ESRESRESR ReportsVol. II, Number 2

Brent Bill, EditorSusanna Combs, Art Director

In This Issue:

Theme Articles

1 Being Born Again andAgain and Again,Faculty Focusby Stephanie Ford

2 Living the QuestionsStudent Focusby Diane Datz

12 Earthy SpiritualityDean’s Wordby Jay Marshall

Features

4 John Punshon:Practical Friendby Brent Bill

6 Of Icons and AngellsNew LeatherockProfessor Named

8 Johns Returnsto Teach Theology

10 Seid to HeadDistributed Learning

11 Novelist to Speak atWriting Colloquium

5 ESR Calendar

7 ESR People and Places

7 In Print

5 NowadaysAlumni/ae News

9 What We’re Reading

SPIRITUALITY

Being Born Again and Again and AgainFACULTY FOCUSby Stephanie Ford, Visiting Assistant Professor in Christian Spirituality

So what is a Baptist with aCatholic education doing in aQuaker seminary? That’s agood question. I asked myselfalmost the same thing aboutthree years ago while writinga seminar paper on the InnerLight for a Benedictine monk.Indeed, the Spirit moves inmysterious ways. Lookingback, though, I see how all ofthis ecumenism opened myeyes in ways that being aBaptist in a Baptist contextwould not have. Catholics callsuch ongoing spiritualformation, “continuingconversion.” A recent bumpersticker I saw puts it even moresimply: being “born again andagain and again.”

Spirituality is a word witha lot of currency these days.The best definition ofChristian spirituality I haveheard is simply “lived faith.”The more that I have listenedinwardly to this definition,the more it rings true. Myspirituality is found in the wayI practice my faith and how Irelate to God through thewitness and presence ofChrist. It is seen in the waysthat I pray, worship, and readscripture.

My natural habit is topray in the mornings with myjournal, the lectionary Psalm,a candle, and a cup of coffee.But my spirituality may alsobe glimpsed when I give tohunger causes, recycle myDiet Coke cans on behalf of

God’s creation, or listencarefully to the heart ofanother person. I have atendency to sing popular lovesongs on the radio to Godwhen I am driving and to praywhile jogging; I regularlyexperience God’s presence inchildren. These everydaythings reveal my spirituality.

But spiritual formationalso takes thoughtful atten-tion to one’s faith tradition. Ihave found some treasures inour own “backyard” ofChristian heritage. In mystudy at Catholic University, Ifound diamonds among the

medieval writings ofmystics like Mechthild ofMagdeburg and John ofthe Cross. And then, Ibecame excited about thespiritual riches amongFriends. From IsaacPennington to LucretiaMott, there was a wealth ofspiritual abundance torecover. Thomas Kelly’stimeless writing, A Testa-ment of Devotion, spokedirectly to my worriesaround efficiency andaccomplishment. Kellywrites, “[A]mazing simpli-fication comes when we

‘center down,’ when life islived with singleness of eye,from a holy Center where thebreath and still of Eternity areheavy upon us, and we arewholly yielded to Him.”

Perhaps, like me, you feela bit of apprehension abouthow the church will “meet”the challenges of this new

E A R L H A M S C H O O L O F R E L I G I O N

S P R I N G 2 0 0 1

“My spirituality is

found in the way I

practice my faith

and how I relate to

God through the

witness and

presence of Christ.

Questions

Spring 2001

2

millennium. And so weshould. Still, I am convincedthat spirituality provides greathope to our weary, waryhearts. Prayer is, as theAnglican spiritual writerEvelyn Underhill said, theclosest thing to “absoluteaction.” Prayer does changethe world, and thank God, italso changes the prayer-er.Ministers of all stripes — bethey pastors, social activists,teachers — must grow rootsdeep into their life in Godand then be willing to listendeeply to the cries of contem-porary longing. There are nosimple answers, but “way willopen” through the inwardtendering of the Spirit.

And this is the heart ofmy call: to encourage studentsat ESR to grow their ownunique spiritual roots in God.For only from this groundingcan true ministry emerge.And even then, as Jesuspointed out so well, there is

the need to payattention tothe weeds andpredators ofthe spiritual life, which formodern seminary students,may be ego inflation and onthe flip side, the inwardviolence of perfectionism.Writing an unforgettablesermon week after week orbeing the perfectly insightfulcounselor is not what Christmeant in his call to perfec-tion, or wholeness. Spiritualauthenticity invites theminister to seek a deeperwellspring of divine suste-nance and hope.

I am grateful to beteaching at Earlham Schoolof Religion for severalreasons. First, I have beengiven the grace of following

Ann Miller, a wonderfulteacher and mentor. Anotheris the first-rate spiritualitycurriculum developed at ESRlong before other Protestantseminaries. A third is that theQuaker ideal of noncompeti-tive concern for others to bealive and well at ESR. This“habit” speaks to me aboutthis institution. Finally, Icount it a privilege to worshipregularly with Friends whopractice what I believe is thefirst movement of all prayer,that is listening to the Spiritwithin. In this Quakercommunity, I believe myconversion will continue todeepen.

