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2023 Sprunt Lectures

…American Religion Princeton Theological Seminary PREACHER: Dr. Kenyatta Gilbert Professor of Homiletics Howard University School of Divinity KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Dr. Ted Warlaw President Emeritus Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary   Livestream Links Opening Lecture, May 1 https://www.youtube.com/live/KtMSQzKIfcE Lecture II, May 2 https://www.youtube.com/live/qzcDiE1N66k Worship, May 2 https://www.youtube.com/live/QHxBNUdnMEU Lecture III, May 2 https://www.youtube.com/live/ZvGiaeWgWIA Lecture IV, May 3 https://www.youtube.com/live/AGP1KkprUgo Closing Worship, May 3 https://www.youtube.com/live/bHPPUhHZVdI…

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BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER: May 2023

…to best serve those who are seeking care; in both human and non-human, and liberative ways. Because, just as much as human creation needs care, so do our Siblings in other life forms—animals, nature, Mother earth. WOW…done! That’s a word I’ve been sitting with these last two semesters of seminary and truthfully, it’s been a period of deep grieving. Grieving…

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BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER: February 2024

…harm, and danger. Love produces joy (exuberance about life) and joy manifest peace (serenity) and peace will manifest longsuffering (a willingness to stick with things), longsuffering will manifest gentleness (how we handle ourselves), gentleness will manifest goodness (a sense of compassion in the heart), and goodness will manifest faithfulness (acting like God is telling the truth), then faithfulness manifests meekness…

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Joshua T. Morris Named Assistant Professor of Practical Theology

Richmond, VA (June 1, 2023)—Union Presbyterian Seminary welcomes Rev. Dr. Joshua T. Morris as Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. Dr. Morris is a B.A. graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas. He received an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary and an M.A. from the Claremont School of Theology. He received his Ph.D. in Practical Theology from Claremont in 2019. Ordained in…

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Listening and Learning in Egypt

…as they boldly increase the number of churches with which they collaborate. Listening to the resiliency and success of the various projects was deeply inspiring. After the presentation, students eagerly continued to dialogue with various directors. When one of them found out that there was a bookstore, they asked if we might briefly visit it. Not only did we visit…

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Symposium | What Are Seminaries For?

Join President Jacq Lapsley and five thought leaders and pastors for this lively panel discussion in Watts Chapel. Panel members include Eric Barreto, Kenda Dean, Gail Henderson-Belsito, Jessica Tate, and Rich Voelz. Learn more about the speakers or watch the livestream at https://www.upsem.edu/may8/…

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Inauguration | Flourishing Church, Flourishing World

Union Presbyterian Seminary inaugurates its eighth president, Dr. Jacqueline Lapsley, at this special ceremony held on the Seminary’s Quadrangle in Richmond, VA. Watch the livestream and learn more about the details at https://www.upsem.edu/may8/…

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Complex Narratives of the Land

…of Christians in Palestine, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the role of the university in Palestinian society. Despite the shrinking of their numbers, Christians have and continue to play an outsized role in variety of areas in Palestinian life. Through its emphasis on the arts and the culture, the university strives to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian communities. Their vision and…

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From Galilee to the Dead Sea

On May 8, 2023, my 32nd birthday started off with the group going to Bet She’an National Park, which is the ancient city of Scythopolis. The site has many historical layers from the Late Bronze to the Greco-Roman period. It witnessed transitions between various ancient near eastern empires, including the Egyptians and the Assyrians. After viewing the Roman-period amphitheater and…

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Remember. Together. Apart.

