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THEME AND PLENARY PRESENTATIONS Conjuring Liberation: African-American Resistance to Racism and Oppression "Conjuring Liberation: African-American Resistance to Racism and Oppression" was the most elaborately designed annual meeting in the Society for Pastoral Theology's history. It included plenary presentations and workshops at our hotel site as well as at sites in the city of Atlanta and neighboring Decatur. It involved leadership from outside the ranks of the Society as well as from within. The meeting unfolded via a sequence of steps. (1) The Steering Committee invited conference participants to read a series of texts listed in the brief Bibliography (appended to the Newsletter), in anticipation of the June meeting. These texts acquainted us with a fund of knowledge, a theory base that we all (minimally) share. These readings promoted our becoming more directly and immediately aware of a series of key questions, problems, and assumptions. (2) On the opening day of the annual meeting we heard a panel of Plenary Presentations given by specialists in the field who expanded our knowledge as well as focused our attention on some of the ways the African-American community, church, and individuals have resisted racism through creative activities and discourses. (3) Participants in the meeting then attended one of a range of Workshops offered by Society members, workshops that have were expressly designed with the theme of the conference in mind. (4) On the morning of the second day (a phrase that has a kind of scriptural ring) we traveled, as a group, to Ebenezer Church in downtown Atlanta, for our second Plenary Presentation by one of the eminent leaders in the Atlanta community. (5) Upon completing this plenary we had a block of time to visit a group of historic sites located in the vicinity of Ebenezer Baptist Church: Old Ebenezer Baptist Church; M.L. King Center for Non-Violent Social Change; King Museum; and the King Birthplace. (6) After visiting these sites the group traveled together to participate in a Contextual Workshop at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church. (7) Upon returning to the hotel Society members met to engage in our annual Society Conversation, discussing some of the range of ideas presented and provoked in the plenary presentations, the workshops, and the contextual workshop. (8) On the morning of the third day (in keeping with the scriptural overtones) we gathered for the Work-in-Progress presentation. (9) We then joined one among several Theological Study Groups. (10) Members gathered for the Society Luncheon. (11) Our meeting came to a close with the Business Meeting, and with Closing Worship. It is our expectation and hope that this recurring movement, across theory and practice, experience and reflection, instruction and conversation encouraged each of us to identify and reflect upon, critically, some of our (often tacit) fundamental assumptions about race and racism, about teaching and pastoral care and counseling, about pastoral theology and public theology, and perhaps reconstruct some of those fundamental assumptions. This potential and hoped-for reconstruction of assumptions will, ideally, eventuate in revised ways of doing pastoral theology, in research and scholarship, teaching, and providing care. Plenary Presentations In 2003 the Society departed from the tradition of drawing Plenary Presenters from among its ranks. The conference in Atlanta followed that precedent. For the Opening Plenary, three speakers were invited to address the conference theme, each from a particular perspective: Dr. Rosetta Ross, Associate Professor of Religion and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Spelman College; Rev. Dr. Mark Lomax, Pastor, First African Presbyterian Church, Lithonia, GA, and Adjunct Professor of Homiletics, ITC, Atlanta, GA; and Rev. Dr. Gene Robinson, Director, Crossroads Counseling Center, Atlanta, GA, and Staff Chaplain for Mental Health Services, Emory Center for Pastoral Services, Atlanta, Ga. On Friday morning our second Plenary Presentation was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, given by Rev. Dr. Joe Roberts, Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church. On Friday afternoon we traveled to Oakhurst Presbyterian Church for a Contextual Workshop led by Rev. Dr. Nibs Stroupe, Pastor and Rev. Dr. Caroline Leach, Associate Pastor. SOCIETY LUNCHEON Our featured Society Luncheon speakers in 2004 were Homer Ashby, W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone, Professor of Pastoral Care, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL WORK IN PROGRESS Carolyn McCrary, Associate Professor, Pastoral Care and Counseling, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, GA, was our Work in Progress presenter. SOCIETY CONVERSATION The Society Conversation was to be used for discussion of the ideas presented and provoked by the various plenaries and workshops. Chris Schlauch facilitated. THEOLOGICAL STUDY GROUPS Each of the study groups focuses on a particular area, though the specific themes evolve, year to year. Under the leadership of two society members, and with a continuing core of participants, groups welcomed anyone attending the conference to visit and participate in conversation. Study groups meet annually, providing a small support community for ongoing research and related interests on theological themes. In this regard they differ from workshops, which are one-time contributions during which members present and lead discussions on specific topics. Theological study groups can disband if they have served their purpose, and new study groups can be formed. Anyone interested in becoming involved in a group is encouraged to contact a co-chair person at any time. These groups are not closed; everyone is invited to drop into a group of their choice to "test the waters," or to contact study group co-chairs during the year. Study groups convened on Saturday afternoon. The Church and Christian Formation
