Union News

PBS Spotlight on Union: "Women in Theology and Ministry"

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:47:00 GMT

Union Theological Seminary was recently featured on PBS’s Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly in a segment called “Women in Theology and Ministry,” with managing editor Kim Lawton. Watch the program here.

In Sausalito, First Openly Gay Presbyterian Pastor

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:06:00 GMT

Rev. Paul R. Mowry, M.Div '08, has become the first openly gay pastor of Sausalito Presbyterian Church. Read more here.

Practically Religion: Forever Young

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:01:00 GMT

Recent Union graduate Jeff Grant writes about the 174th Commencement and his classmate, Itang Young. Read the article here.

An interview with Cathy Busby, the first full-time artist-in-residence at the Institute for Art, Religion, and Social Justice.

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:20:00 GMT

Canadian artist Cathy Busby was drawn to Union Theological Seminary's collection of 63 portraits when she arrived in New York City in January 2012 as the first full-time artist-in-residence at the Institute for Art, Religion, and Social Justice. For About Face: Portraits at Union Theological Seminary, Busby photographed, catalogued, and eventually removed thirteen of the portraits from Union's vaulted, neo-gothic Refectory. The artist then replaced them with monochromatic wall painting of their silhouettes to create a new artwork that, according to the Institute's co-director A. A. Bronson, eschews "the expected story of important men" for a new one of institutional "disruptions, upsets, and omissions." About Face is on display through 26 May. Read the article here.

President Serene Jones appears on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show to Discuss Consumer Ethics and Apple Products & Where Faith and Policy Converge

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:53:00 GMT

President Serene Jones appeared Sunday, April 1, 2012 on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show to Discuss Gender Roles in the Church and State.

Faith Inspires: Union Theological Seminary's Poverty Initiative

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:18:00 GMT

The Huffington Post Faith Inspires series highlights Union's Poverty Initiative. Read the article here.

President Serene Jones appears on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show to Discuss Gender Roles in the Church and State

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:07:00 GMT

President Serene Jones appeared Sunday, February 19, 2012 on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show to Discuss Gender Roles in the Church and State.

JOHNSTON FAMILY CHAIR FOR RELIGION AND DEMOCRACY CREATED BY $3 MILLION GIFT TO UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:17:00 GMT

Press contact:
Millicent Fortunoff
M. Fortunoff Communications
Cell: (917) 306-3841
Mfortunoff@mfortunoff.com

JOHNSTON FAMILY CHAIR FOR RELIGION

AND DEMOCRACY CREATED BY $3

MILLION GIFT TO UNION THEOLOGICAL

SEMINARY

Johnston Family Chair is Dedicated to Study of

Religion and Democracy

New York, NY —February 10, 2012—The Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, announced today that Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Johnston, of Gladstone, New Jersey, have given $3 million to create The Johnston Family Chair for Religion and Democracy. The chair, which is fully endowed upon its creation, will support scholars whose work explores the crucial role religion plays in American politics and society.

“At Union, our role is to prepare progressive faith leaders committed to keeping our nation’s democratic spirit alive and flourishing. Christian leaders should be our culture’s strongest advocates for democratic practices. At its core, Christianity espouses the most basic democratic principle of all—that people are fundamentally equal in worth and value,” said Dr. Jones. “The Johnstons’ generous gift comes at a particularly auspicious moment, as our nation struggles to reaffirm its collective belief in our fundamental equality. In many circles, people simply no longer believe in our shared human worth, particularly when it comes to economic equality.”

Dr. Jones adds, “You don’t have to be a Christian to believe in economic justice — but if you are, your faith should drive you to forms of radically inclusive democratic engagement. It’s unavoidable.”

Union Theological Seminary is in the process of establishing an Institute for Religion and Public Life, and The Johnston Family Chair is the first step toward the full realization of this plan. As the ninth endowed chair at Union, the Johnston Family Chair will join others such as the Reinhold Niebuhr Chair in Social Ethics and the Paul Tillich Chair in Theology, World Religions and Culture.

