Leading Theologically

Jerry Cannon and Eustacia Moffett Marshall, partners in ministry first together at CN Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charlotte NC and now serving separately, come together to discuss with Lee Hinson-Hasty what healthy mentoring in ministry looks like and why it is important now more than ever. Join us live for this conversation that is sure to be meaningful, entertaining, and preach-able!

Rev. Dr. Derrick McQueen joined Lee Hinson-Hasty for a conversation about worship in a pandemic. Derrick is pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church in Harlem, N.Y., and the author of this year's liturgy for Theological Education Sunday.

Download the liturgy at https://www.presbyterianfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Theological-Education-Sunday-Liturgy-for-Sept-20-2020.pdf

A Christian Womanist Ethics serving on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary since 1991, Dr. Marcia Y. Riggs recognizes that partisan polarization characterizes both political and religious life in the United States today. Throughout the 20th century, images of "the melting pot" and "the mosaic" have been used to guide our sociocultural, political conceptions of moral community. Many Protestant liberal and progressive Christian communities have interpreted these images through the theological image of Beloved Community originated by Josiah Royce and popularized by Martin Luther King, Jr. How can this theological concept work in repairing the breaches we have today? Join us in envisioning and practicing beloved community together.

Always an educator, the Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka taught junior high English and social sciences, coordinated youth and young adult ministries for the PC(USA), taught at Columbia Theological Seminary, and since 2016 as the senior associate and director of adult education ministries at Village Church, PC(USA) in Prairie Village, Kansas. Sought after as a preacher and teacher for decades, Rodger is beloved for the ways he weaves scripture, life, and the ways he sees God showing up in the lives of those who gather with him. Come join us for this conversation about how Christian formation happens in congregational life remotely. How can church leaders create experiences of the divine, nurture relationships, and incarnate the body of Christ?

Leadership seems to be the answer for everything that is wrong in our lives, communities and the world, but will any leadership do? What is leadership and what is the role of courage in the face of the pandemic, civil unrest and uncertainty within our communities? We'll explore answers to these two questions and why courageous leadership matters for those longing for a more hopeful future.

Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty sits down for a conversation with Rev. Dr. Frank M. Yamada, Executive Director of the Association of Theological Schools. Yamada is an active biblical scholar who has authored and edited books and articles on cross-cultural and feminist hermeneutics. In 2017 he began as executive director of The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and oversees the work of both the Association and the Commission on Accrediting that accredits 200 + theological schools in the United States and Canada. Prior to ATS, Yamada was on faculty and then President of McCormick Theological Seminary. A graduate of Southern California College, Yamada earned his MDiv and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has written and spoken on the future of the church and theological education. Lee and Frank had a conversation about the “once in a generation” June 2020 vote to change the standards of accrediting theological schools and what that means for change in the formation of religious and moral leaders today.

As a cultural historian of Latinx religions and cultures, the Rev. Dr. Edwin David Aponte explores faith, spirituality, and culture, especially the intersections of race, ethnicity, and religion, congregational studies, and religion and politics. His leadership at the Louisville Institute helps pastors and theological scholars ask the best questions and be open to the outcomes. Join us as Lee and Ed discuss ways to bridge the divide, perceived and real, between Church and academy. Stories of leaders who have received grants from the Institute will be woven into the conversation providing some best practice examples.

Join us for a conversation with recognized biblical scholar, Dr. Nancy C. Lee, Niebuhr Distinguished Professor at Elmhurst College in Chicago. A graduate of both Columbia Seminary and Union Presbyterian Seminary, she is author of a forthcoming biblical commentary on Lamentations and Song of Songs. She has lived and worked in global communities where genocide and social injustices have taken place, including Bosnia, South Africa, and the Cherokee community. Dr. Lee shares how expressing our many and various laments is of the utmost necessity during today's pandemic.

Many congregations have faced financial challenges in recent decades and some have even wondered if their church is still viable. David King was with us for a Facebook Live conversation on July 1 to discuss the financial challenges churches are facing, and how churches can plan for the future. David serves as the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and assistant professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University.

Elizabeth "Lib" Caldwell has a long legacy of educating in the PC(USA). She served on faculty at McCormick Theological Seminary for 30 years, teaching generations of pastors and theological leaders how education can shape lives and communities. During her Facebook Live discussion with Lee Hinson-Hasty, she discussed how to handle tough question from children and discussed her life in ministry. She was joined at the end of the Facebook Live with well-wishers who congratulated her on receiving the Excellence in Theological Education Award, which was set to be presented to her at General Assembly 224. GA 224 (in 2020) was set for Baltimore but was turned into a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.