Wisdom Archives - General News

Category Archives: Wisdom

Articles relating to The Way of Wisdom. Will appear on www.gts.edu/wisdom.

What Are The Way of Wisdom and The Wisdom Year?

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

Announced by The General Theological Seminary in spring 2014, The Way of Wisdom integrates the disciplines of formation in seminary education rather than separating academics, training, and experience. The Way of Wisdom inspires students to interpret and learn from every aspect of their time in seminary – from Chapel service and classes to parish ministry and the experience of living in New York City. Visiting experts offer lectures and workshops which help students to hone real-world ministry skills, like pastoral leadership, stewardship, and financial management throughout their three years at General. Read more...

More Wisdom Year Stories – Hank Tuell and Jo Ann Jones

Students Practice The Way of Wisdom

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

In response to the evolving needs of the Church, The General Theological Seminary is building a program of education and formation that integrates the classical theological disciplines with real-world experience and practical ministry skills. As part of The Way of Wisdom, seminarians spend their final year in a Wisdom Year residency while connecting their experience to their class work through particpation in the Integrative Seminars. Read more...

The Integrative Seminar: Year in Review

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The Rev. Emily Wachner
Director of Integrative Programs

As the year comes to a close, and Wisdom Year students delve into the full life of the parish in Advent and Christmas, we have begun the process of reflecting on the semester that has past. This term was the first in which Wisdom Year work was paired with a demanding 3-credit course of study in practical ministry—the Integrative Seminar. Read more...

The Way of Wisdom in Practice

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The Rev. Emily Wachner
Director of Integrative Programs

In addition to the history, theology, scripture, and liturgy which students learn while at The General Theological Seminary, what other knowledge do they need in order to become excellent priests, serving Christ’s church in a changing world? This is the question I have attempted to answer over the past year, and particularly throughout the summer, in order to shape the Integrative Seminars, a fundamental component of The Way of Wisdom. Read more...

The Rev. Emily Wachner Appointed as Lecturer in Pastoral Theology

Posted on May 18, 2016 by GTS News • 0 Comments

The General Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Emily Wachner to the faculty as a full-time Lecturer in Pastoral Theology. Wachner will also continue as the Director of Integrative Programs, a role she has held for the past year. In this capacity, Wachner has expanded and strengthened the Wisdom Year program, placing twelve students in Wisdom Year sites for the 2016-2017 academic year. Read more...

Notes from the Field: An Update on The Wisdom Year

Posted on April 18, 2016 by GTS News • 0 Comments

The Rev. Emily Wachner
Director of Integrative Programs

This past March 1 felt a bit like Christmas Day on campus of The General Theological Seminary—it was the day that I communicated the potential matches between sites and residents, mostly rising third-year M.Div. candidates, for the upcoming 2016-2017 Wisdom Year. Each Wisdom Year resident was matched with three or four potential sites, and vice versa, depending on each site’s needs and each student’s gifts. Read more...

Integrating The Wisdom Year

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The Rev. Emily Wachner
Director of Integrative Programs

When I first learned how to drive a manual transmission car 15 years ago, my instructor began by teaching me to envision the inside of the car—the “theory,” if you will, of what made the car go. Before I ever turned the key, I learned how the gears worked together, what the clutch did, how the stick moved, and what it controlled. Read more...

Bringing It Together

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers
Director of Mission and Reconciliation and Adjunct Professor of Church and Society

If you’re imagining The Wisdom Year is simply advanced field education, think again. These pioneering residents are in a holistic program where they exercise ministry and authority in a church, pray and reflect on their vocation, explore content that complements the ministry experience, and nurture a circle of companions for the journey. Read more...

Living into My Wisdom Year

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

Bowie Snodgrass
S.T.M. ’16

Like an increasing number of people, my vocational call and journey is spread out over more than a decade. I began an M.Div. at Union Theological Seminary right out of college, worked and discerned for a decade, and am scheduled to be ordained a transitional deacon and then a priest by the Diocese of New York in 2016.

Returning to seminary, I am yoking together two years to complete my formation. Read more...

Wisdom Year Begins at Newark Shared Ministries

Posted on October 5, 2015 by GTS News • 0 Comments

The Rev. Emily Wachner
Director of Integrative Programs

Two M.Div. seniors from The General Theological Seminary, Tommie Watkins, Jr., and Nancy Hennessey, began their Wisdom Year internships this semester at Newark Shared Ministries. A collaboration between St. Paul’s Chatham, Christ Church Short Hills, The Apostles’ House, Inc., and House of Prayer in Newark, the effort to share ministry began more than 18 months ago with the support of the Rt. Read more...

The Rev. Emily Wachner Appointed as Director of Integrative Programs

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The General Theological Seminary has appointed the Rev. Emily Wachner as the Director of Integrative Programs. In this newly created position, Wachner will oversee and administer Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Field Education, and The Wisdom Year, while creating additional integrated formational opportunities for students.

As the Director of Integrative Programs, Wachner will provide a consistent presence throughout a student’s seminary education, bridging classroom education with practical experience. Read more...

The Way of Wisdom Update

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

Board of Trustees Affirms Support While Pilot Program Starts

Announced in spring 2014, The Way of Wisdom is a new approach at The General Theological Seminary that integrates all the disciplines of formation in seminary education, rather than separating academics, training, and experience. The Way of Wisdom inspires students to interpret and learn from every aspect of their time in seminary, from Chapel service and classes to parish ministry and the experience of living in New York City. Read more...

General Seminary Trustees Affirm The Way of Wisdom, Elect Chair

Posted on February 7, 2015 by GTS News • 0 Comments

At its regular February 6, 2015 meeting, the Board of Trustees of The General Theological Seminary of The Episcopal Church affirmed the Seminary’s Way of Wisdom and Wisdom Year as a creative and effective response to the needs of the 21st century Episcopal Church. It also discussed how to advance the core programming to effectively implement the Wisdom curriculum and formation. At the next regular meeting in May, the Board has expanded its meeting time to continue working to develop The Way of Wisdom. Read more...

The Way of Wisdom: Faculty Voices – Prof. Clair McPherson

Posted on November 13, 2014 by GTS News • 0 Comments

The Way of Wisdom is a major initiative at The General Theological Seminary to integrate all the disciplines of formation in seminary education. Rather than separating education, formation and experience, The Way of Wisdom requires a complete blending of each. To read more about The Way of Wisdom, including Dean Kurt H. Dunkle’s article, “Diving into the Deep End,” go to www.gts.edu/wisdom.

Each month GTS News is featuring one faculty member’s reflection on The Way of Wisdom. Read more...

The Living Church Reports on The Way of Wisdom

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

The Living Church has posted an article online about The Way of Wisdom, a major initiative at The General Theological Seminary to integrate all the disciplines of formation in seminary education. In particular the article focuses on the Wisdom Year, where seminarians integrate knowledge gained in the classroom with real-world experience at a part-time job in a ministry setting. The article includes various perspectives, among them the observations of Dan Aleshire, Executive Director of the Association of Theological Schools:

“The more traditional way is three years of seminary with a little field education and then you assume that somebody is a curate or an associate pastor in larger congregation for a while, learning some things.

Stephanie Spellers Accepts New Position as Part of Program Integration

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Joshua Bruner • 0 Comments

Leading up to the Fall semester, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, Adjunct Professor, has taken on expanded roles at The General Theological Seminary. Her new position includes key responsibilities in implementing the Seminary’s new initiative, The Way of Wisdom.

Spellers will continue in her appointment as Adjunct Professor of Church and Society and takes on the additional role of Director of Mission and Reconciliation. Read more...