Living theSTUDENT FOCUSby Diane M. Datz

God and I are not strangers. I persevere in the uncertainty oflife’s challenges because I know God desires my well being.When I am consumed by untempered emotions, God restoresmy tranquility. I plead for mercy and compassion and find Godguiding me into acceptance of things I cannot change. God fillsme with peace when I pray for healing or reconciliation. I trustthat God is All in All because I am the recipient of God’s grace.With patience and prayer, nothing is wasted in God’s creation.All things eventually work their way to good. This is how Iknow God.

Stephanie Ford

3

I am not so faithful whenGod speaks to me in times ofmy prosperity. When all iswell, spiritual amnesia cloudsmy faith. I drift from depen-dence on God to confidencein myself as the source ofaccomplishment. I do notdeliberately turn my attentionaway from God, but myprayers of gratitude lack thehumility of my prayers fordeliverance. Confidence andpride are not inherently bad,but they inflate my ego. Ibecome self-important.Standing on self-reliance, Iforget my faith. Arrogancemarches to the front of myparade. When there isabundance, I congratulatemyself for creating a well-ordered life.

I was content beforeESR. My children ap-proached adulthood withresponsibility and fiercefamily loyalty. The weight ofmy parental obligation finallyshifted to confidant andmentor. Hospice nursingchallenged me and broughtspiritual presence to my work.I rolled into the comfort ofmy middle years anticipatingfreedom. Then God inter-rupted my tidy existence witha disconcerting call.

The idea of seminarychallenged the stability I hadentrusted to my own safe-keeping. The thought became

a waking obsession andrecurrent dream, imbedded inmy consciousness like a childdemanding attention. WhenGod’s vigilance left menowhere to hide, I began alitany of “pick-someone-else”prayers. But, every morning Iawoke to the insistence ofGod’s call. Family and friendsdiscussed seminary as if thedecision had been made. Istopped trying to convinceGod and said yes. I did not goquietly.

My conversations withGod took on the toughness ofTeamster negotiations. Iwanted to see the contract andread the fine print. I demandedthe details of this new assign-ment – who, what, when,where, why, and how? Godanswered with silence and Ibargained for a toehold onsecurity. I’ll apply to seminary,but I need to know that thekids will be okay. I’ll go if Ihave a sound financial plan. Iwas continually filled withdoubt. Why are you callingme, a ritually bound, steeped-in-the-sacraments Episcopa-lian, to Quaker seminary?

God’s invitation precipi-tated a life crisis. Unwilling tosever their ties in San Anto-nio, my children chose to livewith their father. I feared theconsequences of motheringby e-mail and long distancecarrier. I did not want to

retire my career when myname and expertise in hospicecare were gaining nationalrecognition. I grieved the lossof friends, colleagues, andchurch family, some of whomI had known for twenty years.With nothing more thanGod’s fragile promise that allwould be well, I moved toRichmond.

I am sometimes askedwhat I am doing at ESR. Mynervous laugh masks myinability to provide a coherentanswer. Before seminary, Iknew many things. Here Ifind only speculation.

I have exchanged securityfor God’s hidden vision.Occasionally, I have glimpsesof gifts that lie buried beneathmy inexperience and lack ofconfidence. I want to sinkdeeply into the unknowing,but I am restless with uncer-tainty. I can run from mydiscomfort, but eventually Imust come to rest in the loveof God.

Only in stillness, can Iredefine myself in terms ofbeing rather than doing. AtESR, I am finding thecourage to stop seekinganswers. I am learning to livethe questions.

Diane Marie Datz is a firstyear student at ESR. She hasworked as a hospice nurse and isa student and teacher of Celticspirituality.

Diane Datz

“I rolled into the comfort of my middle years anticipating freedom.

Then God interrupted my tidy existence with a disconcerting call.”

4

Practical Friendby Brent Bill

John Punshon, theGeraldineLeatherock Profes-sor of QuakerStudies, is leaving

ESR. He leaves a legacy ofFriendly scholarship, dryEnglish wit, and abiding faith.I had the opportunity tointerview John one Tuesdayafternoon following CommonMeal. The conversation waswide-ranging and fascinating– following are the highlights.

Why ESR?JOHN: Well, the short

answer is that I was invited tocome. The longer answer is abit more complicated. Forone, Britain’s too small – itsuffers from being the homeof Quakerism. There is notenough contact with otherFriends worldwide, especiallyin the Third World. Part ofthat is residue from Britishcolonialism, I suspect. But Iwas aware of a larger Quakerworld which I wanted tostudy. I wanted to get to knowthese long-lost cousins – the100,000’s of them.

