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July 16, 2026
Alums VOICES

Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall to Retire in 2027 Following Six Exemplary Years as President

Her Vision and Leadership Have Transformed United Following six historic and transformative years as President of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall will retire on June 30, 2027, upon completion of the seminary’s 65th academic year. President Marshall secured United’s financial standing, advanced institutional objectives toward long-term sustainability, and catalyzed historic growth in institutional fundraising and student enrollment. Rev. Dr. Marshall assumed her role as Interim President in March 2021 following thorough vetting by a search committee and the Board of Trustees’ unanimous vote. Having served in theological education for more than 40 years, her reputation preceded her. She made headlines as the first woman appointed to the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention. Ordained as a Southern Baptist, she later received the privilege of call by the American Baptist Church.  In 1997, she joined the faculty of Central Baptist Theological Seminary as professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation, thereafter stabilizing and revitalizing the school as President from 2004 to 2020, becoming the first woman ever to lead a Baptist seminary or divinity school. President Marshall’s respect and renown culminated in her executive report on effective seminary leadership, written for The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) before she arrived at United. Her experiences as a congregational minister, feminist theologian, prodigious academician, and her achievements as an administrator in theological education augured well for the seminary’s future in her care. Less than a year later, her position was made permanent, formally making her United’s tenth president, and, desiring to honor United's legacy, she pursued and received clergy standing with the MN United Church of Christ. United trustees outlined a set of priorities at the beginning of President Marshall’s tenure, on which she began immediate work. She invested much of her first several months in office in forming connections with alums, donors, and faculty. She concentrated her relational acumen on Advancement, and donors responded enthusiastically. In September 2021, United announced the Johnson-Fry Chair in World Religions and Intercultural Studies, endowed by Rev. Dr. Andrea Johnson (’17, ’23) and David Fry. Cultivating “respect for the lived religion of others,” as President Marshall often asserts, is a pillar of her scholarship and the seminary’s academic ethos. The Sophia Chair in Religious and Theological Studies, funded by a generous gift from Dr. Mary Farrell Bednarowski—Professor Emerita of Religious Studies (1976–2004)—and her husband and former trustee, Keith Bednarowski, followed in 2024. Finally, in 2025, a cadre of friends, alums, and former faculty established the Wilson Yates Chair in Theology and the Arts. These chairs, paired with substantial growth in endowed scholarships, feature prominently in President Marshall’s legacy and will endure as a witness to her faithful stewardship of alum and donor relations. Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson, Vice President for Advancement, reflects, “President Marshall’s enthusiasm, attention, and engagement with our donors have been important components of her leadership. She has honored our alums and delighted in our students. Molly has valued United’s history even as she has led us into new ways of being. She has built a culture that reflects her dedication, vision, and generosity. She has been a bright light in the broader community, embodying her passion for and dedication to United. Molly arrived with both expertise and heart, and she has shared them generously. She leaves a lasting imprint, and we are better for that. On a personal note, it has been a great gift to be her colleague.” Historic enrollment has been a fixture of President Marshall’s tenure. Between fall 2020 and fall 2025, degree-seeking student enrollment grew 57 percent, with the seminary welcoming its largest incoming class of degree-seeking students ever in fall 2025. In a climate where many theological schools have experienced stable or declining enrollment, United has surged. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), one of the seminary’s two accrediting bodies, named United in its 2023 Holiday Colloquy Online issue as one of only 18 ATS-accredited seminaries to have demonstrated “steady year-over-year growth during the past five years.” President Marshall has positioned United as a leader in progressive theological education and a model for historically Mainline Christian schools. Commenting on what makes the seminary unique, President Marshall astutely noted United’s “desirable curriculum that emphasizes social transformation, theology and the arts, interreligious engagement, and public theology” and the intentional welcome of “students with myriad religious, spiritual, and theological leanings.” She sharpened and raised the seminary’s prophetic voice, believing that progressive theological education exists to serve the common good. From considerable growth in the Interreligious Chaplaincy program to the establishment of the Sims Scholars Initiative, she has expanded the student body’s depth and breadth. Under President Marshall’s fastidious leadership, United completed a Five-Year Strategic Plan in 2026. David S. Anderson, former Chair of the Board of Trustees (2020–2026), witnessed firsthand President Marshall’s effective management of United’s revitalization and her manifold accomplishments in office. On his close friend and colleague, David writes, “In her writings, President Marshall, Molly to me, once observed, ‘. . . following the Spirit will require of all of us faith—all the guidance we usually get is enough to take the next uncertain step.’ United, in late 2020, was indeed in a state of uncertainty, and President Marshall’s emergence as its next president must be seen as a revelation of the Spirit. She has led United to a platform of stability from which it will move forward with confidence, heeding the Spirit toward an uncertain, as human endeavors are, but bright and sustainable future.” Dr. Kyle Roberts, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, shared the news of President Marshall’s retirement with students this morning. With profound gratitude for her enrichment of the seminary’s faculty and scholarship, he remarked, “President Marshall has been just the leader this seminary needed to reclaim its vision, its vibrancy, and its voice in theological education. She has led a process of internal healing and of increasing external influence. She has been a champion of rigorous but applied theological education for spiritual leadership, supporting and encouraging the faculty in their teaching and the staff in their work. United,” he affirmed, “will always be indebted to her years of service and to her passion and care in moving the seminary to its next stage. United is, once again, a leading voice in progressive seminary education in large part because of President Marshall.” Rev. Dr. Dianne Oliver, Chair of the Board of Trustees, celebrates President Marshall’s transformative tenure and looks toward a bright future ahead. She affirms, “President Marshall’s impact on United is really extraordinary, and she will leave a profound legacy at the institution. Clearly, she has been successful in the ways often highlighted for an outstanding President—record enrollment, expanded academic programs, and financial stability, building a strong foundation for the next steps on United’s journey. Add to these leadership successes Molly’s theological acumen and prophetic voice in challenging times, and it is easy to see the scope of her leadership. Just as importantly, though, Molly has helped create a deep sense of community among the faculty, staff, students, trustees, and the broader community who support the work of United. Her leadership and accomplishments ensure United will keep living into the fullness of its mission and vision as the context for theological education continues to evolve.” Reflecting on her service to the seminary, President Marshall writes, “Serving as United’s President has been a joyful pursuit over these past several years as I have lived into the storied history of this good seminary. I have been invited into a theologically expansive landscape where courageous learning and creative ministries have renewed my own vocation in theological education.” She continues, “Faculty, staff, students, board members, donors, and friends have welcomed me to help craft this chapter of our shared mission. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to serve as United’s tenth president. (Don’t say goodbye to me yet; there’s still work to be done!)” A Presidential Search Committee, comprised of trustees and representatives from the student body, alums, faculty, and staff, has been engaged in faithful preparation ahead of the public search for President Marshall’s successor. The seminary will share details about this process in the days ahead. Friends and colleagues from throughout President Marshall’s career were invited to submit reflections in her honor. These have been published on our announcement page. United eagerly anticipates celebrating President Marshall and her myriad contributions to the life of the seminary community during special events in spring 2027. Details will be made available in the months ahead. Strengthened and invigorated by President Marshall’s faithful leadership over these six years, United enters its 65th year of progressive theological education, steadfast in its mission: preparing innovative and compassionate leaders for the equipping of churches, other faith communities, and society toward justice and peace. Honoring President Marshall In celebration of President Marshall's tenure, a webpage featuring images, reflections by friends and colleagues, and opportunities to honor her achievements is now available. Visit the link below to learn more. Learn More About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to educate leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • 651.255.6138

