ETHICS of GENDER Leadership Issues: And REALLY… This is Still a Debate in 2012? PART 2

Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble, ABSW Visiting Professor in Ministerial Leadership and Functional Theology

By now, some lively debate likely has been exchanged among the readers and in the hallways, or at the very least, some self-reflection on ethics and gender leadership issues. An important disclaimer: The purpose of raising gender issues under the rubric of ethical discourse is not to pit male against female – if that’s been the undercurrent of your discourse, then the points in part 1 were sadly missed. My aim is to simply raise some inconsistencies in our ethical practices as they have been systemized in our institutions and in our thinking. Notably, like my family “feuds,” male and females sit on both sides of the gender debate, particularly when the topic focus is female leadership in the church…Women are as likely to run into female opposition as male. On the other hand, many male clergy have become more tolerant if not advocates for women in ministerial leadership when God touched daughters, sisters, or wives whose faith was indisputable. Just as my family debates helped us find our voice, my aim is to urge you to give voice to your experiences and concerns, while genuinely listening and considering the views of others; otherwise we keep avoiding the real issue (as when I hear folks say their concern with President Obama is whether or not he’s an American or Muslim…and I’ll leave you to ponder the undercurrents of that one!) Alas, true to scriptural prophetic tradition, the people of Israel, upon hearing a prophetic challenge, would be disturbed and go after the messenger rather than reflect on the message. Those prophets were often attacked, chased, and sent running to the next assignment! Still I can’t help but wonder – if an all knowing, omniscient Creator is against women in ministry, why are so many experiencing a divine spiritual call in significant enough numbers to become the majority percentage of enrollment in seminaries across the nation? And really…this is still a debate in 2012?

Yes, a framework of ethical principles has gained momentum and many of the mainstream Protestant denominations have adopted written anti-discrimination policy as part of governing ethical principles that resulted in increased hiring practices. Certain denominations changed their restrictive stance to now ordain and place females in senior pastoral positions (Lebacqz, 1985, pp.126-127). And yes, black pastors like Dr. James Alfred Smith, Sr. and a few others in the San Francisco Bay Area faced dissention among male colleagues to pioneer in training, ordaining, staffing, and encouraging female clergy in ministry. Nevertheless, those women are challenged to find leadership positions. In what is termed “traditional” or “conservative” settings, an unfortunate paradigm entrenchment continues across cultural and racial lines, and is readily identifiable not only by particular denomination, but also by congregation. For example, a search committee is influenced by the informal culture of an organization that often is more influential than the formal culture relayed in policy documents and procedures.

West (2006) distinguishes social ethics from a liberative Christian social ethic noting that the latter has theological rooting in the Gospel practices and approach of Jesus to differing moral concerns (pp. 49-50). Central to the ethical agenda is confronting that which denies human dignity and well-being. Gender disparity as an ethical principle also is not limited to faith-based organizations, but is influential in perceptive disparities in gender preferences in business organizations (Duehr & Bono, 2006, p. 815). In case it is not clear by now, I find that discourse on ethical principles that guide seminary training in leadership development must include an ethical framework that materially addresses the disparity issues by faculty and leadership. If our aim is to prepare for and become transformational leaders, we must start with a willingness to be transformative. What’s the difference? I’m glad you asked…According to Shields (2010): “Transformative leadership begins with questions of justice and democracy, critiques inequitable practices, and addresses both individual and public good” (p. 559). Transformational leadership effectively focused on guiding organizational change while transformative leadership lives with the “tension and challenges” of moral courage and activism for individual, organizational and societal transformation (pp. 563-565); inherent is an ethical commitment to deconstruct frameworks that generate inequity and reconstruct gender equity and gender justice (p. 566).

Fortunately, ABSW is at the forefront (in my opinion) of incorporating both conceptual approaches in a re-envisioned emphasis on increased leadership preparation and ethical analysis of social and faith-based systems. In seminary, we have the opportunity to examine and dialogue to stretch one another and grow together in understanding the crucial implications for women (and men) in ministry. After all, brothers and sisters, we need each other – that’s a central tenet of a womanist ethic. Voices of feminist / womanist theologians and published works of college-level professors raised and keep these critical issues of inequity and entitlement at the forefront of ethical debate (Cannon, Townes, & Sims, 2011). What we find is that even our treasured and somewhat idolized Western European male ethicists, as architects of religious and social thought, articulated justification for exceptionalism and influenced discriminatory systems (Floyd-Thomas & De La Torre, 2011). Strategic resistance calls for scrutiny of institutions that “interpret universal moral understanding”(West, 2006, p. 71). Therefore, the prophetic agenda of a liberative social ethic is to challenge institutions that simply tolerate inequity.

