The Seminary Explores

Fr. Andrew Durbidge, Rector St. Luke and St. Matthew Episcopal Church in Brooklyn New York Joins us to talk about his recent pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James. Each year thousands of individuals start from various points in France, Spain, and other locations to take the journey. This pilgrimage dates from the medieval period. Durbidge used his walking time for meditation and reflection. The walk reinforced his own spiritual growth. He began his 60-mile journey from Camino de Portugues and culminated at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwest Spain. Ending the journey with worship at the Cathedral, Fr. Durbidge noted the emotional impact of the journey in the tearful eyes of his fellow travelers.

Pastor Richard Michael and his wife Bonnie McCourt talk about their most recent travel to the Holy Land which he was co-leader. This was his 11^th tour. Both share the benefits of taking such a tour which included reading the scriptures through a new lens and changing one’s world view. Richard discusses his change from a total pro-Israeli perspective to one in which he has been open to hear and listen to the Palestinian vices. Both describe the plight of Palestinian workers and Palestinian families. Both Richard and Bonnie share the importance of listening with discernment to the reporting of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict from the media. They include suggestions for listeners preparing to visit the Middle East. In addition, they share suggestions for those listeners who are not planning to travel there but would like a more informed perspective of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Dr. Michael Birkner, Professor of History, Gettysburg College ,talks about his recently edited book Democracy’s Shield: Voices of World War II. He describes the oral interviews conducted by Gettysburg College students of veterans of the Second World War. This project took place over a twenty-five-year period. The interview process began with a network of veterans he knew. The interviews included:  men and women, persons who had been in combat, those who were not, WACs and WAVES. He noted the difficulty in locating and interviewing veterans of color. Birkner highlights some of the memories and notes the importance of oral history. From his perspective, Birkner feels that the project and the book that resulted from it humanized World War II.

Dr. Crump, former Professor of Systematic Theology at LTSG, named Karl Barth, Rudolph Bultmann, and Paul Tillich as the leading theologians of the 20th century and briefly described the central themes in the work of each. Common to all three would be close to Tillich’s phrase, “Accept the fact that you are accepted.” Crump described the crucial importance of the two World Wars on each. He compared the “big three” with American Lutheran theologian and Gettysburg professor, Robert Jensen, who is most respected for his work on the Trinity, but concluded that Tillich has the most enduring legacy.

This episode of The Seminary Explores features Pastor Ed Smith, the recipient of the Called to Lead – Excellence in Ministry Award by the Alumni Association of United Lutheran Seminary. Ed shared his various areas of ministry after graduating from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.

While a pastor in the Pocono area of Pennsylvania, he developed a ski ministry. After a few years, he received a call to a parish in Colorado where he participated in the beginning years of Habitat for Humanity and worked with former President Carter. That involvement led him to similar building projects in Nicaragua amid the political strife there in the 1980s. For over 30 years, Ed was also a chaplain for the Loveland, Colorado police department.

Throughout his years of involvement in activities beyond the congregations, he shared the important support of congregational members. His advice to women and men involved in pastoral ministry is to visit, love, and respect the gifts of the people you are called to serve.

On this episode of the Seminary Explores Prue Yelinek discusses research on her familial roots which date back to 1754. Her discussion combined the history of her family in relation to the history of the Church of the Brethren in the Shenandoah Valley. That history is intertwined with the events of the Civil War in that area. Yelinek shared the surprises she found in her research as well as the published articles that emerged from her research on family members during the Civil War, “Colonel John Francis Neff – Dunker Rebel, Son of the Shenandoah” and “Uncle John Bowman’s and his Uncle Sam and Their Families are Going to Ohio”: Sheridan’s Refugee Wagon Train,” both published in the Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era. At the conclusion of the interview she shared her advice to others who are interested in doing genealogical research.

Ann Bracken's book Crash: A Memoir of Overmedication and Recovery, explores mother-daughter experiences of mismanaged care for depression and chronic pain. A co-host for the Wilde Readings Poetry Series, Bracken is a contributing editor for Little Patuxent Review. Her poetry, essays, and interviews have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. She is a correspondent for the Justice Arts Coalition, exchanging letters with incarcerated people to foster their use of the arts. Bracken holds a B.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Towson University and an M.S.Ed. in Communication and Learning Disorders from Johns Hopkins University.

Recorded at the Adult Discussion Class at St. James Lutheran Church, this episode is centered on the career of Kristin Rice who recently retired as the Chief Public Defender of Adams County in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She  defined and described the role of the Public Defender’s Office: the type of cases the office  must take, the unique structure of the Pennsylvania Public Defenders Office, and the caseloads of the lawyers in the office (from DUI and immigration to death row). Listeners will be privy to two cases that illustrate the work of the Public Defender’s Office and highlights her 21 years as the county’s chief Public Defender.

Author Gregory Christianson shares the development of his newest book Gettysburg Fast Facts for Kids and Families. The story of Gettysburg is told through the eyes of children. He discussed how his interest in the Civil War began and his desire to make the Gettysburg visit experience accessible to children. His inclusion of the contributions of woman and African Americans are pieces of the Gettysburg narrative often omitted when talking about the war. Although the book is designed for children it is a basic book of facts that is helpful to adults as well. 

Mr. Jonathan Noel, Minister of Music at St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg Pennsylvania discussed the role of the organist in the life of the church. He described the organist as helping the music life of the congregation. He recalled his early interest in the instrument and connecting it in the worship life of the church. Noel noted the challenges as well as the opportunities of the organist in this age of technology. While the organ is less used in many churches today, technology and the internet has helped to expose people to the organ repertoire as well as the performance of professional organists. Noel suggested how a new generation of music students might be inspired to become music professionals in congregations.