News

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the beginning of summer.

It has been an honor to serve as Dean of EDS at Union and then as Interim President of EDS over the past seven years. With this part of my journey coming to an end, I am reflecting on my tenure with EDS with profound gratitude.

Together, we've achieved much as an EDS community. While these times of significant change are oftentimes difficult, I know that the decisions and transitions we have made during this chapter of EDS’ story, will lay the groundwork for good things to come. I eagerly anticipate the next chapter in EDS's journey and am confident that EDS will continue to shine as a beacon of excellence in theological and transformative ministerial formation, firmly grounded in God's love and justice.

I fully expect that in the near future, the EDS board will make an announcement regarding its final decision on the next president. I'm excited to support the transition to this new vision and leadership. The EDS board's search committee has done excellent work, and I know that the new president and EDS team will together open a bright new chapter in EDS’ unfolding story.

This month's e-newsletter shines a spotlight on EDS events at General Convention, features news about a fall event on religious freedom with the Rev. Dr. Patrick Cheng and the Columbia Law and Religion Center, and highlights my participation in the consecration of Bishop Anderson Jeremiah.

As we navigate this season of change and renewal, let us continue to journey together as a community with hope, courage, and an unwavering dedication to the values that have defined Episcopal Divinity School.

Faithfully,
The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas

Transition News

Strategic Planning Update

This past month the Search Committee has been focused on candidate interviews and speaking with references for shortlisted candidates. The Committee conducted final interviews at the end of May and is in the process of making a recommendation to the Board for final approval this month.

EDS June 2024 Updates

• New Website: EDS’ new website is live! Visit eds.edu for transition news, upcoming events, and more.
• Alum Resources: Resources for EDS alums, including transcripts, can be found here.
• Alum Facebook Page: EDS has launched a new alum Facebook page! Click here to join.
• New Address: EDS has relocated its office to the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. Our new address is Episcopal Divinity School, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025. Click here to read the press release.
• New Phone: EDS’ new general phone number is (646) 713-0845. This line will direct you to extension numbers for staff.
• Social media: EDS can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn. Be sure to follow if you aren’t already!
• Frequently Asked Questions: Click here to read answers to frequently asked questions regarding Episcopal Divinity School's transition from Union Theological Seminary.

EDS at General Convention

Podcast Announcement: Leading Voices: EDS at General Convention

Throughout the month of June, EDS will launch our new podcast mini-series Leading Voices: EDS at General Convention. The podcast will feature Interim President Douglas in conversation with a range of bishops as they address the pressing challenges facing the church today and the role of theological education and formation in equipping ministers to face these challenges. The episodes will be available across streaming platforms.

The first episode will come out on June 6th, 2024.

Click here to learn more!

EDS at General Convention Schedule

EDS looks forward to connecting with alums, colleagues and friends from around the church at this summer’s General Convention in Louisville, KY.

In addition to exhibiting, EDS will host a reception celebrating Interim President Kelly Brown Douglas on the eve of her retirement and a lunch for the EDS community.


The lunch program will recognize President Douglas and former EDS professor Kwok Pui Lan for their lasting contributions to EDS and the field of theological education. EDS alums Lydia Bucklin ’15 and Christopher Montella ’15 will host the event.

Click here to register for the lunch.

On June 23 at 1pm, we will host a book signing with EDS Interim President the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas' General Convention exhibit booth to celebrate her book, Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter, recipient of the 2023 Grawemeyer Award in Religion.


On June 25 at 1pm, we will host a book signing with Dr. Kwok Pui Lan at EDS’ General Convention exhibit booth. We are excited to host this amazing theologian and celebrate her most recent book, The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective.


God Talk, Justice, and the Church: What do they have to do with each other?

"What does Athens have to Do With Jerusalem?" This question was asked some 1800 years ago as theologians and ministers wrestled with the relationship between the academy and the church. The question is particularly relevant today as the church seeks to prepare students for transformative, justice-grounded ministries in an inequitable, unjust world.

The Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas and the Rev. Dr. Charles Halton, the two most recent winners of Louisville University's Grawemeyer Award in Religion and priests of the church, will discuss theology's power for forming our emerging leaders, and our whole church, today.

Join EDS and the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky for this conversation at The Kentucky Center during General Convention on June 24, 2024 at 7pm.

Programs

Save the Date: Protecting Religious Liberty and LGBTQ+ Rights with the Rev. Dr. Patrick S. Cheng and Elizabeth Reiner Platt, Esq.

