Wednesday, July 5, 2006

From the Spring 2006 GTU Currents Newsletter - Students Speak

Three students from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology talk about their experience at the Graduate Theological Union.

CHRISTOPHER FADOK, O. P.

The Graduate Theological Union's connection to UC Berkeley is huge.I took a graduate-level class there on the nature of consciousness with world-renowned philosopher John Searle. One of my Dominican brothers and I were the only two enrolled from the GTU. I remember one Berkeley student asking us about St. Augustine and the nature of the soul, and how that would relate to issues in the philosophy of mind. It was an opportunity to make critical and creative dialogue happen, and participate in broader conversations about philosophical issues.

LAWRENCE KING

The most important thing is to not lose sight of the reason why you've come here. Most of us arrive with some specific goal, something important that's related to the outside world-to evangelize or to do social work or to reach out to people who aren't certain about their beliefs. In addition to questions of abstract theology, I try to remember the real people whose lives-physical and intellectual-are impacted by these teachings.

COLLEEN POWER
Studying here has given me the tools to talk with others in an open and responsive way, particularly those outside of the GTU. People hear that you're studying theology and they want to talk about it. Perfect strangers, on an airplane or on the street, often engage me in in-depth conversations about theology and life in general. They ask amazing questions. These discussions bridge gaps between my own understanding and faith with other points of view, and they give us a chance to say to each other, "This is what I believe."