The Church and Christian Formation study group enjoys the opportunity to hear and discuss a wide range of case studies on its theme. Sessions present and engage contemporary and historical case studies that critically examine ways in which the church impacts Christian formation of diverse individuals and groups. Embodiment
The Embodiment group provides an arena for participants to talk in depth about research projects involving the theme of embodiment--issues of body image as well as issues of sexuality. Participants are welcome to bring handouts (outlines, excerpts, bibliographies, etc.) that describe their work and receive comments and feedback from the group. Anyone having research projects, resources, or other handouts for the meeting should contact the convenors. Religious Practices and Commitment
We devoted the heart of our session this year to the consideration of three exciting projects:
Theological Anthropology
For the previous several years the group has met with no clear agenda, but with the intention to offer a supportive and critical ear to those who were working on particular projects, such as dissertations, articles, papers. Theological Dimensions of Family
Since its beginning, the group has engaged in a rich variety of activities from paper presentations, syllabi discussions, shared reading, family manifesto composition, and research-in-progress reports. The successful and desired practice of the past three years has centered around an open invitation to participants to come prepared to discuss current research interests and projects. After brief introductions, those who want more time for discussion and feedback on their work identify themselves and the remaining time is divided up accordingly. Members of the Society who are interested in joining the group and presenting should contact Herb Anderson. Pastoral Theology and Brain Sciences
Members of the Society who are interested in joining the group and presenting should contact the convenors. Economics and Pastoral Theology
We have long realized that pastoral theology, including the practices of care and counseling, always occur in social contexts. Many people are increasingly concerned about the present form of globalization of the economy as a context that is destroying care of individuals, families, and communities. The subject of this working group is two-fold: 1) to help pastoral theologians "retool" so that they have a basic understanding of the global economy, something they may not have studied in graduate school, and 2) to discuss how pastoral theology might respond to economic globalization and how it might promote practices of care in this context. WORKSHOPS Workshops focus on a particular topic that reflects the current research interests of the presenter. On Thursday there were several workshops from among which to choose. "Violence Against Women: What Are We Teaching in the New Millennium? Findings from Research in the SPT" Pamela Cooper-White This workshop reported on the findings of a survey of SPT members conducted this year as part of a larger project I have been asked to write, entitled "Violence Against Women: Trajectories for Pastoral Care in a New Millennium" for a forthcoming anthology, Pastoral Care As If Oppression Matters, ed. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook and Karen Montagno. Survey results will include an analysis of the data received to date re: how many of us are including issues of violence against women in our teaching as pastoral theologians, who is teaching (demographic information including gender, race, and institutional affiliations and tenure), what resources we are using, and the level of collaboration between our members and domestic violence and rape crisis agencies. The workshop concluded with a general discussion among workshop participants about the state of our field(s) in relation to social and theological themes (including the rise in awareness of gender and power, the connection between personal, communal and political realities, the importance of social context, and the challenges of justice-making amid multiple forms of diversity in religious institutions, culture and society), our thoughts about the historical development of a partnership to end violence against women, the distance we still have to go in ending violence against women, and recommendations re: the role of the church, pastoral caregivers and theologians in advocacy, activism and public witness toward achieving this long-desired goal. Pamela Cooper-White is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and author of a new book, Shared Wisdom: Use of the Self in Pastoral Care and Counseling (Fortress, 2004). "Ecclesial Practices of Caring for the Sick" Susan Dunlap While there is currently great interest in spirituality and health, churches' centuries old practice of caring for the sick is often overlooked in popular literature. I propose the faithful and often unnoticed practice of tending to those suffering from ill health is a central locus of God's mode of presence to the sick. This workshop