December 1, 2005
CARE Professor David Randolph Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. David Randolph, professor at the Center for the Arts, Religion, and Education (a GTU affiliate), was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Academy of Homiletics at a recent meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dr. Randolph was cited as a founder of the Academy at Princeton in 1965, author of The Renewal of Preaching which was hailed as “revolutionary” and other books, for his teaching at Drew University and the Graduate Theological Union, and his accomplishments as a local pastor and denominational executive. Dr. Randolph was named to the Great Preachers Series in Dallas, Texas after becoming Senior Minister of Christ Church Manhattan in New York City in 1975 and has preached in small churches and major international centers.

December 1, 2005
Ruether and Grau Co-Edit New Book
Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether, GTU faculty emerita, and Dr. Marion Grau, professor of theology at the GTU and CDSP, have edited Interpreting the Postmodern: Responses to Radical Orthodoxy.

December 1, 2005
Payne Publishes New Book on Buddhism
Dr. Richard Payne, dean of the Institute of Buddhist Studies (a GTU affiliate), has published Tantric Buddhism in East Asia.

November 14, 2005
SFTS Professor Joyce Ann Mercer Publishes New Book on Childhood Theology
Joyce Ann Mercer, professor of practical theology and Christian education at SFTS, has recently published a new book, Welcoming Children: A Practical Theology of Childhood. The book takes a critical look at the relationship between Christian theology and childhood development.

September 22, 2005
SFTS Professor Emeritus Mudge Publishes Commentaries
Lewis Mudge, SFTS professor emeritus and former GTU trustee, recently published commentaries in Michael Nagler's Our Spiritual Crisis: Recovering Human Wisdom in a Time of Violence (2005).

September 14, 2005
GTU Co-Sponsors Book on Historic Beijing Conference
The GTU and the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) have published proceedings from a 2002 international conference in Beijing entitled Faithful/Fateful Encounters: Religion and Cultural Exchanges between Asia and the West. The book, edited by both GTU and CASS scholars, includes contributions by GTU and member school faculty, including GTU president James A. Donahue, Judith Berling, Clare Fischer, Christopher Ocker, Richard Payne, Robert Russell, Naomi Seidman, and Philip Wickeri.

September 8, 2005
Berling to Receive 2005 AAR Award
Judith Berling, professor of Chinese and comparative religions at the GTU, will receive the Ray L. Hart Service Award at the American Academy of Religion’s annual meeting on Saturday, November 19, 2005. Established by the academy’s board of directors in 1992, the award is given to persons whose dedication and service made significant contributions to its mission of fostering excellence in the field of religion. Dr. Berling has been at the GTU since 1987, and has previously served as dean. She is the first recipient of the Sarlo Excellence in Teaching Award, given by the Sarlo Family Supporting Foundation. The award honors a core doctoral faculty member whose teaching incorporates the values of interreligious dialogue and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching.

August 26, 2005
Kushner of CJS Writes New Book
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, visiting professor of Jewish spirituality at the GTU's Center for Jewish Studies, collaborated with Calvin College professor Gary Schmidt to product In God's Hands, a picture book for children based on a Jewish legend.

August 5, 2005
GTU Alum Addresses Religion Center's Inaugural Summer Institute
Jay Johnson, Ph.D.'98 and director of PSR's Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry, spoke at the Jefferson Center for Religion and Philosophy's inaugural Summer Institute in Ashland, Oregon and was quoted in the Mail-Tribune along with Naomi Seidman, director of the GTU's Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies.

August 1, 2005
New Four-Year Grant Awarded to CTNS
The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS, a GTU affiliate) has been awarded a $2.5 million grant by the John Templeton Foundation for a four-year research-granting program on the ways science, in light of philosophical and religious reflection, points towards the nature, character and meaning of ultimate reality. The program, known as Science and the Quest for Ultimate Reality: Science and Theology Advanced Research Series (STARS), is especially looking for teams including outstanding scientists who are relatively new to this interdisciplinary research. STARS builds upon CTNS’ seven year international program, Science and the Spiritual Quest (SSQ), in which over 120 distinguished scientists from the major world religions lectured in public conferences from Boston to Bangalore, describing the many ways in which science serves for them as a path to spirituality.

July 26, 2005
GTU Students Named Fund for Theological Education Fellows
To encourage a new generation of gifted pastors and scholars, The Fund for Theological Education (FTE) has awarded $1.2 million in fellowships and support to 170 outstanding students who have been named FTE Fellows. Among the awardees are GTU doctoral students Randolph Harlan Miller (Dissertation Fellow, ethics); Debra Mumford (Doctoral Fellow, homiletics and Bible studies); Francis Tae-Young Chung (North American Doctoral Fellow, liturgical studies); Beatrice Teresa Morris (North American Doctoral Fellow, history and feminist theology); and PSR student Amie Giordano (Ministry Fellow, United Church of Christ). The FTE is a leading national advocate for excellence and diversity in Christian ministry and scholarship.

July 22, 2005
GTU President Donahue tours Jewish cultural programs in Poland
On June 29, GTU President James Donahue departed for a six-day tour of Jewish cultural programs in Warsaw and Krakow led by Tad Taube of San Francisco’s Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture. In Warsaw, the group visited sites including the Jewish Historical Institute and the new Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and met with local teachers, rabbis, students, and representatives of the U.S. embassy in Poland. The Warsaw visits were followed by a trip to Krakow, where the group participated in a Jewish Culture Festival and met with members of Jewish student groups, foundations, and museums. Participants in the tour also included Stephen Pearce, senior rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El and member of the GTU Board of Trustees.

