DSPT is proud to welcome Heidi McKenna as a part-time Director of Communications. She has 12 years of experience in Marketing and Communications, including product packaging, print production, audio and video production, web content management, on-location photography and more. Before her daughter was born in 2005 and her son in 2006, she worked for several years in catalogue production for Pottery Barn Kids and Restoration Hardware. Prior to that, she worked for Shaklee Corporation as an Account Manager on their nutritional and water and air purification products.
She came to know DSPT through Fr. Michael Sweeney, whom she met in 1993 through the RCIA program at Blessed Sacrament Church in Seattle while she was getting her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Washington. Heidi has been happy to jump right into all the projects at DSPT and join our staff!
Monday, November 3, 2008
November 2008: Faculty and Alumni News
November promises to be a busy month as many of our faculty members attend the annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. This year, our very own Barbara Green, OP will be delivering two papers at the Society of Biblical Literature meeting in Boston. The first, titled “Marriage Counseling in Jeremiah 2-9: Human and Divine Spouses, Prophetic Therapist, Reading Interns,” makes use of Bakhtinian dialogic and utterance strategies to explore new ways of understanding Jeremiah. The second, “Cognitive Linguistics and the Idolatry-Is-Adultery Metaphor,” will use the strategies of cognitive linguistics to discover fresh insights and suggest how this metaphor in biblical texts can be used to disclose valuable information about God and us.
Last month, Fr. Anselm Ramelow, OP gave a talk titled, “When Reason Seeks Understanding,” at a symposium on “Faith and Reason in Christianity and Islam” at the University of Washington in Seattle. His talk looked at what appears to be a rejection of classical models of rationality (from Christian theology and philosophy) by modern science, making it difficult for modern science to have a rational dialogue with the Muslim world. He further discussed how the rationality of modern science is rooted in late medieval nominalism and how, instead, classical Christian theology and philosophy, especially that of St. Thomas Aquinas, would be able to engage both the Muslim world and modern science.
Fr. Bryan Kromholtz, OP, who joined our Theology faculty this fall, just returned from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, titled On the Last Day: The Time of the Resurrection of the Dead According to Thomas Aquinas. Fr. Bryan’s work shows how the promise of the resurrection in the Angelic Doctor’s work has important implications for our faith in Christ (who will raise us), for our life as a Church (which is the community with whom we will be raised) and our place in the cosmos (which will be renewed when we are raised). The dissertation was accepted with the distinction insigni cum laude. His committee included Fr. Richard Schenk, OP, who was invited to sit on the committee for his expertise in medieval and contemporary eschatology, and Fr. Michael Sherwin, OP, a former faculty member of DSPT.
DSPT alumna, Elissa McCormack, recently published an article titled “Inclusivism in the Fiction of C.S. Lewis: The Case of Emeth” in the Fall 2008 issue of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture. Her article is inspired by the scene at the end of The Last Battle where Emeth, a Calormene who had always worshipped the god Tash, finds himself faced with Aslan in the New Narnia. The salvation granted to this character raises questions about C.S. Lewis’s beliefs surrounding the possibility of salvation in non-Christian religions. Her article examines this thread in C.S. Lewis’s fiction, including the Chronicles of Narnia, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and Till We Have Faces, concluding that, for Lewis, it is not holding a correct belief that is ultimately necessary for salvation, but rather committing your life to a constant and sincere search for Truth.
Last month, Fr. Anselm Ramelow, OP gave a talk titled, “When Reason Seeks Understanding,” at a symposium on “Faith and Reason in Christianity and Islam” at the University of Washington in Seattle. His talk looked at what appears to be a rejection of classical models of rationality (from Christian theology and philosophy) by modern science, making it difficult for modern science to have a rational dialogue with the Muslim world. He further discussed how the rationality of modern science is rooted in late medieval nominalism and how, instead, classical Christian theology and philosophy, especially that of St. Thomas Aquinas, would be able to engage both the Muslim world and modern science.