Michael Johnston, a retired executive vice president of the Capital Group Companies, says “I remember Mary’s mother, Virginia Bennett, talking about the social gospel, and how she used to study books by Reinhold Niebuhr and Dietrich Bonhoeffer back in the 1940’s. This was my first introduction to progressive theology, which is the theology that’s taught at Union. It made a lasting impression on me.” Mr. Johnston continues, “When you look at the current state of governmental dysfunction in America, it seems an important time to remind people that separation of church and state does not mean a separation of values from democracy.”

“Religion can greatly benefit people, but it can be used for harmful purposes, too,” said Mary Johnston. “By funding a faculty position dedicated to teaching at the crossroads of religion and democracy, our hope is that we are helping prepare future faith leaders who will be equipped to heal some of the strife that has been caused in God’s name.”

“We are deeply grateful to Mike and Mary Johnston for their generosity and for recognizing Union's pioneering role in progressive theology,” said Mary H. White, M.D., chair of the Board of Trustees for Union Theological Seminary. “At the express stipulation of the Johnstons, the first person to hold the Johnston Family Chair will be Union’s President, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones. This spotlights the heart and soul of Serene’s presidency, which is making sure that Union’s students learn to be both religious scholars and democratically engaged leaders.”

Mr. Michael J. Johnston is a retired Executive Vice President and former member of the Board of Directors for The Capital Group Companies. He was also a Director and onetime Chair of American Funds Distributors, Inc., a subsidiary of the Capital Group. Prior to joining the Capital Group in 1986, he was president of Paine Webber Capital Markets, and was a director of Paine Webber Group. Mr. Johnston is a member of the Board of Trustees of Union Theological Seminary, as well as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of The New School. He is also a trustee and former chair of the board of Claremont Graduate University, and a member of the board of visitors for the Center for Politics and Economics at Claremont. Mr. Johnston’s other affiliations include trustee and vice president of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy, and membership on the advisory board of the United Nations Foundation’s Investor Network on Climate Risk. Mr. Johnston is a past chair of the Harvard Business School Club of New York, a past trustee of American Prospect Magazine, and a past advisory board member of the Aspen Institute Initiative on Financial Security for the Poor. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. from the University of Kansas.

Mrs. Mary C. Johnston is a harpist with a degree in music from the University of Kansas. Mrs. Johnston is a past president of The New Jersey Youth Symphony, and is the retired president of First Strings, a harp rental company. Mrs. Johnston’s philanthropic and charitable work extends to service on the boards of several organizations, including Raritan Headwaters Association, The Life Camp, and The Truman Library Institute.

Mormons and Evangelicals: A Theological Divide

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:13:00 GMT

Odyssey Networks talks with President Jones about Mormonism and traditional Christian faith in light of the upcoming election.

Kevin Jennings Wins Distinguished Alumni Award

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:40:00 GMT

Union trustee Kevin Jennings wins the Distinguished Alumni Award at his alma mater, Teachers College. Jennings was the Assistant Deputy Secretary on the Obama Administration for the office of Safe & Drug-free Schools. He is the CEO and president of "Be the Change" (a non-profit) and established the nation's first Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).

Avoiding the Trap of Big-Time, Big-Money Sports

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:15:00 GMT

The New York Times features Rev. Dr. James Forbes' message of spiritual renewal in relation to college sports. Read the article here.

The Work of Our Hands: Unweavings

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:47:00 GMT

Call to Worship features an article about the recent art exhibit in James Memorial Chapel, "Unweavings" by Laurie Wohl. Read the article here.

Poverty Initiative Receives Grant from Mott Foundation

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:20:00 GMT

Union is proud to announce a one-year grant of $55,000 to The Poverty Initiative from The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation’s Pathways out of Poverty Program. This award will support the year-round Poverty Scholars leadership development and training program, which seeks to lift up the hidden genius of grassroots leaders most affected by poverty, while further developing their leadership, voice, organizing skills and capacity for intellectual engagement.