July 15, 2005
GTU Alum Wins Catholic Press Association Award
Holly Hearon (Ph.D. '98), assistant professor of New Testament at Christian Theological Seminary (CTS), has won a first-place award in an international literature competition sponsored by the Catholic Press Association. She will be honored in the First-Time Author category for her book: The Mary Magdalene Tradition: Witness and Counter-Witness in Early Christian Communities, published by Liturgical Press in 2004. Dr. Hearon is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and Catholic Biblical Association and is currently serving as president of the Midwest Society of Biblical Literature. Her research interests are Christian origins within formative Judaism, women in the early church and the study of oral narrative and social memory in relation to the biblical text.

June 7, 2005
GTU Doctoral Student Awarded Fellowship
Cynthia Col, a GTU doctoral student in interdisciplinary studies, has been awarded a $15,000 fellowship from the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange. The award will enable her to work on her dissertation, “Picturing the Cannon: The Murals of the Derge Printing House,” which will explore imagery in the murals produced at the Derge Printing House in Sichuan, China, in the eighteenth century. This summer, she will travel to Derge to photograph the murals.

May 12, 2005
GTU Commencement
The GTU's 2005 Commencement exercises were held at the PLTS Chapel on Thursday, May 12. 33 MA graduates, 7 MABL graduates, and 25 new PhD graduates were formally awarded their degrees and exuberantly celebrated by the overflowing crowd of family and friends.

May 3, 2005
GTU Faculty to Participate in Rockridge Institute Forum
Rita Nakashima Brock, Rebecca Parker, and Rosemary Radford Ruether will serve as resources for an online forum on religion and progressive politics from May 9-20. Sponsored by Berkeley's Rockridge Institute, the forum will explore the common ground between spiritual and secular progressives, including conversation about policy issues related to the environment, healthcare, and war. Participants will discuss what actions can be taken to promote the shared values of spiritual and secular progressives. An event announcement can be viewed here.

April 12, 2005
GTU Faculty Participate in Asian North American Consultation
Several members of the GTU faculty participated in the first consultation for theological educators of Asian descent sponsored by the Association of Theological Schools in February 2005. Facilitated by Russell Moy, assistant professor of Christian education at CDSP, the meeting in Redondo Beach, California, included sessions on publication, grant proposals, and contextualized biblical interpretation. Seung Ai Yang, formerly of JSTB, and Fumitaka Matsuoka, PSR professor of theology and director of PSR's PANA Institute, also participated in the consultation. Matsuoka stressed the importance of the small group discussions, which "provided an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with the concerns and challenges facing Asian American and Canadian seminary faculty members."

April 12, 2005
GTU President Donahue Meets with Representatives of Theological Consortia
GTU President James Donahue participated in a January meeting on theological consortia sponsored by the Association of Theological Schools Leadership Education program. Hosted by the Washington Theological Consortium of Arlington, Virginia, the gathering drew fourteen persons representing ten ATS consortia. Participants discussed the structures and activities of their institutions, viewing the role of the consortium as a type of "practical ecumenism" that brings together persons and ideas in ways that no one school can do alone.

April 7, 2005
CJS Professor Joshua Holo to Leave the GTU
Joshua Holo, assistant professor of Jewish history at the GTU’s Center for Jewish Studies, will be leaving his position effective July 1, 2005, to become associate professor of medieval Jewish history and director of the Louchheim School of Jewish Studies at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. During his four years at the GTU, Professor Holo served as co-chair of the GTU/UCB Joint Doctoral Program in Jewish Studies and a member of the core doctoral faculty in the history area. His courses have dealt with topics such as medieval Hebrew texts, Jewish mysticism, "Christianity through Jewish Eyes," and the encounters among Jews, Christian, and Muslims from the Middle Ages to today. Two of the courses that Professor Holo was to offer in 2005-06 ("Introduction to Judaism" in the fall, and "Introduction to Jewish Mysticism" in the spring) will now be taught by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, visiting professor of Jewish spirituality at the Center for Jewish Studies.

March 22, 2005
SFTS Philip Wickeri Awarded Luce Fellowship
March 22, 2005 SFTS Philip Wickeri Awarded Luce Fellowship The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada has announced that the Reverend Dr. Philip L. Wickeri, Flora Lamson Hewlett Professor of Evangelism & Mission at San Francisco Theological Seminary, is one of seven scholars from ATS schools to be named a 2005-2006 Henry Luce III Fellow in Theology. Wickeri's research in the category of History of Christianity and the Church Today will focus on "Reconstructing Christianity in China: K.H. Ting and the Chinese Church." Ting, a leader in the Chinese church for the last thirty years, has served as a Christian thinker, political figure, and international ecumenical leader. Professor Wickeri will explore this controversial figure, who has been both criticized for supporting communism and praised for his church leadership.

March 22, 2005
SFTS James Noel Artwork Featured on the Cover of New Book
In addition to serving as a co-editor for the new volume, The Passion of the Lord: African American Reflections, the Rev. Dr. James A. Noel, H. Eugene Farlough, Jr. California associate professor of American religion, contributed a chapter and created the painting that was used on the book’s cover. Noel’s artwork, entitled “Were You There when They Crucified My Lord?” was inspired by that Negro spiritual and represents the image that the slaves were constructing and recalling as they sang. Inspired in part by the discussion of the movie “The Passion of the Christ,” the seven contributors to this book explore the profound and often overlooked significance of Christ’s suffering and death, and the ways that story has inspired and challenged African Americans. The Passion of the Lord is available at the GTU bookstore.

March 22, 2005
SFTS Ronald C. White, Jr. Publishes New Book
The Rev. Dr. Ronald C. White, Jr., professor of church history at San Francisco Theological Seminary, has published his second book about the nation’s 16th president, The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words. Released in late January, the book has already been featured on the Los Angeles Times bestselling list and as a Chicago Tribune Editor’s Choice. In the Eloquent President, White examines Lincoln’s astonishing oratory and explores his growth as a leader, a communicator, and a man of deepening spiritual conviction.

March 1, 2005
Alum Publishes Memoir
GTU alum Janet Stickmon (M.A. '99) recently published a memoir, Crushing Soft Rubies, in which she reflects on her bi-racial identity and spiritual journey.

