Rachel Stacy began her role as program manager on November 1, 2011. She will serve as the manager for the interreligious dialogue program. Rachel came highly recommended from colleagues and leadership in the ecumenical and interreligious communities around the country. The program manager will help STM achieve its goal of building an educational institution that allows people of faith of all religions and backgrounds to speak to one another authentically from their religious beliefs and values, but in a way that allows the crossing of religious boundaries in pursuit of a common life and the common good.

Rachel is a practitioner and scholar of peace-building, alternatives to violence programs, inter-religious dialogue and community development. She has written and presented on these topics to a variety of audiences around the world. She holds a teaching degree from Towson University and a Religious Studies graduate degree from the Earlham School of Religion. Rachel has served in national and international ecumenical conciliar circles in young adult formation, and will bring her wealth of experience and relationships in this area as well. Throughout her work, Rachel has developed a passion for educating others about the people, culture, and peace-building. Rachel hopes to continue to facilitate the sharing of ideas, inspiration, and hope.

“The opportunity of institutional, foundation and community supported interreligious dialogue is a dream come true,” said Stacy. “I continue to be astounded at the ways that God works in this world; encouraging us to participate in the transformational hands of faith. Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry is truly placing itself at the cutting edge of interreligious involvement in the public sphere.”
The interreligious dialogue program is made possible by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, intended to assist the school in its continuing effort to integrate interreligious dialogue and interfaith collaboration into its ecumenical curricula and programming. This program will help STM achieve its goal of building an educational institution that allows people of faith of all religions and backgrounds to speak to one another authentically from their religious beliefs and values, but in a way that allows the crossing of religious boundaries in pursuit of a common life and the common good.

In addition, the grant will support an annual visiting interreligious scholar at STM, community programming in interreligious conversation and collaboration, faculty retreats and faculty and student travel to conferences that explore the world’s growing religious diversity and how this reality is affecting theological and ministerial education and practice.