Finally – isn’t it amazing that in the wondrous socio-technical landscape where global proximity has been reduced to a mouse-click or pad-touch, we are able to witness extremes in human condition and religious ideology that has fueled geopolitical differences among cultures. Interreligious difference is part of the vast worldview brought to our conscious as the nation states inextricably tie religion to power identity. Perception of the ‘enemy’ sometimes is influenced more by religious typology than by a moral compass on policies and practices. Ethical values that we find are downplayed when economically or politically expedient instead require a constant reflective process of critiquing our individual assumptions and our systems in order to examine the dissonance of disparity. Perhaps it’s a good time along the 21^st century timeline to engage in additional interreligious dialogue, but this time to engage across the table on specific social justice issues – like gender leadership issues. For example, an exchange might help us to compare and discover how similar are injustices that we as Christian America rage against when pointing fingers at questions of Muslim women’s rights, yet after a closer look at inconsistencies in our community of churches, we might see alert signals cautioning that the elephant is growing bigger in our church family. A disclaimer: I understand that stirring this ‘family feud’ where sensitivity of religious beliefs commingle with social and behavioral ethics, comes with a risk that some will consider my views as antithetical, blasphemous, and revolutionary. Yet, Thomas Kuhn might delight that such a revolutionary view is a necessary precursor to shift paradigms “as one conceptual world view is replaced by another.”

Last disclaimer without the rapid-fire voice on the commercials: The sentiments expressed here are solely that of the author and those of cited materials used. The comments in this blog or positions stated by the author are not intended to represent any view of ABSW, the institution, its leadership, faculty or staff.

References:
Cannon, K.G., Townes, E.M. & Sims, A.D. (2011). Womanist Theological Ethics: A Reader. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.

Duehr, E. E., & Bono, J.E. (2006). Men, women, and managers: Are stereotypes finally changing? Personnel Psychology, 59(4), 815-846.

Floyd-Thomas, S. & De La Torre, F. ed. (2011). Beyond the Pale: Reading Ethics from the Margins. Louisville: Westminster John Know Press.

Kuhn, T. (1962). The Scientific Method. Excerpt retrieved from http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Kuhnsnap.html.

Lebacqx, K. (1985). Professional Ethics: Power and Paradox. Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Shields, C. M. (2010). Transformative leadership: Working for equity in diverse contexts. Educational Administration Quarterly, 46(4), 558-589

West, T. C. (2006). Disruptive Christian Ethics: When racism and women’s lives matter. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.

ETHICS of GENDER Leadership Issues: And REALLY- This is Still a Debate in 2012? PART 1

Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble, ABSW Visiting Professor in Ministerial Leadership and Functional Theology

A guest to the Miles family dinner table would often sit in quiet observation as affable conversation suddenly was interrupted by a comment or pronouncement, (usually our impish brother-in-law who deliciously relished getting the Miles women stirred up on one issue or another). In a blink of an eye, the previously affable dinner chatter would evolve and mount in decibels to a full-on debate in which youngest to eldest got in a point or two – or three – or four – with substantial enough fervor that the guest would inevitably whisper to me, “does your family fight like this all the time?” No, these weren’t raise-your-hand-in hopes-that-you’re-called on-debates; however in actuality, no fists flew; no derogatory exclamations or put-downs were expressed; and one gender was not often found pitted against the other even in gender debates. Each side of whatever issue at debate were clearly intent on articulating a viewpoint. After efforts to provide verbal substantiation, most of the time with hilarious reconciliation a vote was reached that we were going to agree that we just disagree on this or that point! When the excited exchange settled to mutual acknowledgement on a couple points and dinner or dessert banter resumed – inevitably another topic or comment sparked another issue and a new round of ‘family feud.’ By now, the guest realized this initiation into the Miles family gatherings was a regular phenomenon. Inevitably, he or she would be caught up in the second or third round, because somebody surely was going to pose to the guest “So really – what is your take on this mess?!” The positive impact of that childhood conditioning was the fostered climate that developed young people who not afraid to critically think, listen, and express their minds (secretly enjoying the rare legitimate opportunity to tell one or both parents and other adults, “How can you believe that? I wholeheartedly disagree” – and then, better be ready to state why!) Of course, that required us to read and investigate issues constantly (so you had a perspective to contribute).

