ryool Choi Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX Ms. Cynthia Grilk Engstrom First United Methodist Church, Bastrop, TX NEW SPECIAL STUDENTS Ms. Charlene V. Conlin Bee Creek United Methodist Church, Spicewood, TX Ms. Michele Marie Lott First United Methodist Church, LaGrange, TX

APTS Crop Hunger Walk Team Austin Area Interreligious Ministries (AAIM) in partnership with Church World Services (CWS) is hosting their 30th Annual Crop Hunger Walk on March 7th and 8th. If you are not already participating with a local congregation or another organization, please consider joining the APTS team. If you are interested in walking, packets can be obtained from Nikki Stahl ([email protected]) or you can join the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary team online (www.churchworldservice.org). Donations can also be made at this website. Specific information about the Austin walk can be found at www.aaimaustin.org/cropwalk.html.

Commencement News

Mark your calendars!

Student Senate Minutes February 11, 2009 Present: Excused:

NEW BUSINESS

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Baccalaureate Sat., May 23 6:30 p.m.

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Commencement Sun., May 24 2:00 p.m.

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Both Events Will Be Held At University Presbyterian Church See Alison in the dean’s office for more information.

Melissa Koerner, Sarah Hegar, Jose Lopez, Matthew Thompson, Lindsay Hatch, Amy Wiles Chris Kreisher

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AV equipment for manna. Senate has decided that we will set up and control the AV equipment for each manna. Jose and Lindsay will set up and tear down each week. Jackie McCully will be informed of this. MATS Election for Student Senate will be coming up. Senate is also interested in having an MSSW Student join Senate in the future Spring Fling, a.k.a. Spring Fung– possibly combining this event with SSW, or making two separate smaller events during this semester. More discussion and details will be coming soon. Coffeehouse – Possibly open it up to SSW. Manna Feb.18 - Israel January Term students will present Corpus Christi – would like another $80 for an event. This student group has already received $200 from the Student Senate budget. We will discuss this next week.

Jose closed the meeting in prayer Respectfully submitted by Sarah Hegar.

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IQ Is Here ! Austin Seminary’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), “Information Quality,” is a required component of Austin Seminary’s reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges and The Association of Theological Schools. This week, Feb. 16-19, the onsite review will take place. The onsite team is made up of peers from other SACS and ATS-accredited institutions and staff members from SACS and ATS. They will visit our campus and meet with groups of faculty, students, and administrators. Most of these meetings have already been called and participants notified, but it is also possible that an onsite review team member may approach any of us and ask us something, or that additional meetings may need to be scheduled once the team is here. Please watch for emails from the office of the academic dean and be prepared to respond promptly. We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter. Please do not hesitate to Allison in the Dean’s office contact the office of the academic dean should you have questions or concerns.

CALL PROCESS AND INTERVIEW SKILLS Wednesday, February 18, 2009 McMillan #210 6:30 – 8:00 pm Presented by: David Evans This information will be beneficial to Presbyterian students as you move forward in conversations with Pastor Nominating Committees.

GETTING IN SHAPE FISCALLY Wednesday, March 4, 2009 McMillan #210 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Seminar On Your Own Break Supper break, Barth & Grill Seminar

Presented by: The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) This seminar is required by PC(USA) Presbyteries

Call Sharon Pawlik at 404-4832 for more information on either seminar.

REGISTER ONLINE BY FEBRUARY 20, 2009

“Ancient Rites for a New Generation of Disciples” … Is the theme of this summer’s annual gathering of the North American Association for the Catechumenate. The NAAC is an ecumenical organization which provides training and support for churches engaged in the process of baptismal conversion and making Christian disciples. The gathering will feature Keynote Speaker Dr. Craig Satterlee, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, in addition to emergent worship leaders Emily Scott and Isaac Everett. We are inviting all future pastors to join us at the beautiful Mt. Carmel Conference Center, Niagara Falls, Canada on August 3-6, 2009. We are offering a free introductory membership and a $250 scholarship (discount) for the first 10 who register. For more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Lord, or go online at www.catechumenate.org and click on “Annual Gathering.”