I felt that coming to ESRwould give me an opportunityto do that. It would be achance to develop my ownthinking and writing, in a wayI would not be able to do inEngland. You see, I am apractical Friend, not a“theological” Friend or

“historical” Friend. My studyis not limited to an area ofspecific expertise, and so Iwanted to research Friends ina broad way that being in theStates would allow.

Also, I sensed very muchthe same outlook as WilmerCooper – I caught and sharedhis vision of normativeQuakerism. That is a Quaker-ism formulated aroundcertain abiding principlespracticed among most, if notall, Friends.

So, was it what you expected?JOHN: Yes and no.

Personally, I foundmyself enjoying theStates more than Ianticipated. In fact, Iwould say I am now ½American. Had I stayedtwenty years instead often, I would probablyremain here, as anaturalized citizen. Imean America’s crazy inall sorts of ways, but Iam impressed with thisAmerican experiment inrepublicanism. I’ve learnedhow America works, with itssense of checks and balancesin government and personalgenerosity on the part of thepeople. This giving to charity– it’s the done thing. On alarge scale. It is expected. Andit is marvelous.

And I like Richmond. I’m

a small town person and I likeliving in a small city that verymuch has a rural feel. I amsurprised at how much I’vecome to love the Indianaweather and landscape.

Professionally, I’vetraveled a lot. I have foundthat immensely pleasurable.I’ve been especially welcomedby Indiana Yearly Meeting. Infact, I have dedicated my newbook to them – they gave mea home. Some of the timesI’ve enjoyed most are travel-ing around the Midwest,bringing a summer Sundayevening message to a little

Friends church tucked awayin a cornfield.

I have had opportunity towrite. The faculty here hasencouraged me to do that.My colleagues have beenmost generous in reducingcommittee assignments,etcetera to allow that. I amgrateful for that. My new

PUNSHON:JOHN

John Punchon’s new

book out is Reasons

for Hope: The Faith

and Future of the

Friends Church.

Reflecting on his

years at ESR Punshon

states, “...as I look

back, it is clear that

the reason I came to

ESR was to write this

book.”

“I was aware of a largerQuaker world which Iwanted to study...

I felt that coming to ESRwould give me anopportunity to do that. “

5

book is the direct outcome ofthose accomodations. I don’twrite easily. Each sentence iswork. And as I look back, it isclear that the reason I cameto ESR was to write thisbook.

Tell me about the book.JOHN: It is titled Reasons

for Hope: The Faith and Futureof the Friends Church. It’s claimis that while Friends have thefaith of evangelical churches,which are growing, we havethe growth pattern of liberalchurches, which are declining.This is a critical anamoly. Ipropose that churchesflourish when they know whothey are. We are not flourish-ing because we have anunclear identity. We have toknow what we are and whatwe believe that sets us apart. Ibelieve that we have torecover our Friendsdistinctives. Otherwise we area pale imitation of otherchurches – most of whomknow who they are and whatthey believe.

There is a fair amount ofhistorical background in thebook, especially concerningthe Holiness movementwhich I think has more incommon with early Quaker-ism than we realize. However,the Holiness movement lostout to creeping Fundamental-ism in many cases. This

FFFFFrancis Forster (ESR ‘00) writes that she had “a fine CPEexperience in New Orleans and an equally great time now inSan Francisco. The McFarland Institute in New Orleansoperates in 5 different CPE settings: the Police Department, aCommunity Based unit, and 3 different hospitals. I was in theCommunity Based unit; two classmates worked in parishes,one at a charity hospital, one was starting a ministry for peoplewho work on the Mississippi River (she is the only femaleriverboat captain), and I worked at Project Lazarus, an assistedliving place for people with AIDS.” Her experience in SanFrancisco is also good. She’s in a hospital setting and works ontwo floors per CPE unit; currently neurosurgery and neurol-ogy and birthing and babies. Her group includes “a Rabbinicalstudent, a Zen Buddhist lesbian priest, a Unitarian-Universal-ist, a German theologian, a Catholic, and a couple of Protes-tants.” You can reach Frances at 415-564-5303, 332 CarlStreet, San Francisco, CA 94117, frances@infocom.com.

____________Alumni/ae news is always welcome. Please send it to ESR

Reports, 228 College Ave, Richmond, IN 47374 orbillbr@earlham.edu

Nowadayscontributes to our loss ofidentity.

What are you lookingforward to in retirement?

JOHN: Occasional visitsto the U.S. (laughs) Seriously,I’ll be back to speak to NorthCarolina Yearly Meeting inAugust and I’ve already gotnumerous other visitsplanned.

I am looking forward togetting back in touch withfamily. That’s the primaryreason for moving back.

And I am anticipating get-ting some rest. I stayed a yearlonger than I planned. How-ever, that extra year means Inow qualify for, what is it youcall it, oh yes, Social Security.