I disclose that part of my formative context, because it developed my prophetic lens. Like my brother-in-law, I raise some issues here for the sake of exchange – since I still enjoy a hearty, mind stretching debate. My disclosure? I self identify as an African American womanist theologian with location in the seminary as a professor and in the church as a pastoral practitioner. Therefore (in case some didn’t know), I’m not shy about speaking, listening, or thinking deeply on thorny issues. With a womanist prophetic lens, I broach what follows on the ethics of gender leadership in my theological context of a Western Christian landscape. The majority of my faith journey has been mapped in a GPS of mores and customs of largely African-American congregations, collectively referred as the ‘black church.’ In denominational and congregational cases within the black church as well as in parts of the larger Church universal, I observe a still troubling ethical dilemma where the social implications of religion-based mores, customs, and practices conflict with ethical principles of dignity, freedom, fairness, and equity espoused in the hermeneutical call from scripture to be a liberative instrument of a justice-loving God. I am aware that the personal sensitivity of religious beliefs and derivative traditions sometimes complicate discussions of what is or isn’t ethical.

However, the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’ remains: in the 21st century… in 2012…there still is mixed receptivity to women in certain professional leadership roles as senior pastor leader or even as ordained clergy. In the so-called secular 21st century societal arena, religious ideology has weighed-in to voice a position on issues of women’s voice / choice in decisions on her body and reproductive access to the healthcare system. As media coverage brought to our living rooms, computer screens, and smart phones, the elephant was unavoidable, as nationally formed legislative panels comprised of male panelists –religious and secular – weighed-in to frame the issues of debate without one female representative. And the fact that the voices of those men were accepted as normative, but who haven’t or ever will give birth, gave me pause to utter: “And really…this is still a debate in 2012?” West’s ( 2006) call for a liberative Christian social ethic (pp. 36-39) raises questions of gender justice. The ethics of gender leadership and gender disparity will not fade by being silent and ignoring the elephant. Meanwhile, the elephant’s ‘sister’, the ostrich is burying its proverbial head in the other room: the private sector of corporate or professional enterprise continue wage disparities and hiring preferences, albeit with adept subtlety (Hellman, M.E. & Welle, B., 2006). The conflict between mores/customs and ethical principles is witnessed in the refusal to hire women in senior pastoral roles by some faith-based organizations and denominational affiliations, due to traditions and structures that follow an unvoiced paradigm of women having secondary status to men. In such an organizational culture of mores and customs, other gender-related harassment problems arise and are overlooked. Domestic violence too often is theologized–and the silence unfortunately prevails (West 2006, pp. 40-42).

Tucker-Worgs (2011) documented in a major study of the black mega-church that sexism was deeply entrenched; a climate of patriarchy resulted in ‘dual gendered spheres’ (p. 141) where women were valued to diligently fulfill informal roles, but few reached higher levels of formal leadership (pp. 142-144). Others approved females’ preaching but not as pastors. In some denominations, while approval of females in leadership rates high, evidence of placement is low (pp. 145-148). Unfortunately, Black Baptist denominations and churches are at the lower end of the spectrum. Surveys and personal testimonies confirm the elephant’s presence: Given similar levels of educational achievement, leadership experience from prior careers outside of the faith-based setting, and similar skill sets, females will not be given the same opportunities for placement. Some denominations have taken policy steps to affirm women while others just as vehemently denounce and refuse to recognize the credentials of women. Despite professed ethical stances in the public square against societal discrimination, undue cronyism, and favoritism, the practice in significant numbers of churches persists – including the venerable Catholic Church. Despite equal opportunity laws that prohibit against gender discrimination, the mores and customs of religious preferences are deemed by many clergy to be beyond the purview of the law or ethical principles of equality, fairness, and respect of person. Thus, like the ostrich, congregations bury their heads and carefully circumnavigate the elephant.

