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August 2022 News Perspective Online

Faculty Updates

Women in Church Leadership

The Rev. Dr. Abraham Smith, Professor of New Testament at Perkins, was interviewed as part of a roundtable discussion, “In Support of Women in Church Leadership: A Conversation with Male Allies.”  A Perkins alum, the Rev. Dr. Sid Hall, Pastor Emeritus of Trinity Church of Austin, was also interviewed. The discussion was posted on a blog published by Equity for Women in the Church, Inc., an ecumenical movement to facilitate equal representation of clergywomen as pastors of multicultural churches in order to transform church and society. Read the June 30 post here.

Elia Commentary in the Dallas Morning News

A commentary by Anthony Elia, director of Bridwell Library and associate dean for Special Collections and Academic Publishing at SMU Dallas, was published on August 5 in the Dallas Morning News. The commentary highlighted similarities between Texas and Uzbekistan, where Elia recently traveled. Elia writes: “Uzbekistan shares several similarities with North Texas — a climate nearly identical to Dallas, dry and hot with impetuous but infrequent rain; long-term attempts at water control and drought mitigation; busy highways clogged with traffic and frustrated drivers trying to push forward; proud displays of national identity, including the regular showing of flags; a state which has become known for its regional independence and economic growth, while also being a magnet for capitalist investment and enterprise; and a hub of social and political activity that may seem contrasting and misunderstood, but certainly not without energy and purpose.” Subscribers may read the column, “Uzbekistan, like Texas, is kind of a whole other country,” here.

Grant funds Native American research project

With the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, the Association of Theological Schools has awarded $50,000 to Perkins faculty member Dr. Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner for a research project titled Healing with Dignity: Spiritual and Pastoral Care in Native America.  “This project will gather the experience and knowledge of practitioners serving in native American contexts into a resource that can be made available across geographic and cultural boundaries,” said Stevenson-Moessner. “Using the indigenous tradition of sharing important teachings orally and collaboratively in community, Perkins will host a gathering where persons can consult around a variety of pastoral care topics relevant to contemporary Native American communities.”

Stevenson-Moessner will co-lead the project with the Rev. Dr. Michelle Oberwise Lacock, a clinical pastoral educator of Lakota ancestry and a retired elder in the Northern Illinois conference (UMC), and the Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin, a pastoral counselor/psychotherapist, retired District Superintendent in the Illinois Great Rivers conference (UMC) and a Lakota. Three Henry Luce Fellows at Perkins will serve as an advisory committee: Dr. Ruben Habito (World Religions, Spiritual Formation), Dr. Beka Miles (Ethics), and Stevenson-Moessner (Pastoral Care and Pastoral Theology).

Rebekah Miles in Webinar

Rebekah Miles hosted a 90-minute webinar in June on “Gladly Choosing to Be United Methodist.” Guests included the Rev. Adam Hamilton, the Rev. Dr. Kay Palmer-Marsh, the Rev. Will Ed Green, the Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsailand and the Rev. Dr. Israel Alvaran.  The webinar was Session III in a series sponsored by the UM Association of Retired Clergy (UMARC.)  Watch the recorded program on YouTube.  Other sessions are also available at UMARC.org.