The Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., has also seen a battle erupt between its dean and faculty. Of the Episcopal Church’s 10 seminaries, several are facing financial challenges. Bexley Hall Seminary in Ohio affiliated with Seabury-Western Seminary in Illinois to form Bexley Seabury in 2013.
“There appears to be a profound lack of theological reflection in the process of change that the Dean has undertaken, which along with an impatience with relationship-building, that is strangely at odds with the mission of a seminary to form and prepare priests for mission in parish communities,” Andrew Gerns wrote in a post for Episcopal Cafe.
In 2013-2014, GTS enrolled 70 students and had $10.6 million in expenditures and $27 million in investments, according to ATS. GTS had faced about $40 million of debt that it was attempting to pay down through property sales and redevelopment.
The faculty claim women and “other minorities” were offended by remarks made by the Dean. Now we learn the real cause of the dispute.
Probably no one will be reading this at this point, but I am confused about what the argument is actually about. It appears it is about shifting from a medieval model of seminary education to a more modern model; and as is the norm in Episcopal/Democratic politics, when they don’t have really good arguments to counter what the Dean wants to do, they throw in racism and sexism. Can anyone elucidate me?
“Can anyone elucidate me?”
Yes. It throws light on the quality of my personal and professional decision to stop researching and writing Episcopal Church history ten years ago and instead seek broader horizons.
#3–David H, Thanks. I took your response as a “yes”; but I an very thick headed sometimes, and just wanted to make sure–was that a “yes” or a “no”?
No. 4: It’s a “no.” I have no light to throw on the larger (or smaller) problems of GTS–except to say that if it were a publicly traded security, I doubt that my advisors would be recommending that it be added to my portfolio.