In Their Words -- Quotes from conference participants

"While we brought to the table theological views as different as our various seminaries, I was impressed by the focus of the discussions — both formal and informal. We met in the field Rumi described: the one that lies beyond right and wrong. As we prayed, talked, and broke bread together in Austin, we were at ease living into God’s mystery." Robin Biffle -- Sewanee

"[Presenter] Tony Baker [ETSS’ Assistant Professor of Theology] described perichoresis in the three persons of the Trinity, which allows the individuality of the persons while insisting that each person shares in the life of the other two. At the ESLC, we were able to partake in this type of relational dance as our conversations, our lives, and our commonalities engaged one another." Bill Starke -- Trinity

"What impresses me about the Seminarian Leadership Conference is the spirit of good-will among all participants.  I appreciated interim Dean [Philip] Turner's call to us - the church - for disciplined spiritual formation and a spirit of humility and gentleness.  We lived in that Spirit this weekend, and it is a sign of great hope for me." Karen Bretl -- CDSP

"If we're serious about reconciliation, we can't simply pick the fragments that we really want and ignore the rest. If so, we're still fragmented." Derrick Fetz -- Seabury-Western

"I was pleased to discover that all of us gathered to share our love of Christ, of the Bible, and of the Church. We may have arrived with notions about what students from "those other schools" but we each left with 20 new friends and renewed hope for the future." Chris Arnold -- CDSP

"A shared belief in Jesus Christ is so much more important and so much more powerful than… well, than anything else!  The SLC proved to me that if ‘nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus’ then nothing can separate us from one another.” Mark R. Collins -- General