February 28, 2005
GTU Alum to Publish New Book on African American Religious Experience
GTU alum Darnise C. Martin (Ph.D.'04), a fellow of the Fund for Theological Education, will publish a new book this March entitled Beyond Christianity: African Americans in a New Thought Church (NYU Press). In it, she draws on rich ethnographic work in a Religious Science church in Oakland, California, to illuminate the ways a group of African Americans has adapted a religion typically thought of as white to fit their needs and circumstances. Beyond Christianity adds a new dimension to the scholarship on Black religion.

February 14, 2005
GTU Trustee Rita Semel Honored for Interfaith Work
GTU trustee Rita R. Semel was honored at a February 5 dinner sponsored by the San Francisco-based interfaith peace network, United Religions Initiative. At the second annual "Circles of Light" dinner, the URI recognized Semel's years of service in fostering interfaith cooperation in San Francisco and around the world. GTU President James Donahue spoke at the event in appreciation of Semel's long history of support for the GTU and its mission of encouraging interfaith and ecumenical dialogue and understanding.

February 4, 2005
Rosemary Radford Ruether Publishes New Book
Rosemary Radford Ruether, GTU/PSR Carpenter Professor of Feminist Theology, recently published a new book entitled Integrating Ecofeminism, Globalization, and World Religions. The volume knits together four concerns: globalization and its problematic effects, the greening of world religions, ecofeminism, and alternatives to corporate globalization. "Rosemary Radford Ruether...has woven together issues usually addressed in isolation. She has articulated a feminist and spiritual perspective, which creates non-violent possibilities in the midst of the 'inevitabilities' of the violence of corporate rule and religious fundamentalism," writes author and activist Vandana Shiva. The author of numerous books and articles, Dr. Radford Ruether has been a pioneer Christian feminist theologian for over thirty years. Integrating Ecofeminism is available at the GTU bookstore.

February 1, 2005
New President Begins Work at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Dr. Phyllis Anderson began her tenure today as the new president of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Elected this past November, Dr. Anderson is the seventh PLTS president, and the first woman to head a Lutheran seminary in the United States. She comes to PLTS from Seattle University where she was associate dean and director of the Institute for Ecumenical Theology. Dr. Anderson will be accompanied by her husband, The Rev. Dr. Herbert Anderson, professor emeritus of pastoral theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and currently visiting professor of pastoral theology at Yale Divinity School. Dr. Anderson’s Service of installation, open to the pubic, will be held on the PLTS campus on April 24, 2005. For more information please see the Events page or contact Gaymon Bennett at gbennett@plts.edu with questions.

January 31, 2005
GTU's Robert Russell Edits New Book Honoring Science and Religion Pioneer, Ian G. Barbour
Robert John Russell, founder and director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, and GTU professor of theology and science in residence, has edited a new book, Fifty Years in Science and Religion: Ian G. Barbour and His Legacy. The volume contains contributions from nineteen key scholars on the work of Ian Barbour, a pioneer in the field of science and religion. Contributors provide an appreciative yet critical assessment of Barbour's work over the past five decades, which has explored the engagement between science and religion in the context of inter-religious dialogue and issues of global environmental ethics and technology. An April 1 panel discussion will celebrate the book; for more information, please visit the Events page. Fifty Years in Science is available at the GTU bookstore.

January 19, 2005
CLGS's Jay Johnson Publishes New Book
Jay Johnson (Ph.D. '98) has published a new book, Dancing with God: Anglican Spirituality and the Practice of Hope. Johnson is programming and development director for PSR's Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry.

January 13, 2005
Professional Development Program Awarded Wabash Grant
The GTU Doctoral Student Professional Development Program (PDP) is very pleased to announce the award of a $2500 grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. The grant supports the PDP initiatives which generate conversation among doctoral students about learning and teaching in religious studies. Specifically, the grant will fund the "First Friday Teaching Talks," a series which will recognize excellence in teaching among doctoral students and the annual "Teaching Scholars Luncheon,” celebrating the teaching experience of doctoral students. Support from the Wabash Center acknowledges the importance in the broader religious studies academy of the GTU's commitment to the development of background and experience in teaching and learning for doctoral students.

January 13, 2005
Doctoral Students Selected for “Teaching Talks” Series
Four GTU doctoral students have been selected to speak at a “First Friday Teaching Talks” series introduced by the Professional Development Program this year. Nominated by their areas, Dean Maureen Maloney selected the four presenters on the basis of teaching experience and expertise and innovation in approaches to pedagogy. Each will receive a $200 honorarium for their efforts. The presenters are: Patrick Lannan (Ethics and Social Theory); Lee Gilmore (Social and Cultural Studies of Religions); Devorah Schoenfeld (History); and Marcia McFee (Liturgical Studies). For more information on the “First Friday Teaching Talks” schedule, please visit the Events page.

November 23, 2004
GTU's Doug Adams in a TV interview on art and war
ARTISTS' OBLIGATIONS IN A TIME OF WAR is the focus Tuesday, December 14 at 7:30p.m. on Television Channel 29 (San Francisco) when artist Eleanor Dickinson interviews Dr. Doug Adams, professor of art and religion at PSR and GTU. He stresses that in wartime the obligation of the artist is to continue creating art, for as novelist Elie Wiesel said to playwright Samuel Beckett, "Even to write about despair is a step beyond despair." Dr. Adams also shows how artists have brought prophetic vision to dealing with wars in the past (including Goya, Picasso, Segal, and Burkhardt) to reveal injustice and to give hope.

October 22, 2004
GTU M.A. student wins essay contest on ecumenism
Katie Pfister, a second year M.A. student at JSTB, won first place for her paper submitted to the North American Academy of Ecumenists essay contest. The award included an honorary membership in the Academy for the next year and a full-expense paid trip to the NAAE conference in Columbus, Ohio in September 2004, at which she presented her paper. She was introduced to the contest in last spring’s “Introduction to Ecumenism” course taught by JSTB’s Mary Ann Donovan.