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A Miniseries of Reflections from Travels Abroad By Mary Elizabeth Prentice, MDiv Middler gave us insight into historical and present-day events. You could tell that Paul was torn between being with us and earning money to provide for his I left you all last week as we departed the Tel family, and being with the people of the Gaza Strip Aviv airport. I invite you back into an exploration and working as a humanitarian aid worker. reflection of identity. Because of the timing of the trip and the conSome might say that traveling to Israel and flict that raged on nearby, many tours had been canPalestine during January 2009 was not the best celed and we reaped the benefits of the absence of idea. Ironically enough it was actually a perfect time tourists. It was a mixed to travel. We were safe blessing for me, one that I and I trusted our leader, struggled with deeply. On Dr. Andy Dearman, but one hand, we got to see and there was still tension in do more than was planned the air. You could feel it. because of the few crowds Andy had arranged that and Paul’s ever present we travel on Arab buses “Yalah! Let’s Go!” which kept and stay at Arab hotels. us on the move. Often times The thinking was that if because of this continuous there were going to be herding we had historical attacks on civilians they sites to ourselves and got would be targeted toward reflections from both Paul Israeli buses and hotels. I and Andy, and on the rare trusted Andy, so our occasion we had time for safety was never an issue silent reflection on our own. I was terribly concerned On the other hand, I could about. Plus, Andy said, not help but think about the once you are introduced war and suffering others to Arab hospitality it is were enduring that causes hard to not be attracted to fear and thus resulted in the Arab businesses, and I absence of other tourists. would agree. This fear was a blessing for Andy has led us, but I could not help but many groups over to the think of the fear of those sufregion. He is a walking fering in the Gaza Strip and I encyclopedia of knowlsilently regretted/struggled/ edge, much like all of the hurt because of our professors I have encoun“blessing.” tered on this campus. He Our Nigerian Pilgrim Friends at the Sea of Galilee This is not to say that chose our guide “Paul.” (I there were not tourists, but have chosen to change both Andy and Paul commented that there were not the name of our guide. I do not know how public as many as to be expected. The groups we did enKairos is, but in order to protect his identity I have counter were dotted along the continuum of religions chosen to change the name.) Paul and Andy have and regions of the world. Back in Egypt at the led trips together before. They respect one another Sphinx we saw a group of Muslim tourists. Heba, and complement each other’s knowledge with a our guide, pointed out this group because the plethora of facts and insights. Paul, though, gave us women, who were following the men, were in full an education you cannot get from a textbook. He is burka and hijab, which is not abundantly prevalent in a Palestinian Christian, and his work with tour Egypt. Side-note: I am pretty sure I made their famgroups and aid agencies in Israel and Palestine Part Two

Continued on page 5

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Continued from page 4

ily home video seeing as how one of the men we walked from the Temple of Pan at Caesarea Phistepped in front of me with the video camera and lippi down to a waterfall that feeds the Jordan River came within inches of my face. I was too focused on we encountered a group of 50 or so young people a woman in full burka, whom I had locked eyes with and their three armed guards. They were friendly and smiled, and was surprised to see the camera in and let our group pass them on our hike as we idenmy face. Man - I would love to be a fly on the wall tified each other as United States citizens. when they review that because I am sure I pulled a Then there were the Eastern Europeans stereotypical Mary Elizabeth facial expression. (Russian or Armenian) at our hotel. Their solemn, Then there stoic expression, and were the Nigerians we monk-nun attire physiran into at the airport, cally identified them as the Sea of Galilee, on Orthodox Christians. the Via Dolorosa, in the Their spirited energy in Church of the Holy the buffet line made Sepulcher, and numerbeing friendly a chalous other locations. lenge at times, but as They tended to dress Andy said – Politeness in beautiful traditional wins you nothing. African clothing: buba, So we were all kaba, iro, gele – the identified as pilgrims, works.1 It is my underpeople who had journeyed from a distance. standing that Nigerian We were people that pilgrimages are paid were visiting and exfor by the Nigerian govploring a land that we ernment and visit the did not live in. We Holy Land in the hunwere people trying to dreds each year.2 Our Eastern Orthodox Buffet Line Competitors examine a place where Their “God Loves” we all share roots. Yet scarves and hats idenmore often than not, I sensed the population’s tified them as Christian pilgrims, and I observed their (tourist and natives alike) general hesitation to find piety and reverence for traditional sacred locations commonalties, and instead perceived an eagerness with uncertainty, yet also with admiration. to categorize and stake strong claims to our individWe met our first Jewish Birthright Pilgrims in ual identities. the Golan Heights. “Birthright Israel, an organization in the United States, offers a free ten-day educaTo be continued. . . tional experience available to any young adult Jew between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six.”3 As Footnotes 1 http://www.mapsofworld.com/nigeria/culture/clothing.html 2 http://www.shvoong.com/newspapers/nigeria/1772769-pilgrimage-nigerian-governmetnt-gets-commendation/ 3 http://www.birthrightisrael.com/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage

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Kairos Editorial Guidelines Kairos is the voice of students at Austin Seminary. Kairos generally carries no advertisement for sales of goods or services by individuals. An exception is the sale of a student’s library or other study aids. It is not possible to make all program announcements which are submitted by individual churches. Kairos is more likely to be able to run announcements which apply to ecumenical or interfaith groups or groups of churches. No letters which attack individuals or groups will be run in Kairos. This is to be distinguished from letters which might criticize the actions of individuals or groups. Kairos will publish letters to the editor that contribute to Christian conversation on the APTS campus. All letters must be signed.

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“The Day My Childhood Friend Cried for Me” For Esther Stiff I stood spilling hot words of hurt and shame You looked stricken and wisely stayed mute. So full of my own pain and reckless to share it Grim and blind to love-torn eyes oozing white tears. So sorry so sad blind eyes did not could not see Dissolving images of your hopes and passions Your fantasy about me. ©Malartha Bosier 2003

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES CITY/STATE Tucson, AZ San Angelo, TX Cedar City, UT Lubbock, TX Laramie, WY Dalhart, TX Huntsville, AL Norman, OK

CHURCH St. Marks PC First Presbyterian Community Presbyterian Grace Presbyterian United Presbyterian First Presbyterian Harvest/NW Madison County NCD First Presbyterian

Columbia, SC Tacoma, WA Springfield, TN Orkney Islands Alice, TX Mc Gehee, AR Magnolia, AR Overland Park, KS New Braunfels, TX Yorktown, VA Wichita, KS Bellaire, TX Madison, WI

Shandon Presbyterian Marine View Presbyterian First Presbyterian The Church of Scotland First Presbyterian First Presbyterian First Presbyterian Overland Park Presbyterian New Braunfels Presbyterian Yorkminster Presbyterian Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Christ Church Presbyterian Presbyterian House,

Indianapolis, IN Las Vegas, NV Vancouver, WA

Second Church First Presbyterian East Woods Presbyterian

POSITION Co-Pastor (ordained) Associate Pastor (ordained) Solo Pastor (ordained) Pastor (ordained) Pastor (ordained) Pastor, Redevelopment (ordained) Pastor, NCD (ordained) Director, 2nd Wind Ministries, campus ministry, Univ. of OK (ordained) Assoc. Pastor for Youth (ordained) Associate Pastor (ordained) Solo Pastor (ordained) 3 positions (ordained) Pastor (ordained) Solo Pastor (ordained) Solo Pastor (ordained) Solo Pastor (ordained) Youth Director (non-ordained) Director Christian Ed (non-ordained) Director Christian Ed (non-ordained) Director of Family Life (non-ordained) College Chaplain Intern, 1 yr (non-ord.) U. of Wisc, Madison 2 yr residency program (non-ordained) Minister to Youth (non-ordained) Youth Ministry Director ½ time (non-ord)

OTHER CHURCH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES CITY/STATE Austin, TX Greenville, SC Keller, TX Wayzata, MN San Antonio, TX

CHURCH Highland Park Baptist Furman University First United Methodist Wayzata Community Church (UCC) University of Incarnate Word

POSITION AP-Youth & Student Ministry Chaplaincy Internship Director of Youth Ministries Minister for Faith & Learning TRIO-SSP Program Counselor

Note: New Church Information Forms (CIF) are on file in the Vocation & Placement Office. Other Local Opportunities: Received regularly; check the Student Employment Bulletin Board outside the Financial Aid Office. Also, check the “other opportunities” binder in the Vocation & Placement Office.