described the caring practices of three congregations in the same town, but on very different places on the sociocultural, economic map. One congregation is an African American Pentecostal church which specializes in healing ministries. The second is a downtown euroamerican church with many physicians and researchers in the health fields. The third is a Roman Catholic church with a large number of Latino members, mostly from Mexico, where a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is prominent. The workshop was intended to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of each congregation, the benefits of churches talking with each other about their various beliefs and practices, and the usefulness of basic tools of ethnography for the field of Pastoral Theology. Susan Dunlap is Adjunct Assistant Professor, Duke Divinity School, and Associate Chaplain, Raleigh Correctional Center for Women "Victims of Abuse, Agents of Resistance" Jeanne Hoeft With the call to pastoral theologians and ministers of care to take into account the impact of culture on human suffering and to foster models of pastoral care that will further resistance to injustice comes a need for theoretical examination of what is meant by "resistance." This workshop explored a theological anthropology of human agency as required for resistance. Autobiographical accounts of everyday acts of resistance by victims of intimate partner violence will provide the basis for the discussion. The workshop will first look at the questions about human agency that arise in current pastoral theological approaches and in the popular culture in the form of complaints about "victim mentalities" and "identity politics." Second, participants will be encouraged to consider the ambiguities and complexities involved in categories such as victim/perpetrator and resistance/complicity especially as represented by the autobiographical statements of victims. Third, we will consider how these discussions might influence a practice of pastoral care that fosters resistance to cultures of abuse and oppression. It is the premise of the presenter that we can identify a theology of the cultural construction of human agency that can sustain political movements to end violence and maintain theological/theoretical integrity. Jeanne Hoeft is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care, Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO "The Theology of the Cross and Pastoral Care" Leonard Hummel & Sharon Thornton In this workshop, we explored ways that theology of the cross can be a source for pastoral care and theology to further the conversations on race and diversity. We will focus on Luther's theology of the cross and introduce other interpretations of the cross as well. First, we explored some ways in which the theology of the cross has been both an instrument to bring about suffering as well as a tool to address suffering. We will pay particular attention to suffering caused by injustice, especially the ravages of racism. We examined some of the Biblical and Historical Theological sources of this theology as well as recent revisions by representative theologians by Jurgen Moltmann, Mary M. Solberg, Martin Luther King, Jr. and David Emmanuel Goatley. We also reviewed some critiques of the harmful effects of that theology in Ray, Rebecca Parker and Joanne Carlson Brown and JoAnne Marie Terrell. Next, by reflecting on their recent works Broken Yet Beloved and Clothed In Nothingness, the presenters addressed some of the ways we interpret theology of the cross for pastoral theology, and how we have arrived at this particular faith posture for their works. Participants in the workshop were invited to critically engage with the authors about any "hidden" factors in their writing that might unintentionally further theology of the cross being used in a harmful way to perpetuate injustice, particularly as a result of racism. They were further asked to consider how they have, or might, draw upon theology of the cross for pastoral care and pastoral theology and how they understand the advantages and limits of this particular posture of faith for pastoral care and theology today? Finally, Participants were invited to reflect on the theological commitments and faith perspectives from which they approach pastoral theology and to ask themselves if there are hidden factors in their own approaches that unintentionally hurt or harm other. Leonard M. Hummel, Ph.D is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Counseling at the Divinity School, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240. Sharon Thornton isAssociate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care, Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, MA 02459 "Jumping the Broomstick" Xolani Kacela The purpose of this workshop was to provide resources and a new framework for understanding how pastoral theological method can be done in the African American context. A short presentation of a paper that I have written and will submit to the JPT, was followed by small group sessions (pairs, triplets) designed to explore African American experience and make it relevant for pastoral theological method & reflection. Xolani Kacela is a Ph.D. student at Brite Divinity School, Ft. Worth, Tx; Spiritual Care Coordinator, Odyssey Healthcare, Inc., Dallas, TX. "African American Resources for Pastoral Theology" James N. Poling Since 1960, the dominant pastoral theology movement has been confronted with alternative views from the African American churches about the