The Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral
- Conferences
- Pilgrimages
- Core Curriculum
- Readers Program
- Fellows Program
- Visiting Faculty
- Associate Faculty
- Scholarship Funds
- History
- Contact Us
|
Cathedral College of Preachers:
2008 Core Curriculum Categories WL - Worship and Liturgy |
||
|
September 7–19, 2008 |
The Flight of the Dove: A Pilgrimage to Iona His name was Columba, or “the Dove.” In Gaelic they were more explicit. They called him Colmcille; the dove of the Church The name was ironic, even sarcastic. He was tough, abrasive, and even violent. In the end he felt he had to leave Ireland forever. They sailed north and east across the most dangerous waters in the world, until they found an island. As they beached their currach one of the companions said, “It is so small, “ to which Columba turned and replied “it will one day be great.” The name of the island was Iona. The year was 563 AD. Great Iona became, spiritually and in its mission, and it is to Iona we will go. We will visit other places too, but we will stay longest on Iona. This is your invitation to come with us. —Herbert O’Driscoll The trip package includes shared accommodations, breakfast and dinner daily, all entrance fees to sites, transportation during the trip and airport pick up and departure. Airfare and travel insurance is additional. Contact Joan Roberts at jroberts@cathedral.org or (202) 537-6381 for further details about schedule and price.
| |
|
September 8–12, 2008 |
Get on Your Mark: A special note for Catholic priests and deacons: Thanks to the generous underwriting of an anonymous donor, the registration cost for Catholics who preach is only $150 for tuition. Get “on your Mark” by participating in a five-day residential preaching conference on Mark’s Gospel. Begin your preparation for preaching the upcoming “B” cycle of Sunday readings. Explore ways of listening to, praying with, studying into and around the proclamation of the Gospel of Mark. Skilled facilitators will be present to encourage dialogue among participants and provide various exercises to assist the goal of effective preaching. Amongst them will be Ray Kemp of Woodstock Theological Center’s Preaching the Just Word.
| |
|
October 13–16, 2008 |
The Deacon as Prophetic Preacher (TH) The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer calls deacons “to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.” Preaching is one of the essential ways in which deacons may help their congregations discern the critical issues and needs of their larger communities, and faithfully respond to them. This conference will encourage and coach deacons in preaching toward these ends. Each participant will be asked to bring a recent sermon with a social justice theme to deliver in small listening groups. Deacons who preach, no matter the denomination, are invited. Among comments received from previous conferences are these: “This conference fully met my expectations. Bob and Joel were excellent teachers and facilitators, the setting was conducive to learning and the opportunity to worship in the Cathedral was awesome” and “I was very nervous going into my preaching group, but it was a safe and comfortable place to learn and to gain confidence.”
| |
|
October 21–23, 2008 |
Stories of a Controversial Jesus: Parables, teachings, and miracle stories fill the Synoptic Gospels and are the subjects of many sermons. However, while there are nearly sixty Conflict-Pronouncement Stories, all shaped in the same way, they are often overlooked. These tough passages of our lectionary—such as proclaiming that camels may have an easier hope of getting through the eye of a needle than a rich man into the Kingdom of God—are often avoided because they are especially difficult. In this conference, led by one of the leading homileticians of our time, participants will learn the significant form of Conflict-Pronouncement Stories, and gain tools on how to preach them with courage and power.
| |
|
November 3–7, 2008 |
The Art of the Homily (PE) To preach effectively involves every aspect of one’s being. The quality of the relationship between preacher and people, the countless things that are going on in the preacher’s own life, the struggle for faith that is common to all believers including preachers, the discipline needed to find time for reading and preparation, the imagination and intuition needed to make links between the scriptures and on going human experience; last but by no means least the unrelenting frequency of the typical preaching ministry. All of these factors together make the preaching life a challenge that can have us at different times at every point on a spectrum from immense satisfaction to deep despair. To experience this week at the College will be to find companions in the preaching ministry, with all the encouragement that can bring. It will also be a week to have one’s ministry affirmed and strengthened, and it will be a week that will open doors on to new fields of possibility and new avenues of imagination.