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By Crystal McCormick, MDiv Senior Jessica Simpson and theology; the two do not seem to have a lot in common, yet recent news headlines suggest they do, especially when one looks at this from a feminist perspective. I admit to not being a fan of the popular entertainer, though I have certainly seen her picture on the cover of many magazines when waiting in line at the grocery store. I have also heard bits and pieces about her private life: married to an entertainer, then divorced, then dating a Dallas Cowboy football player. But, I also have to admit that—perhaps unfairly—I have looked at her with a critical eye, as I recall seeing an advertisement for a movie she was in, in which she was scantily dressed, lying over the hood of a vehicle in a sexually suggestive position. I recall thinking that this image only served to perpetuate the idea that women are mere objects– things…just things. Images cause us to reflect on how our culture measures women. Clearly, we live in the midst of a cultural ethos that measures all people according to what they produce; be it according to our intellectual abilities, our material wealth, or, our physical appearance. We all should recognize that we are all measured according to unfair standards that are most definitely in contradiction to what our faith teaches us about intrinsic value. Nevertheless, there is a particular set of challenges I believe women face, and the recent news about Jessica Simpson helps illustrate these challenges. Until most recently, Jessica Simpson has been praised and utterly objectified for her physical appearance, from the size of her breasts to her slender waist, and so on; she has certainly been the object of desire for many, and perhaps even the ideal look for many women. Yet, suddenly, some small weight gain and many begin to express disappointment and even suggest that she is no longer physically attractive. Certainly there is an unfair expectation that figures in popular media must have a certain look about them, but the messages to women are clear: a beautiful woman must not have laugh lines around her eyes or her mouth, or her forehead, for that matter; a woman must have full lips, and perfect hair, and her skin should be flawless, so that when a woman is 50 she really looks 40, and when a woman is 40 she really looks 30, and so on and so on. In addition, a woman’s breasts must be of a certain shape and size, and her waist must be thin and flat, only to compliment her curvy, but not too

curvy hips and rear. One more image which demonstrates the problem: a recent issue of People magazine, released in November of 2008, right after the election, showed an advertisement for a cooking show; in it there are two women and two men by a dining table. The men, fully dressed – no skin showing – only their faces and necks popping out of their fine suits, and the two women appear in tight dresses, cleavage exposed; one hovers over the table in a sexually suggestive position, while the other makes a sexually suggestive pose as she is about the eat something (because all women are aroused by what we eat?). Again, the men stand there, simply smiling. Incidentally, the men are not exactly slender, either. So, clearly, the standard is not quite the same for men and women, is it? The fact is that all the negativity about Jessica Simpson’s weight is not news, it is smut, but it’s the smut that permeates our cultural ethos. Unfortunately, also, the signs and symbols that we have internalized tell women that in order to be beautiful they must measure up accordingly, and so the beautiful Jessica Simpson, for many, is no longer beautiful, and the millions of women who see this figure might imagine that they too, are not beautiful. The signs and symbols of the gospel speak of a different measure of value. Take for example the gospel of Matthew, which urges us not to store up treasures where moth and rust can destroy. Ironically, however, it is clear that as a culture we value the exact things that the gospel of Matthew exhorts us against: specifically, placing our value on things that are truly not eternal. So, for example, we value production and wealth over time and relationship, and we value a certain ideal of physical beauty over the beauty each person possesses, in addition to the intrinsic value each person has as a person, created in God’s image. As people of faith it is our calling to speak against the signs and symbols that contradict the truths rooted in our faith. Thus, we must define beauty in ways that are consistent with our faith, but also remind all people that they are beautiful with or without the laugh lines, with the not-so flat stomachs, and so on. We must work to shift the paradigm so that women are treated as people, and not objects to be leered at for pleasure… not mere things.

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Austin Seminary Welcomes United Methodist Bishop James E. Dorff In keeping with Austin Seminary tradition, Bishop James (Jim) E. Dorff, San Antonio Area of the United Methodist Church, will visit Austin Seminary on Tuesday, February 24 (Shrove Tuesday). Bishop Dorff was elected to the episcopacy last summer, replacing Bishop Joel Martínez, who retired. Austin Seminary is an important community for the education of pastors in the United Methodist Church, especially in the Southwest Texas Conference. United Methodist students comprise nearly 20 percent of the student body, and Austin Seminary trains more pastors for the Southwest Texas Conference than all other seminaries or schools of theology combined. Our whole community looks to further this relationship under his episcopacy. Chapel:

Bishop Dorff will preside in chapel on Tuesday, February 24.

Lunch:

Bishop Dorff’s visit will be the occasion for a special luncheon in his honor. All students, Methodist or not, are invited to attend.

Conversation:

Southwest Texas Conference District Superintendents and members of the Board of Ordained Ministry will be available to visit with students following the luncheon. Please RSVP for the luncheon in the white binder by the McCord Desk. Also, there is a sign-up sheet for the Cabinet/BOM conversations, if you are interested.