On October 5, 2024, ​​Join EDS and the Columbia Law School Law, Rights, and Religion Project for an online seminar on how faith leaders can protect both religious liberty and LGBTQ+ rights. The seminar will explore the current landscape of religious liberty law in the United States, and it will provide a number of resources to equip faith leaders to constructively engage with these issues in their local contexts.

Stay tuned for more information coming soon!


EDS Partnership with Seminary of the Southwest

EDS is partnering with Seminary of the Southwest to increase the number of students SSW will bring to this year's Civil Rights Pilgrimage, including the annual Jonathan Myrick Daniels pilgrimage. Sponsored by the Dioceses of Alabama and the Central Gulf Coast, the Jonathan Daniels pilgrimage commemorates Daniels, a seminarian of Episcopal Theological School (later to become EDS), who was killed while assisting efforts to register Black voters in Alabama. The expanded student group from SSW will participate in the pilgrimage and visit several other educational sites, including the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the 16th Street Baptist Church, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge. EDS is proud to continue its support of this historic pilgrimage and to partner with Seminary of the Southwest around leadership formation for racial justice.

EDS News

EDS Celebrates the Consecration of Bishop Anderson Jeremiah

On Thursday, April 25th, the Rt. Rev. Canon Dr. Anderson Jeremiah was consecrated as the new Bishop of Edmonton at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, UK. Raised in Tamil Nadu, India, Bishop Jeremiah is the first Dalit person to be appointed Bishop in the Church of England. Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) Interim President the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas preached at the consecration, honoring Bishop Jeremiah’s historic appointment.

“I was humbled by the invitation to preach for the consecration of Bishop Jeremiah,” shared EDS Interim President the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas. “He has consistently lifted up the voices of the outcast and marginalized, holding the church accountable to the gospel message of love and justice.”

Click here to read the full story.

EDS to Partner with the Iona Collaborative

In Spring 2025, EDS will partner with Seminary of the Southwest’s Iona Collaborative to create a unique course offering for their network of bi-vocational Episcopal leaders (both lay and ordained). This collaboration allows EDS to extend its educational reach to bi-vocational pastoral leaders nationwide, in alignment with our mission of providing excellent, justice-focused theological education.

This online, non-credit, continuing education course will focus on biblical interpretation as it pertains to a particular social justice issue. Through this course offering, EDS hopes to further equip lay and clergy leaders to faithfully address pressing societal concerns within their communities.

EDS is looking for scholars interested in developing and teaching this course for the Iona Collaborative.

Click here to learn more about this collaboration and our request for proposals.

Alum Corner

Alum Spotlight: The Rev. Steve Godfrey ‘04

Since graduating from EDS and ordination in the Diocese of Massachusetts, the Rev. Steve Godfrey has served in the dioceses of Massachusetts, Maine, Chicago, Iowa, and North Dakota, as a priest, ministry developer, and facilitator specializing in supporting adaptive leadership and vibrant community in small churches and their neighborhoods. He will join the staff of the Diocese of Northern Michigan later in 2024.

“At EDS I learned the importance of participation in Anglican spirituality and the concept that all are called to be theologians and leaders,” shared the Rev. Godfrey. “I also learned how to celebrate and nurture diversity, to focus on justice as a Gospel priority, to confront racism and colonialism, and to build relationships across differences.”

Click here to read the full alum spotlight.

Join us on Zoom every third Thursday at 1pm ET for Connect: Monthly Gathering of EDS Alums, where we will connect with one another, hear about the diverse contexts EDS alums are serving in their work and ministry, and stay up to date on all things EDS!

Connect will be taking the month of June off for General Convention, and will resume in July on 18, 2024, featuring Kristin Krantz.

Registration is required—click here to sign up!

Alum Notes
EDS wishes the 2024 graduates of UTS' Anglican Studies program well as they begin their next chapter. Congratulations!

In Memoriam

• • A memorial service for the Rev. Canon Dr. Edward W. Rodman (1942-2024) took place on May 25th at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. We encourage you to read this heartfelt tribute to the Rev. Dr. Rodman, written by the Rev. Dr. Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, here.

• • EDS extends our condolences to the family and friends of alum Cecilia C. Perry. A service celebrating Cecilia Perry’s life will be held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Bristol, RI on Thursday, September 19 at 11:00 am. All are welcome.

If you wish to notify EDS of the passing of an alum, please reach out to edsinfo@eds.edu.



As EDS continues its transformative strategic planning process, we are confident that together we will shape a future that honors our rich heritage while embracing the ever-evolving needs of theological education. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting developments ahead!