One result is that significant numbers of females who are committed to pursue religious service or theological study are bound to actualize their call in college or seminary level positions as professors, researchers, and administrative coordinators, or they are found in presumed ancillary roles to pastoral ministry, such as chaplaincy, prison ministry, community social service executives and youth services leaders (McKenzie, 1996, introduction and pp. 41-54). While these positions should be viewed as valuable and professional alternatives that still manifest ministry calling, the old paradigm places a priori value on pastoral ministry in seminary training and inadvertently devalues the options, and therefore, women’s leadership potential. Still prevalent are paradigms that say women cannot be called to preach and pastor, and still whispers that a woman’s place is in the home. Ignoring the elephant results in loss of potential talent, brainpower, not to mention people power in a core area of a vocational field that claims it seeks to demonstrate the beloved community and positive social change. The contradiction is disheartening and unethical. [Still, there were SF Bay Area pastors of churches that boldly pioneered to support women in ministry-more in Part 2]

References:

Hellman, M.E. & Welle, B. (2006). Disadvantages by Diversity? the effects of diversity goals on competence perceptions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(5), 1291-1319.

McKenzie, V.M. (1996). Not without a struggle: Leadership development for african american women in ministry. Cleveland: United Church Press.

Tucker-Worgs, T.N. (2011). The Black Mega-church: Theology, gender, and the politics of public engagement. Waco: Baylor University Press.

West, T. C. (2006). Disruptive Christian Ethics: When racism and women’s lives matter. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.

What’s In Your Bag?

I’ve been a Teaching Assistant for the Using Biblical Languages course at ABSW on and off since Spring 2009. Every year when the course starts I look at the faces of the students. Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek in one semester?!?! I know. It seems insane, but it’s not. It’s ambitious. It’s tough. It’s also rewarding.

Imagine you are the entertainment at a children’s birthday party. A magician. Rabbits in hats. Handkerchiefs up sleeves. Disappearing doves. You get the picture. The entertainer must arrive at the party with a metaphorical bag of tricks. Everyone has seen a hat, handkerchief, or dove, but they may not have seen what you will do with it.

Now returning to the UBL course, the 15 weeks or so of the Spring 2012 semester gives every UBL student the opportunity to develop her or his metaphorical bag of tricks. Most of you have been, are currently, or plan to be involved in some sort of church service. For those of you planning to take a leadership role in your community, what is in your bag? For those of you that preach or would like to preach at services, what is in your bag? For those of you working with the people of God in ministries that involve the use of Scripture, what is in your bag?

We all have a little of ourselves in our bag. Our previous relationship(s) with (the) C/church, Scripture, and the people of God, that is what we already came with to seminary . Now that you’re here there’s a little theology, biblical studies, homiletics, pastoral care, church history, etc. thrown in that bag. Seems like every day your faculty offer you something new. Biblical languages are no different.

UBL gives students the opportunity to scratch below the surface of the Bible you have been reading for only God knows how long and make it come alive anew. Gaining access to the richness of the Bible through the grammar and syntax of its original languages is the first step. The second step is remembering that you are developing your own bag of tricks, so that when you leave this class in May you bring that bag of tricks to your preaching, Bible studies, pastoral counseling, etc.  Most of the time it’s the illumination of only one word that opens the door to greater ponder, clarity, and/or wonder.  A little goes a long way for the greater glory of God.

 

 

Corinna Guerrero

Worshipping Together

The students of ABSW are a constant reminder of God’s creativity, love, and grace.  Each is working hard to equip himself for ministry in a diverse and ever-shrinking world.  So, when these students invite one another into their paradigm of worship, the experience is not to be missed!

This past week at ABSW, the community was treated to a special chapel service, hosted by ABSW’s Korean students.  It was a joyful and uplifting time, reminding everyone of the power, beauty, and majesty of a God who not only crosses cultural barriers, but lays down common ground so that His followers may come together in worship.

The ABSW community was greatly blessed by the efforts of the students and special guests who worked so hard to make the evening special, sharing the traditional worship and delicious cuisine of the Korean culture.  ABSW extends a special thanks to all those who made this evening possible!