I will be doing somewriting. I will be updatingPortrait in Grey. And I willbecome more intentionallycontemplative. I am lookingforward to that opportunity.

Do you have any finalthoughts on your time here?

JOHN: Yes, in some wayI wish I was just beginningbecause I am excited aboutthe ESR Access program. I feelit is the way to go. It will helpbring new life to the institu-tion and Friends.

Finally, I am grateful toeveryone who brought mehere. It’s been an enjoyabletime—a period of constant joy.

May 6 EC/ESR Commencement

May 26-28 ESR Alumni/ae Gathering

June 1-2 Earlham Board of Trustees Meetings

July 11-25 ESR Faculty and Staff England Trip

Aug. 6 Launch ESR Access Program

Aug. 20-21 Joint Faculty Retreat

Sept. 28-29 Alumni/ae Council Meetings

Sept. 29-30 ESR Board of Advisors Meetings

Oct. 1-2 Annual Pastors Conference

Oct. 19-20 Annual Ministry of Writing Colloquium

Calendar

ALUMNI/AE NEWS

ESR

6

Steve grew up aQuaker in Pennsylva-nia and New York,graduating fromWesttown School inWesttown, Pennsylva-

nia, in 1970, and from BostonUniversity with a B.A. inMathematics in 1974. Hethen moved to Washington,D.C., becoming an internwith the Friends Committeeon National Legislation from1975 to 1976, and joining theFriends Meeting of Washing-ton (Florida Avenue). Heworked for improvements tothe criminal justice system asan activist and congressionallobbyist from 1977 to 1980,working on behalf of theUnitarian Universalist ServiceCommittee and the AmericanFriends Service Committee(Middle Atlantic Region).

A desire to explore hisQuaker faith more fully ledSteve to the Earlham Schoolof Religion in 1980, where hediscovered a deep love forhistorical studies in religionunder the guidance of HughBarbour, Wilmer Cooper, andMichael Birkel. He assistedHugh Barbour with theproject of getting theologicalworks by William Penn backinto print, eventually writinga master’s thesis on one ofthose works, An Address toProtestants. Graduating withan M.A. in Quaker Faith and

History in 1982, Steve wenton to Vanderbilt Universityfor further graduate studies.Steve received his Ph.D.degree in Church History in1988 after completing adoctoral dissertation on abishop in the African Meth-odist Episcopal Church,Henry McNeal Turner.

While at Vanderbilt,Steve met Sandra Ward,artist, quilter, and theologian,who most recently worked ina low cost veterinary clinicministering to pets and theirowners. Steve and Sandrawere married under the careof Nashville Friends Meetingin 1984. In subsequent years,opportunities led Steve andSandra to South Dakota,Ohio, and then eventually toTallahassee, Florida, wherethey have lived for the pasteleven years with their twodogs and two cats. Duringthat time, Steve has taughtreligious studies at Florida A& M University, an histori-cally black university. Steveand Sandra have also beenactive members of TallahasseeMonthly Meeting andSoutheastern Yearly Meetingof the Religious Society ofFriends.

Prior to accepting theLeatherock appointment,Steve was Clerk of the Peaceand Social Concerns Com-mittee of the Tallahassee

Monthly Meeting and Clerkof Southeastern YearlyMeeting. Steve’s hobbiesinclude hiking, gardening,and singing sacred harpmusic.

Says ESR Dean, JayMarshall, “During theinterviews, three things inparticular impressed me. I wasimpressed with Steve’s abilityto work with texts as areligious historian. I thinkthat his obvious skill atconducting primary researchwill be an asset to the ESRcurriculum, and also tostudents who work closelywith him. Secondly, hissuccess in publications, andequally important, in earningpeer respect as a Caucasian,unprogrammed Friend in anAfrican-American, stronglyevangelical tradition, bodeswell for the work we expectthe Leatherock scholar to fillas a public Friend who travelsand ministers broadly amongthe diverse body of Friends.Finally, I appreciate genuinehumility on those rareoccasions when I encounter it;I was really taken with Steve’sunpretentious demeanor. Ourfaculty has undergone a majortransition in the past threeyears. In Stephen Angell, ESRhas added another exceptionalpiece to an excellent cast ofteachers and scholars.”

How does one replace a

Friend who has become a

near Quaker icon as he won

the admiration of Friends

around the U.S. during the

past decade? That was the

challenge facing Earlham

School of Religion this year

with John Punshon’s

pending retirement. As ESR

attempted to discern God’s

leading, we discovered an

Angell to replace an icon.

After a broadly an-

nounced invitation for

nominations, consultations

with numerous Friends, and

challenging schedules for

candidates invited for

campus interviews, ESR is

pleased to announce that

Stephen W. Angell will join

the School of Religion on

July 1, 2001 as the next

holder of the Geraldine

Leatherock Chair in Quaker

Studies.

