A Letter from the President
In this edition of perspectives you will meet the impressive class of 2025. The brief biographies of our graduates show the range of experience, cultural backgrounds and anticipated ministries taken up. This is a class that will continue to make an impact for hope and possibility in and through the church! Our core work at VST is to prepare students for congregational ministry. We have twelve M.Div. graduates this year!
In this issue you will also hear from recent graduates and continuing students. “Leadership at the intersection” by Kate Keilty, “Ministry and memory in the Armenian diaspora” by Fr. Hyrant and a poem – “Ali, the Custodian, Who Takes Away” – from Rose Kovacs. These contributions to perspectives offer a window into significant work and leadership that present and past students provide in a wide variety of ministries. In their writing we witness the fulfillment of VST’s promise of thoughtful, engaged and generous Christian leadership.
Readers of this issue also have opportunity to experience some of the learning that both informs and forms our students. Four extended articles by Prof. Carolyn Muessig of the University of Calgary, Prof. George Hunsinger of Princeton Theological Seminary, Prof. Rob James of VST and Prof. John Swinton are shared here.
They are exciting opportunities to experience some of the core educational work of the school. The topics are timely – what we can learn about and from medieval women preachers for today; sinners and victims and the important distinctions between them; how Franciscan spirituality speaks into the ethos of Cascadia; and finally an exhortation to practice the beatitudes in a broken world. Graduating students noted in comments about their experience at VST that serious scholarship is front-and-center at the school, and how the opportunity to learn from diverse world-class instructors and lecturers was deeply welcomed and formative. Indeed, a VST education strives to go deep with God and wide with the world God loves.
The environment that shapes VST students is upheld by faculty and staff. James Cesar, longtime staff member and brilliant artist, is interviewed about his recent work in the Epiphany chapel. He created a stained-glass widow for the cross shaped opening in the chapel wall, a gift to be appreciated for a long time. We thank God for Lucy Lima who not only cleaned our buildings for many years but cared for generations of our students with kindness. We also say farewell to Prof. Rabbi Laura Duhan-Kaplan as Director of Interreligious Studies and welcome to her successor Prof. Casey Collins. We offer heartfelt thanks to Laura for her intelligent and compassionate work at the school, and for her leadership as Director and Interim Dean, and we rejoice that she is not going too far.
And finally in this issue we present opportunities for you to be a part of this learning community. Summer school is upcoming with wonderful courses, open to you. Public lectures take place as a part of the summer school to which you are invited – at VST and St Mary’s, Kerrisdale. Please note as well that the Chancellor’s Dinner takes place in September with Prof. Benjamin Perrin of the Allard Law School giving an address on Jesus, Mercy and Justice. He is an important speaker for this time, and please plan to attend!