| |
|
November 10–14, 2008 |
Embodying the Spoken Word II (PE) Rejoin the cast and crew from Embodying the Spoken Word I for a new, in-depth, hands-on workshop that explores the use of space, dramatic journey, movement, and liturgy. Participants’ sermons will be developed in two ways: By reviewing and expanding the acting principles taught in the prerequisite course and by showing how the message’s core meaning might dictate use of space and movement in actual church settings. This is an opportunity to gain perspective on our different roles as preachers, celebrants, readers, and church leaders within worship.
| |
|
December 7–10, 2008 |
Making Room in the Inn–Retreat Much in the manner of the inn in Bethlehem that had no room for Mary and Joseph, our lives are crowded and there seems to be little space for the Word to find a home. This Advent retreat, through prayer, classical spiritual disciplines and poetry, will help us make room for the One who seeks to find a home in us.
| |
|
Tuesday December 30, 2008–Thursday January 1, 2009 |
Crossing the Threshold The threshold time of a new year invites us into a sacred space where we can reflect upon the year that has past and begin to move intentionally into the future. Join us for a contemplative New Year retreat where we allow the rhythm of silence, prayer and guided reflection to move us mindfully across the threshold into a new year filled with possibilities. More information coming soon.
| |
|
February 1–6, 2009 |
Approaching God Through Poetry It has been said that poets are the prophets of our time. In this conference we will explore how the language of poetry can open up our experience of God and draw us more deeply into prayer. Conference sessions will introduce participants to a variety of poetic voices and invite discussion about how poetry can inform and enhance our ministries of proclamation. Some of the poets who will be discussed include Charles Wesley, Mary Oliver, Denise Levertov, and R.S. Thomas. The conference will include time for worship, prayer, and after-hours exploration and writing in the nave of the Cathedral. This rich week will offer afternoon writing workshops to help participants find and develop their own poetic voices for writing and preaching.
| |
|
Friday, February 27–Sunday, March 1, 2009 |
Faith, Art and Poetry in a Post-Christian Culture How does faith shape the work of an artist or poet, in an era when words and images from the Christian tradition are often trivialized, distorted or dismissed in the wider culture? What are the challenges for artists who speak prophetically to our time? Join us for a weekend conference exploring these questions, with a special focus on the art and poetry of David Jones (1895–1974). Jones’ unusual and compelling visual and poetic work explores the "sacramental" practice of the artist in a contemporary world torn by violence and cultural fragmentation. His essay “Art and Sacrament” has been hailed by Rowan Williams as “one of the most important pieces of writing in the twentieth century on art and the sacred.” This residential weekend conference will include the screening of Derek Shiel’s new documentary film on David Jones and conversations with international experts on the life and work of this artist, poet and prophet. With their help we will explore the implications of a sacramental approach to art and poetry in our time, reflecting on how such a vision might shape and inspire our own work.
| |
|
March 2–6, 2009 |
Preaching Jesus in a Postmodern Context (TH) From philosophical shifts to new technologies; from new kinds of visual literacy to new understandings of rhetoric and authority, the postmodern transition presents unique challenges to churches in general and preachers in particular. At the same time, the postmodern condition puts us in an exciting new place to hear, see, and proclaim Jesus. Join us in exploring what happens when we take seriously today’s changing cultural context, our calling within as contemporary preachers, and the life and meaning for Jesus in the 21st century. This is your opportunity to practice new ways of witnessing to Christ, “who makes all things new.”