AngellsOfICONS&

7

Tim Sied (Associate Dean of Distributed Learning) has anumber of articles in print, including “Synkrisis in Hebrews 7:The Rhetorical Structure and Strategy,” in Rhetoric and theScriptures: Essays from the 1996 Malibu Conference, edited byStanley E. Porter and Dennis L. Stamps; “Custodian, Fat,Flute, Apocalypse of Stephen,” in Eerdmans Dictionary of theBible; and “Samuel Fisher: 17th Century Quaker BiblicalScholar,” in a forthcoming issue of Quaker Religious Thought.

Brent Bill (Instructor in Religious Creative Writing) has hadtwo short stories published lately. “The Thunder of His Power”appeared in Aileron: A Literary Journal and “The Sword of TheLord” will be in an upcoming on-line edition of Christianity andthe Arts. An updated edition of David B. Updegraff: Quaker HolinessPreacher will also be published in 2001 by Friends United Press.

Bill Ratliff (Professor ofPastoral Care and Counsel-ing) recently returned fromhis fall 2000 Study Leave.The focus of his leave wasfinding out what happens to aperson’s religious faith as aresult of having lived inanother culture. He went toBirmingham, England, and toEdinburgh, Scotland, wherehe interviewed five Quakersand five Methodists in eachplace who had lived inanother culture and returnedhome. “I heard a lot ofwonderful stories of people’slives,” said Bill, “and the waytheir faith has changed andgrown. An added bonus wasliving with Quakers in eachplace and attending several

different Quaker Meetings. Iplan to interview persons inthe country this summer, andhope that a book for faithcommunities will eventuallyemerge.”

Jay Marshall (Dean) hasrepresented ESR at severallocations across the country.In November, he was one offive ESR representatives tothe National Friends PastorsConference in Atlanta, GA.He used that trip as anopportunity to worship withAtlanta Monthly Meeting. Hehas spoken in meeting forworship at Whittier FirstFriends (CA), Dublin (IN),Richmond First Friends (IN),Cedar Square (NC), Spring-

field (NC) and Center (OH).In the latter three, he spokeon multiple occasions forrenewal or revival services.He has spent time withOrange Grove (CA), Hartford(CT) and Greensboro FirstFriends (NC) in preparationfor the launch of ESR Access.While at Hartford, Jay wasthe guest speaker at QuarterlyMeeting. His work has alsoextended beyond the Reli-gious Society of Friends, as heled a weekend event atPlymouth CongregationalChurch (IA) addressing thetopic of Law and Love in theOld Testament. This trip toIowa also provided anoccasion to host a lunch withIowa Friends pastors.

Brent Bill (Instructor inReligious Creative Writing)has accepted a position asassociate director with theAlban Institute’s IndianapolisCenter for Congregations.The Center, which is fundedby Lilly Endowment, isdedicated to helping India-napolis-area congregationsfind solutions to pressingpractical problems by con-necting them with resourcesfrom around the city andacross the nation. The Centerand the Alban Institute willalso share what they learnwith congregations nation-wide. Brent will continue toedit ESR Reports and directthe Annual Ministry ofWriting Colloquium.

People & PlacesESR

Joanna Scofield (Director of Academic Services) is one of thecontributors to Building Consensus: Conflict and Unity: A guide fordeciding together. “Practical peacemaking is carried on in manyways, and consensus decision-making is a very important partof this endeavor,” said John Punshon. “This book envisions amuch wider application of the traditional Quaker businessprocess, and suggests ways in which all kinds of groups can takedecisions without voting, without personal manipulation andwith respect to the wisdom of everybody. An impressiveachievement.” Also contributing are Monteze M. Snyder,Cheryl Gibbs, Susan A. Hillmann, George Watson and ESRgraduate Trayce N. Peterson. Copies can be ordered for $15plus shipping and tax from the Earlham Bookstore, Drawer 7,Earlham College, 801 National Road West, Richmond, IN47374-4095.

PRINTIn

8

David Johns is returningto his alma materas ESR’s new AssistantProfessor of Theology. Asthe month of March

concluded, Earlham School ofReligion completed thedaunting task of three facultyhires this academic year whenit announced it had invitedDavid to join the faculty. Inthis particular search, ESRsought someone who couldcontribute broadly to itscurriculum. With David Johns’hiring, the school succeededin meeting that goal.

David grew up in north-east Ohio in the Church ofGod (Anderson) andstumbled onto Friends as anundergraduate at MaloneCollege. “I was attending aFriends college but really didnot pay attention to that factuntil I began studyingtheology and church history.”

David attended ESR inthe mid 80’s and earned anMA in theology. While inIndiana, he served as aminister in the ReligiousSociety of Friends pastoringin both Indiana and WesternYearly Meetings. Aftergraduating from ESR, hereturned to Ohio and workedas a reference librarian atMalone College and as anadjunct professor in theirreligion and philosophydepartment. David earned an

MLS degree from Kent Statebefore beginning his doctoralstudies in theology atDuquesne University.

