2006 Blandy Lectures and Alumni/ae Convocation

two lectures on "Heaven on Earth" by

The Rev. Dr. Michael Battle

Chaplain to the Episcopal House of Bishops &
Associate Professor of Theology at
Virginia Theological Seminary

Awards presented at Alumni/ae Convocation and Blandy Lectures

Hal Perry Alumni Award – the Rev. Ben Skyles Class of 1958 – Citation

Durstan R McDonald Teaching Award – Mikail McIntosh-Doty Class of 2006 – Citation

Alumni/ae Association Thanks – Rob Cogswell Class of 1990 – Citation

Persons of faith often spend a lot of time thinking about what heaven is like. A true understanding is unlikely to happen unless we can “see beyond ourselves to realize that heaven is for everyone,” the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle said during the recent Blandy Lectures at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest.

In his exploration of “Heaven on Earth,” the author, theologian and seminary professor noted we have to look at heaven anew. Heaven can’t be truly seen through the cosmology we created throughout our childhood. A “Zeus-like figure of Jesus” does not hover over heaven, Dr. Battle said.

Building on C.S. Lewis’ notion that “Jesus is wild and can’t be domesticated,” Battle emphasized that “Jesus always subverts static Christianity. He got angriest at religious folks who thought they had it all together but really did not because they could not see Jesus.”

Seeing Jesus and thus understanding heaven requires us to “simultaneously be different and one at the same time … Jesus invites us into a revelation of community where we desire to be with folks we do not naturally want to be with,” Battle said.

Too often, he noted, church is like a high school cafeteria where like-minded people tend to sit together in many separate groups. “We can practice heaven on earth” by intentionally seeking community with all.

Associate dean for academic affairs, vice president and associate professor of theology at Virginia Theological Seminary, Battle based his Blandy Lectures on his forthcoming Heaven on Earth book from Cowley Publications.

Three persons were honored during the Seminary of the Southwest’s Blandy Lectures and alumni/ae convocation September 26-27. The Rev. Ben Skyles, a 1958 seminary graduate and retired priest in the Diocese of Texas, received the Hal Brook Perry Distinguished Alumni/ae Award for compassionate servant leadership. Mikail McIntosh-Doty, a seminary librarian and instructor in writing and testing skills, was recognized for exceptional teaching with the Durstan R McDonald Teaching Award. Rob Cogswell, retiring director of the seminary’s Booher Library, was honored by ETSS graduates for his dedication to teaching and learning and abiding sense of sharing.

See three links at top of this webpage for award citations.

Michael Battle on Blandy Lecture theme -- "Heaven on Earth"

"In my local community of Northern Virginia (and I suspect in larger communities), I often hear the questions: Why aren't there visionaries like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. anymore? And, will we ever have them again?

"Indeed, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King were special people who embodied supernatural vision, but I believe the previous questions are really not about two individuals. I believe these constant questions point to deeper crises of faith -- will human beings continue to dream of and envision a world reflective of heaven on earth?

"This crisis is a religious one that often gets us all in trouble, however. We get in trouble because oftentimes our answers to these questions only point to what is infinitely best for "me" or for a particular group of people. As the Christian crusades illustrate, people can do horrible things in the seeming best interest of a certain group. With a lack of vision, those who often have good intentions use horrible means to reach their near-sighted goal.

"In this series of lectures, we seek to sharpen our vision and cultivate ubiquitous desire for heaven on earth. This is revolutionary, and I seek to draw upon creative examples of groundbreaking work to illustrate how heaven continues to be born on earth today."

More information about Michael Battle

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