News of 2006-07 Academic Year

Presiding Bishop honored at ETSS May 15 Commencement -- PB Katharine Jefferts Schori presented the commencement sermon and received the honorary doctor of divinity degree at the seminary's May 15 graduation at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Austin. Honorary doctoral degrees were conferred on four other persons and 35 seminarian graduates make up the Class of 2007.

ETSS graduate elected bishop of the Diocese of Olympia -- The Rev. Dr. Greg Rickel, Class of 1996, adjunct professor at the seminary and member of the ETSS board of trustees, has been xxxxxx elected the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Olympia in Washington state.

Seminary links with dioceses in tornado relief -- The ETSS community joined with the dioceses of West Texas and Texas to help the congregation of El Buen Pastor in Piedras Negras, Mexico recover from the late April tornado that hit the Rio Grande border.

Chaplaincy program launched at ETSS -- A Chaplaincy concentration has been added to the seminary's Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry degree program. “Not all chaplains need to be ordained clergy, so this degree meets an important need,” said Joseph Liro, admissions director at the Seminary of the Southwest. “The traditional model for ministry as a chaplain is changing, and the Seminary of the Southwest is taking the leading role in implementing that change.”

ETSS and low student debt -- ETSS believes that preparing for ministry in the Episcopal Church should not result in massive student debt. The Seminary of the Southwest graduates students with among the lowest educational debt.

Recent Faculty News -- February 2007 report to the Board of Trustees on faculty achievements during fall semester of 2006-07 academic year.

June 10-16 Certificate Programs open for clergy continuing education credit -- Clergy are welcome to take a course or two in the upcoming Certificate Programs in Youth Ministry and Christian Education to further their education and receive CEUs.

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine's 2007 Harvey Lecture -- Professor of New Testament Studies and Director of the Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality at Vanderbilt University, Professor Levine talked about "Jesus and Judaism: The Connection Still Matters" during her Harvey Lecture on April 12. The text of the lecture and information about the speaker is at Harvey Lecture.

Commentary on Virginia Tech killings -- Elisa Turner, a member of the seminary community, wrote a commentary on the recent tragedy that was published in the April 23 edition of the Austin American-Statesman newspaper. Ms. Turner is the daughter of the Rev. Elizabeth and Interim Dean Philip Turner.

Rev. Dr. Douglas Travis is ETSS Dean-elect -- Seminary trustees have called the Rev. Dr. Douglas Travis to be the seventh dean and president of the Seminary of the Southwest. He joined the seminary community on January 8, 2007.

Spring Visitors Weekend March 23-25 -- ETSS seminarians host of one two 2007 Visitors Weekends for prospective students on March 23-25. The fall weekend is slated for October 26-28.

Grace in Believing Theological Conference Feb. 23-24 -- Theologians Robert Jenson, Kathryn Greene-McCreight and ETSS Interim Dean Philip Turner will explore Grace in Believing: On Keeping and Living the Faith of the Church Feb. 23-24 at ETSS.

MAPM and MAC program slated for March 10 in San Antonio -- The Revs. Jane Patterson and John Lewis are hosting an informational program about ETSS' master's program in pastoral ministry and counseling on Saturday morning, March 10, at 2015 NE Loop 410.

New MAPM & MAC director -- Ellen Jockusch brings 20 years of experience administering University of Texas programs to the directorship of ETSS' master's program for lay persons.

Coal plants, Genesis and Greg Rickel -- ETSS graduate and trustee the Rev. Dr. Greg Rickel spoke at an anti-coal plant rally at the Texas State Capitol February 11.

New Booher Library Director -- Dr. Donald E. Keeney is the new Director of the Booher Library. Keeney succeeds Rob Cogswell who retired at year's end.

Professor-emeritus William Green attends meeting of Dialogue -- The Rev. Dr. Canon William Green has returned to Austin after the January meeting of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue in London.

2007 Blandy Lectures Sept. 25-26 -- Dr. Diana Butler Bass, author of six books on American religion including Christianity for the Rest of Us, will present the 2007 Blandy Lectures Sept. 25-26 at ETSS.

ETSS honors Rob Cogswell -- The community gathered December 8 to thank retiring Booher Library director Rob Cogswell for 27 years of exemplary service.

Renovated Rather House and new faculty chair -- The Seminary of the Southwest launched a capital campaign in late 2006 to renovate historic Rather House and secure funding for a faculty chair in Christian education and youth ministy.

SCOM underwrites mission projects -- Six members of the ETSS community have received funding for upcoming mission projects through the Seminary Consultation on Mission.

Death of Dee Dee Harvey -- The widow of T. Hudnall Harvey, ETSS's second dean, died on December 6.

Spring Online Courses include people and pets -- A course exploring humans' relationships with their pets highlights the slate of spring term classes through the ETSS Online School. Registration closes February 19.

Willie, Waylon and Bryan -- ETSS alums the Revs. Mary and Doug Earle have launched a memorial for their late son Bryan who enjoyed playing and sharing music throughout his life. Donations to the Texas Music Project program in his name will underwrite music programs in schools throughout Texas.

Booher Library hosts Second Coming -- The Booher Library hosts "Jazz in the Stacks and Art in the Aisles -- The Second Coming" on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. Works by members of the ETSS community will be on exhibit and the Seminary's House Band provides the music.

MAPM & MAC program profiled -- The seminary's distinctive master of arts in pastoral ministry and master of arts in counseling program and its "something-more" people who are students was featured in a recent edition of the Austin American Statesman.

ETSS airs PB-elect investiture service Nov. 4 -- The downlink satellite broadcast of the investiture service of Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori can be seen in the seminary's Knapp Auditorium at 10am on Saturday, Nov. 4. It is expected to conclude around 12:15pm.