Fr. Bryan Kromholtz, OP, who joined our Theology faculty this fall, just returned from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, titled On the Last Day: The Time of the Resurrection of the Dead According to Thomas Aquinas. Fr. Bryan’s work shows how the promise of the resurrection in the Angelic Doctor’s work has important implications for our faith in Christ (who will raise us), for our life as a Church (which is the community with whom we will be raised) and our place in the cosmos (which will be renewed when we are raised). The dissertation was accepted with the distinction insigni cum laude. His committee included Fr. Richard Schenk, OP, who was invited to sit on the committee for his expertise in medieval and contemporary eschatology, and Fr. Michael Sherwin, OP, a former faculty member of DSPT.
DSPT alumna, Elissa McCormack, recently published an article titled “Inclusivism in the Fiction of C.S. Lewis: The Case of Emeth” in the Fall 2008 issue of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture. Her article is inspired by the scene at the end of The Last Battle where Emeth, a Calormene who had always worshipped the god Tash, finds himself faced with Aslan in the New Narnia. The salvation granted to this character raises questions about C.S. Lewis’s beliefs surrounding the possibility of salvation in non-Christian religions. Her article examines this thread in C.S. Lewis’s fiction, including the Chronicles of Narnia, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and Till We Have Faces, concluding that, for Lewis, it is not holding a correct belief that is ultimately necessary for salvation, but rather committing your life to a constant and sincere search for Truth.
Alumni Profile: Eiyad al-Kutubi
Recent DSPT graduate, Eiyad al-Kutubi (who goes by David) was a physician who found his real passion in philosophy. He is an active member of the Fatimyah Islamic Center in Hayward and frequently gives talks there for their Thursday night community gatherings. He came to DSPT because it gave him the opportunity to put Muslim and Christian philosophers in dialogue. His thesis, Mulla Sadra's Theory of Substantial Motion, discussed the theological implications of the theory of substantial motion for the idea of bodily resurrection. Mulla Sadra was a 15th-century Muslim philosopher who is popular for his works reviving ancient philosophy, similar to the work done by St. Thomas Aquinas. Currently, he is looking for a PhD program in philosophy that will allow him to continue to study the writings of Mulla Sadra. He reports:
DSPT offered me the opportunity to study classic and medieval philosophy, something that I could not find anywhere else in California. When Sr. Marianne Farina introduced me to the faculty and mission of DSPT, I realized that it was just what I was looking for. Having finished my Master’s, I am completely convinced that this was the right choice. The professors are open-minded, knowledgeable, and excel in their skill of articulating and communicating difficult questions in philosophy to their students. I hope to keep the good relationship that I have with DSPT for years to come.
DSPT offered me the opportunity to study classic and medieval philosophy, something that I could not find anywhere else in California. When Sr. Marianne Farina introduced me to the faculty and mission of DSPT, I realized that it was just what I was looking for. Having finished my Master’s, I am completely convinced that this was the right choice. The professors are open-minded, knowledgeable, and excel in their skill of articulating and communicating difficult questions in philosophy to their students. I hope to keep the good relationship that I have with DSPT for years to come.
November 2008: A Culture of Philanthropy
The Advantages of Making a Gift through your Will
A simple, effective, and flexible way to make a substantial gift to DSPT is to leave a bequest in your will. A bequest offers tax benefits for your estate and provides the satisfaction of knowing that you have invested in an institution you believe in.
Through a will bequest you may be able to make a larger gift than you could have afforded in your lifetime and you are not limited to gifts of cash. You can also leave stocks, bonds, art work, real estate, or other assets. In return, your estate will receive a tax receipt for the full value of your bequest. The receipt may also be carried back and claimed in the year prior to death.
Will bequests can be arranged in a variety of ways and can be drafted to reflect even the most specific wishes. We recommend that you seek advice from your lawyer and financial advisor to ensure that your gift meets your goals and provides the maximum benefits to both your beneficiaries and to DSPT.
Giving Cart
Did you know that you can support DSPT through your online purchases? Go to http://www.givingcart.com/ and select the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology as your cause when you do your shopping through this site.