His book A Generous Orthodoxy is a personal confession and has been called a “manifesto” of the emerging church conversation. His most recent books are, The Secret Message of Jesus, and Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope.
| |
|
Friday March 6–Sunday March 8, 2009 |
Monasticism Today New Perspectives–Retreat Fr. Simon McGurk, Prior of St. Anselm’s Abbey in Washington, DC, and Esther de Waal open a discussion drawing on their experiences of lay monasticism, the role of lectio divina, new monasteries in Peru and South Africa, and raising the question: what lies ahead? In this late winter retreat step inside the cloistered walls of the College and join these two contemplative scholars and practitioners.
| |
|
Saturday April 4–Sunday April 12, 2009 |
Holy Places and Holy Days: For centuries, pilgrims have traveled to gothic cathedrals to celebrate holy days in the life of the church. This year, immerse yourself in the Holy Week experience with a pilgrimage to Washington National Cathedral. Begin your journey with Jesus during the celebration of Palm Sunday worship in the soaring spaces of the cathedral’s gothic nave. Move into the passion narrative Sunday evening as the combined choirs of the Cathedral perform J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion. Engage in the rhythm of daily worship including choral evensong and special services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. Our journey concludes with the celebration of the resurrection at the Easter morning service. Throughout the week presentations and discussions with Cathedral staff and clergy invite you to a deeper understanding and experience of the Holy Week pilgrimage.
| |
|
April 20–24, 2009 |
The Spirit, the Earth, and the Human Soul: Daily, our collective consciousness is being raised about the very real threats of climate change and the havoc being wreaked upon creation. We are challenged to preach prophetically out of a sound theology of ecology. Celtic spirituality shows us the way to deepen our respect for the earth’s sacredness, even as we renew our Christian commitment to faithful stewardship of our God-given resources. The Spirit, the Earth, and the Human Soul will be a week in which we reflect on these themes and how they affect our preaching. Join Newell, considered one of today’s most authoritative and inspirational voices on Celtic spirituality, in deepening our sense of physical and spiritual interrelatedness to creation and in renewing our commitment as followers of Christ.
| |
|
April 22–May 3, 2009 |
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Walk in the footsteps of Jesus in the sacred land of the three Abrahamic faiths as Canon John Peterson leads a pilgrimage to the Holy land in Spring 2009. Peterson, who served as dean of St. George’s College in Jerusalem for twelve years, provides an insiders’ view of the sites and rich cultural history of the region. On this trip you will visit the biblical places that inform our faith and experience firsthand the ancient practices that have enriched pilgrims throughout the centuries by worshiping at the great sites of Christianity, such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Mount of the Beatitudes, and Jerusalem. Experience the culture and history of the region through lectures, local cuisine and contemplative walks in sacred spaces, worship services, evening events, and hospitality of the many different peoples in the Holy Land. Situated in the heart of Jerusalem, accommodations at St. George’s College provide guests with a perfect haven for reflection and rest in the center of town. Modest, recently renovated double occupancy rooms, each with a private bath and individually controlled heat and air conditioning, are provided. The pilgrimage cost of $3300 per person includes accommodations, all-inclusive of meals, lodging, activities and transportation during the stay. Also transportation to and from the airport for those who meet the group flight in Tel Aviv. Airfare and insurance is additional. Group rates for air travel are available through Peter’s Way Tours by calling 1 (800) 225-7662. View or download Pilgrimage to the Holy Land brochure (PDF). For more information please contact Kathy Spaar at kspaar@cathedral.org or (202) 537-2373.
| |
|
April 27–May 1, 2009 |
At the Interface: Preaching and leadership are not the same thing, but neither are they unrelated. Rather, they are closely related. This seminar will explore the interface of preaching and congregational leadership in a time when many preachers are leading the critical work of congregational transformation. Good preaching and good leadership have a common center--courage, faithfulness, and practical wisdom. Discover the intimate relationship between preaching and leading and be guided in its practical application. Together we will work in this seminar at strengthening the center from which we preach and lead.
