Pacific School of Religion Welcomes Two New Staff Members
Pacific School of Religion is pleased to welcome two new members of our community: Joanne Cole, Finance & Grants Program Manager, and Kona Lisa Mahu, PSRC Learner Success Manager. Bringing extensive experience across nonprofit leadership, education, finance, program development, and learner support, Joanne and Kona each bring valuable expertise and a deep commitment to supporting…
This I Believe: Rev. B. Dundee Holt (DMin, ’25)
Rev. B. Dundee Holt (DMin., ’25), PSR alumnx and Alumnx Council member, invites us to take a fresh look at a familiar—and sometimes controversial—practice: biblical cherry-picking. Drawing from his liberative approach to scripture, Dundee challenges us to consider how we choose, interpret, and give weight to biblical texts, and what those choices reveal about the beliefs and values we bring to our faith.
Remembering Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund: Scholar, Trailblazer, and Faithful Leader
The Pacific School of Religion community mourns the passing of the Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund, former Dean of the Faculty and professor of church history at PSR, who died on August 18 at the age of 87. She served at PSR from 1981 to 1990 and leaves behind a profound legacy of scholarship, leadership,…
Remembering Distinguished Alumnx Terry Messman, MDiv ’91
Pacific School of Religion mourns the passing of Distinguished Alumnx Terry Messman, MDiv ’91, whose lifelong ministry of peace, justice, and solidarity with unhoused communities embodied the values of faith in action that continue to shape a PSR education. After earning his Master of Divinity from PSR in 1985, Messman dedicated more than four decades…
PSR DMin Student Earns National Recognition in Blessed Solanus Casey Essay Competition
Pacific School of Religion congratulates doctoral student Dr. César A. Cruz on receiving Third Place in the 2025–2026 Blessed Solanus Casey Essay Prize, a national competition recognizing outstanding graduate scholarship on the life, ministry, and contemporary significance of Blessed Solanus Casey. The competition, hosted by the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph, awards essays…
Pacific School of Religion
Remembers Rev. Dr. Archie Smith Jr.
Pacific School of Religion mourns the passing of the Rev. Dr. Archie Smith Jr., groundbreaking scholar, teacher, pastor, and longtime member of the PSR faculty, whose life and work profoundly shaped generations of students, colleagues, and the fields of pastoral theology, psychology, and counseling. Dr. Smith joined the PSR faculty in 1975 and served until…
Dr. Ish Ruiz Appointed Co-Director of Pacific School of Religion’s
Doctor of Ministry Program
Pacific School of Religion is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ish Ruiz as Co-Director of PSR’s Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Program. Dr. Ruiz will serve alongside Dr. Jim Lawrence during the 2026–2027 academic year in a period of shared leadership and thoughtful transition, ensuring the continued strength and future growth of one of…
Registration Opens for the 2026 Earl Lecture Series; Featured Speakers and Program Announced
Pacific School of Religion is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s Earl Lecture Series, Faith Beyond Exclusion, taking place September 25-26, 2026, on PSR’s campus in Berkeley, CA. This year’s gathering marks historic milestones, celebrating PSR’s 160th, the Earl Lecture Series’ 125th, the 100th anniversaries of Holbrook Hall &…
Pacific School of Religion Welcomes Three New Staff Members in Summer 2026
Pacific School of Religion is pleased to welcome three new members to its community this summer. Bringing expertise in theology, technology, and development, these new colleagues will support PSR’s mission through teaching, innovation, and community engagement. Dr. Flora X. Tang Visiting Assistant Professor and Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow in Feminist and Ecological Theology Dr. Flora…
Honoring Juneteenth:
A Curated Reading List
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. As we celebrate this historic milestone, we also recognize the ongoing work of justice, liberation, and collective flourishing. Stories have long been a source of strength, memory, and resistance. By passing them…