A simple, effective, and flexible way to make a substantial gift to DSPT is to leave a bequest in your will. A bequest offers tax benefits for your estate and provides the satisfaction of knowing that you have invested in an institution you believe in.
Through a will bequest you may be able to make a larger gift than you could have afforded in your lifetime and you are not limited to gifts of cash. You can also leave stocks, bonds, art work, real estate, or other assets. In return, your estate will receive a tax receipt for the full value of your bequest. The receipt may also be carried back and claimed in the year prior to death.
Will bequests can be arranged in a variety of ways and can be drafted to reflect even the most specific wishes. We recommend that you seek advice from your lawyer and financial advisor to ensure that your gift meets your goals and provides the maximum benefits to both your beneficiaries and to DSPT.
Giving Cart
Did you know that you can support DSPT through your online purchases? Go to http://www.givingcart.com/ and select the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology as your cause when you do your shopping through this site.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Report on the Apostolic Visit to DSPT
In 2006, The Holy See ordered a visitation of all Roman Catholic seminaries in the United States. DSPT was among those institutions that were visited. The visitation team had a chance to review the School’s documentation beforehand and interview students, faculty, staff and recent alumni during their on-site visit.
The Report from the Visitation, which was released in the fall of 2008, confirmed that DSPT’s academic program is excellent, with the students receiving a substantially complete grounding in dogmatic and moral theology. The report also finds our faculty both academically prepared and doctrinally sound.
Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Bishop of Oakland, who also received a copy of the report, called Father Emmerich Vogt, O.P., Chancellor of the School, to congratulate and commend the School. The report from Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education read, in part:
The Report from the Visitation, which was released in the fall of 2008, confirmed that DSPT’s academic program is excellent, with the students receiving a substantially complete grounding in dogmatic and moral theology. The report also finds our faculty both academically prepared and doctrinally sound.
Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Bishop of Oakland, who also received a copy of the report, called Father Emmerich Vogt, O.P., Chancellor of the School, to congratulate and commend the School. The report from Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education read, in part:
The Visitation confirmed that the School's academic program is excellent… The majority of the syllabi reflect a feeling of sober, serious scholarship throughout, even in cases where a contemporary approach is taken to a traditional topic….A serene sense of confidence in the value and usefulness of the Magisterium's teaching and its central importance for those who are learning theology prevails. St. Thomas is given pride of place in many of the philosophy and theology courses, though at the same time the best of contemporary sources is also in evidence.
The Ethics and Moral Theology courses are noteworthy for their depth, scope and inclusion of magisterial teaching…Undoubtedly one of the strengths of the “Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology” is the ability it fosters in its students to dialogue, on the intellectual level, with contemporary society. The students seem to know the issues involved in the contemporary crisis of subjectivism and moral relativism, and are adequately trained to provide a response based on reason and affirming the existence of moral and philosophical truth.
Monday, September 1, 2008
New GTU Lounge!
We now have a new lounge on the first floor of the 2465 LeConte Avenue GTU Building! (i.e. the old bookstore building). The lounge is open to ALL students, faculty, and staff across the consortium, currently Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The lounge has a tiny entertainment center where you can listen to the radio or play CDs.
The lounge also has wireless. To access the wireless network you will need to use your op.dspt.edu account (if you don’t know what this is, ask Angela Becker at Reception). Once done, “find” the GTU wireless network (called “GTU”) and click on it to connect. Once connected, open your browser… it will immediately launch a page to allow you to set up a “GTU wireless network account” (different from setting up the op.dspt.edu email account). With that account set up, you can, then, sign into the network.
Lounge Rules:
The lounge has a tiny entertainment center where you can listen to the radio or play CDs.
The lounge also has wireless. To access the wireless network you will need to use your op.dspt.edu account (if you don’t know what this is, ask Angela Becker at Reception). Once done, “find” the GTU wireless network (called “GTU”) and click on it to connect. Once connected, open your browser… it will immediately launch a page to allow you to set up a “GTU wireless network account” (different from setting up the op.dspt.edu email account). With that account set up, you can, then, sign into the network.