…we explored the history of the Jewish people resisting Roman occupation and capture after the destruction of the Second Temple, around 73 C.E. This mesa fortress, originally created as a getaway fortress by a King Herod, later became an ideal escape location for the Jewish patriots, led by Eliazar ben Ya-ir, seeking to resist the Roman occupation and siege of…

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Islamic Studies Scholar to Lead Dawe Lecture on March 14 at Union Presbyterian Seminary

…India, and published an analysis of these surveys in Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization (The Brookings Institution Press, 2008). The Dawe Lecture series is funded through The Donald and Nancy Dawe Fund for Emotional and Ethical Growth. The Fund was established thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Coleman Longan honoring Donald and Nancy Dawe. Dr. Dawe was…

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112th Year of Sprunt Lecture Series Brings Renowned African American Scholar-Authors to Union Presbyterian Seminary

…climate, divisions in society, and environmental concerns. On Tues. May 2, the Alumni luncheon speaker is Dr. Ted Wardlaw, past president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. On Wed. May 3, the Black Alumni Association will present its Trailblazer Award to Dr. Hoffman Brown, and Dr. Dawn Devries will present the Distinguished Alumni Award to Dr. Rosalyn Murphy. The Sprunt Lecture…

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The Museum of Israel

…saw a lot of various artifacts that gave glimpses into how the inhabitants of Jerusalem lived. For example, the pottery on display highlighted meal habits and other everyday interactions. This has been my favorite site to visit throughout our time in Israel. With only two days of our trip left, my prayer for all of us is that our journey…

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Visiting The Pyramids

…perspective into some of the commitments of justice and compassion that the ancient Egyptians held towards other human beings and towards non-human beings. See, I am come before you, I have brought What is Right to you, I have removed What is Wrong for you. I have not impoverished the divine herd (people); I have committed no crime in place…

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2023 Sprunt Lectures May 1 -3, 2023

…leaders. She has participated in White House briefings in Washington D.C. to discuss issues related to economic policy, religious freedom, faith-based initiatives, human rights efforts, and peace building efforts around the world. She has been a guest political commentator on KERA/NPR, DFW/FOX News, and Huffpost Live on issues related to faith and politics. She has written for the New York…

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Bridge for Early Career Preachers to Expand

…a diverse cohort. In addition, this grant will enhance The Bridge’s public programming, such as its webinar conversations, on a wide variety of preaching topics. Dr. Richard Voelz, Director of The Bridge for Early Career Preachers at Union Presbyterian Seminary, noted: “We are grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support. During our first year, we established a program that invests in early…

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Mosques, Museums, and More

…to the Egyptian museum of Cairo, which is full of treasures, many that were from the pyramids, temples, and tombs we have seen over the last few days. It included many beautiful items from the tomb of King Tut as well as the Merneptah Stele. This stele holds the first mention of Israel in connection with Ancient Egypt. Safwat gave…

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Into Israel

…Hotel with dinner and a long awaited sleep! Such vast, relatively empty landscapes on our journey north reminded me of Richard Rohr’s daily meditation for today. It talked about holy transitions and liminal spaces that push us towards “authentic spirituality and human development.” He notes that the word liminal comes from the Latin limen meaning “threshold.” Many of us definitely…

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Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

…experiences are lifelong accumulations but the experiences are manifest fully only in their singular occurrences that cannot be appreciated to any great measure outside of them. So, suffice to say here that I could write pages and pages here in some vain attempt to elaborate on the ineffable. And then we had lunch. (Ask me later about Hezekiah’s Tunnel) –Lucius…

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The Meaning of a True Pilgrim

…bodily gesture to that we had seen among Coptic Christian women in Egypt at a holy man’s tomb: forearm and forehead leaning on the box of remains. It is a powerful gesture, and the meaning of it is probably as individual as the number of people using it. One thing was clear to me—Hollywood has lied to us about spiritual…

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Gay Dawn Mothershed Dies at 85

Gay Dawn Mothershed died peacefully in her home in Black Mountain North Carolina on May 13, 2023. She was born on July 9, 1937 in Concord North Carolina, the oldest daughter of John and Elvie Mothershed. She delighted in being big sister to Linda, Auntie to Richard and John, and special member of the Bannerman family. She learned to knit,…

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Dr. Gench to lead a workshop at NEXT Church in Kansas City, MO

Dr. Frances Taylor Gench will lead a workshop on “Encountering God in Tyrannical Texts: Helping Congregations Wrestle with Biblical Authority” at the 2017 National Gathering of NEXT Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Gench is the Herbert Worth and Annie H. Jackson Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA….

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