“My theological interestsseem to return again andagain to the intersection oftheology and the spiritual lifeof the faithful community. Inmy view, theology is adevotion of the mind and assuch it is a vital part offollowing the invitation tolove God with heart, soul,mind, and strength.” Davidwrote his ESR thesis onDouglas Steere’s ecclesiologyand his doctoral dissertationon mysticism and ethics in thewriting of Friedrich vonHügel.

David is a recordedFriends minister inWilmington Yearly Meetingand over the past several yearshas worked at WilmingtonCollege, first as CampusMinister and most recently asAssistant Professor of Reli-gion and Philosophy. Aftersuccessful teaching experi-ences in those locations, themove to teaching graduateeducation at a Quakerseminary where personsexplore and wrestle withquestions of ministry is anatural next step in David’sprofessional development.

He is active in theQuaker Theological Discus-sion Group and his work has

appeared in such publicationsas Quaker Religious Thought,Friends’ Quarterly, The Journalof the Friends Historical Society,and Quaker Life.

David and Terri Johnshave been married 16 yearsand have four children:Christopher, Cameron,Nicholas, and Natalie. Terrienjoys gardening, hiking,reading, and playing handbells; David enjoys writing,hiking, playing guitar, andlively conversations over agood cup of coffee.

Says ESR Dean, JayMarshall, “There are severalreasons David is an excellentchoice for this facultyposition. As a center ofQuaker scholarship andministry preparation, it isimportant that ESR havesomeone committed toteaching theology as a Friend.David is one of about threepeople I know who is boldenough to suggest thatFriends would benefit froman attempt to produce asystematic theology, and whois willing to undertake thattask. I also appreciate the factthat David emphasizes theconnectedness of theologyand worship. It seems to methat, as Friends, worship and/or practice are the naturalplaces where we might findcommon ground fortheological expression.”

Johns Returns to Teach Theology

“In my view,

theology is a

devotion of the

mind and as

such it is a vital

part of

following the

invitation to

love God with

heart, soul,

mind, and

strength.”

9

Jay Marshall (Dean)recommends Attitudes TowardInteractivity in a GraduateDistance Education Program.“It is a recent choice, as partof a reading list designed tohelp think through the issuesESR needs to address as weintegrate on-line courses intoour curriculum. Aquantitative study, this bookhighlights instructional rolesin promoting efficientinteraction. Outside thenormal fare of theologicaleducation, Intellectuals by PaulJohnson offers fresh researchdescribing the personalitiesand lifestyles of persons suchas Rousseau, Shelley andMarx, whose workssignificantly shaped socialthought and practice. Mostenlightening is the enormousdistance that usually existedbetween their intellectualarguments and their personalpractice..”

Bill Ratliff (Professor ofPastoral Care and Counsel-ing) recommends A Chaplain’sCompanion. “I have enjoyedgetting acquainted with thismanual of prayers, rituals andcustoms for the majorreligions and a few of the lesswell-known ones. It is madefor use in visiting the sick anddying. It is small and lies flatwhen opened, so is user-friendly in hospital and

nursing home settings.Compiled by Judith Joseph, aQuaker chaplain, each sectionhas been reviewed by a personof that faith. I like it enoughthat I have ordered copies forour bookstore and amrecommending it in mypastoral care classes. Indi-vidual copies can be orderedfrom JCJoseph, Ltd., 2865 S.Eagle Road, Newtown, PA18940-1546; emailsolace@jcjoseph.com.

Steve Spyker (Director ofInformation Technology)recommends Give Me ThatOn Line Religion by Brenda E.Basher. “I thought I waspretty web-savvy, but until Iread this book I really had noidea how heavily the Internetwas being used for religiousexpression and practice.According to Basher, ‘using acomputer for online religiousactivity . could become thedominant form of religionand religious experience inthe [twenty-first] century. Ifso, religious expression andexperience will changedramatically.’ Brasher isneither an unquestioningchampion of technology, nora hand-wringing doomsayer,but is a knowledgeable andsympathetic observer ofreligious practice. She has anM.Div. from ChristianTheological Seminary in

Indianapolis, a Ph.D. fromUniversity of SouthernCalifornia, and teachesreligion and philosophy atMount Union College inAlliance, Ohio.”

