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As we welcome a new year, we would like to introduce The Search for Meaning Empowerment Series. Many of you will recognize this title from The Search for Meaning Book Festival. The “Search for Meaning” will continue as a lecture series, but will expand from the original concept to curate a larger scope of people, such as artists and prominent figures, who address this broadly inspired human search to make sense of the world.
Dec 3, 2018
On December 1, 2018, the Christian liturgical calendar entered the season of Advent, a four-week period of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is filled with readings, music, and images centering on themes of justice, peace, and the possibility of a new kind of world. It provides an opportunity for an annual renewal of the Christian community’s capacity to live comfortably and actively in the liminal, incomplete place of hope, anticipation, and longing.
Dec 3, 2018
Read More about From the Dean: Wanna Survive the Storm? Brush Up Your Jesuit
Valerie Lesniak is currently serving as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the School of Theology and Ministry. Administration is not new to Valerie as she has served both as an elementary school principal as well as a high school administrator in the lovely city of her birth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Valerie loves to travel and feels that travel is one of the best ways to earn life degrees. She has traveled all over Europe, the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, and Australia.
Nov 29, 2018
The Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs’ thematic working groups convened for the second time, along with the Center team, at Seattle University in November.
Nov 29, 2018
Read More about Center’s Thematic Working Groups on Homelessness Meet for the Second Time
STM’s very own Master of Arts in Couples and Family Therapy student Kathryn McNiel was chosen as a fellow for the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Research and Education Foundation’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). The fellowship program aims to expand the delivery of culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to underserved minority populations and to increase the number of culturally competent Marriage and Family therapists.
Nov 27, 2018
The Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT) hosted their Annual Fall Conference on September 29th, which supported the continuing education of WAMFT members. This year’s conference focused on future trends in the MFT field, such as technology, social media, ethical engagement, and multiculturalism in family therapy. An estimated 150 participants, including some of the School of Theology and Ministry’s MACFT students and faculty, joined together for a day of learning and networking with professionals in the Marriage and Family Therapy field.
Nov 26, 2018
On Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:00 PM, in Pigott Auditorium, Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College, will offer the Theology and Religious Studies Department’s Ann O’Hara Graff Lecture on “The Latinx Catholic Imagination and the Future of American Catholicism.” Her scholarship focuses on Latinx theology and the role of women in the Catholic Church.
Nov 1, 2018
Read More about 2018 Ann O’Hara Graff Lecture Featuring Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee
Learn how to produce high-quality podcasts on what matters most in life, particularly those that touch upon the human search for meaning and purpose. Students will learn how to research, interview, and edit podcasts with a KUOW podcast producer. The first class will focus on immigration. Undergraduates and graduates are welcome to register through SU Online starting November 13th.
Oct 31, 2018
Father Michael Raschko was born in North Dakota. Luckily he escaped the flatlands of the Midwest when his parents moved west when he was a year old. After a bit of time in exile in Oregon, he finally found his true home in Seattle at the age of five. He has called Seattle home ever since. His main area of teaching is Systematic Theology but he also teaches in the areas of Religion and Science, and the History of the Church. He received Rank and Tenure in 2003 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2010.
Oct 31, 2018
In just a few days, the United States will receive the results of a highly charged mid-term election that has been awash in accusations, vitriol, and the hateful spin-doctoring of every fact. The outcome of the election is still uncertain. It might end up a blue wave or blue ripple. Or, perhaps a red tide or serious red low tide. Either way, we will have victory laps and pity parties on November 6, and analysts will spend weeks explaining why it happened the way it did and what it means for the future.
Oct 31, 2018
Read More about From the Dean: The Cruelty of Winning and Losing
The School of Theology and Ministry invited three leaders in the Greater Northwest area to speak at the first Collaboration: Engaging a theological degree in our world today panel on October 22. Each panelist comes from a different faith background and a broad range of professional and philanthropic experiences. The purpose of the panel was to join these leaders together to open a discussion based on specific challenges in society they would like to address. After remarks from the three panelists, participants were asked to discuss among themselves what it means to engage a theological degree in today’s contemporary context.
Oct 30, 2018
Read More about Collaboration: Engaging a theological degree in our world today
For students in the School of Theology and Ministry, beginning on a new academic journey is the opportunity to look at their current profession through a more spiritual lens, or the chance to discover a new career path. While they all come into the school with a variety of faiths and beliefs, students discover during their time at STM that they all share a sense of belonging, self-awareness, and deeper connections with faculty and peers.
Oct 30, 2018
The Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs’ thematic working groups convened for the first time, along with the Center team, at Seattle University earlier this month.
Oct 29, 2018
Read More about Center’s Thematic Working Groups on Homelessness Meet for the First Time
What key challenges or “puzzles” does your organization face as it addresses homelessness and the affordable housing crisis? Next summer, problem-solve with fellow nonprofit executives, religious leaders, social service providers and community organizers to identify and develop innovative responses in the Puget Sound and other urban centers.
Oct 25, 2018
I have friends and family who have been predicting the demise of religion for a long time. One of them recently asked me what kinds of students could possibly have an interest in studying about religion in any form, given all the bad publicity about religious organizations. In our spirited conversation, I realized that my friend, who was hurt several times in his youth by religious leaders, is only able to see one side of the religious “coin” because of his experiences.
Sep 28, 2018
An alumna of the School of Theology and Ministry, Erica Lee Martin serves as lecturer of Hebrew Bible, offering courses dealing with biblical texts, archaeology, interpretation, inter-scriptural understanding, scriptural languages, and Jewish exegesis. Erica is passionate about presenting students with the skills to become ‘empowered’ readers of scripture, and nurturing the growth of each individual student’s interpretive voice.