Min. Koan S. Choi offers a warm welcome, and leads the congregation in a responsive reading of Psalm 23

Min. Eung K. Tak gives the opening prayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rev. Sung J. Kim reads the evening's Scripture: Acts 27:13-25

Min. Jae E. Kim introduces the GTU Korean Pastor's Wives Choir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rev. Eun S. Cho delivers an encouraging sermon: What I Believe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Seuss, Multiple Hats, and Advocacy: Reading Broadly

The ten students in my fall 2011 class at ABSW, Reading OT Biblical Characters, are currently being instructed to read broadly. I tell them to develop their sensibilities as a reader so that they have a greater capacity to serve the needs of their communities. I challenge them with a question like- How do you liberate a biblical character that is not in a biblical story because they/he/she are/is never directly mentioned, given voice, or described? Or, what is the value of investigating the tensions between the story and the discourse exhibited through minor and major biblical characters? I ask them these questions because half of the students are advocating on behalf of a group that is socially, politically, economically, and/or spiritually underserved. The other half is training to develop themselves as scholars and educators of biblical literature. In the class room, regardless of path, everyone is required to be both scholar and servant.

Each student is asked to develop her or his final project with an ideal audience in mind. To whom do you see yourself presenting this semester-long project? The larger question behind that is whom do you serve?

I often use reading experiences with my 3-year old daughter to nuance a point in class about literary theory, the communities we serve, or the relationship between literature and life. Service is not always formal or a choice. Sometimes it is an opportunity that presents itself.

The recent Occupy movements can be felt everywhere in the East Bay, but especially in the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. My daughter has recently been asking many questions about the Occupy Berkeley encampment that she sees everyday on Martin Luther King Way when we drive my husband to and from work. We explained that the protesters are like Mack from Yertle the Turtle. They are challenging the oppression (yes we use that word with our 3 year-old) of those that act like King Yertle.

If you have never read Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss, it is a traditional Seussian tale with the expected meter and imagination. For those whose memories of Dr. Seuss extend only as far as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Seussian tales have a moral but are not moralistic. They are didactic but not heavy handed. His stories are amusing and each page has a pithy perspective for both the reader and readee. What is illuminating is that to quote Seuss himself, his work is “subversive as hell.”

Yertle the Turtle is a post-WWII tale that rails against tyranny and fascism. There was no way Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss, could have foreseen the rise of the Occupy movements sweeping America and the world today, much less that his tale of a plain little turtle named Mack would teach a 3-year old girl named Eva about the suffering of the many explained through the experiential suffering of one.

The two characters brought into prominence in this tale are King Yertle and Mack. What separates these two characters in the story is a growing stack of turtles that obey the commands of the King to come with their families and use their turtle bodies to create his throne. From his position high-a-top his turtle stack (first 9 turtles, then 200, then 5,607) King Yertle discloses a key insight to his moral compass, “‘I’m ruler’, said Yertle, ‘of all that I see./But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.’” With each command to add more turtle bodies to his thrown, the turtle at the very bottom named Mack is stepped on, climbed over, and weighed upon by the physical reality caused by the command of “the world’s highest turtle.”   

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,

Came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.

“Your Majesty, please… I don’t like to complain,

But down here below, we are feeling great pain.

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,

But down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.

We turtles can’t stand it. Our shells will all crack!

Besides, we need food. We are starving!” groaned Mack.

Don’t be fooled by the quatra-meter. The tale and characters, though constructed for children, formulate an allegorical message that is simple and profound. There is a great disparity between the point of view of a solitary few at the top and those feeling the greatest distress at the bottom.

The first time we read this passage to Eva she said, “Why won’t he feed Mack? Mack is so hungry.” Her needs at this point in life are as basic as Mack’s- food. Sustenance is a right. Withholding food or setting up structures that prevent individuals from having consistent access to food is an injustice and an assault against dignity. The relative safety of Eva’s life has prevented her from noticing the physical mistreat to the turtles’ shelled bodies created by an unnatural perch for a turtle. She is too young, maybe too sheltered, to empathize with their bodily jeopardy. She, nevertheless, brings herself to the reading. She brings her experiences of life, other literature, and relationships.

The biblical texts for our class are the books of Joshua and Judges. They witness to two different accounts of military exploits used to establish a foundational claim to the land of Canaan. The accounts are at times gruesome, sad, triumphant, and humorous.  They contain a breadth of human experience and each student brings herself and himself to the text every time we read it.

Depending on the needs of our communities of service different aspects of what we have read will be investigated, highlighted, interpreted, and mediated with appropriate language and analogies. My students are encouraged to develop themselves broadly. Cultivate yourself as a scholar and a servant. In doing so, the text will become more revelatory. Each time something will be revealed anew.