Biography of Bishop Dorff Bishop Jim Dorff was elected to the episcopacy at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference held in Dallas, Texas, in July, 2008. Appointments in the North Texas Annual Conference include: Area Provost, Superintendent of the DallasDenton District, First UMC McKinney, First UMC Gainesville, Executive Director of the DFW Airport Chaplaincy, and Associate Pastor at Highland Park UMC. The last ten of his 17 years at Highland Park were served as Director of the Pastoral Care and Counseling Ministry. Positions of leadership in the North Texas Conference have included serving as Chair of the Committee on Episcopacy, Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry, Chair of the Division on Conference Relations, Chair of the Division on Evangelism, Conference Nominating Committee, Council on Finance & Administration, Chair of the Clergy Effectiveness Team, and many others. Bishop Dorff was elected as a delegate to the 2008 General Conference and served on the Superintendency Committee. He was a General Conference delegate in 2004 and served on the Local Church Legislative Committee. In 2000 he served as a Jurisdictional Conference delegate and as a Jurisdictional Conference reserve in 1996. For the general church, Bishop Dorff served on the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. He was also a member of the Connectional Ministry Funding Patterns Task Force created by the 2004 General Conference and serves on the Board of the Texas Methodist Foundation. He was recently elected to represent The United Methodist Church on the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches. Bishop Dorff graduated from Perkins School of Theology, SMU (MTh, 1972), Oklahoma City University (BA, 1969), and Central High School, Muskogee, Oklahoma (1965). He served on the Perkins Senate and was President of the Student Council. Always active in community life, Bishop Dorff served on the Board of Directors and chaired several committees of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches. He was president of the Gainesville and McKinney Ministerial Alliances. While in Gainesville, he was President of the Board of Commissioners for the Gainesville Housing Authority. In McKinney, he served on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce. Bishop Dorff has been married to Barbara Langley Dorff since 1975. She is a consultant in Social Studies for Region 10 Education Service Center. The Dorffs have two grown sons, John and Michael.

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A Weekly Column Offering Musings, Insights, and Reflections on the Seminary Life

Expanding Horizons By Paul Dubois, MDiv Senior I’m beginning to learn what it is that my church would like for me to learn in seminary. It’s about time, given that this is my last semester of classes: More theology, they tell me. Be clear on the various atonement theories, and be able to defend your favorite. Relate your theology to Wesley, but give yourself a little slack, too. But the Methodist church really has little leverage at this point in my journey. The rigors of our process don’t begin until after graduation. Only then will we be at the mercy of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry, in contrast to our Presbyterian friends, whose Presbyteries often require this class or that from the beginning. And so during my time at seminary I have allowed myself to be led by my own curiosity, influenced, I hope, by the Spirit. I expect I’ll have some make-up work to do, to brush up on atonement and Wesley and such. But not now. Four years ago, as I began to entertain the notion of a seminary education, I looked into the (now-defunct) Perkins extension program in San Antonio. Besides Perkins’ lack of financial aid for persons with my below average undergraduate GPA, their admissions requirements also included–gasp–one undergraduate philosophy course. Why, I thought, would I need philosophy for a seminary education? Ah, the ignorance of the ignorant. As it turns out, I have concentrated my electives in the area of philosophical theology. It kinda just happened that way. I remember having a question that even now I cannot articulate. Something having to do with how we know or how we understand. Or maybe even why we think the way we do. Why is our theology the way it is? And I remember the moment a solution was offered... soaking in the hot water of Pagosa Springs, someone mentioned Bill Greenway’s class ‘Theology and Hermeneutics.’ Little did I know at the time that this would be the first person of my Topics in Philosophical Theology trinity. It has taken three courses for me to even begin to be conversant in the subject matter, but I see it and engage it everywhere. Being truly conversant will take a bit more work; but insights abound. These studies have expanded my horizons of understanding, engaging, and participating in the world and with all of you in it. It’s hard to explain (which is fitting for philosophy), but somehow I see it as something that links revelation to tradition. Something happens... God erupts into our worlds... and it is our philosophy that helps–or enables–us to translate that event and our experience of it into what becomes our tradition and the bodies of meaning that tradition encompasses. So when we examine our doctrine or

