Dr. Russell E. Richey, author and scholar of Methodist church history, urged the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to help United Methodist seminaries work together to become more collaborative and cooperative as they serve their students and the church. The appeal by Richey, dean emeritus of Candler School of Theology, came during the Willson Lecture, which he delivered at GBHEM’s Board of Directors meeting on March 12, 2015.
“Our seminaries are doing interesting things, and in some cases the faculty may be fully involved and well apprised of them,” Richey said. “But if we don't know what one another is doing, we're not cooperating.”
Richey cited 18 initiatives and centers providing remarkable programming that goes beyond the traditional studies at Duke Divinity School, where he serves as visiting faculty and fellow of the Center of Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition. The initiatives include programs like the Hispanic House of Studies, Black Church Studies, Center for Reconciliation and Clergy Health Initiative.
“Our seminaries are doing interesting things, and in some cases the faculty may be fully involved and well apprised of them. But if we don't know what one another is doing, we're not cooperating.” – Russell Richey
“To me, what's really interesting is I don't think these several programs collaborate and cooperate with one another in a way that is mutually interfacing and enriching between and among them, and in relationship to the rest of the divinity school. And the same is true across our schools,” he said.
Too often the faculties at the 13 United Methodist seminaries are not fully aware of the wide array of opportunities that exist for their students, and the administrators do not discuss programs that could be collaborative and cooperative with their colleagues at other seminaries, Richey said.
“So my advocacy is to get the chief academic officers together, because they are the ones that have oversight on our programs, and have them thinking together about what can we do that's collaborative and cooperative and how can we be better accountable to the church and the reaching of our students and working for the kingdom,” he said.
Richey, who is William R. Cannon distinguished Professor of Church History Emeritus, spoke on the “Formation for Ministry: Twenty-first Century Opportunities.” He provided an overview of his book, Formation for Ministry in American Methodism, in which he maps the history of formation for ministry in the United States.
The book was published by GBHEM, and Richey urged the agency to continue publishing books that explore serious reflections about The United Methodist Church.
“Russ Richey is an important voice for Methodist church history. We are grateful to him for helping us break open these important questions and we’re honored to once again host the Willson Lecture,” said the Rev. Dr. Kim Cape, GBHEM general secretary.
The Willson Lecture series is provided by an endowment from James M. and Mavis Willson of Floydada, Tex. The lectureship is designed to contribute to the spiritual and intellectual enrichment of people from the boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church. The lectures also present the scholarly contributions of leaders in higher education and educational philanthropy to the Nashville community.
View the full 2015 Willson Lecture here.
Tom Gillem is a writer and photographer in Brentwood, Tenn.