From news and staff reports
Two United Methodists have been named as the inaugural recipients of a national award honoring their efforts at fostering public religious literacy.
The Westar Institute will present its Advocate for Public Religious Literacy Award to the Rev. Glen "Chebon" Kernell and laywoman Barbara Wendland at its annual meeting March 19. According to a press release from the organization, the award "seeks to recognize the courage, commitment, and contribution of members of the public who go to extraordinary lengths to cultivate thoughtful discussion and disseminate learning about religion in their communities."
Barbara Wendland
Barbara C. Wendland
Barbara Wendland is a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and a member of Southern Methodist University’s School of Theology Executive Board. Colleague David Dykes of Jackson, Miss., nominated Mrs. Wendland based on her years of work as the publisher of the Connections newsletter, which aims “to increase the religious literacy of the many churchgoers who are largely uninformed about religion, theology, the Bible, and church history and operations.” The newsletter grew to 6,000 subscribers largely by word of mouth as Barbara met an unfulfilled need for many. “She wanted to assure them that they were neither alone, mistaken, nor un-Christian,” Dykes said.
In addition to her individual efforts, her family foundation, the Joe B. and Louise P. Cook Foundation, has been a benefactor of United Methodist Insight, sponsored by St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Mesquite, Tex., and of the former UMR Communications, Inc., publisher of the United Methodist Reporter newspaper and
Chebon Kernell
Rev. Chebon Kernall
The Rev. Glen Chebon Kernell is an elder in the Seminole Clan and executive secretary for the Native American and Indigenous Ministries at the General Board of Global Ministries headquartered in New York City. The Rev. Hal Taussig nominated Kernell for his tireless efforts to educate the general public, including not only mainstream American Christians but also native peoples themselves, about the “deep and broad religious riches” of indigenous peoples in the context of reconciliation work and the recovery of native practices.
Rev. Kernell also served as a member of the council of religious leaders who selected ten newly discovered early Christian texts for the A New New Testament project to broaden the New Testament canon and create space for a fuller range of voices within the Christian tradition.
The Westar Institute's website lists the follow criteria for its Advocate for Public Religious Literacy Award:
- Demonstrates a commitment to public religious literacy through outstanding and measurable contributions to his or her community
- Translates religion scholarship into forms that are accessible and engaging for public audiences such as schools, churches, libraries, and community groups
- May concentrate on one particular religion (e.g. Christianity, Islam) or religion-related social issues (e.g. abortion, marriage rights), or on religious literacy broadly speaking
- May belong to a particular faith tradition, or none, but whose contributions reflect a spirit of openness and dialogue with those who hold different views
- Is a member of the public who does not currently hold an academic appointment at an institution of higher learning in religious studies, biblical studies, or related fields.
To learn more about the award, visit: westarinstitute.org/awards/
To learn more about the national meeting, visit: westarinstitute.org/national-meetings/spring-2016/