October 22, 2004
GTU doctoral students awarded Fund for Theological Education fellowships
Doctoral students Joanne Doi and Debra Mumford have been awarded 2004-2005 doctoral fellowships by the Fund for Theological Education (FTE), a leading national advocate for excellence and diversity in Christian ministry and scholarship. Doi is one of thirteen recipients of FTE’s North American Doctoral Fellowships awarded to racial ethnic minority students preparing for careers in teaching and research at theological schools in North America. She is in interdisciplinary studies. Mumford, who is in homiletics, is one of ten students to receive a second year of support through FTE’s Expanding Horizons Partnership, which has awards fellowships to African-American students pursuing graduate degrees in religion or theology.

October 11, 2004
Blessing of the Crush Gala a Great Success
On October 6, the Graduate Theological Union’s annual fundraising gala, "Blessing of the Crush," entertained over 175 guests in the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange Club, San Francisco. This year's Blessing of the Crush honored Huston Smith, the renowned scholar of world religions. Thanks to the generosity of the GTU’s many friends and supporters, over $50,000 was raised for student scholarships. Susan Cook Hoganson and Peggy Olsen were event co-chairs. Our gratitude to all who helped make this event such a stunning success! Click here for photos

October 1, 2004
GTU Alums Invited to AAR Luncheon Nov. 20
The Annual GTU Alum Luncheon at AAR/SBL, San Antonio, Texas. On Saturday November 20, 2004.
An annual tradition continues! Connect with friends and colleagues; meet current and prospective GTU students; join us in honoring the 2004 GTU Alum of the Year, Dr. Tink Tinker (Ph.D. ‘83), who is Professor of American Indian Cultures and Religious Traditions at Iliff School of Theology, in Denver, Colorado. GTU alumni reception at 11:00 am; luncheon at 11:30 am, at the Hilton Palacio Del Rio. Open to all GTU alumni; advance reservations are required. RSVP no later than Friday October 29 to: advancement@gtu.edu or 510/649-2420
GTU Alum Luncheon
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, CA 94709

September 20, 2004
CTNS Launches New Graduate Student Fellowship for Science and Theology Students
CTNS announces its new Graduate Student Fellowship for GTU doctoral students pursuing research in theology and science. This year two awards of $500 each will be made. For more information and application procedures, see the CTNS website. Deadline: Wednesday, September 29, 2004.

September 15, 2004
CARE to present 2004 New Way Film and Faith Festival
The GTU-affiliated Center for the Arts, Religion, and Education (CARE), with New Way Media, will present a December festival to celebrate films of faith and the people who make them. Participants will view outstanding new films and videos and explore their relationship to faith and contemporary culture through panels and roundtable discussions. Hosted by CARE communications director, David James Randolph. Films submitted to the festival must be in VHS or DVD format. Entries are not returned and must be accompanied with student identification (no fee) or a check for $25.00 for other entries (check payable to “New Way Media”). Entries must be received by November 1, 2004 at New Way Film Fest, 535 Pierce St. #5400, Albany CA 94706. For more information, please visit the Events page, the festival homepage, or contact student host Jeremy Nickel at Jeremy@fivecentfilms.com.

August 3, 2004
Huston Smith to be honored at the Oct. 6 Blessing of the Crush
This year's GTU benefit gala honors Dr. Huston Smith, whose extensive scholarship on world religions has reached both academic and public audiences around the world. The author of fourteen books, Dr. Smith has written on subjects from science and religion to the challenges of post-modernity. His influential 1958 work, The World’s Religions, continues to be one of the most frequently used college textbooks on global religion. Dr. Smith’s films have also received international acclaim, including Bill Moyers 1996 5-part PBS Special, The Wisdom of Faith with Huston Smith. Dr. Smith’s commitment to demonstrating the importance of the religious dimension of human experience and the value of religious pluralism continues to impact and resonate with the spirit of the GTU. For more information on the Blessing of the Crush gala, please visit the Events page. Or call 510/649-2420, or e-mail advancement@gtu.edu for information and reservations.

August 2, 2004
The GTU Hosts Bishop From Sweden
On July 28, the GTU hosted a luncheon with Bishop Anders Arborelius, O.C.D., of Stockholm. Accompanied by Philip Geister, SJ, from Sweden's Newman Institute for Catholic Studies, and Thomas M. Levergood from the Lumen Christi Institute in Chicago, he enjoyed lunch with members of the GTU community, followed by a tour of the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library.

Consecrated as a bishop in 1998, Bishop Arborelius lived for ten years in the Carmelite Monastery in Norraby, in the south of Sweden. Along with Philip Giester, Bishop Arborelius was instrumental in creating the Newman Center for Catholic Studies in Sweden which works to spark dialogue between the Catholic tradition and the challenges of modern science and twenty-first century life.

Bishop Arborelius was introduced to the GTU by the Swedish Consul General, Babara Osher, who is a member of the President's Advisory Council. This luncheon is just one example of the many unique opportunities for national and international religious dialogue offered by the GTU.

June 18, 2004
Nominate the 2004 Alum of the Year
Please let us know your candidates! Send nominations to GTU Advancement (or phone 510/649-2420) by July 31. Please include your nominee's special achievements or accomplishments and contact information. The Alum of the Year will be honored at the annual GTU alumni luncheon at the AAR/SBL conference in November, in San Antonio, TX. To read more about GTU Alums of the Year, visit here.