| |
|
May 18–22, 2009 |
Prophetic Preaching in a Post-Soul World (TH) Today’s preacher, seeking to preach prophetically about the Gospel, must come to grips with the reality that society is post-Christian, post-modern, and in the African-American community, post-soul. Men and women seeking tools to be culturally relevant, Biblically grounded, and theologically sound preachers are encouraged to attend. Participants will examine preaching from the perspective of the African-American community and learn how to engage marginalized communities through the practice of prophetic celebrations and critique.
| |
|
May 25–29, 2009 |
Announcing the Banquet of Joy: The Gospel of Luke and the companion Book of Acts portray the interaction of the gospel with a society of many competing cultures and in a world of disparity between rich and poor. This conference will explore the powerful implications of Luke and Acts for Christian faith and life today. Special attention will be given to discovering preaching possibilities in Luke and Acts texts appearing in the lectionary. Each participant will prepare and preach a sermon on a text of choice from Luke or Acts. Register soon for this long-awaited conference with this premier teacher of preachers.
| |
|
June 1–5, 2009 |
Proclaiming the Church Year: Too often, preachers feel the RCL is a constraint to their preaching. The assigned texts can feel burdensome and unwieldy. To the contrary, in this conference we will engage the RCL as a plentiful resource for worship leaders. We will learn how the interaction between liturgical time and biblical texts can enrich–not limit - our preaching. Indeed, each liturgical season offers its own abundance of possibilities for proclaiming the Word. In our time together, we will explore and practice strategies for personal and congregational renewal grounded in the biblical, theological, and pastoral truths the RCL provides.
| |
|
June 6–11, 2009 separate registration |
City of God for American Cities: The reduced price of the conference is substantially underwritten by foundation grants to the Center for Urban Ministry Inc.™ Generous scholarship assistance is available. Online registration is not available for this conference. Please contact the College Registrar Joan Roberts at (202) 537-6381 or jroberts@cathedral.org. To register for this conference only, please contact Joan Roberts at (202) 537-6381. Cities are the context for crisis and encouragement, division and healing, isolation and community. At the center of the city is the urban church, an anchor of hope for the shaping of the “City of God.” Many city churches of all denominations are in search of inspiration and renewed mission. This conference will be a learning laboratory for building up the urban body of Christ. Participants will share a compelling vocation for urban clergy and urban congregations. The conference will include nationally known keynote speakers, biblical reflection, pilgrimages to several of Washington’s imaginative ministries, and practical proposals for servant/social justice ministry in urban congregations. Past conference faculty have included Barbara Lundblad, Walter Brueggemann, Joanna Adams, James A. Forbes, Jr., Barbara Brown Taylor, and Marian Wright Edelman.
| |
|
August 3–7, 2009 |
Young Clergywomen’s Annual Preaching Conference (PE/SG) By popular demand and for the third year, Clergywomen under 40 are welcomed back to study, worship, and provide mutual support in the College’s warm, hospitable and safe space. Our female faculty leader will lead the teaching sessions, and join with other seasoned women preachers for the preaching practicum. This is a fun and friendly time for quality continuing education. Please check for more details which will be posted as the dates approach.
| |
|
October 19–23, 2009 |
Principalities, Powers, and Preaching (PE/TH) Biblical texts, liturgies, theological literature, films, and the newspaper all serve as resources for preachers as they protest the very real “principalities and powers” that plague our world. In this exciting and forward thinking preaching conference, gain fresh insights into the relationship between preaching and ethics. For indeed, the moral vision mandates that the contemporary church move beyond mere moral decision-making or social-issues sermons, toward building up a community of resistance. Learn concrete ways in which preachers may undertake this task will be provided. Join us in exploring preaching that stresses the power of redemption over against powers of death, and how preaching can build churches able to resist pervasive evil to become life-giving forces within their communities.