Sep 28, 2018
The beginning of the fall quarter starts with our annual orientation to welcome the new students. Participants from various spiritual communities gathered for a half day to meet, mingle, and learn more about the resources available to them at the School of Theology and Ministry.
Sep 28, 2018
Read More about Faculty Welcome Students at New Student Orientation
From the modern city of Tel Aviv, to the historic site of Elijah’s home on Mt. Carmel, participants will travel through the lands of Israel and Jordan and into the very heart of spirituality and religion. One of the intentions of this pilgrimage is to work with local guides to seek opportunities for dialogue or engagement with persons of diverse faith traditions and social locations who live in the Holy Land. We hope such opportunities will help us deepen our experience as we journey into the heart of this is diverse region.
Sep 28, 2018
Read More about STM Faculty Leads Interfaith Journey Through Israel and Palestine
Join us as we commemorate the historic pastoral ministry of Raymond Hunthausen, archbishop of Seattle, 1975-1991, with a Memorial Mass. Fr. Pat Howell, SJ, will be the presider and homilist. All are welcome to join in the celebration of his life and ministry!
Sep 27, 2018
The Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs is pleased to announce its first School of Theology and Ministry student intern, Ms. Shannon Britton. Ms. Britton is pursuing a Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership and will support the Center’s current work around faith-based responses to homelessness.
Sep 25, 2018
Former Secretary of State John Kerry spoke for over an hour with a capacity crowd at Seattle University about his new memoir, Every Day Is Extra.
Sep 25, 2018
American Catholics, and anyone else taking seriously the role of religion and faith in American society, are now processing an intense level of disillusionment, frustration, and anger. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s 884-page grand jury report on the sexual abuse of more than 1,000 youth by as many as 300 Catholic clergy is so troubling that it is difficult to find appropriate words to describe it. Good Lord! What is the proper response to something so horrendous that it seems like a cross between Mafia corruption case and a reality television show? What is a Catholic to think and do? A Christian? A person of any faith? Any person of good will? Is there a way for a leader in the Catholic community or anywhere else to meaningfully respond to three decades of embarrassing situations and promises of action that have proven woefully inadequate?
Sep 1, 2018
Read More about Can the Catholic Church Overcome Its Sex Abuse Scandals?
We are pleased to announce the introduction of a new 54-credit academic degree program. The Master of Arts (M.A.) is a flexible program that will allow students to explore theology, spirituality or religious studies in specialized and more individualized courses of study. The degree offers the option of a focus in spiritual direction, general theological studies, or spirituality. Other focus areas will become available in the future.
Aug 31, 2018
The youngest child of Korean immigrant parents, Rev. Dr. Mark Chung Hearn is a bridge-building minister and theologian. At an early age, he witnessed his own parents helping immigrant families and sojourners establish their lives in the United States. Though his parents would have called what they did simply “ministry and care for their fellow countryperson,” Dr. Hearn calls this social justice work and living one’s faith socially. As a United Methodist in the Wesleyan tradition, this faith in action is the integration of his commitment to personal and social holiness.
Aug 31, 2018
Dr. Christie Eppler, Professor and Master of Arts in Couples and Family Therapy (MACFT) program director, traveled to Switzerland to visit Chateau de Bossey. Dr. Eppler was invited to give a brief MACFT overview to the institute's current students, many of whom are priests, lay ministers, and leaders from various faith traditions and cultural locations. The students were kind and generous listeners - they appeared truly excited about spiritually integrated couples and family therapy.
Aug 31, 2018
The Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs is pleased to announce its 2018-2019 thematic working groups. These practitioners will collaborate in the Center’s work to strengthen the capacity of faith-based organizations (FBOs) to respond to pressing social problems. The groups will engage in collective problem-solving around homelessness and the housing crisis, and are organized around three types of intervention where FBOs have played a particularly important role – encampments, tiny houses, and emergency shelter and permanent housing.
Aug 30, 2018
Read More about Center Announces Thematic Working Groups: Problem-Solving Begins this Fall
The 2018 School of Theology and Ministry summer class students shared their reflections and emotions in the first few weeks of the program. They all entered the class with different faiths and beliefs but soon found that they all had shared values that created a sense of belonging. All of the students commented on how they instantly felt a connection with the program and their professors and peers. Doctor of Ministry cohort student, Terrance Taylor said, “these are my people.”
Aug 29, 2018
Dean Mark Markuly is attending the American Jewish Committee (AJC) delegation this week. AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. With 33 offices worldwide, plus partnerships with 35 international Jewish community organizations, AJC is making an impact on the issues that matter most. The challenges facing the Jewish people are great, they demand a response from an organization with global reach and influence. Mark will be sharing some of the highlights this week from Israel.
Aug 6, 2018
Read More about Making a History Rather than Becoming a Pawn of It
Periodically, someone asks me what I do for a living. When I tell them I’m the Dean of a School of Theology and Ministry, more than a few take a reflex step backwards, as if they are standing too close to an infectious organism. A smaller number respond with the smirk of encountering a quaint novelty in an antique shop, wondering perhaps how such anachronistic things could still interest anyone. Perhaps most people, however, change the subject, pretend I didn’t answer their question or they didn’t ask it, or nod awkwardly and walk away. As a former journalist who learned to peer deeply and honestly into the dark side of life, I understand their reactions.
Jul 31, 2018
Read More about Why I’m a Person of Faith Despite … Well … People of Faith
Born and raised in the borderlands of Mexico–U.S., Leticia learned to navigate and inhabit the in-betweenness of colliding worlds at an early age and that became a theme of her academic work. She grew up with a love of horseback riding, Mozart, and classical guitar, and she also grew up in a Mexican Baptist home, which means she started reading and memorizing the Bible at the age of five.
Jul 31, 2018
Read More about Faculty Profile: Leticia Guardiola-Sáenz, Ph.D.