The Seminary Explores

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.

This is a program of remembrance. Three colleagues and friends of Dr. Richard Stewart share their memories of him.

Dr. Joseph Donnella emphasizes Stewart’s work on making connections among people, groups and churches. He highlighted the collegiality he experienced with Stewart when they both were serving parishes in St. Croix.

For Mark Staples, his conversations with Stewart were important of him. Stewart’s work on African American history and the Lutheran Church was a labor of love.

Dr. Charles Leonard focused on Stewart’s global interests. He and Stewart co-led trips to Africa with seminarians. Leonard also reflected on Stewart’s interest in making sure that the contributions of Blacks in the Lutheran church were not omitted as demonstrated in his digital interviews of Black rostered leaders.

Please join us in celebrating the life and legacy Richard Stewart.

Other interviews with Dr. Stewart:

• http://seminaryexplores.uls.edu/e/african-american-lutheran-clergy-an-oral-history/
• http://seminaryexplores.uls.edu/e/black-lives-matter/

Dr. Richard Perry, Professor emeritus of Church and Society and Urban Ministry Program, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago discussed the formation and history of the Conference of International Black Lutherans or CIBL. From the beginning, CIBL was and continues to be  dedicated to the  research, study, and examination of Lutheran theology through the African American experience. Conversation between Dr. Albert Pero (United States) and Dr. Ambrose Moyo (Zimbabwe) in the mid-1980s developed dialogue with African American and African Lutheran theologians which culminated with the first CIBL conference in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1986. Perry highlighted the contributions of this professional organization including:

1. the diverse way to experience the Lutheran faith experience,
2. the publication of scholarly works for professional and lay persons within congregations, and
3. providing space to empower other ethnic communities in the church. Dr. Perry concluded the interview by suggesting ways to cultivate another generation of Black scholars in the Lutheran church.

Dr. Teresa Smallwood, The James Franklin Kelly and Hope Eyster Kelly Associate Professor of Public Theology, United Lutheran Seminary discussed her choice of the top stories in religion for 2022. She discussed her concern for Democracy in the United States, the current role of the Supreme Court, religious freedom, the care for children and their health, and the challenges facing the Black community. She emphasized the importance of our mainline churches to educate its members in the Christian tradition in order to counter the forces that are taking away our God-given human freedom.

Pastor Annabelle Markey, Co-pastor Community Lutheran Church, Sterling, VA, while on a 3-month sabbatical from her parish she had the opportunity to fulfill her interest in traveling 490 miles on foot from France through northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago. The pilgrimage attracts people from around the globe: Christians and non-Christians, people in transition in their lives, walkers who are taking the time to discern, and non-believers.

She and her husband walked 10 to 18 miles each day going through various small towns. Upon reaching their designated walk, they would find various accommodations for sleeping and continue their pilgrimage the next morning beginning at 6 AM. She shares the history of this pilgrimage which developed in the ninth century with the discovery of the relics of St. James and about the personal outcomes of this pilgrimage for her which included learning to slow down and how to be present by listening to others without thinking about the next project or projects to do. Although it was a strenuous walk, she hopes to repeat this pilgrimage.

Dr. Andre Lijoi, Associate Program Director of WellSpan York Hospital Family Medicine Program and Clinical Associate Professor for Penn State University School of Medicine joins Katy Giebenhain for a conversation about Narrative Medicine’s potential for clinicians and patients. A graduate of Ramapo College of NJ and Georgetown University School of Medicine, Lijoi did his residency and internship at University of Maryland Medical Center. He holds a CPA in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. 

Information on narrative medicine

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/well/live/narrative-medicine.html

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-06-10/doctors-use-narrative-medicine-to-cope-with-the-coronavirus

https://www.mhe.cuimc.columbia.edu/division-narrative-medicine

Nicole Yurcaba joins Katy Giebenhain for a conversation about identity, assumptions, and Ukrainian writers to start reading right now. A Ukrainian-American Poet and Essayist, Nicole’s book reviews, poems, and essays have appeared in The Atlanta Review, Whiskey Island, Raven Chronicles, Appalachian Heritage, North of Oxford, The Southern Review of Books and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Lindenwood University. She has been a Writing Resident at Gullkistan Creative Center for the Arts in Iceland, and a Tupelo Press June 2020 “30 for 30 featured poet.” Her poetry collection Triskaidekaphobia is forthcoming this year from the Black Spring Press Group. She teaches poetry workshops for Southern New Hampshire University and works as a career counselor for Blue Ridge Community College. She lives in West Virginia.

Links mentioned in the interview:

• Black Springs Press Group
• Lost Horse Press  
• Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute
• Ukrainian Festival

Dr. Tahmeena Ali, a longitudinal family physician in British Columbia, Canada has always enjoyed writing and, in 2013, obtained a creative writing certificate from Simon Fraser University's Writing Studio. Writing and medicine merged for her when she discovered Rita Charon's work in narrative medicine and attended a narrative medicine workshop at Columbia University in 2017.

The current President-Elect of BC Family Doctors, Dr. Ali writes and presents on topics including trauma-informed practice. She was awarded the Family Physician of the Year by the College of Family Physicians of British Columbia in 2020 for her dedication to her community and her profession. Her most rewarding and challenging work is raising three teenagers alongside her husband of 26 years.

Dr. Christopher Bellitto, Professor of History, Kean University, author of 101 Questions and Answers about Popes and the Papacy suggests that the resignation of Pope Benedict and the election of Pope Francis had few if any precedents to follow. It will encourage future popes to do the same because of age or infirmity, but we’ve learned that some mistakes must be addressed to avoid uncertainty over who is true pope: dress and insignia, name and forms of address, publishing or being interviewed on controversial topics.

Dr. Bellitto is the author of ten books, including most recently Ageless Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from the Bible (Paulist Press, 2016), along with 101 Questions and Answers on Popes and the Papacy (Paulist Press, 2008), and the companion volumes, The General Councils: A History of the 21 Church Councils from Nicaea to Vatican II and Renewing Christianity: A History of Church Reform from Day One to Vatican II (Paulist Press 2001-2002).