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 Very Rev. Kurt H. Dunkle
Dean and President
The first time I ever considered that very Anglican phrase, “both/and,” I was seated in Sherred 1A, right here at General. It was how a now-retired GTS professor spoke about that seemingly simple concept to unravel decades-old quandaries. At first, it seemed so foreign, until I remembered we were being taught to think theologically, not as the world had formed us. Read more...
An Integrated Curriculum is the Core of The Way of Wisdom
The Rev. Dr. Clair McPherson
Professor of Ascetical Theology
“I enjoyed my various courses at General, but I could never see how they added up.”
That may well be the most common negative comment GTS graduates tend to make. Even the very best students have said that, while they found courses interesting and seminary life rewarding, the curriculum simply did not seem to cohere, except sporadically and unintentionally. Read more...
The Rev. J. Donald Waring ’89
Rector, Grace Church, New York
One of the sad realities of the current economic climate is the diminishing number of Episcopal churches that can afford a curate – the traditional title of a new priest whose first call is to work in a parish under the supervision of a seasoned rector. It is not that the opportunities for ministry have dried up, but the resources to fund these positions have. Read more...
The Rev. Scott White ’96
President, Alumni Executive Committee
When I graduated from General Seminary in 1996 I felt fully prepared for the ministry that lay before me. I could not have asked for better preparation to lead the worship life of the congregation I had been called to, or more properly prepared to study the Scriptures in a way that led to preaching with intellectual integrity and spiritual conviction. Read more...
by Mark S. Anderson ’16 and Anne Urinoski ’16
Having just moved to New York City, neither of us was sure of what to expect from our new lives at General Theological Seminary. Moreover, we had not seen the intricacies of how our courses would fit together.
However, immediately after Orientation, we began a course entitled “Introduction to Theological Education.” The faculty designed this class to demonstrate how the various theological disciplines cohesively fit together. Read more...
The Summer 2014 GTS News Quarterly, The Way of Wisdom Issue, was mailed out at the end of June. You can also see it by downloading the PDF below. This edition includes:
Preparing for Real-World Ministry
Student Perspectives on Curriculum Integration
Download GTS News Quarterly Summer 2014
All of the articles from GTS News Quarterly can be read online at: news.gts.edu/notes. Read more...
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.
Every month, GTS News will feature one faculty member’s reflection on The Way of Wisdom. Read more...
Diving into the Deep End
The Very Rev. Kurt H. Dunkle
Dean and President
The General Theological Seminary
For over a year now, I have done a lot of listening. Of all the constituencies, the one I have paid closest attention to is our customers. Yes, we have customers.
I hear from our customers – bishops, dioceses, our students, and significantly, our students’ future employers – that the greatest need they have in the 21st century Church is to have men and women graduate from seminary ready to “hit the ground running.” Frankly, I heard it so often that it’s almost like there is a conspiracy! Read more...
The faculty of The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church met on retreat in January, 2014, for prayer, reflection and discussion. The consensus of the faculty was that the most serious problems in theological education, congregations, the structural organization of the church, and the relationship of Christianity to the society at large emerge from a common root. This is the separation of theological reflection from the life of prayer and spiritual transformation, from Christian action and outreach. Read more...
On April 1, during the weekly Community Time, students, faculty and staff of The General Theological Seminary gathered to discuss “The Way of Wisdom,” and to hear the hopes of current students. After an introduction from Dean Kurt Dunkle, the floor was opened to faculty members who spoke about the changes that are happening at General Seminary.
Every faculty member contributed to the discussion and spoke about his or her perspective, and then the floor was opened to student feedback. Read more...