Anglican Studies at Iliff

Transcription

1 REPORT OF THE ANGLICAN STUDIES PROGRAM The Iliff School of Theology/Diocese of Colorado to the 128 th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Colorado, October 1-3, 2015 Anglican Studies at Iliff The Iliff School of Theology has joined with the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado in providing a specific component of the Master of Divinity degree designed to satisfy the canonical requirements for Postulants seeking ordination in the Episcopal Church. Such students must have prior approval of the Commission on Ministry and the Bishop. The Iliff School of Theology also offers a certificate in Anglican Studies. Students who seek a Certificate in Anglican Studies will design, in consultation with the Director, a plan of study. Minimally, the study plan will include four courses.. 1. On-line course offerings The Program continues to offer its full, two-year rotation of courses on-line. In the autumn quarter 2014, BR 3225, English Reformations was offered (Dr. Gregory Robbins, instructor); BV 2315, Anglican Liturgy, in the winter quarter 2015 (The Very Revd. Peter Eaton, instructor); and BX 2335, The Anglican Communion and the Polity of the Episcopal Church, in the Spring quarter 2015 (Chancellor Larry Hitt, instructor). In , two new courses will come on-line: BT 3047, Integrative Colloquium in Anglican Studies: The Bible in the Life of the Church (Autumn 2015, Dr. Gregory Robbins, instructor); and a newly-proposed course, Anglicanism in Africa (Winter 2016, Dr. Erin Nourse, instructor). 2. Students As a result of our move to on-line offerings, the Anglican Studies Program at Iliff continues to attract a greater number of students, drawn from a wider geographical area and from

2 other denominations and religious traditions. The average number of students enrolled in our courses remains at 10. Students pursuing the Certificate in Anglican Studies as part of their degree work at Iliff over the past year live in Colorado, Arizona, and Wyoming. United Methodist students, especially, have found our courses attractive and helpful. 3. Graduates 3.1 During Iliff s commencement on June 3, 2015 at Saint Andrew s United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, 14% of those students receiving Master of Divinity degrees were members of the Anglican Studies Program Lara Alyse Erickson Beckwith was awarded the Master of Divinity degree with a concentration and certificate in Anglican Studies, and the Master of Arts degree in Pastoral and Spiritual Care The Revd. Tristian Clifford English (Diocese of Wyoming) received the Master of Divinity degree with a concentrations and certificate in Anglican Studies with distinction The Revd. Trenton Scott Moore, (Diocese of Wyoming) received the Master of Divinity degree with a concentrations and certificate in Anglican Studies The Revd. Chad Ludwig Sundin (Diocese of Arizona) received the Master of Divinity degree with a concentrations and certificate in Anglican Studies with distinction Dawn M. Maurer Skerritt received the Master of Divinity degree. 3.2 Elizabeth Rae Coody, a doctoral student long associated with and actively involved in Anglican Studies Program worship and activities, received the Ph.D. degree in Biblical Interpretation from the Joint Doctoral Program in Religious and Theological Studies the University of Denver shares with the Iliff School of Theology. Anglican Studies director Dr. Gregory Robbins directed her dissertation. The title of her dissertation was Imagining the Scandal of the Cross with Graphic/Novel Reading. 4. Student Scholarships In , Tory Kuepper and Amy Lythgoe shared the Wallace B. and Jean Dalby Clift Anglican Studies Scholarship to support their studies in the Program at Iliff. In they will again share the award. 5. Ordinations 5.1 On Saturday, June 13 th, Bishop O Neill ordained: William Stanton, a senior student in the Anglican Studies Program, to the Sacred Order of Deacons on the Feast of Saint Barnabas at Saint John s Cathedral Also ordained Deacon was Alwen Bledsoe, a graduate of the Anglican Studies Program. 5.2 At the same service, the Revd. Rebecca Jones, a graduate of the Anglican Studies Program, was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests.

3 6. Community building/formation 6.1 Community worship at the Iliff School of Theology In October, Bishop O Neill made his annual visitation to Saint Bede s Chapel, a special congregation of the Diocese associated with the Anglican Studies Program at the Iliff School of Theology, on the Feast of Saint James of Jerusalem. Bishop O Neill preached and celebrated at the Iliff community worship service at 11 a.m. in the Iliff Chapel. The Revd. Rebecca Jones served as Deacon of the Mass. The Bishop was accompanied by the Revd. Canon Ken Malcolm, the newly-appointed Canon Missioner for Leadership Development and Formation. 6.2 Houses Masses During the course of the year, the Anglican Studies Program continued to offer current students, graduates and friends the opportunity to participant in a bi-weekly house Mass and potluck meal, frequently hosted by Anglican Studies Program graduates, the Revd. Sandra Blake, the Revd. Deb Angell, and the Revd. Canon Emeritus Bert and Joanne Womack. 6.3 Journey Master of Divinity Gathering Days Several students in the Anglican Studies Program are enrolled in the M.Div. Journey Program at Iliff. Students in that degree track normally take 2/3 of their course work online or in a hybrid format. During the 5 th week of every quarter and during the summer months, they journey to Iliff and gather for a long weekend of study, formation and fellowship. To enhance that experience for Anglican Studies students, the director and faculty members host house Masses and dinners each quarter during the Gathering Days, bringing together students in residence with those making the trek to campus. 7. New faculty A new faculty member has been invited to join the Anglican Studies faculty for the academic year. It is anticipated that at least two others will be invited to join our ranks as well. All will be teaching on-line offerings: 7.1 Erin Nourse, Ph.D., will teach a new course, Anglicanism in Africa, in Winter Erin received her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. Her research seeks to offer an ethnography of birthing and infant care in Madagascar, exploring the unique ways in which Malagasy peoples Christians, Muslims and traditionalists create historical narratives and religious identities through rites of protection and ceremonies of initiation for infants. Erin has taught at the University of Virginia and at the University of Denver. She has traveled extensively and lived abroad in Madagascar, Uganda, China and Tibet. 8. Reaching out The Anglican Studies Program: 8.1 Co-hosted with the Offices of the President (Thomas Wolfe) and Institutional Advancement a garden party for Anglican Studies Program graduates, current students and friends at the University Park home of Janet Manning, member of the Iliff School