The Program brings together a unique network of leading grassroots organizers (men, women and youth from urban and rural communities) – Poverty Scholars – with proven local-level success working on issues of economic justice including

unemployment,
community revitalization,
housing/homelessness,
immigration,
water privatization,
ecological devastation,
eviction and foreclosure,

healthcare,
low-wage workers’ rights,
organization of poor youth,
public education reform,
grassroots media production,
and living wages.

The mission of The Poverty Initiative is to build generations of religious and community leaders, led by the poor, dedicated to building a social movement to end poverty. The Poverty Initiative seeks to address the root causes of poverty in the United States by bridging gaps between community organizations, religious communities, and the academy.

The Role of Progressive Religion in the Occupy Movement

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:56:00 GMT

President Serene Jones and Dr. Cornel West address "The Role of Progressive Religion in the Occupy Movement" on Sunday, December 18, at All Saints Church in Pasadena, California. For more information, click here.

Cornel West Returning to Union Theological Seminary

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:50:00 GMT

The New York Times reports on Dr. Cornel West's move to Union. Read the article here.

Protest 101: What Happens When a Seminary Is Occupied?

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:20:00 GMT

President Jones writes about Union's role in Occupy Wall Street. Read the article here.

A Plea to College Presidents: Exercise Your Moral Leadership

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:53:00 GMT

The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses the response of Union and other schools to Occupy Wall Street. Read the article here.

Dr. Cornel West to Join Faculty at Union

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:43:00 GMT

Press contact:
Millicent Fortunoff
M. Fortunoff Communications
Cell: (917) 306-3841
Mfortunoff@mfortunoff.com

DR. CORNEL WEST TO JOIN FACULTY OF UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Dr. West will return to Union Theological Seminary in July 2012
as Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practices

Union Theological Seminary to provide a platform for
Dr. West’s unique combination of religion with political activism

New York, NY —November 16, 2011—Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, announced today that Dr. Cornel West, one of America’s most influential civil rights activists, authors, commentators and scholars will rejoin the faculty of Union Theological Seminary. (Dr. West previously served on Union’s faculty from 1977-84 and 1987-88.) In his new position, Dr. West will serve as Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practices. He is currently the Class of 1943 University Professor in the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University and will maintain his ties to Princeton as Professor Emeritus.

“Union is a place where Cornel West’s view of the world is in our life blood. Historically, Union has inspired strong public voices which speak to our nation’s ills and ideals -- be they protests against war, poverty, racism, sexism, or other societal scourges,” said Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, president, Union Theological Seminary. “Some call Cornel West this generation’s Reinhold Niebuhr (a legendary Union Professor), but I think he’s in a class by himself. Cornel is, quite simply, the leading public theologian of our age.”

As Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practices, Dr. West will teach classes in the areas of Philosophy, Theology, Social Change, Community Engagement and Christian Activism. He will teach a full schedule of courses and, as such, will participate in shaping a new generation of religious leaders, scholars and activists.

“I am overjoyed and completely excited to hear Dr. West is coming to Union,” said current U.T.S. student, Daniel J. Rohrer, Master of Divinity and PhD Student of Christian Social Ethics at Union. “Dr. West is somebody who is really in touch with America and its religious and public policies. His teaching will help us be more effective leaders in our churches and communities.”

NYTimes: At Occupy Protests, Bearing Witness Without Preaching

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:56:27 GMT

When liberal activists hear “Christian,” they often think “conservative.” So committed Christians at Occupy Wall Street events have different answers to the question, “How Christian should we seem?”

Full story here.

Union Seminary Quarterly Review's New Website

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:03:55 GMT

The Union Seminary Quarterly Review has a new website. Click here to see it.