June 8, 2004
DSPT's Gregory Rocca publishes new book
Gregory Rocca has published a new book entitled Speaking the Incomprehensible God: Thomas Aquinas on the Interplay of Positive and Negative Theology. The book is a "comprehensive retrieval of Thomas Aquinas’s theological epistemology of the divine names...Aquinas’s theology of the divine names encourages contemporary dialogue to keep the tensioned truth of God in view and to remember that only a fruitful interplay of positive and negative theology can do justice to the Elusive One who evades our linguistic capture and yet desires to be acknowledged and worshiped as Creator and Sustainer. The book will prove helpful to specialists in Aquinas and to others who are interested in the God-talk dialogue and can profit from an in-depth retrieval of Aquinas." Until his term ended this June, Rocca was president of GTU member school Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology.

May 10, 2004
Waterwind 2004" Second annual Asian American
The Asian American Center at the American Baptist Seminary of the West is pleased to announce "Waterwind 2004," its second annual Asian American Christian Songwriting Contest. The entry deadline is August 31, 2004 and there are two prize categories this year: * Best Congregational Song: $350; Runner up: $150 * Best Solo/Ensemble/Choral Song: $350; Runner up: $150. You may submit your song in the form of printed lyrics with a recording. A lead sheet or full score is not required (though certainly welcome). Your song could also be original lyrics to existing music or original music to an existing poem. You need not be Asian American yourself to enter this contest. You just need to have some insight into the intersection of Asian American identity and Christian faith. Complete contest rules, entry form, and church bulletin insert are available at The Asian American Center.

May 10, 2004
Second annual Asian American Christian songwriting contest accepts entries
The Asian American Center at the American Baptist Seminary of the West is pleased to announce "Waterwind 2004," its second annual Asian American Christian Songwriting Contest. The entry deadline is August 31, 2004 and there are two prize categories this year: Best Congregational Song: $350, Runner up: $150; and Best Solo/Ensemble/Choral Song: $350, Runner up: $150. Complete contest rules, entry form, and church bulletin insert are available at the Asian American Center website.

April 23, 2004
CJS Directer Naomi Seidman Awarded Lilly Grant
Naomi Seidman, director of the Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies, has been awarded a 2004-2005 Lilly Theological Scholars Grant from the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. The grant provides funds for Seidman to work uninterrupted over the summer, as well as for research assistance and child care over that period. The research topic Seidman proposed is finishing her book, “Faithful Renderings: Jewish-Christian Difference and the Politics of Translation.”

April 13, 2004
GTU students offer guidance to students at Cal dorm
On a typical Wednesday night seminar at the U.C. Berkeley residential theme floor Casa Magdalena Mora, things were anything but typical as the group of over 30 Latina and Latino students, most of them first year undergrads, gathered to discuss the theme of "Faith and Religion." After receiving a plea from Cal student organizers for GTU's help, SFTS M.A. student Patricia Davis and GTU doctoral student Cecilia Gonzalez-Andrieu joined the group for the evening. "The time was much too short," said Gonzalez-Andrieu, "I would like to see if we can explore a more thorough and on-going relationship with Cal's Latin@ students. The questions they were asking me would take most of a semester to explore!" Davis noted how all of the students in the small group she led communicated a strong religious sense, and that "it will serve to anchor them during this very difficult transitional time." Both Gonzalez-Andrieu and Davis will be following up with student organizers at Cal to see how else GTU students can be of service, especially to the Latin@ students who were present at Casa Mora and who seemed most able to benefit greatly from mentoring and support.

April 6, 2004
First year doctoral student awarded $10,000 scholarship
First year doctoral student Robert Daren Erisman was awarded a $10,000 scholarship from CollegeNet, the GTU’s service for online applications. He received the award for an original essay entitled “The Saladin Solution,” in which he offers a constructive model for U.S. relations with Iraq based on the life of Saladin, a humane and generous twelfth century Muslim ruler. To read his essay, please visit CollegeNet Website.

April 5, 2004
New book by Martha Ellen Stortz
Martha Ellen Stortz, professor of historical theology and ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, has written a new book entitled A World According to God: Practices for Putting Faith at the Center of Your Life. Exploring Christian practices of discipleship such as baptism, prayer, communion, forgiveness, and fidelity, Stortz helps readers understand more deeply what it means to live in "a world according to God." Published by Jossey-Bass, A World According to God is available in hardcover this month at the GTU Bookstore.

March 8, 2004
New Advancement Leadership at the GTU
Jane Whitfield has accepted the position of Vice President for Advancement, beginning March 8, 2004. Whitfield came to the GTU in December (as Director of Development) with considerable experience in fundraising and advancement work, most recently as Executive Director of the California Culinary Academy Educational Foundation. Prior to that, Whitfield served as Director of Development for Bay Area Legal Aid, where she was responsible for raising $6 million annually. The GTU’s previous Vice President for Advancement, Katherine Akos, accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fort Worth (Texas) Symphony Orchestra.

February 20, 2004
Rabbi Barry Cytron to Speak at PLTS on Jewish-Christian Concerns
Rabbi Barry Cytron, Director of the Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning in St. Paul, Minnesota, will speak on "Dabru Emet (Speaking the Truth): A New Statement On Jews and Christians for Our Time," a lecture sponsored by Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and GTU's Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies. Rabbi Cytron is one of the Jewish scholars who signed the "Dabru Emet," the significant document on Jews and Judaism first published in the New York Times on September 10, 2000. The event will begin at 7 pm at PLTS, on Thursday, March 11. For more information, call 510/649-2482 or e-mail cjs@gtu.edu.

February 13, 2004
GTU President Donahue to Lead Discussion on Religion and Society
The Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, and the Epicurus Society has invited GTU President James Donahue to lead its monthly roundtable dinner on February 20. This month's discussion will explore how changing religious convictions affect societal trends and values, for better or worse. Presentation will begin at 6 pm, followed by dinner and roundtable discussions. For more information, please visit Commonwealth Club website.

February 13, 2004
GTU Faculty Publish New Book on Gender, Sex, and Violence in the Bible
Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, former director of GTU's Center for Women and Religion, has edited a new book, Pregnant Passion: Gender, Sex, and Violence in the Bible. The essays in this book--including contributions from GTU faculty members Barbara Green, Gina Hens-Piazza, and Mary Donovan Turner--explore the dynamics, intersection, and relatedness of gender, human sexuality, and violence in the Bible, with themes spanning feasts and famines, betrayal and bloodshed, seduction and sensuality, power and politics, virtue and violence. Available at the GTU Bookstore.

