Cross-Registration for Winter and Spring 2012

The Consortium offers over 300 courses per semester for cross-registration by students in members schools.   There are few opportunities like this in the entire country!

Imagine taking a a few days or a week in January for courses in "Drama for Ministry"  or "Mosque Leaders and Church Leaders in Dialogue" at Wesley; a course in "Pentecostalism"  or  "Theology of Martin Luther King" at Lutheran-Gettysburg;   an interdisciplinary seminar on "Sacrifice and Christian Faith" or "Spiritual Direction" at VTS;   "Faith in the City" or "Prophetic Proclamation" at Virginia Union in Richmond;    "Leading Small Groups" or "Substance Abuse Counseling" at Capital Bible in Lanham, MD;   "Covenant Theology" or  a seminar on "Hebrews-Revelation" at Reformed in McLean, VA;   or "Global Perspectives of Mission" at John Leland in Arlington, VA.   Some of these schools offer low-cost housing for such intensives, so contact them!

In the Spring Semester, courses for cross-registration cover the fundamental areas of Church History, Theology, Scripture, Classical Languages, Pastoral and Practical Theology, Homiletics and more.  Some distinct perspectives include "Global Church History" at Leland; "Feminist and Womanist Biblical Interpretation" at Howard, "Papists, Heretics, and Idolaters in the Reformation"  at VTS;  "Reform of Teresa of Avila" at WTU; "Divine Violence in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions" at Wesley; "Ecology and Religion in Interfaith Perspective" at Lutheran-Gettysburg; "Africa's Contributions to the Christian Church" at Virginia Union in Richmond; "Liturgy and Time" at the Pontifical Faculty, Dominican House; "The Writing of Church History" at Catholic University; or "Pastoral and Social Ethics" at Reformed.  

A range of courses also qualify for the two Certificate Programs of the Consortium:  12 unit course concentrations that allow focused expertise and credentialing.  For the Certificate in Ecumenism, consider "An Ecumenical View of Jesus" at Lutheran-Gettysburg; "Midrash"  with a rabbinical scholar at VTS; "The Trinity in Classical and Contemporary Theology" at Wesley; "Aquinas and the Fathers" at the Dominican House (PFIC); or "Patristic Theology" at Catholic University.   Electives are available in Anglican, Wesleyan, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions.  For the Certificate in Muslim-Christian Studies, consider "Modern Islam and Its History" at Howard, "Prophethood in the Qur'an and the Bible" at VTS;  "Introduction to Islam" at Dominican, or "Religion in America" at Lutheran-Gettysburg.

To Cross register:   search the Consortium website (http://www.washtheocon.org/cgi/courses ), check with your advisor about a course that interests you, and register through your school's registrar.   Make sure you track the start and end dates of each school (as these vary)   at: http://www.washtheocon.org/academic.html.

Finally, remember this:  Gettysburg is just over an hour from most Consortium Schools (consider how often you commute an hour in D.C. traffic!);  VU in Richmond is easily accessible by Amtrak; and crossing the Potomac River from D.C. to Northern Virginia does not cause brain damage!  The experience of each school and its courses is well worth the trip.

Do We Have a Better Story?

I've been reflecting on those who are ".In Search of a Bettery Story" as Melissa Wiginton shared with us at the WTC Faculty Convocation at Howard, September 26.  She focused on younger, "emerging adults" of the millenial generation, and the great paradox of their being on the one hand, resourceful "tinkerers" who can pastiche, rethink and reconfigure almost any framework of knowledge (or faith)... and on the other hand a virtually saturated generation who basically "flip through the channels" of life experience.   Some Howard students took Ms. Wiginton on, stressing the innovation, creativity, and passion of this generation--with which she agreed, but she claimed they still seek "a better story" than what the world of immersions and experiences is offering.  I think of the Wallstreet and DC Mall villages of protest that are arising--knowing quickly what to say "no" too, but still struggling to offer the world a clear and positive challenge.

There have been days when the Christian churches have saddled up to the young, being energized by their commitment to world missions (in 19th century), or their marches against war and for civil rights (20th century).  Perhaps supportive adults hoped the churches themselves would catch the fire of their visions for faith, peace, and human dignity.  As one who grew up at the tail end of the activist days, I was encouraged by Robert McAfee Brown and others toward passionate social engagement, but without being invited to ground myself in a living and reforming tradition, from which to stand with and for others. Perhaps standing for or against aspects of the world requires a deep sense of belonging to a spiritual house that will not easily be shaken by every world tremor, but is agile enough to move and adapt at the same time.

How then do theological schools, congregations,  and spiritual institutes engage and entrust a younger generation to help 're-tradition' the expressions of faith, as Diana Bass invites us to do?   Can we offer a "Better Story" to youth than what the world is offering, while inviting young students and believers to help shape the next chapter?   To do so would require profound ecumenical thinking and resourcefulness that authorizes a rising generation to think and pray in bold new ways.