On different days of the work week I wear different figurative hats, like every student in class. On Mondays and Thursdays I’m a doctoral student. Tuesdays I’m an instructor. Wednesdays I’m an assistant to the department. Fridays I’m an assistant instructor. Every day of the week I am a mother. Every day I am in service of another. Eva’s favorite part of the story is the end. She understands what the 1% have yet to figure out.

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free

As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

                                                                                                            by Dr. Seuss.

 

 

  By Corinna Guerrero

And the Chili Champ is….

Carolyn Matthews!

After eating bowls of chili until they were fit to burst, the ABSW community voted, declaring Carolyn Matthews the 2011 Chili Champ!

Not only did Carolyn receive the most votes, but her turkey chili was gobbled-up in record time, leaving an empty pot and many full stomachs!  Her secret?  Give that chili some time!  Letting the flavors come together slowly is what did it for this delicious dish.

Chili offerings for 2011 included vegetarian, turkey and beef versions, all of which (in this blogger’s opinion) were down-right tasty!  Recipes were inspired by family favorites, internet finds, and of course, firemen!

Honorable mentions include:

Loretta Moody:  Best Chili by an ABSW Student

Marie Onwubuariri:  Sneakiest Chili  (yes, it REALLY WAS vegetarian)

Micky Holmes:  Most Save-ory Chili

Al Roselius:  Manliest Chili

Jennifer Davidson:  The Biggest Kick!

LeAnn Snow Flesher:  Smartest Chili (in the British Sense)

Nancy Svensson:  Best Use of Corn

Fortune Sitole’s “Art of the Township” Debuts in Hobart Hall

Works by Fortune Sitole adorn the walls of Hobart Hall, bringing life, color, and the artist's unique perspective to ABSW

 

By Jeff Kunkel, Curator, Adjunct Faculty, ABSW Writing Consultant

Fortune Sitole was born and raised in Capetown, South Africa, and his art work is a reminder of day-to-day life in black South African townships. He sees his work as an homage to his ancestors, family, community, and to people all over the world who are poor. 

Fortune’s art features far off mountains, blue or orange skies, and dirt streets. His work offers us a peek down these streets, and we see rows of makeshift shanties, which optimize outside space and are built with leftover materials – metal, tires, and stone.  We see women washing clothes or carrying water, children playing games, and men without work.  We see poverty and hardship.  We also see ingenuity, color, and resiliency. 

Taking his cue from shanty builders, Fortune builds his paintings with leftover materials – plywood scraps, aluminum cans, sand, wire. His Oakland studio, part of  the American Steel Building on Mandela Parkway,  is piled high with the found materials he uses in his paintings.  He is committed to making work which is affordable and accessible.  All of the work in this exhibit is for sale.

Fortune is a self-taught artist who exhibits his work at art fairs across the American West, which he drives to in an old, burgundy van weighed down with his work.  His work is often featured in the Art of Living Black, an annual group show at the Richmond Art Center, and he has an upcoming show at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.

The Art of the Township is the first show featured in ABSW’s beautiful Hobart Hall gallery-hallway, which was originally designed by Julia Morgan. This artshow will be publicly featured during ABSW’s Leadership Conference this October, with a special “Meet the Artist Reception” on Wednesday, October 26 at 4:00 PM. To register for this conference, visit www.absw.edu. The exhibit will remain in the gallery through the Fall 2011 semester.

If you would like to see more of Fortune Sitole’s work, you can go to www.fortunesgallery.com. If you would like to purchase a painting or make a comment, please contact Jeff Kunkel at jkkunkel@gmail.com.

2011 Theodore Keaton Lecture: “Sowing Seeds of Discontent”

Dr. William Herzog presenting the 2011 Theodore Keaton Lecture on May 20, 2011 at the ABSW Chapel.

The Sufficiency of God’s Abundant Grace

Rev. Victoria Schlintz preaching at the Oct. 11th ABSW Chapel service

Victoria is a graduate of ABSW (2002) and an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. She has served churches in Pinole, Fairfield, and Atwater. Due to ALS, Victoria and her husband Gerry moved into disability retirement in Merced in 2008.

A Time to Cry

Rev. Dr. Sangyil Park preaches at the October 4th ABSW Chapel Service