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Outside Our Service Area

Apr. 2, 2020—Waste Not Want Not: A Beginner’s Composting Series This series focuses on our commitment to sustainability and ecotheology by offering tips and tools to live out what we say we believe. Amy E. Steele (she/her/hers), Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Community Life at Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS) invites us in to her journey toward...

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Why Nashville?

Apr. 2, 2020—Guest post from The Rev. Laura M. Cheifetz (she/her), Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship This post is part of a series titled, “Why Vanderbilt Divinity” that provides different perspectives from the Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS) community about why VDS makes a top school to consider for graduate theological education. To read part I...

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The Elevator Speech

Apr. 1, 2020—Guest post from The Rev. Laura M. Cheifetz (she/her), Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship This post is part II of a series titled, “Why Vanderbilt Divinity” that provides different perspectives from the Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS) community about why VDS makes a top school to consider for graduate theological education. When I am out recruiting...

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Why Vanderbilt Divinity School

Apr. 1, 2020—Guest post from The Rev. Laura M. Cheifetz (she/her), Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship This post is part of a series titled, “Why Vanderbilt Divinity” that provides different perspectives from the Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS) community about why VDS makes a top school to consider for graduate theological education. Why did I decide...

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a moment of meditation

Apr. 1, 2020—As we explore what it means to be in community virtually, we’ve been meeting weekly on Mondays for a moment of poetry, song, and silence. Periodically, we’ll be sharing parts of those gatherings here, as a resource for you to center yourselves for 15 minutes wherever you are. Click on the links embedded below to...

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Honoring our collective dead

Oct. 30, 2019—On November 1, in many Christian traditions, we observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, where we offer a “Requiem for the Dead” — a moving, often solemn remembrance of our faithful departed in song and prayer. Increasingly though, in many Christian communities, especially those with congregants from Latin American backgrounds, we have integrated...

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2019 Convocation Address

Sep. 13, 2019—The message below was delivered by dean emilie m. townes at the 2019 Convocation held at Vanderbilt Divinity School on August 23. we gathered in this space that was conceived by students, faculty, staff, alums, and the board of visitors when we started this journey in the fall of 2013 as we talked to all...

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Staff transitions

Sep. 12, 2019—A note from dean townes on staff transitions at Vanderbilt Divinity We are in a season of transitions as we begin a new academic year with a “new” building that has increased the Divinity School’s physical footprint that better reflects who we say we want to be based on our Purpose and Commitments.  Living into...

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VDS Building Dedication and Convocation

Sep. 11, 2019—View the building dedication and convocation writeup, here, and photos from the events below, by clicking on the image.

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A Faculty Statement with Regard to Wage Theft

Sep. 4, 2019—Preface: We wrote this statement in light of a recent labor dispute, now resolved with support from Worker’s Dignity and the University and Divinity School. The conflict arose when a subcontractor of the primary construction company for the Divinity School renovation did not pay $66,000 owed to Armando Arzate and his colleagues whom the subcontractor had...

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