February 9, 2004
Dr. Karen Lebacqz to Retire After 31 Years at PSR
Karen Lebacqz, Robert Gordon Sproul Professor of Theological Ethics at Pacific School of Religion (PSR), will retire from her teaching duties this spring after serving on the faculty for 31 years. Known internationally for her writings on theories of justice, professional ethics, and bioethics, Lebacqz is a United Church of Christ (UCC) minister and consultant on numerous corporate and community ethics committees. Dr. Lebacqz is being honored through a new student scholarship at PSR as well as a half-day symposium on Friday, April 30 at PSR from 2-6:30 pm. Please consult the GTU calendar for more detailed information on the symposium.

January 29, 2004
CANDIDATES FOR WESTERN ART HISTORY & RELIGION POSITION TO VISIT
Deans Arthur Holder (GTU) and Jack Treloar (JSTB) are pleased to announce the on-campus visits of two candidates for the jointly-appointed faculty position in Western Art History and Religion. Professor Kathryn Rudy, from the Art History Department at University of Oregon, will make her presentation on “Pilgrimage, Passion Parks, and Layers of Witness” on Feb. 12, from 10:30-11:30am in the Dinner Board Room. Professor Terry Dempsey, S.J., from the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at St. Louis University, will make his presentation on Feb. 23, 10:30-11:30am, in the Dinner Board Room. The GTU community, students, and faculty are welcome to attend these presentations.

January 12, 2004
GTU Speakers Bureau
As part of the GTU’s public outreach to the local community, a new speakers bureau lists faculty members who are available to speak to civic, service, and community organizations in the Bay Area. Speakers bureau list

December 16, 2003
M.A. in Orthodox Christian Studies now offered
In cooperation with the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute (PAOI), the GTU M.A. program is offering a new concentration in Orthodox Christian Studies. The program will accept students beginning in fall 2004.
The PAOI was founded in 1981 by the combined efforts of the Orthodox Churches in the Bay Area and the GTU. In 1987 it was renamed the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute to honor the late Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who opened significant doors between Orthodox Christian and Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches. Orthodox Christianity today is the second largest Christian communion in the world, with over 250 million adherents.
The new GTU program is the first accredited degree program in Orthodox Christian Studies outside of the three major seminaries, or west of Pennsylvania. For more information, please see the PAOI site.

November 21, 2003
New Book Published on Interpreting Scripture
L. William Countryman, Sherman E. Johnson Professor in Biblical Studies, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, has published Interpreting the Truth: Changing the Paradigm of Biblical Studies. In this book Countryman urges us to move away from the modernist and post-modernist method of heavy textual analysis. He suggests that biblical scholars and churches alike address the complexities of the communities interested in the text and the point of view of the author, thus creating a dialog of interpretation.

October 13, 2003
Join us at the Annual GTU Alum Luncheon at AAR/SBL, Atlanta, Georgia
Saturday November 22 from 11:15 am to 12:30 pm. Connect with friends and colleagues, meet current and prospective GTU students and join us in honoring the 2003 GTU Alum of the Year, Joanna Dewey (Ph.D. '77) dean and professor of biblical studies at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. RSVP no later than Monday November 10 to: advancement@gtu.edu or 510/649-2420.

October 6, 2003
David J. Randolph publishes two books dealing with faith and art since 9/11/01
David J. Randolph, Professor in Residence of Communications at GTU, Center for the Arts, Religion and Education is the author of On the Way After 9/11: New Worship and Art (New Way Media, 2002) and Editor of Candles in the Dark, Flames for the Future: Preaching and Poetry in Times of Crisis (New Way Media, 2003). Both deal with faith and art since 9/11/01 and are available through www.booksamerica.com or 1-800-929-7889. They are among the recommended reading for the 12/2 events at the GTU on Peace in Christianity and Islam.

September 29, 2003
2003 Blessing of the Crush Gala
Thursday, October 23, at 6:30 pm, at the Westin St. Francis, San Francisco. Please join us for our second annual black-tie gala, Blessing of the Crush. Henry Luce III will be honored for his leadership of the Henry Luce Foundation, which has been a major contributor to the GTU and to theological education nationwide. Proceeds from the gala will support student scholarships. GTU trustee Peggy Hansen Olsen is the dinner chair. Call 510/649-2425 for reservations and information, or use the online RSVP form.

September 26, 2003
Kirk-Duggan at San Francisco Conference
Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, Director of the GTU's Center for Women in Religion, will be giving the opening prayer at the "Come out for Equality Conference: We are all God's Children!" on October 11 in San Francisco. The conference is focused on civil marriage equality for same-sex couples. Please RSVP to Davina at Drkotulski@aol.com

September 18, 2003
Paul Manolis publishes 3 volume work on the Greek Church in America
Former PAOI Director Paul Manolis has published The History of the Greek Church in America in Acts and Documents. This three volume work depicts the presence of the Orthodox Church in America, documenting the behind-the-scenes developments and the personalities which played roles in the turbulent life of the Church of America. Manolis is the former director of GTU affiliate Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute. To order, contact Ambelos Press, at 2311 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709.

August 4, 2003
Ted Peters and Robert Russell included in new Sin and Salvation book
Sin and Salvation: Task of Theology Today III, edited by Duncan Reid and Mark Worthing. This collection of essays from a colloquium held in Australia shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks includes contributions from PLTS Interim President Ted Peters, CTNS founder and director Robert Russell, and a number of Australian academics and theologians. In a world that is unable to escape the tragedy of human initiated pain and suffering, this volume seeks to provide a timely and much needed contribution to our reflections on the underlying questions of sin and salvation. Available at the GTU Bookstore.

