More than 200 laity and others gathered at the SMU campus this week (March 28-30) to pause and learn from some of the nation’s foremost teachers of the Bible, religion, theology, and ministry from the faculty of Perkins School of Theology.
The Perkins Theological School for the Laity 2019 began on Thursday, March 28, with two afternoon half-day courses, including “The Future of a Divided Church,” presented by the Rev. Adam Hamilton (M.Div. ’88), a bestselling author and pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. A worship service followed in Perkins Chapel during which John M. Esquivel was presented with the 2019 Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award. The award goes annually to a layperson in the United States who embodies the Christian faith and commitment of service to Christ in the church, community and world as exemplified by Judge Woodrow B. Seals, a distinguished layperson whose interest and energy were instrumental in establishing the Perkins Theological School for the Laity.
Thursday night’s public lecture, “Beyond the Myth: Social Media, Youth and Why the Church is Missing the Point,” was presented by Dr. Andrew Zirschky, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology & Youth Ministry at Memphis Theological Seminary.
The program continued on Friday and Saturday with additional courses, taught by Zirschky and Perkins faculty members Roy Heller, Jamie Clark-Soles and Mark Stamm.
“It’s a really great experience through these courses that allow us to enhance our faith, learn more about the Bible, about spirituality and our shared connectivity through faith,” said Courtney Kelly, who chairs the board for the Perkins Theological School for the Laity.
Photographs by H. Jackson and G. Rogers, SMU Photography.