News

The May 10 ceremonies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary's Chapel of the Cross recognized 62 graduates who completed their degrees in Fall 2011 or Spring 2012. Thirty-six students graduated with a Master of Arts degree, five received a Master of Arts with a concentration in Biblical Languages, and twenty-one received the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Graduate Theological Union announced Pacific School of Religion Professor Boyung Lee as the 2012 recipient of its Sarlo Excellence in Teaching Award during its May Commencement ceremony. In response to accepting the award, Lee said, "Most of my teachings for doctoral students have been through special reading courses on postcolonial, poststructuralist, feminist or critical pedagogies and through my ongoing mentoring work for them, especially for students of color. I consider my mentoring work for students of color as important as my classroom teachings, and thus I have offered two workshops for women of color students during this academic year through the Women’s Studies in Religion Program."

Asia Project was a participating organization at the incredibly successful Sacred Snapshots at Pacific School of Religion on Saturday, April 21. The event allowed participants to get a taste, a "snapshot" if you will, of different religious traditions and practices. More than 200 people attended workshops and classes, including "Indian Christian Spirituality: Bhajans and Keerthanas" which was led by Asia Project Director Moses Penumaka.

On March 15, the Asia Project hosted the opening reception for the 27th annual meeting of Pacific, Asian and North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry (PANAAWTM). The opening panel was hosted by Pacific School of Religion (PSR).  PANAAWTM is the oldest and (arguably) most important organization for Asian American Women's Studies in theology and religion in North America.

Two GTU doctoral students in Biblical Studies were recently selected to present papers at the Graeco-Roman Society and the New Testament section of the International meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Amsterdam in late July.

On Saturday, January 14, the Black Church/Africana Religious Studies Program hosted a Womanist Symposium – “Who Do They Say I Am?” at the McGee Avenue Baptist Church in Berkeley. The Honorable Congresswoman Barbara Lee, 9th Congressional District, was the morning keynote speaker.

The 2012 Berakah Award was presented to the Rev. Dr. Louis Weil (CDSP) at the annual meeting of the North American Academy of Liturgy. This award is given each year to honor an outstanding contributor to liturgical scholarship.

Izak Lattu, a doctoral student in Interdisciplinary Studies, denounces changes by the Indonesian government which oppress practioners of indigenous religion.

"Although indigenous faiths such as Sunda Wiwitan, Kejawen and other forms of traditional beliefs represent local ways of addressing the Ultimate Reality, they nonetheless encounter discrimination on a political basis....