| |
|
October 26–30, 2009 |
Preaching Paul from a Latino Perspective (BE) We will look at the writings of the Apostle Paul from the perspective of boundaries/borders. Participants will explore texts that deal with conflicts of space, beliefs, and culture. By doing so, we will uncover the connections between Paul’s life and ministry and the life and faith of Latino communities in the U.S. This conference will provide tools to enable each preacher to think critically and to recognize and celebrate the presence of the Spirit in the midst of many conflicts, resistances, and barriers Esta conferencia estudiará un grupo de enunciados del Apóstol Pablo desde una perspectiva de fronteras y límites. Los participantes explorarán textos del Nuevo Testamento que lidian con conflictos de espacio, creencias y cultura. El propósito de esta conferencia es explorar las relaciones entre la vida y el ministerio de Pablo, con la vida y fe de comunidades hispano en los Estados Unidos. La conferencia tiene la intención de proveer herramientas que faciliten a cada participante pensar críticamente y desarrollar una espiritualidad marcada por la presencia de Dios en medio de conflictos, resistencias y fronteras.
The Rev. Dr. Pablo A. Jiménez es un ministro ordenado de la Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo) con más de 25 años de experiencia. Dirige www.predicar.org, un portal electrónico dedicado al arte cristiano de la predicación. Además, es editor de Chalice Press, una prestigiosa línea de libros académicos y pastorales. Ha escrito varios libros, entre los que se destaca Principios de Predicación. The Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes, a theologian and artist, is from Brazil where he graduated from the Independent Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He studied ecumenism in Switzerland at the World Council of Churches and received his MA in theology and literature from Methodist University’s Ecumenical Institute of the Graduate School of Religion in São Paulo. In the United States, he was the founding pastor of an immigrant Presbyterian congregation in Fall River, Massachusetts. He received his Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary. Presently he is the assistance professor of worship and preaching at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
| |
|
November 2–6, 2009 |
The Future of African American Preaching What constitutes the Gospel? And how do we best proclaim the good news in this age of plurality and diversity? The one-size-fits-all model for contemporary preaching is rightly being called into question in classrooms and pulpits alike. How do we take seriously our engagement with the “other” while at the same time being faithful to traditional understandings of the gospel? Join Brown and LaRue for in-depth discussions of cultural and contextual realities that must inform contemporary preaching, exegeting the Scriptures through the life situations of others and discovering how one’s context shapes the design and creation of the sermon.
| |
|
November 9–13, 2009 |
Embodying the Spoken Word I (PE) Expressing the power of the Word takes more than a carefully crafted written text. To offer the Gospel fully, the preacher must embody its message, creating an active relationship with the listeners so that what is life giving can be expressed dramatically. This popular conference utilizes basic acting techniques, reflective writing, storytelling, and active individual coaching and critique to help each preacher internalize the lesson and its importance in order for proclamation to be passionate. This is a physically demanding and emotionally intense experience for those who are looking for a bold and innovative approach to enliven their preaching.
| |
|
November 16–20, 2009 |
The Art of the Homily (PE) To preach effectively involves every aspect of one’s being. The quality of the relationship between preacher and people, the countless things that are going on in the preacher’s own life, the struggle for faith that is common to all believers including preachers, the discipline needed to find time for reading and preparation, the imagination and intuition needed to make links between the scriptures and on going human experience; last but by no means least the unrelenting frequency of the typical preaching ministry. All of these factors together make the preaching life a challenge that can have us at different times at every point on a spectrum from immense satisfaction to deep despair. To experience this week at the College will be to find companions in the preaching ministry, with all the encouragement that can bring. It will also be a week to have one’s ministry affirmed and strengthened, and it will be a week that will open doors on to new fields of possibility and new avenues of imagination.
| |
|
Cathedral College Home | Washington National Cathedral | Directions Cathedral College, 3510 Woodley Road, NW, Washington, DC 20016 |
||
Herbert O’Driscoll, a popular writer on
spirituality, pilgrimage leader, and preacher, is a former Warden of the
College of Preachers who has served Anglican churches in Canada. He is a
native of Ireland.
