Page

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 …

Read More

Page

Inaugural Symposium Celebrates Center for Excellence in Christian Education at UPSem’s Charlotte Campus

…tomorrow by cultivating a MORE THAN imagination that constructs new patterns, models, and approaches in Christian Education so that faith formation shapes identity, nurtures meaning-making, and engenders faithful living in today’s world.” The symposium will conclude on Dec. 1 at 3:00 p.m. Registration and the complete schedule for the CECE Inaugural Symposium is online at https://bit.ly/CECE23   # # # …

Read More

News

Arrived in Cairo

…It feels good to sit and relax after almost 24 hours of travel. Our hotel is right on the river Nile. The sun is hanging low in the hazy horizon as boats cruise the river and the sound of honking horns wafts up from the nearby streets below. It’s the third day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end …

Read More

News

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

…asked, “Through which gate did you first enter into Jerusalem’s Old City?” Most of us will now answer and will never forget the image of entering through Lion’s Gate (aka the Gate of St. Stephen). A surprising first stop just inside the gate was St. Anne’s church where the immaculate gardens were nearly as astounding as our voices when we …

Read More

News

Crossing into Sinai

After a night of much needed rest, some awoke early to the sounds of barking dogs. I enjoyed a morning meditation on the breezy terrace. We had coffee in the lounge and then we went to a buffet-style breakfast that was plentiful and beautifully presented. We had free time after breakfast to go relax and tour the resort. Some went …

Read More

News

Complex Narratives of the Land

…trauma embedded in the places we have lived in the last three weeks. As we head home tomorrow, we carry with us memorable experiences and encounters of the lands and peoples of Egypt, Israel, and Palestine. The historical layers, diverse geographies, various religious traditions, and cultural expressions of this region will continue to shape and transform the ways we think …

Read More

News

Into Israel

…are truly part of a “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Once we left the hotel, we arrived at the Saint Catherine’s checkpoint twenty minutes later and awaited other buses to leave in a caravan for the Taba Border crossing to Israel. We eventually met up with our tour guide, Samir, by 3:30 p.m. He directed us to the bus, …

Read More

News

Sabbath on the Red Sea

Today we had the privilege of visiting Al-Azhar Al-Shariff, the largest and most prestigious Islamic academic institution in the world. Our hosts graciously welcomed us and Islamic scholar, Prof. Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayyad spoke with us about the work and mission of Al-Azhar Al-Shariff. He spoke particularly about the research arm of the institution, Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy (AIRA). Dr. …

Read More

Page

Scholarships and Awards

…to the glory of God. Jacob Hord III, Gastonia, North Carolina Selina Malherbe, Charlotte, North Carolina Michele Nierle, Henrico, Virginia Cat Parler, Charleston, South Carolina Margaret Smerko, Raleigh, North Carolina Eric Tang, Kernersville, North Carolina Serenitye Taylor, Pineville, North Carolina Mollie Trainum, Gloucester, Virginia The Wade and Lou Boggs Scholarship The Boggs Scholarship is awarded annually by the faculty to …

Read More

Page

(FREE) Webinar: Death & End of Life Issues

…care and grief counseling for dying patients and their families. Her area of research and practice is trauma-responsive psychotherapy and spiritual care in families and relationships. She is the author of Caring for Single Black Mothers: Unveiling Trauma and Loss (Pickwick Publications, 2021) and Pastoral Care for Grief and Loss in Pandemics, a chapter in an upcoming edited volume for …

Read More

Page

The 2018 Carl Howie Center for Science, Art, and Theology: “It’s Showtime! Art, Organizing, and Building Community One Musical at a Time”

…working on health care, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform. The Carl Howie Center for Science, Art, and Theology sponsors presentations through which church leaders (including seminarians) recognize and engage the insights and implications of the interplay of science, art, and theology for theological expression and the practice of ministry. The Center generously provides funding for lectures, seminars, and displays …

Read More

News

Shalom Farms: An agricultural learning lab in Northside

Community Spotlight BY EMMA NORTH If you’ve strolled over to Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Westwood Track recently you may have noticed the honey bees buzzing and all of the vegetables growing nearby. Shalom Farms broke ground on its Northside farm last spring and this year is its first full growing year. This spring it grew cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, carrots, and …