Lounge Rules:
The GTU would love student feedback about the space. Until they are able to get that, there are a few things they would like you to know:
- We plan to keep the front door to the lounge unlocked. Because the space is not monitored, I think we will start “closing” the door, simply to discourage traffic not intended for this space. If we do, make sure you try the door and don’t assume a closed door is a locked door.
- You are welcome to bring food and drink in, but we currently do not provide food or drink. Feel free to use the refrigerator and microwave in the lounge in the basement, and you are welcome to coffee on the second floor. We have plenty of supplies and if you need something that has run out, let Fredonia Thompson, Student Affairs Office Manager and Receptionist, know (on the 3rd floor).
- Please tidy up after yourself. If you spill or otherwise make a little mess, obviously clean it up if you can. If you can’t, Fredonia can help you locate cleaning materials and supplies;
I plan to order a couple of newspaper subscriptions for the lounge. Same concept, help keep them tidy and inviting for your colleagues to read. - The lounge is BOTH for conversation and study. We ask that you simply be mindful of the people around you. If folks are reading or otherwise obviously working, use your “library voice” when you chat. If, however, folks are not working, your “gym voice” or a hearty laugh is OK!
- Remember, we welcome students from all over the consortium, so feel free to meet with an MDiv colleague or a friend in a DMin program in the lounge. Even an occasional faculty member or staffer is OK, right? Ha!
- Obviously in light of California law, this is a “no smoking” area.
- We also ask that you not bring non-human animals into the lounge, e.g. pets of all kinds, unless the animal assists you to manage a disability. In those cases, students should follow the GTU differently-abled policies and protocols to be on record with the GTU Dean of Students office (see the GTU website for the link to this information).
Friday, August 1, 2008
GTU Course Books at Cal Bookstore
The Graduate Theological Union is pleased to announce that its campus bookstore has moved to a new location. The new store will become part of the University of California at Berkeley bookstore and is located in the Student Union building on the UC campus.
The UC Berkeley bookstore is owned by the Student Union and operated by the Follett Higher Education Group, the nation’s largest operator of college bookstores. Follett operates more than 760 college stores nationwide, including the stores at UC Berkeley and Stanford. The GTU is pleased to partner with UC Berkeley and Follett to serve our students’ educational needs.
The UC bookstore will provide textbooks and readers for all GTU courses.
For Students
Textbooks and readers will be available for purchase at the UC Berkeley store, located in the Student Union building. Textbooks are currently located in the lower level of the store. Books of general theological interest are available on the main level of the bookstore. Students may also purchase texts online and either have them shipped to their homes or pick them up at the store.
108 Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Union, #4504
Corner of Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720-4504
Phone: (510)642-9000 Fax: (510)643-7836
For Faculty
If you submitted your textbook order to the GTU bookstore, it has already been forwarded to the new store. The new store will also create readers for you. If you wish to contact the store you may email the textbook department at text@berkeley.edu or contact them by phone at 510-642-9000 ext. 683.
The UC Berkeley bookstore is owned by the Student Union and operated by the Follett Higher Education Group, the nation’s largest operator of college bookstores. Follett operates more than 760 college stores nationwide, including the stores at UC Berkeley and Stanford. The GTU is pleased to partner with UC Berkeley and Follett to serve our students’ educational needs.
The UC bookstore will provide textbooks and readers for all GTU courses.
For Students
Textbooks and readers will be available for purchase at the UC Berkeley store, located in the Student Union building. Textbooks are currently located in the lower level of the store. Books of general theological interest are available on the main level of the bookstore. Students may also purchase texts online and either have them shipped to their homes or pick them up at the store.
108 Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Union, #4504
Corner of Bancroft Way at Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720-4504
Phone: (510)642-9000 Fax: (510)643-7836
For Faculty
If you submitted your textbook order to the GTU bookstore, it has already been forwarded to the new store. The new store will also create readers for you. If you wish to contact the store you may email the textbook department at text@berkeley.edu or contact them by phone at 510-642-9000 ext. 683.
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