The Rev. Dr. John Donahue, S.J. taught
biblical studies at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley from
1980-2001, and served as a consultant to U.S. Catholic Bishop’s letter
Economic Justice for All. From 2001-04 he was the Raymond E. Brown
Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies at St. Mary's Seminary,
Baltimore. He resides and teaches at Loyola College in Baltimore. He
is author of the highly acclaimed, The Gospel of Mark (Sacra Pagina), which is is
highly acclaimed.
The Rev. Dr. James A. Wallace, CSsR, is on
the faculty of the Washington Theological Union and is currently
involved in several projects for the improvement of preaching in the
United States. He served as president of the Academy of Homiletics, and
of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics. Recent
publications include All Your Waves Swept over Me; Looking for God in
Natural Disasters, Lift Up Your Hearts, Homilies and Reflections, Cycle
A, B and C, and Lift Up your Hearts: The Homily on the Feasts and in the
Rites.
The Right Rev. Robert Ihloff is retired bishop of the Episcopal
Diocese of Maryland and a leader in the development and training of
deacons. Joel Hill is an instructor in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins
University who serves as a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of
Vermont.
The Rev. Dr. David G. Buttrick is Drucilla Moore Buffington
Professor of Homiletics and Liturgics Emeritus at Vanderbilt Divinity
School. His 1987 opus, Homiletic: Moves and Structures, has been
described as “the major book on the theory and construction of sermons
for the 20th century.” His most recent book, Speaking Conflict:
Stories of a Controversial Jesus, provides the basis for this
conference. 
Gillian Drake, a Washington, D.C. theater director and actor, is the
founder and president of On Trial Associates, Inc., an organization that
works with professionals in applying acting skills to enhance spoken
communication.
The Rev. William Hague is the rector of
Christ Episcopal Church in Kensington, Maryland. He has served as a
member of the Visiting and Associate faculty of the Cathedral College
for more than twenty years.
Barbara and Frank return by popular demand. The Most Rev. Frank
Griswold served as presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church
(U.S.A.) from 1998 to 2006. Barbara Braver is a writer and editor who
has worked for many years in the Episcopal Church.
Esther de Waal is a well-known Anglican
scholar of the Cistercian, Benedictine, and Celtic traditions of
Christian spirituality. Her first book, Seeking God: The Way of St.
Benedict, continues to be a bestseller and has been translated
worldwide. It was followed by Living with Contradiction: Further
Reflections on the Rule, A World Made Whole: Rediscovering the Celtic
Tradition, A Seven Day Journey with Thomas Merton and,
most recently Lost in Wonder: The Spiritual Art of
Attentiveness. She lives in the Welsh Borders. 
Dr. Kathleen Henderson Staudt works as a teacher, poet, and spiritual
director at a number of institutions in the Washington, D.C. area. She
teaches at Virginia Theological Seminary, Wesley Theological Seminary,
and the University of Maryland on writing, poetry, spirituality, and
Christian vocation. Her poetry, essays, and reviews are published
widely and she is the author of two books: At the Turn of Civilization:
David Jones and Modern Poetics and Annunciations: Poems out of
Scripture.
The Rev. Dr. Bonnie Thurston is a poet, scholar, and author. She
spent nearly thirty years teaching English, Religious Studies, and
Theology as a university and seminary professor. Ordained into the
Disciples of Christ Church in 1984, she is a founding member of the
International Thomas Merton Society. Author of numerous books and
articles, she has written extensively on Merton as well as given
retreats and lectures on the monastic throughout the U.S., Canada, and
the U.K. and Europe.
Michael S. Glaser has served as poet laureate of Maryland since
August, 2004 and has been a professor and administrator at St. Mary’s
College of Maryland for more than 35 years. Glaser is a recipient of
the Homer Dodge Endowed Award for Excellence in Teaching and the
Columbia Merit Award for service to poetry. He has edited two
anthologies and published close to 500 poems in a variety of venues.