Read More

Page

Seminary for a Day workshop “Musical Resources for Pastoral Care Ministry” led by Dr. Schweitzer

Register for “Seminary for a Day” to attend this workshop led by Dr. Carol Schweitzer Musical Resources for Pastoral Care Ministry Have you ever wondered why we have church disagreements about music? Have you ever considered what constitutes good music for you, personally? Would you like to have a playlist for using when visiting? What are the narratives that rest …

Read More

Page

Back to School? Race, Faith, and COVID-19

…in the United Church of Christ and Disciples traditions. Carlton Jordan Institute for Student Achievement Coach Carlton Jordan has over 20 years’ experience in education. He was a high school English and writing teacher for many years. He served as a coordinator of a ninth-grade English course and was a founding member of an untracked middle school in New Jersey. …

Read More

Page

Pastoral Care & Mental Healthcare Workshop

This workshop is designed to be extremely practical, and participants will leave with resources and responses related to pastoral care and mental healthcare. Location: Union Presbyterian Seminary, Paisley Hall, Richmond, Virginia Led by: Dr. Carol Schweitzer, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care Emerita Dates: Tuesday, March 3 – Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Tuesday, March 3: 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., includes …

Read More

Page

Musical group, The Many, to lead 2019 Carl Howie Center Events for Science, Art, and Theology

The Many, a musical group passionate about creating music for people to sing together about peace and justice and where all belong, are coming to the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary, October 14 – 15, to lead the 2019 Carl Howie Center Events. Click here to learn more, including the event schedule and registration info. These events are FREE …

Read More

Page

Online Event: Virtual Clergy Self-Care Retreat

  Virtual Clergy Self-Care Retreat Date: Saturday, January 30, 2021, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST Co-leaders: Rev. Phanta Lansden, Associate Pastor, C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church, and Founder, Phanta Lansden Ministries, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Rev. Kamal Hassan, Pastor, Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church, Richmond, California Workshop Description: This virtual retreat geared towards clergy and ministry care-givers will offer self-care …

Read More

Page

Online Workshop: Pastoral Care within a Pandemic

…Theology in Denver, CO. Dr. Arjona’s research interests include the pastoral care of men, the intersections of pastoral care and liberation theologies, the care of couples and families, the care of LGBTQ+ individuals, and Erik H. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. One of his deepest passions is the care of theological students, which for him includes accompanying some of his …

Read More

Page

Online Event: Clergy Self-Care Virtual Retreat

Clergy Self-Care Virtual Retreat Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021, 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. EDT Co-leaders: Rev. Phanta Lansden, Associate Pastor, C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church, and Founder, Phanta Lansden Ministries, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Rev. Kamal Hassan, Pastor, Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church, Richmond, California Workshop Description: This virtual retreat geared towards clergy and ministry caregivers will assist participants in …

Read More

Page

Racism and Freedmen: Robert Lewis Dabney and Benjamin Mosby Smith

…the only one to feel anxious about the increasing ownership of land by freedmen. Both seminary and college felt under siege, especially when freedmen owned land adjacent to the south edge of the Seminary grounds. In the minutes of the Spring 1876 meeting of the Board of Directors of Hampden Sydney College, there is a paragraph entitled “Colored Population”: Resolved, …

Read More

News

BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER: MAY 2022

…James Leonard Farmer, Jr., Executive Director, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE); John Robert Lewis, Chairman, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); and Dr. King, President, Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC). The actual organizers of this historical event were Asa Phillip Randolph, President, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; and his associate, Bayard Rustin, a labor organizer and chief organizer of the March. …

Read More

News

Black Alumni Association Newsletter: February 2022

…exists in the United States today. The article goes so far to say that we need to not only teach the negative aspects of the reconstruction period but we should also teach its positive aspects. Such instruction will show how African American communities flourished by creating their own churches, schools, beneficial societies, banks, insurance companies, churches, and schools and will …

Read More