It is with a heavy heart that I share the difficult news that our brother, PSR student Luke Vakaliwaliwa, passed away Saturday morning. He was such a joyful and insightful man, and every time I close my eyes, I see his radiant smile and prayerful presence in our weekly chapel. May he rest in peace.
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The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is proud to announce the appointment of Rev. Terence L. Mayo (he/they) as the new Coordinator of the African American Roundtable (AART). This vital Roundtable, which has been integral to CLGS since its founding in 2000, focuses on addressing issues of faith, race, and LGBTQ+ inclusion within African American communities.
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The Ignite Institute at PSR brings together personal, communal, and spiritual work from wisdom traditions to provide established and emerging leaders with the vision, resilience, and skills to create a world where we can all thrive.
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We are saddened to share the passing of Risé Jones (MAST '22) whose contributions to PSR's community life, the city of Elgin, and the organization Hamilton Wings, amongst countless number of lives, groups and organizations that she touched, was reflective of her generosity and joy. We honor her legacy and bear witness to her lasting impact on this world.
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PSR is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Heesung Hwang to the position of Associate Professor of United Methodist Studies, Religious Education, and Leadership. Following a rigorous faculty and community search process, Dr. Hwang has been selected to help shape PSR’s distinctive reimagination of theological education. In addition to bringing outstanding academic preparation and experience, she embodies PSR’s commitment to make theological education more widely accessible and impactful; bring faith to bear on the creation of a world where all can thrive; and a research agenda that centers the wisdom and needs of historically marginalized communities. In addition to her faculty appointment, she will also serve as the Academic Director of Congregational Renewal Cohorts Program—a Lilly Endowment Inc. funded program we are developing around our Theological Education for Leadership coursework.
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In times of grief, the wisdom of our communities and traditions calls us to God, to one another, and to rest. Psalm 30:5 has sustained generations of communities that have known what it is like when those in power do not have their best interest at heart. The Psalmist assures us that “weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
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Fear is never the basis for a positive political outcome. Yes, it is effective in getting results, but it is inappropriate in a democracy. The key to democracy is that what our leaders say and do has to be both effective (results) and appropriate (culture). The right conjunction matters. It cannot be either one; both conditions must be met.
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Kwaray is a community-based learning platform equipping rising faith leaders as they navigate an era of profound spiritual and cultural upheaval. Kwaray heralds a new day in faith leadership preparation amidst an expensive and fragmented educational landscape. Kwaray serves rising faith leaders by offering courses, cohorts, credentials, and community-events from a wide range of seminaries and organizations. The platform offers a variety of community-based learning resources tailored to each learner’s spiritual and professional goals. Kwaray’s mission is to unleash the potential of rising faith leaders as they discover their purpose and take action.
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Watch the recording of the Earl Lecture Series, Part 3, here!
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Watch the recording of the Earl Lecture Series, Part 3, here!
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Berkeley, CA - The Center for LGBTQ & Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is honored to announce the 14th Annual Georgia Harkness Lecture. This year's speaker, Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel, a renowned theologian and justice advocate, will present Sacred Reckonings with the Doctrine of Discovery’s Betrayal, exploring the intersections of queerness, resistance, and justice. The lecture will be held virtually on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 4 PM (Pacific).
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Watch the recording of the Earl Lecture Series, Part 1, here!
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An op-ed from PSR Professor, Dr. Leonard McMahon
God entreats us to, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another,” in John 13:34. While we may all agree with this sentiment in the abstract it can feel difficult in an election year when James Baldwin’s quote, “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist,” feels more urgent.
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Watch the recording of the Earl Lecture Series, Part 1, here!
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Pacific School of Religion (PSR), a leading progressive Christian seminary known for its commitment to social justice and inclusive ministry, is excited to announce the upcoming launch of Kwaray, a bold and collaborative initiative designed to reimagine theological education. Drawing on the best of the Bay Area’s technological innovation and expanding the reach of PSR’s academic programs, Kwaray will be a distributed learning network that connects diverse voices and experiences, creating an inclusive, dynamic educational ecosystem. This groundbreaking initiative has been made possible by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. A primary aim of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities.
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Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of Pacific School of Religion, discusses the origin story of Kwaray, a new community-based learning platform dedicated to equipping rising faith leaders as they navigate an era of profound spiritual and cultural upheaval.
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As the first female principals at Bora Architecture, Amy Donohoe and Jeannie Lai champion justice-oriented design, making educational spaces innovative, inclusive, and inspirational. They sat down with us to talk about their personal and professional journeys and the importance of design justice, equity, and community engagement in architecture. We hear about the challenges of a male-dominated industry, the historical lack of diversity in architecture, the importance of recognizing and addressing biases in design, and creating inclusive spaces that prioritize the needs of both staff and clients.
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Pacific School of Religion’s Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) invites you to join us for “Queering the 2024 Vote,” a series of five impactful online workshops this Fall 2024. As we approach the upcoming US elections, this series seeks to empower LGBTQ individuals, allies, and communities to be voices and votes for positive change in our nation’s urgent need for justice, hope, love, and compassion.
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I believe that this might be one of the most challenging assignments that I have undertaken lately. The first challenge was my willingness to share something so personal and intimate. I teetered between caution and courage; between faith and fear; between private and public. I settled somewhere in the middle of them all. Secondly, there are many forces that contribute to the colonization of our spirit, so I believe that finding my truth has been a pathway to remaining authentic, so I do my best to take myself wherever I go. I learned long ago that I cannot and do not expect you to understand or even agree with me, but I do ask that you believe me.
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"As a progressive Christian seminary and graduate school, PSR is firmly committed to serving churches and nonprofit organizations. One way in which we live out this out is by speaking to this critical and timely discussions that impact everyone's lives," President Vásquez-Levy said.
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Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jacob Perez as the new Director of Marketing and Communications, effective July 16th, 2024. Jacob, a PSR alumnus with a Master of Theological Studies (MTS ’21), returns to his alma mater with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the institution’s mission.
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Join us in congratulating PSR faculty Rev. Kristin Stoneking who has been elected a bishop by The United Methodist Church’s (UMC) Western Jurisdiction!
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The Pacific School of Religion community joins the family of alumnx Jim Price in mourning his loss on June 12, at the age of 91
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Recent graduate Dr. Robert W. Lee, IV (DMin ’24) reflects on the Presidency, faith and his journey at PSR ahead of the presidential election.
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On May 19th PSR celebrated its 157th commencement with the theme, Emerging Unafraid: Living Out the Courage of Our Compassion. Read more about the ceremony and see pictures of the grads and their families!
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Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw, coordinator of CLGS's Transgender Roundtable shares a Pride Month call to recognize chosen family in our lives and in the pages of our sacred texts.
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Host Mo King sits down with Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, a pastor, dynamic speaker, award-winning author, and professor, about her mission to empower emerging Christian leaders to practice reconciliation in their communities.
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