our liturgy, philosophy has a voice in the conversation whether we know about it or not, and I want to know about it. How can we begin to understand the underpinnings of the Christological controversies of the early church without understanding Greek philosophy? When the Board calls me to explain my theology, philosophy will be at my side. A few years ago I picked up a copy of Reinhold Niebuhr’s Nature and Destiny of Man. Then, I could barely make headway; now, I am engaged with the work, and with Niebuhr, and with his supporters and critics. The language that enables me to read it is not theology (granted, a language in its own right) but philosophy. Some of my friends have concentrated in the biblical languages, reveling in the words of an ancient world which, just two years ago, were totally inaccessible to us as Juniors. Others have concentrated in theology, drawing upon the rich traditions of our people struggling with faith, seeking understanding. Some have concentrated in worship knowing that the gathering of the people of God is, indeed, primary theology and the foundational community for all that we are. And then there are those who have concentrated in pastoral care, because here is the where one meets Christ, in the face of the other who suffers. Each of us can probably explain why theirs was the right choice, and, I believe, each would be right. But, for me it has been philosophy. Now, there are some drawbacks. For example, when my wife and I are sitting together in the evening, our “couch time”, unwinding and sharing the events of our day, and she lets me know about something that happened to her that she felt was unethical. At this point, one might be tempted to examine (as I typically am) whether or not the event was, in fact, unethical, by drawing on the insights of some old dead German guy and probing the true point of departure for the supposed ethical transgression. (Note to self: avoid suggesting that the matter is not really a question of ethics.) Similarly, her frustrations in trying to collaborate with large institutions and their bureaucratic systems often sound like a request for me to deliver an excursus on our modern human tendencies to act instrumentally instead of communicatively, ultimately leading to the colonization of the lifeworld by the systems we have created to serve us. At these times it truly seems to me that the concepts of différence, reification, and dialectic, as positive or negative factors, could be quite helpful in interpretation and understanding of her day. Alas, I seem to be losing her. I am saddened to have learned that some aspects of my seminary education have no place at our couch time. But, hey... I’m concentrating in philosophy, not pastoral care.

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Monday, February 9th 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Morning Prayer Service Led by Scott Spence Acts 2:42 – Jose Lopez Spiritual Direction Group – Scott Quinn MATS Colloquium – Ellen Babinsky

WEEKLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEBRUARY 16-FEBRUARY 22, 2009

Tuesday, February 10th 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 4:15 – 8:15 p.m.

SACS-ATS Onsite Review – Alison Riemersma Service of the Word Led by David Johnson Chapel Team: Kaci Porter and Amber Reber Reading, Writing, and Study Skills – Light German

Wednesday, February 11th 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. 12:45 – 2:30 p.m. 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

SACS-ATS Onsite Review – Alison Riemersma Foedus Pietas – Alison Riemersma Spiritual Direction – Joe Berry Spiritual Direction – Jean Springer Midweek Manna – Student Senate Corpus Christi – Scott Spence Student Senate – Melissa Koerner Wilderness Course Orientation – Bill Greenway Korean Bible Study – In Hye Park Spiritual Direction – Barbara Schutz APTS Choir Rehearsal – Kevin McClure Student Life/Standing Committee – Ellen Babinsky Worship Committee – Jennifer Lord Program of Study Committee – Ismael Garcia Senior Seminar: Call Process & Interview Skills – Sharon Pawlik

Thursday, February 12th 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

SACS-ATS Onsite Review – Alison Riemersma Spiritual Direction – Barbara Schutz Morning Prayer Service Led by Sally Wright Call 2 – Gail Dalrymple

Friday, February 13th 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Morning Prayer Service Led by Mari Lyn Jones Austin HR Management Association – Lori Rohre

Page 10

Shelton Chapel Knox Dining Hall McCord 202 McCord 201

McCord 203 Shelton Chapel Knox Dining Hall

McCord 203 Trull Boardroom McCord 202 McCord 202 Stotts Dining Hall McCord 201 McMillan 206 Trull 115 McMillan 204 McMillan 105 Shelton Chapel McCord 201 McCord 201 Trull Boardroom McMillan 210

McCord 203 McCord 202 Shelton Chapel Knox Dining Hall

Shelton Chapel Knox Dining Hall

Saturday, February 14th No Events Today

Sunday, February 15th No Events Today

Submissions to Kairos: Email submissions to the editor, Paul Dubois, at [email protected]. Calendar events and room reservation requests should be sent to Jackie McCully at [email protected] or made in person at the McCord desk. Editorial decisions are based on urgency, availability of space, and editorial guidelines. Deadline is Wednesday at 5:00 P.M. Submissions made after deadline must be accompanied by a dunkel.

Do you have something to say to Kairos? Something to add… Something to refute? If so, we’d like to hear. We are committed to dialogue. Letters to the editor will be published. See page 5 of this issue for our editorial guidelines.