June 17, 2003
Alejandro Garcia-Rivera presented award by Academy
Dr. Alejandro Garcia-Rivera, GTU/JTSB associate professor of systematic theology, was awarded the Virigilio Elizondo Award at a ceremony on June 10th by the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS). The award is given to "an individual in recognition for distinguished achievement in theology and in keeping with the Academy’s mission." Dr. Garcia-Rivera recently published A Wounded Innocence: Sketches for a Theology of Art, and was the 2002 GTU Distinguished Faculty Lecturer.

June 16, 2003
Dr. Ted Peters Appointed Interim President at PLTS
On June 7, 2003, the executive committee of the PLTS board of directors appointed the Rev. Dr. Ted Peters to the post of interim president for a term of at least one year. Dr. Peters fills the office held by the late Rev. Dr. Timothy F. Lull, who died in office on May 20, 2003. Visit the PLTS site for more information.

June 11, 2003
GTU Trustee Michael Fahey receives John Courtney Murray Award
Professor Michael A. Fahey, S.J., received the John Courtney Murray Award for distinguished achievement in theology. He is the Emmett Doerr Distinguished Professor of Theology at Marquette University, and has served as a GTU Trustee for two years. He is editor of the quarterly journal Theological Studies. The John Courtney Murray Award is given by the Catholic Theological Society of America, and is its highest award for excellence in theology .

June 2, 2003
GTU doctoral student publishes essay on Tim Lull
Cecilia González-Andrieu, a second year doctoral student in systematic & philosophical theology, published a column in "The Tidings" about PLTS President Timothy Lull, who died on May 20.

May 27, 2003
Rosemary Radford Ruether honored in CrossCurrents
The spring 2003 issue of CrossCurrents began over a year ago at a conference honoring GTU/PSR Professor Rosemary Radford Ruether. The theme is "Feminism: What Went Wrong?" and five of the articles are focused on Ruether and her work. You can view the complete table of contents, and read several articles online, at the journal's website.

May 21, 2003
PLTS President Timothy Lull: April 8, 1943-May 20, 2003
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Timothy Lull, President of GTU member school Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. A funeral service is planned for Sunday, May 25th at 4:30 p.m. at the PLTS chapel, 2770 Marin Ave., in Berkeley. Visit the PLTS website for more information and updates.

May 18, 2003
CWR Director Kirk-Duggan Speaks at Glide Celebration
CWR Director Cheryl Kirk-Duggan is speaking at a May 18 event at San Francisco's Glide Memorial Church. The event celebrates the completion of a PBS documentary that features Glide's Rev. Cecil Williams.

April 28, 2003
GTU President Donahue's new book on ethics
GTU President James Donahue's new book is Ethics Across the Curriculum: A Practice-Based Approach, co-authored with Michael Boylan, Professor of Philosophy at Marymount University. Ethics Across the Curriculum provides a practical framework and concrete suggestions for engaging questions of ethics in the university curriculum. This framework enables college and university professors to address a full range of ethical issues as they arise in classroom discussion, in the academic disciplines and in professional education.
This book contains the insights of both a philosopher and a theologian as it draws on classic theories of ethics in multiple disciplines. It provides means for educators and students to work through the following kinds of questions: What ought I to do when faced with ethical choices? What kinds of persons do we aspire to be? What are the ethical messages conveyed in our academic disciplines? How do the professions and professional choices reflect ideas of a good society?
Gabriel Palmer-Fernandez of Youngstown State University commented that the book "will be an important guide for faculty who wish to pursue critical inquiry into values in the classroom and for administrators who wish to make ethics pervasive in the undergraduate or professional curriculum. This is a timely and significant contribution."
Ethics Across the Curriculum is $55, cloth, and will be published on April 28. The book will be available in the GTU Bookstore, and is also available through Lexington Books, with a 15% discount for web orders.

April 8, 2003
GTU alum David Batstone publishes new book on corporate ethics
David Batstone (GTU PhD ’89) has released Saving the Corporate Soul--and (Who Knows?) Maybe Your Own: Eight Principles for Creating and Preserving Wealth and Well-Being for You and Your Company Without Selling Out, published by Jossey-Bass. Batstone is executive editor of Sojourners and a social ethics professor at University of San Francisco. A profile appeared in the Half Moon Bay Review on March 19. Three original case studies by David Batstone are now featured in Deloitte & Touche and Junior Achievement’s Excellence Through Ethics program. The case studies will be delivered into all 13 programs, and reach more than 3 million students from grades 4-12 each year.

March 20, 2003
JSTB and FST Issue Statement on the Commencement of War
Faculty, staff, and students at the Jesuit and Franciscan schools signed a statement that reads, in part, "Rigorous U.N sponsored inspections, multi-lateral weapons embargos and other non-proliferation measures, international cooperation and diplomacy--these are what a gospel-inspired vision of life together would call for and what peace-loving citizens must demand from their governments. Indeed, we consider the Administration's new policy of expansive military preemption to be patently immoral because it transforms war into the strategy of first resort regardless of the precedent it will set, the distrust it will sow and the awful suffering it will inflict upon the innocent." Read the statement by clicking the link on the JSTB homepage.

March 20, 2003
GTU Islam Conference Draws Local Muslims
On March 14 and 15, the GTU hosted an Islamic studies conference with almost 200 attendees. "Religious Pluralism in the 21st Century: Muslim Identities in the Diaspora" brought scholars together with people of faith from Bay Area Muslim communities. Participants commented on how "thought-provoking" and "energizing" the conference was. Especially appreciated were the keynote speakers—Dr. John Esposito from Georgetown University; Dr. Hamid Algar from University of California, Berkeley; and Dr. Amina Wadud from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Ibrahim Farajajé was the conference director.

