Notes from the Seminary Front

This past Friday, Sept. 21, some thirty students from seminaries all over Chicago gathered here in Hyde Park to begin a new era of inter-campus and inter-religious cooperation. Student government leaders and newspaper editors; eco-justice and worker justice and LGBTQ and anti-oppression networks formed to brainstorm ways of working together to address the issues they cared so deeply about. We also gathered to meet organization leaders from around the city who offer the ministry training opportunities that can’t happen solely inside our classrooms: Interfaith Worker Justice, Urban CPE Consortium, Inc., and Interfaith Youth Core were among the speakers. We left with new friendships and new excitement over possibilities for the future months. Check out some of the ads in this week’s issue of the Chicago Seminarian to see some of the ideas raised. If we find enough interest to form groups around a topic, we’ll do it.

Also, we began the process of writing two collaborative books to be published at a future by SeminaryAction: What I Wish I Knew Before Starting Seminary, the first book of its kind to include multiple denominations, genders, ages, ethnic backgrounds, orientations, etc; and The Seminary Student Activist’s Handbook, a guide for campus organizing tailored to the needs of seminarians--including working with administrations and Boards, advocating for denominational policy changes, raising funds, recruiting volunteers, and planning for service trips and major events (such as a March on Washington or participation in national conferences).
Would you like to join us? It’s not too late. Just send a note to info@seminaryaction.org with your contact details and a little about your interest areas. We’ll connect you with the folks who share your passions. Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled for our posters, e-mail announcements, and newspaper ads in upcoming editions of the Seminarian.

Peace,
Le Anne