His most recent book is Being a Father, and he has two chapbooks
forthcoming, Fire Before the Hands and Remembering Eden.
Derek Shiel is one of the foremost scholars of David
Jones’ visual arts: his drawings, paintings, engravings, inscriptions,
and carvings. With Jonathan Miles he co-authored David Jones: The Maker
Unmade, published by Seren in 1995. He has lectured extensively on
David Jones in England and Wales and written for various journals and
exhibition catalogues. In early 2008 he completed the documentary film
In Search of David Jones: Artist, Soldier, Poet, as writer and director.
The film was commissioned by the David Jones Society and is now being
screened at arts and cultural venues across Britain. 
Brian D. McLaren, MA, is an internationally known author, speaker,
pastor, and leader in the emergent church movement. He is founding
pastor of the nondenominational Cedar Ridge Community Church outside
Washington, D.C. and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and news
media programs. He has appeared on many broadcasts including Larry King
Live, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, and Nightline. His work has also
been covered in Time (where he was listed as one of American’s 25 most
influential evangelicals), Christianity Today, Christian Century, the
Washington Post, and many other print media.
Rev. Dom Simon McGurk, OSB began a four-year term as Prior of St.
Anselm’s Abbey in June 2006. He is from Belmont Abbey in Hereford,
England where he was formerly Headmaster of the school and later Guest
and Retreat Master. Prior to coming to St. Anselm’s he was Superior of
the Benedictine monastery in Tambogrande, Peru.
The Rev. Dr. J. Philip Newell is a poet, scholar and teacher. Formerly
warden of Iona Abbey in the Western Isles of Scotland, he is currently
writer theologian for the Scottish Cathedral of the Isles as well as
companion theologian for the American Spirituality Centre of Casa del
Sol in New Mexico. Internationally acclaimed for his work in the field
of Celtic spirituality, his best known titles are Listening for the
Heartbeat of God and his poetic book of prayer Sounds of the Eternal.
He is a Church of Scotland minister with a passion for ecumenical and
interfaith dialogue and plays a leading role on both sides of the
Atlantic in the re-birthing of creation spirituality for today. His
latest book is Christ of the Celts: The Healing of Creation.
The Rev. Canon John L. Peterson is the Cathedral’s first canon for
global justice and reconciliation. Before coming to the Cathedral, Canon
Peterson served as the secretary general of the worldwide Anglican
Communion, headquartered in London. The Anglican Communion Office is
organized to provide support and counsel to the Anglican Consultative
Council, the Primates Meeting, the Lambeth Conference, and the role and
person of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Before his appointment as
secretary general, Canon Peterson was the dean of St. George’s College,
Jerusalem, for 12 years.
The Rev. Anthony B. Robinson is a United Church of Christ pastor and the
president of Columbia Leadership Network in Seattle, Washington. He is
the author of a number of books and articles, including Transforming
Congregational Culture, Leadership for Vital Congregations, and the
forthcoming Changing the Conversation: Third Way Congregations. He
speaks and teaches throughout North America, working with clergy,
congregations, and denominations. He also teaches preaching in Seattle,
and his sermons have been recognized with several national awards. He
writes the column Articles of Faith for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The Rev. Otis Moss, III is pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ,
under the leadership of Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.
Prior to his call to Chicago, he served at the historic Tabernacle
Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. He graduated from Yale with a Master
of Divinity degree with a concentration in Ethics and Theology, and he
has done extensive research in the areas of African-American culture,
theology, and youth development. He also created the Issachar Movement,
a consulting group designed to bridge the generation gap within churches
and train a new generation of prophetic church leadership.
The Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Long, a minister in the Presbyterian Church
USA, is the Bandy Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology,
Emory University. He has earned the reputation as one of the most
outstanding preachers and teachers on the current scene. His research
interests are homiletical theory and biblical preaching. He is also
doing research on the theology and practice of Christian funerals. The
Witness of Preaching, Second Edition, Testimony: Talking Ourselves into
Being Christian, and Beyond the Worship Wars: Building Vital and
Faithful Worship are his most recent, popular books.
The Rev. Dr. Gail R. O’Day is Almar H. Shatford Professor of
Preaching and New Testament and associate dean of faculty and academic
affairs at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She is ordained
in the United Church of Christ and is the author of numerous books and
articles on the Gospel of John, including the John commentary in the New
Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. IX). In addition to the Gospel of John, her
research and teaching interests include literary criticism and biblical
studies, history of biblical interpretation, and biblical hermeneutics
and preaching.
The Rev. Dr. Douglass M. Bailey, founder and president of Center for
Urban Ministry, Inc.™, at Wake Forest University Divinity School,
provides leadership for urban ministry’s twin realities of soul justice
and social justice. At the Divinity School, he teaches course like
“Radical Jesus, Radical Justice” and “Urban Ministry by Immersion.”
Bailey is former rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, renowned
for its many nonprofit social justice ministries.
The Rev. Dr. Charles L. Campbell joins the Duke Divinity School in
January 2009 as professor of homiletics. Currently he is the Peter
Marshall Professor of Homiletics at Columbia Theological Seminary in
Decatur, Georgia and ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He currently serves as president of the Academy of Homiletics. His
three books are: The Word on the Street: Performing the Scriptures in
the Urban Context (co-authored with Stanley P. Saunders), The Word
before the Powers: An Ethic of Preaching, and Preaching Jesus: New
Directions for Homiletics in Hans Frei’s Postliberal Theology.
The Rev. Dr. Pablo A. Jiménez is an ordained minister of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with more than 25 years of
ministerial experience. He directs 
The Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes, teólogo y artista, nació y se crió
en São Paolo, Brasil, donde adquirió se graduó en el Seminario Teológico
Presbiteriano Independiente. También estudió ecumenismo en Suiza en el
Concilio Mundial de Iglesias y recibió su título de maestría (MA) en
teología y literatura en el Instituto Ecuménico de la Escuela para
Graduados de Religión de la Universidad Metodista de São Paulo. En los
Estados Unidos Carvalhaes vino a ser el pastor fundador de la Iglesia
Presbiteriana Cristo es Vida, una congregación compuesta por inmigrantes
en Fall River, Massachussets. Luego de servir a esta congregación,
Carvalhaes recibió sus estudios doctorales en Union Theological Seminary
en Nueva Cork. Actualmente es Profesor Asistente de Adoración y
Predicación en el Seminario Teológico Presbiteriano de Louisville,
Kentucky.
The Rev. Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown serves as associate professor of
homiletics at Candler School of Theology and as Associate Minister at
New Bethel A.M.E. Church. She is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church. With more than thirty years
teaching experience in academic and ecumenical settings across the U.S.
and internationally, she is a popular guest preacher. A prolific author,
her books include Can A Sister Get a Little Help: Advice and
Encouragement for Black Women in Ministry, Delivering the Sermon, God
Don’t Like Ugly: African American Women Handing on Spiritual Values,
Weary Throats and New Song: Black Women Proclaiming God’s Word, and the
2006 African American History Devotional.
The Rev. Dr. Cleo LaRue, Princeton Theological Seminary’s Francis
Landey Patton Associate Professor of Homiletics, specializes in the
theory and method of African American preaching and worship. He is an
ordained minister in the National Baptist Convention of America, and
served several churches in Texas and New York. A frequent speaker
throughout the country, he is a member of the Academy of Homiletics.
His major publications are This is My Story: Testimonies and Sermons of
Black Women in Ministry, Power in the Pulpit: How America’s Most
Effective Black Preachers Prepare their Sermons, editor, and The Heart
of Black Preaching.