nature of human experience and healing. This has resulted in reconfiguration of the theological and social foundations of our work. In this workshop, we discussed the impact of the African American communities on our field, and consider ways that these resources can be strengthened for the struggles of the future. James N. Poling, PhD, is Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Counseling, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL. "Teaching and Learning in Racially and Culturally Diverse Classrooms: Resistances and Strategies" Nancy Ramsay We were guided by a widely used model for pedagogy and diversity and explore strategies for pursuing its four emphases: attention to differences among our students, self-awareness regarding our own racial and cultural identity as faculty, effective teaching practices (including assessment), and ways attention to diversity in our classrooms revises the content of our teaching. Participants were urged to bring resources that are helpful in supporting teaching in diverse classrooms. Nancy J. Ramsay, Ph.D. is Harrison Ray Anderson Professor of Pastoral Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY. "Pastoral Care on the Shadow Side of Organ Donation and Transplantation: African-American Disparities and Dilemmas" Tarris Rosel Organ donation and transplantation medicine have engaged the moral sensibilities of pastoral theologians and caregivers for the past sixty years. News media reports and Hollywood depictions routinely use the language of medical "miracle" for the work of transplant clinicians. Organ donors are lauded as "angels" or "heroes", and increasingly the latter sort are live, not dead. The majority of living donors are women; many state religious as well as relational motivations for their charitable deed. The "designated requesters" for cadaveric organ donation in some hospitals are chaplains, thus augmenting the sense of religious obligation for prospective donor families. Other people of faith have been slow to embrace organ donation in practice despite the endorsement of their religious leaders. Within the African-American community in particular, organ donor rates remain low relative to Caucasians, and distrust of the procurement process appears to be as high as ever. At the same time, diabetes (and some other diseases) leading to kidney or other organ failure is epidemic among African-Americans. A disproportionate number of those languishing or dying on waiting lists for transplant organs are patients of color, and their waiting times are relatively longer. Organ matching protocols recently have been altered in attempts to rectify the problem. But in general, racial disparities of health and healthcare worsen annually, and noticeably so in transplant medicine. This is a part of its "shadow side". What do we need to know about organ donation and transplantation, beyond misleading media portrayals, so as to discern the fitting response in particular situations of request and need? What roles might be played uniquely by pastoral theologians and caregivers, especially those in hospital contexts, relative to African-American disparities and dilemmas raised and/or accentuated by transplant medicine? Rev. Tarris Rosell, DMin, PhD is Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Practice of Ministry at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He is also Program Associate for Disparities in Health and Healthcare at the Midwest Bioethics Center, and serves on the Ethics Committee of the National Kidney Foundation (Kansas and Western Missouri). "Exclusion and Embrace: Identity, Otherness, & Reconciliation" Robert Thomson The workshop explored ways in which we might use Miroslav Volf's view, as expressed in his book, Exclusion and Embrace, in the conjuring of African-American liberation. As many folks in SPT might know, Volf writes out of his German-Croat heritage in light of the genocidal atrocities committed against his people during the Balkan wars a decade ago. We will also reference L. Gregory Jones' book, Embodying Forgiveness, the new Schults/Sandage book, Faces of Forgiveness, and Terry Hargrave's book, Families and Forgiveness. The emphasis was on the process of exploring these resources and ideas together; the outcome was determined by the process, not by any specific content that was brought by the facilitator, other than the books mentioned above. Robert Thompson is a PhD student in Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, a Fellow in AAPC, and an Approved Supervisor in AAMFT. "Publishers Workshop: On Writing for Publication" This workshop was offered during the special interest slot on Saturday morning during breakfast. SOCIETY PARTY The Society Party was held at the hotel on Friday night. For some of that time, John Patton and a few of his friends shared their musical talents. MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY UPDATE When registering for the annual meeting, please check one of the copies of the Membership Directory to confirm that your name, address, and e-mail address are up-to-date. You may wish to supplement the information there with a fax number. Those unable to attend the meeting should contact Teresa Snorton (Membership Secretary) at teresa@acpe.edu, to ensure that the data recorded in the Directory are accurate and complete. CONFERENCE REGISTRATION AND FEES A registration form is included with this newsletter and should be returned to Teresa Snorton Conference Registrar, ACPE, Inc., 1549 Clairmont Road, #103, Decatur, GA 30033 by May 15th. (After 5/15 the registration fee will increase from $105 to $140.) The form provides information regarding conference fees (including the luncheon and annual dues) and requests additional information. Hotel arrangements are made individually, directly with the hotel (see below). Please note:
