The Seminary Explores

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). 

Darius Potts, Chief of Police in Ankeny Iowa, discusses the challenges facing law enforcement officers during a time of distrust and gaps between the police and the community. He is the first African American to be Police Chief in Ankeny, IA.

As Chief, he feels that one of his responsibilities is to decrease the stress levels that his officers face. That is accomplished in part by promoting communication and yearly structured mental health support for every officer.

Throughout his career in law enforcement, Potts has had to strike a balance between being an officer and dealing with the experiences of those in the communities he served. He explains the importance for both officers and the community to understand the long history of mistrust of police and that it is not a new phenomenon. African American candidates in law enforcement especially must grapple with this as they consider the profession.

Ankeny is a growing community, but the recruitment of officers is down. Fewer people are taking an interest in this profession. At present, his department is down seven staff members. The department will need more women and men for a growing community. Potts is optimistic about law enforcement and would encourage young people to consider it as their life work. With all the present-day challenges to law enforcement, Potts believes it is a noble profession.

The Seminary Explores catches up with The Rev. Eric Shafer, Senior Pastor of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica, California before his upcoming retirement. He’s worn many hats in the past decades, including those of parish pastor, communications and fundraising executive leader, mentor, and partner in interfaith initiatives.

An ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he is graduate of Muhlenberg College and Hamma School of Theology (now part of Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capitol University). Rev. Shafer was recognized with a 2021 Partnership Award from The Westside Coalition for Housing, Hunger and Health in Santa Monica. He serves on the President’s Council of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), is a member of the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council and is a founder and board member of Students 4 Students Homeless Shelters.

Dr. Christianson speaks with Ambassador Lawrence Taylor who provides his assessment of the current war in the Ukraine. Ambassador Taylor emphasizes the need for an immediate pause in hostilities and expresses deep concern that there is no easy way back or no quick resolution to this conflict.

For reference you may also want to listen to some of our past episodes on the Ukraine.

• 10/14/2014: http://seminaryexplores.uls.edu/e/the-conflict-in-ukraine/
• 12/5/2019: http://seminaryexplores.uls.edu/e/why-is-ukraine-important/

Dr. Russell Dalton, Professor of Religious Education, Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas, discussed his interest and research in social justice in preparation for a forthcoming book. He shared that his motivation for this research came from the lack of religious education addressing social justice praxis.

In general, religious education may advocate for social justice but not give congregational members the practical tools for addressing social justice in their respective locations. As a model, he has used the educational method of the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights period in presentations on social justice as well as the of Jim Lawson workshops in Nashville. Both require critical reflection on what participants anticipate happening in their actions It is important for people to know the risks in social justice work and to trust their fellow co-participants in the work. At the conclusion of the conversation, Dalton gives some practical ideas that congregations can use to equip themselves to work on social justice.

On the anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection, Rev. Dr. Norma Cook Everist, Distinguished Professor of Church and Ministry, emerita, Wartburg Theological Seminary, discussed the meaning of being political, the separation of church and state or the separation of religion and government. She uncovered the meaning of Christian Nationalism and the importance of Christian education in combatting this and similar ideologies. With all the divisions within the United States, Everist suggests building a trustworthy environment so that we can be different together. She concludes with the vocation of the church in these challenging times in our nation and the world.

This is a musical broadcast. Tom Jolin played and sang familiar and not so familiar Christmas and Advent carols from the United States and abroad. He accompanied himself on the hammer dulcimer, banjo, and accordion. He introduced each carol with the instrument he would use. The familiar carols are so inviting that the listeners will want to sing. Tom choose the carols he played based on the good Christmas memories from childhood that inspired him. He shared some of those memories in the introduction to the performances.