Tim Sied (Associate Dean ofDistributed Learning) offersWinifred Gallagher’s Workingon God. “Gallagher, a reporterof behavioral science, set outon a personal journey torevisit her own spiritual rootswhile seeking to envision thefuture of spirituality in thenew millennium. Gallaghercalls modern seekers ‘neo-agnostics,’ people who, inspite of their scientificreasoning, find that there issomething ‘deep and vital’that is beyond themselves. InWorking on God she discussesher experiences in Zenmeditation centers, retreats ina convent, Torah study insynagogues, and Sundayservices at her church. Whilemany people are fashioningtheir own New Age religionas if they were picking whatthey like at a buffet andleaving parts not to theirliking, Gallagher ultimatelyconcludes that people need toexperience the fullness oftheir own religious tradition.The future of spirituality mayvery well be found in our ownspiritual past.”

read

ing

WHATWE’RE

10

Seid to HeadDistributed Learning

One of ESR’s new initiativesthis year has been the devel-opment of a distributedlearning program, known asESR Access. A feature of thestrategic plan in which thisprogram was proposed wasthe addition of an administra-tive faculty position. Theperson filling this positionwould assist teaching facultyin the creation of on-linecourses and be a primaryadministrator of the Accessprogram. When the facultydiscussed the qualificationsconnected with this hiring,three criteria quicklyemerged: experience withgraduate theological educa-tion, appropriate technologyskills, and ministry experi-ence. In naming thoseparticular qualifications, wequickly narrowed the universeof qualified applicants! So it iswith even greater pleasurethan usual that ESR intro-duces its new Associate Dean ofDistributed Learning, TimothyW. Seid.

Tim Seid, the son of anevangelical pastor, firstattended Grand RapidsSchool of the Bible andMusic, from which he and hisbride-to-be, Suann, gradu-ated. Out of his growinginterest in biblical studies,Tim next entered GraceCollege and then WheatonGraduate School, from which

he received an M.A. in NewTestament. After spending ayear at Northern BaptistTheological Seminary, againreceiving training in pastoralministries, Tim was acceptedinto the doctoral program inEarly Christianity at BrownUniversity.

While at Brown, Timbecame interested in theapplication of computertechnology to the humanities.He learned to write computerprograms to assist researchand teaching, and did theelectronic typesetting for anumber of publications andbooks. By this time, Tim andSuann had grown their familyto five children, all girls(Abby, Heidi, Emily, Laurenand Tabitha).

After graduation fromBrown with a Ph.D., Tim wascalled to be the pastor of oneof the few programmedmeetings in New EnglandYearly Meeting, Smith NeckFriends Meeting. Afterseveral years, the familyjoined the Religious Societyof Friends. While serving inthat capacity, Tim alsoworked for Kinko’s as aComputer Services Manager,was a freelance contentspecialist for Digital LearningGroup (an on-line textbookcompany), and held anappointment as VisitingScholar at the Scholarly

Technology Group of BrownUniversity.

As a continuation of hisacademic work, Tim devel-oped a hypertext website,Interpreting Ancient Manuscriptsthat describes the process ofanalyzing the ancient Greekmanuscripts of the NewTestament, comparing andcollating them, and then theirpresentation in the moderncritical text of the Greek NewTestament. His academicabilities are also clear in thepublications “Synkrisis inHebrews 7” in Rhetoric and theScriptures, several entries in therecently published EerdmansDictionary of the Bible, and aforthcoming article “SamuelFisher: 17th Century QuakerBiblical Scholar,” in QuakerReligious Thought.

He is currently workingon a commentary on Hebrewsin the series “The Rhetoric ofReligious Antiquity” to bepublished by WestminsterJohn Knox Press.

“Technological skill.Theological education.Ministry experience. SaysESR Dean, Jay Marshall, “Weare blessed to have someonewith this combination ofexperiences and skills on ourfaculty. ESR’s move intodistributed learning willprogress more easily andmore quickly thanks to Tim’swork among us.”

When the faculty

discussed the

qualifications

connected with this

hiring, three criteria

quickly emerged:

experience with

graduate theological

education,

appropriate

technology skills, and

ministry experience.

In naming those

particular

qualifications, we

quickly narrowed the

universe of qualified

applicants!

Novelist

book has been the realizationthat manual labor has becomea sacred prayer time thatheightens my communionwith the divine and nourishesmy spirit as much as anyindoor ritual ever does.Tilling soil. Splitting wood.Moving stones. In the midstof the sweat, grunts andgroans, these activities havebecome spiritual disciplines.For a while, I suspected thesewere meaningful activitiesbecause they put me in touchwith the basic elements ofGod’s creation. Things like

the feel of granite stonesbulldozed by glaciers to mybackyard, the sound of an axsplintering its way through alog, and the smell of freshlyturned soil, contribute to myrenewal. However, I havesince discovered the realreason these activities are soimportant to the well being ofmy faith. These are activitiesthat do not demand mymind’s full attention, thusreleasing it to choose how itwill occupy itself for thatperiod of time. Without fail,it engages in dialogue with

The Dean’s Word continued from page 12.

the Divine. Unresolvedmatters get lifted again andagain, held in the Light ofChrist in conversationalprayer. Waves of pleasure thatcome from the physicalexertion are translated intorefrains of thanksgiving andappreciation. By the time theseactivities are concluded, I haveprayed from the depths of myheart and feel as though I’vebeen made new all over again.This human vessel is refilled,ready to re-engage theopportunities that surroundme and to pour out freely as