4 of Theology Board of Trustees (and parishioner at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church), June 4, 2014, 7-9 p.m. 8.2 Co-sponsored Reflection: A Discussion about Christopher Nolan s Interstellar following The Wilderness service at Saint John s Cathedral and a light supper, 7-9 p.m., January 25, Co-sponsored an Iliff Women s Alliance Salon with Dr. Carrie Doehring, Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Dr. Timothy Krueger, Artistic Director of Saint Martin s Chamber Choir, and Anglican Studies Director, Dr. Gregory Robbins, entitled Praising God in a Post-Modern World, on March 5, 2015, at the home of the Revd. Drs. George and Carrie Doehring. The Women s Alliance is a volunteer support group whose mission is to bring Iliff into the community by hosting salons in private homes with Iliff professors. Proceeds from the salons support an annual competitive scholarship for an Iliff female student in any degree program. 8.4 Co-sponsored an Iliff Women s Alliance Salon with Anglican Studies Director, Dr. Gregory Robbins, entitled The New Atheism, June 13, 2015, at the home of Diane and Tom Barrett. 9. News of the Director Related to his work the director of the Anglican Studies Program, Canon Dr. Gregory Robbins: 9.1 Published Exegetical Perspective on Luke 17: In Feasting on the Gospels Luke, Volume 2 (Chapters 12-24): A Feasting on the Word Commentary, edited by Cynthia A. Jarvis and E. Elizabeth Johnson, Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press Exegetical Perspective on Luke 18:1-8. In Feasting on the Gospels Luke, Volume 2 (Chapters 12-24): A Feasting on the Word Commentary edited by Cynthia A. Jarvis and E. Elizabeth Johnson, Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press Exegetical Perspective on Luke 18:9-14. In Feasting on the Gospels Luke, Volume 2 (Chapters 12-24): A Feasting on the Word Commentary, edited by Cynthia A. Jarvis and E. Elizabeth Johnson, Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press The New Atheism. In Religion and American Cultures: Tradition, Diversity and Popular Expression, Volume 3, edited by Gary Laderman and Luis D. Leon, Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO PRESS Represented the Anglican Studies Program at the ordination of the Revd. Peter D. Eaton, faculty member in the Program, as Bishop of Coadjutor, Diocese of Southeast Florida, at Trinity Cathedral, Miami, FL, May 9, Presented the Senior Scholar s Address at the Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Regional Meeting of the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature/American Schools of Oriental Research entitled, Cinema s Diluvial Bestiaries, Biblical and Otherwise, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, March 20-21, 2015.

5 9.4 Presented an invited paper at the International Conference on Religion and Film entitled, Aftertones of Infinity: Biblical and Darwinian Evocations in Terrence Malick s Tree of Life and To the Wonder, at Mamara University, Istanbul, Turkey, May 21-24, The paper will be published as an article in a forthcoming issue of The Journal of Religion and Film (University of Nebraska Press). 9.5 Taught Three sessions for the Trinity Institute on canonical and non-canonical infancy narratives, Trinity United Methodist Church, Denver, December 7, 14, & 21, 2014; Two sessions for Adult Education at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, Denver: The Pauline Mission on Advent 1, 2014, and The Passion according to Mark, on Palm Sunday, 2015; Three sessions on the Gospel of Mark and the Book of Revelation for the Adult Forum at Saint Timothy s Episcopal Church, Littleton, January 4,11, & 25, 2015; A three-session course for University College at the University of Denver and the Denver Center Theatre Company entitled, Kent Haruf s Benediction: Holt (Colorado), Religion and the Precious Ordinary, February 2, 7, & 9, 2015; Two sessions of the Adult Seminar at Christ Church United Methodist, Denver, entitled The Heart of Marcus Borg: An Appreciation, March 1 & 8, 2015; And, beginning in September 2014 and concluding June 21, 2015, ten sessions on The Story, for the Dean s Forum at Saint John s Cathedral.