The Danger of American Civil Religion
Nov. 1, 2016—The 2016 presidential election carries with it the enormous gravity of deciding not only who will be the next President of the United States—and, by extension, the leader of the free world—but also of determining if this culturally-constructed public theology that is manifested in the legacy of American Civil Religion (ACR) will undergo a desperately needed reformation. The...
A Reflection on Seven Years in the Divinity Library Exhibit Programs
Oct. 19, 2016—By Charlotte Lew, Exhibit Preparator and Collections Assistant The renovation of the Divinity Library in 2006 set the stage for the exhibit programs. At the completion of the renovation, the addition of six exhibit cases spotlighted the library’s potential as a suitable location where art and theological education are integrated. The library has an envisioned...
READ THIS BOOK: October 2016
Oct. 9, 2016—Each month, we ask a member of the Vanderbilt Divinity School faculty to recommend a book they are currently reading. Our October recommendation is offered by Laurel C.Schneider, Professor of Religious Studies, Religion and Culture. Professor Schneider recommends “Green Grass, Running Water ” by Thomas King. Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water is a brilliant, quirky novel that plays havoc with...
Alumni/ae Tuesday: Julia Nusbaum, MTS’14
Oct. 4, 2016—Our monthly Alumni/ae Tuesday Guest Post series on the VDS Voices blog highlights posts written by VDS and GDR alumni/ae. Hear firsthand about their important work in the community, collaborations with other alumni/ae and faculty, and much more. Be sure to also check out the Divinity School Instagram feed every Tuesday for our Alumni/ae Instagram Takeover Day....
FIRST FRIDAYS Spouses and Partners Breakfast
Sep. 28, 2016—Beginning graduate theological education is an exciting time for new students, yet we know that Vanderbilt Divinity students don’t undertake this journey alone. Family members, friends, congregations, and many others walk alongside us through the “thick and thin” of professional school. Spouses and partners, in particular, often describe the unique joys and challenges of experiencing...
Restorative Justice
Sep. 21, 2016—In my roles as a professor at Vanderbilt’s Divinity School and as the director of the University’s Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership, I often find myself in classrooms, talking about the meaning and nature of justice. We read Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Rawls together. It can be exhilarating. But I have also taught in...
READ THIS BOOK September 2016
Sep. 18, 2016—Each month, we ask a member of the Vanderbilt Divinity School faculty to recommend a book they are currently reading. Our September recommendation is offered by Annalisa Azzoni, Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible. Professor Azzoni recommends Kara Cooney’s The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt. In The Woman Who Would Be King:...
The First Year Experience: An Extended Introduction
Sep. 14, 2016—By Amy E. Steele, MDiv, PhD Assistant Dean for Student Life The First Year experience at Vanderbilt Divinity School is an extension of the New Student Orientation. It is comprised of six sessions that focus on spiritual formation, stewardship, and vocation—or in other words, matters of spiritual grounding, money, and jobs. Perhaps these ideas seem...
Welcome from Luther Young, MDiv’2
Aug. 31, 2016—Each year, VDS invites returning students to offer words of advice to the incoming class. We hope these stories and lived wisdom will help you navigate your own path at Vanderbilt! You have made the decision to embark upon an exciting and challenging journey through theological discourse and spiritual practice—congratulations, and welcome to VDS! The...
Welcome from Lee Catoe, MDiv’2
Aug. 24, 2016—Each year, VDS invites returning students to offer words of advice to the incoming class. We hope these stories and lived wisdom will help you navigate your own path at Vanderbilt! To my siblings, It is with great joy that I welcome you all to this prophetic community that is Vanderbilt Divinity School. I often...