PLACE OF CONFERENCE Location The conference was held at the Crowne Plaza-Ravinia, Atlanta, Georgia. OTHER MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST Nominating Committee Kathleen Greider (kgreider@cst.edu), the most recent Steering Committee member to rotate off, chairs this committee, which has responsibility for bringing a nomination for the Steering Committee to replace Sam Lee who rotates off next June. The Nominating Committee would very much like to receive suggestions. Please send them to Kathleen Greider or to any member of the committee. The Nominating Committee cannot nominate its own members. Journal of Pastoral Theology and the ATLA Project The Journal of Pastoral Theology is no longer a publication fed primarily by material from its annual meeting. In the year 2002 it became a two-issue-a-year journal that depends upon its total membership--not just conference presenters--for its contents. The co-editors of the Journal, Glenn Asquith and Joretta Marshall, are encouraging members of the Society to submit articles for upcoming editions. Pam Couture, the book review editor, is always looking for reviews. Please forward those to her. Dues Dues include the Journal and semi-annual newsletters; $50 for regular members and $25 for students, retirees, and persons on low, fixed incomes. International members are not required to pay dues; but they have to pay the registration fee. Canadian members are not regarded as international members. Checks are payable to "Society for Pastoral Theology," mailed with any new or corrected membership contact information, to Society for Pastoral Theology, c/o Teresa Snorton, ACPE, Inc., 1549 Clairmont Rd., #103, Decatur, GA 30033. Dues are payable by calendar year. You are encouraged to pay dues upon the receipt of this newsletter to ensure the timely receiving of the January issue of the Journal of Pastoral Theology (if applicable). Please keep your dues current! Society Bibliography All members in good standing (with dues paid through the previous year) are invited to submit entries. Please note Guidelines for submission, posted on the website. Send submissions to Kathy Lyndes at kalyndes@yahoo.com. Contributions to the Society for Pastoral Theology Members of the Society participate in one anotherÕs lives, professionally and personally. We share manuscripts, solicit references, seek and provide referrals, celebrate achievements, provide support and care through transitions, and mourn losses. The members of the Steering Committee want to offer the opportunity to members of the Society to give a gift of support to the Society for Pastoral Theology in honor or memory of a family member, colleague, or friend. These gifts will be recognized during this yearÕs Annual Conference in Atlanta. If you would like to provide a gift, please submit your gift with your registration materials. Thank you for your support. In this vein, we are pleased to announce that Abingdon Press has donated money toward graduate student scholarship and is also partially sponsoring the coffee break we are having on Saturday, June 19th, in memory of Chuck Gerkin. Similarly, Augsburg/Fortress Press has donated money to sponsor the coffee break on Thursday, June 17th, in memory of Maxine Glaz. Directory of Graduate Programs A group of teachers of pastoral theology has met for several years under the leadership of Bonnie Miller-McLemore and Chris Schlauch to discuss issues in graduate programs in pastoral theology. A directory of graduate programs has evolved out of this ongoing group, and is posted on our website. Persons responsible for providing descriptions of programs are requested to send updated information as appropriate, as soon as possible, to Chris Schlauch. Special Interest Groups Rooms may be reserved on Saturday morning, June 19th, for groups to bring their breakfast and meet together. In the Winter Newsletter the announcement was made that facilitators should inform Chris Schlauch of their topic and intent to meet -- by February 15th. As of the date of this mailing no facilitators have made any request. Displays at the Annual Meeting The Steering Committee has adopted a policy that commercial displays of goods for sale by members are not appropriate at our annual meetings. Directory of Graduate Programs A fine, useful directory of graduate programs in pastoral theology has been prepared by Sam Lee and Bonnie Miller-McLemore. The directory is available on the website. Persons responsible for writing the accounts of these various programs are requested to send Sam updated information as appropriate, as soon as possible. CEU's The Steering Committee has decided that it cannot provide CEU's for those who attend our meetings. However, Teresa Snorton, Recording Secretary and Conference Registrar, can provide a certificate confirming one's attendance at the meeting to anyone who needs it. Click here to download the complete newsletter (includes program for the 2004 Annual Meeting, and important appendices pertaining to the society and the Annual Meeting) in PDF format: (21 pages; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). 2004 Spring Newsletter For information on other Annual Meetings, please visit the following links: |
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