February 3, 2003
CWR Director Cheryl Kirk-Duggan featured in new book profiling women spiritual leaders
Director of the GTU's Center for Women and Religion, Cheryl Kirk-Duggan is one of 31 women featured in White Fire: A Portrait of Women Spiritual Leaders in America, by Rabbi Malka Drucker. She is quoted as saying "There are no good old days. The only thing that is different now is that we have more people and more technology. More crime, yes, but also more joy with more people. . . There is much that God wants to tell us, if we can stop long enough to be quiet and listen." See www.skylightpaths.com for more information.

January 15, 2003
Rabbi Kushner to speak at the GTU
Feb. 12 lecture is his first public teaching in the East Bay

The GTU is delighted to host Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, widely regarded as one of the most creative religious writers in America, and a pioneer of spiritual renewal and Jewish-Christian understanding. He will present the GTU's annual Reading of the Sacred Texts on February 12 at 7:30 pm.

December 2, 2002
GTU Presents "Preaching in a Time of Impending War"
The nine schools of the Graduate Theological Union present a panel discussion with Drs. James Noel, William O’Neill, and Keith Russell. The discussion will focus on the implications of the current Iraq crisis for the work of preaching.
Friday December 6, 10 am to 12 pm, at the Pacific School of Religion Chapel, 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley.

November 5, 2002
PSR/GTU Emeritus Professor Charles McCoy died at his home on November 3
We are very sad to announce that Dr. Charles McCoy, emeritus professor at PSR/GTU and a member of this community since 1959, died suddenly at his Berkeley home on Sunday, November 3. He was 79 years old. Charles was a United Methodist pastor, civil rights activist, Navy chaplain, and internationally recognized ethicist. He served as Robert Gordon Sproul Professor Emeritus of Theological Ethics at PSR/GTU for 33 years until his retirement in 1992. He was also the founder and former senior fellow of the GTU's Center for Ethics and Social Policy.
A public memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 10 at 4 pm at the Pacific School of Religion Chapel, 1798 Scenic Avenue in Berkeley. The McCoy family has requested that GTU faculty wear full academic regalia and process together into the service. Faculty should gather in the narthex before the service.

October 14, 2002
PLTS Hosts Forum on War with Iraq
On October 2, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary had a forum on war with Iraq with nearly one hundred people in attendance. Among the presenters were President Timothy Lull, Professor Martha Stortz, and Dr. Bill Spohn of Santa Clara University. The full text from their presentations is available through the PLTS site.

October 10, 2002
GTU Presidents Issue Open Letter on Proposed Iraq War
Responding to the Bush administration's proposed war against Iraq, the GTU presidents have issued a statement expressing their concern and alarm. Noting the strong presumption against war shared by religious traditions, the presidents of the Graduate Theological Union and of its nine member schools call for religious communities to "ask the hard questions that people of faith who love their country must always be free to ask." The full text of the GTU open letter is available by clicking the title, above. October 12 stories about the letter in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Oakland Tribune are also available.

October 10, 2002
Jesuit School Faculty State Opposition to War
The faculty of a GTU member school, Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, have issued a statement against the war. Faculty of the Weston Jesuit School of Theology co-signed the statement.

September 15, 2002
New Director at Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute
The Board of Trustees of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute, a GTU affiliate, announces the appointment of Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D., as director of the Institute, after a one-year search following the retirement of Paul Manolis.

September 3, 2002
9/11 Memorial Service
Tuesday September 10 from 5:15 to 5:45 pm. The schools, affiliates, and centers of the Graduate Theological Union will join together to offer prayers and reflections to memorialize the tragic events of September 11, 2001. We will gather in remembrance of those who died, in the consolation of those who mourn or suffer in the wake of this tragedy, and with hope that the prayer of this evening will bond us in the common work of peace making. This is an interfaith vigil service open to all members of the consortium and to the public, and will include Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian prayers. GTU Dean Arthur Holder will preside, and GTU President James Donahue will offer reflections. On Pacific School of Religion quad, 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley. For more information, contact Scott Connolly at 510/883-2085.

September 3, 2002
GTU professors contribute to new collection of reflections on terror and ethics
Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, director of the GTU’s Center for Women and Religion; Fumitaka Matsuoka, director of the PANA Institute at GTU member school Pacific School of Religion; and Marion Grau, assistant professor of theology at GTU member school Church Divinity School of the Pacific, are among the contributors to the new collection, Strike Terror No More: Theology, Ethics and the New War. These 38 essays from some of today's most respected theologians present a broad array of theological stances on the roots, prospects, and ethics of America's newest war. The book is also available through the GTU Bookstore.

August 15, 2002
CESP Project Results in New Book
PSR Professor Emeritus Charles McCoy edited and co-authored the new book, Promises to Keep: Prospects for Human Rights. This collection of essays grew out of the Project on Human Rights at the GTU's Center for Ethics and Social Policy. An essay by CWR director Cheryl Kirk-Duggan is included.

June 7, 2002
The Blessing of the Crush
The Graduate Theological Union will celebrate the past forty years and the promise of the GTU’s future with a 40th anniversary gala dinner on October 17. The evening’s festivities will include an exploration of wine as a cultural bond throughout various religious traditions and will feature wines from a collection of prestigious wineries and vineyards. Entertainment will include vocal selections and a lively harvest dance by Children’s Dance Theatre of the Presidio. Come join us at the Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental in San Francisco, and help support scholarships for GTU students. For more information and reservations, please call 510/649-2420.

April 2, 2002
Arthur Holder Becomes the GTU’s New Dean
Dr. Arthur G. Holder has accepted the GTU’s invitation to become its new Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, beginning in July 2002. Dr. Holder has been at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific since 1986, where he has served as Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor of Christian Spirituality, and Director of Field Education. Dr. Holder is currently editing The Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality, and has published two books and numerous articles on the Venerable Bede and other subjects in medieval Christian theology and spirituality. The GTU and CDSP worked in concert to make this appointment possible, in a testament to the consortium’s strong collaborative bonds.