ETSS community members Imagine -- Four members of the ETSS community took part in the historic Imagine conference in early October -- the first Episcopal Church-wide gathering of ordained women in the 30 years since women were admitted to the orders of priest and bishop.

ETSS alum launches twentysomething church -- The Rev. Chuck Culpepper, Class of 1998, is drawing young adults in Jackson, Miss., to St. Alexis Church.

Bonhoeffer, Beatitudes and Knowing About God -- The fall term of the Austin Lay School of Theology honors the 100th birth anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, explores the Beatitudes as spiritual disciplines and wonders what we really can know about God.

ETSS hosts national gathering of seminarians -- Several student leaders from the 11 Episcopal seminaries and divinity schools came to the ETSS campus for their annual seminarian leadership conference in mid-September.

Blandy Lectures and 3 awards -- Author, retreat leader and seminary professor and acting dean the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle presented the 2006 Blandy Lectures in late September. The Perry and McDonald awards were presented and a special thank you was given during the event.

ETSS grad plants church in Bentonville, Ark. -- The Rev. Roger Joslin, Class of 2005, has planted the first Episcopal church in Bentonville -- hometown of Wal*Mart. "It's a little like coming to Rome in the height of the Roman Empire," he says.

Fall Online School offers six eclectic courses -- Registration closes Sept. 18 for fall term ten-week courses ranging from New Testament Greek, the Bible as Literature and Islam for Christians to the Celtic Christian Way of Prayer, the Spiritual Practice of Discernment and Christianity and the Trial of Modernity. Classes begin online Sept. 25 and conclude Dec. 4. The three levels of registration are auditing, continuing education credit (CEUs), and graduate academic credit. Tuition is based on the level selected. ETSS Online School has course descriptions, faculty bios, answers to your questions, and registration links.

Learning Hispanic culture by doing during January Term -- The Hispanic Immersion Program is a distinctive experience every January Term for first year divinity degree seminarians at ETSS.

Tuner co-authors book -- Interim Dean Philip Turner co-wrote The Fate of Communion -- The Agony of Anglicanism and the Future of a Global Church.

Garrett memoir published -- Senior Greg Garrett's memoir about depression and faith -- Crossing Myself -- has been published by Navpress Publishing House.

ETSS professor explores el Protestantes -- Hispanic Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians in Texas -- a recently-published book by the Rev. Dr. Paul Barton, Associate Professor of Hispanic Church Studies at ETSS -- examines how being both Hispanic and Protestant has perplexed Mexican Americans for nearly two centuries in Texas.

Professor Kittredge's essay published in tribute book -- The recently-published I Have Called You Friends: Reflections on Reconciliation in Honor of Frank T. Griswold includes an essay by the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge.

Dr. Steven Bishop edits new edition of Understanding the Old Testament -- Lecturer in Old Testament, Dr. Bishop is one of three editors of the fifth edition of the book widely-acknowledged as a foundational textbook for Old Testament studies.

ETSS hosts 2007 conference of church historians -- COACH -- The Conference of Anglican Church Historians -- will hold its yearly meeting on the ETSS campus March 16-18.

News Coverage of General Convention 2006

ETSS 2006 Commencement May 16 & 17 -- 46 persons were graduated, two honorary degrees were awarded, an Austin resident received the Trustees Award and a campus building was named in honor of Dean-emeritus Durstan R McDonald during Commencement 2006.

Three ETSS graduates approved by General Convention -- Bishops-elect Dena Harrison (ETSS 1987), Todd Ousley (1991) and David Reed (1983) were recommended for consent to be consecrated bishop by the convention's Joint Legislative Committee on June 13.

Eastern Michigan elects Todd Ousley, Class of 1991, bishop coadjutor -- Bishop-elect Todd Ousley, a 1991 ETSS graduate, was selected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan on May 6.

Dena Harrison, Class of 1987, chosen Texas suffragan bishop -- The Diocese of Texas elected Dena Harrison suffragan bishop of Texas on April 29. Bishop-elect Harrison will oversee the Austin Convocation area and work out of the Diocese of Texas office on the ETSS campus.

David Mitchell Reed, Class of 1983, elected West Texas suffragan bishop -- Bishop-elect Reed is the new suffragan bishop of the Diocese of West Texas.

Winifred Mitchell awarded funding for VBS -- Middler Winifred Mitchell from the Diocese of Minnesota will launch a Vacation Bible School program for children of Spanish-speaking migrant aborers in her home diocese this summer -- thanks to a Jonathan Daniels Fellowship from EDS.

John Hines Chair of Preaching funded at ETSS -- A $1.25 million capital campaign has funded the creation of the John Hines Chair of Preaching that honors John E. Hines, founder of the Seminary of the Southwest and 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

ETSS Online School offers summer M.Div. course -- The Summer 2006 Online School term features one course -- New Testament Greek -- June 5 through July 14. Details at ETSS Online School. The course may be taken for M.Div. academic credit, continuing education units or on an auditing, general interest basis.

Summer Continuing Education Program -- The Bread that Gives Life to the World: Christian Formation for Faith in Daily Life will be explored June 5-9 on the ETSS campus. Registration deadline is May 26.

Intensive Hispanic Ministries Course June 22-26 -- Province VII Center for Hispanic Ministries resents its third annual Intensive Hispanic Ministries Course in the English language on the seminary campus this summer.

Intensive Spanish language course July 3-14 in Cuernavaca -- Province VII's Center for Hispanic Ministries offers its second annual Spanish language course in Cuernavaca, Moerlos, Mexico mid summer.

Visitors Weekend March 24-26, 2006, at ETSS -- Visitors Weekend is a great opportunity for you to experience the Seminary of the Southwest, explore options in our curriculum and meet students, faculty and staff. Registration deadline to take part in this annual seminarian-organized weekend is March 10.