Annual Ministry of Writing Colloquium

poems), C. Michael Curtis(senior editor of The AtlanticMonthly, editor of God: Stories,American Stories: Fiction FromThe Atlantic Monthly, andElizabeth Cox’s husband),Scott Holland (AssistantProfessor of Peace Studiesand Cross-CulturalStudies and Directorof Campus Ministryat Bethany Theologi-cal Seminary andcontributing editor toCross Currents: TheJournal for theAssociation of Religionand Intellectual Life),and Gregory Wolfe(editor of Image: AJournal of the Artsand Religion and coeditor with his wife ofCircle of Grace: Prayingwith — and for — YourChildren). Otherworkshop leaders will

“I realized … that I wasalways writing about forgive-ness. The first book wasabout self-forgiveness, thesecond book was aboutforgiving someone else, andthe third book was aboutasking for forgiveness. As Iwrite, I feel that kind offorgiveness working in me…”So says Elizabeth Cox, who iscoming to ESR October 19and 20, 2001 as the keynotespeaker of the annual Minis-try of Writing Colloquium.

Elizabeth is the author ofthree novels (Familiar Ground,1984; The Ragged Way PeopleFall Out of Love, 1991; andNight Talk, 1997) and thenewly released Bargains in theReal World, a collection ofshort fiction.

She also writes poetry,essays and short stories. Hershort story “The Third ofJuly” was included in Prize

Stories 1994: The O. HenryAwards, and “Land ofGoshen” was cited forexcellence in Best AmericanShort Stories. Night Talkreceived the 1998 LillianSmith Book Award for fictionand was nominated for the1999 International IMPACDublin Literary Award.Elizabeth grew up in Chatta-nooga, Tennessee, graduatedfrom the University ofMississippi, received herM.F.A. from the University ofNorth Carolina-Greensboroand currently teaches onesemester a year at DukeUniversity.

Joining Elizabeth on theprogram are a variety ofwriters and editors who willlead workshops. Among themare David Citino (Professor ofEnglish and Creative Writingat Ohio State University andthe author of eleven books of

be announced as the collo-quium nears.

Registration forms andmore information can beobtained by writing to BrentBill, 2001 Ministry of WritingColloquium, c/o ESR orchecking the ESR website.

prompted by the Spirit.Happily, I have met

several kindred spirits alongthe way, though I don’t expectthat what has become spiri-tual practice for me will leadto a radical new movementanytime soon. For some, an“earthy spirituality” will neverlook pious enough, andmanual labor will always looklike work! But one day, shouldyou call my office and be toldthat I am out digging in thedirt, chances are “it is wellwith my soul!”

Blessings, Jay

AT

11

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EARLHAM SCHOOL OF RELIGION228 COLLEGE AVENUERICHMOND, INDIANA 47374

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Someone once said I had an“earthy spirituality.” Thatmay be one of the nicestthings anyone has ever saidabout me. It resonates as oneof the truest descriptions onecould offer about me. Climb-ing the abstract mountain toengage in theological debateis enjoyable, but at the end ofthe day, I want a “wash andwear” spirituality that canstomp through the mudholesof life. My faith, and thedisciplines that nourish it,must be able to survive, eventhrive, in actual practice.Spirituality is faith in practice,in my estimation.

For the record, I thinkESR’s intentional effort tointegrate concerns forspirituality throughout thecurriculum is one of theschool’s many strengths, andone of the things that setsESR’s educational programapart from its peers. Repeat-edly, students attribute the

THE DEAN’S word

depth and richness of ourclasses to the contributionsthat arise from Quakerspirituality.

In my own life, I havelearned that having an“earthy spirituality” is aboutmore than the practicality offaith. The fact of the matteris that I frequently and easilyencounter Godin common,“down to earth”activities. One ofthe greatestliberations onmy spiritualjourney occurredwhile reading abook titled,“Prayer andTemperament.”Building on the Meyers-Briggs system, the authors ofthe book related thosepersonality types to prayerpractices. Their work helpedme discover that I most easilyengage in a conversational

prayer that is peppered withquestions and sprinkled withdebates that lay open thedeepest levels of my heart andsoul. My prayer occurs in themidst of activities, to thepoint that life on the runborders on prayer withoutceasing. These were tenden-cies about myself that I

already knew, though I didn’tfully understand or appreciatethem until I read “Prayer andTemperament.”

Perhaps the greatestdiscovery since reading that

Earthy Spiritualityby Jay Marshall

“Climbing the abstract mountain

to engage in theological debate is

enjoyable, but at the end of the

day, I want a ‘wash and wear’

spirituality that can stomp

through the mudholes of life.”

Continued on page 11.