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June 21, 2023
Alums VOICES

Alum Marjorie Grevious (’18) Promotes Spiritual Wellness through Yoga Ministry | VOICES

Yoga and church were childhood pillars for 2018 alum Marjorie D. Grevious. She estimates that she started doing yoga alongside her mother at age three, and that the practice of yoga ran “parallel to my journey as a church girl raised in the Black missionary church tradition of the south.” Those two pillars remained constant, but separate, until United helped Marjorie connect her core beliefs as a Christian and her spiritual practice of yoga. The Path to United For most of her career—with an MS in Human Services and Community Counseling and Psychology—Marjorie worked with young people who were “caught in cycles of crisis and chaos most often caused by the unstable/unhealthy adults in their lives.” Part of the impetus for taking advanced training in yoga, and attending seminary, was Marjorie’s desire to not just treat the symptoms of dysfunction, but to “help people at the core of their being.” After completing a 200-hour yoga training in 2012, her first students were teen girls caught in the juvenile justice system. “I was amazed,” Marjorie says, “by the immediate effect a single yoga class had on their overly stressed minds and hyper-reactive bodies.” At the same time, she knew there was more to learn. Connecting Faith and Yoga At United, Marjorie realized “that ordination and formal church work was not the call that God has on my life.” Still, the relationships she built, the community she found, and the scholarship in which she engaged were what she needed. “United to me is what I wanted and needed church to be,” Marjorie asserts. “It is a non-judgemental place where I am able to think theologically, I'm able to experience the spirit, but also to have intellectual discourse around what I believe to be true and what it is like to be with other Christ-centered people who believe differently than I do, but we have this core place of connection.” “I think the beauty of my United education,” she adds, “was how big the conversations were. You were not trapped by dogma or by denominational restrictions.” Learning about “seminary siblings’” plans also gave Marjorie the inspiration to lean into her strengths as a yoga teacher and person of faith. It seemed obvious after that; a yoga ministry became possible. After all, as Marjorie readily confesses, “I feel in touch with the sacred, with that which is bigger than myself, on my yoga mat; when life gets big and life gets full, I go to my yoga mat.” There are other connections too. Notes Marjorie: “The philosophies behind yoga, the 195 yoga sutra statements created by Patañjali, are very parallel to what we read and study in the Bible in terms of how we treat ourselves, how we treat each other, and how we move through the world.” Living into Her Purpose These days, Marjorie is an instructor at Yoga Sanctuary and operates a private practice at Temple Within. She has many more hours of training under her belt and is certified in five types of yoga, several designed to support individuals with histories of trauma. Ultimately, Marjorie is happy to teach how the practice of yoga can realign each person’s sense of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. She is grateful, she says, that United helped her “to define my passion and fulfill my purpose of offering spiritual wellness as a way of being for all God’s people.”

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June 9, 2023
Academics Activism students

Bridgette Weber Finds the through Lines—Food and Transformation—at United

At United, a supportive community of beloved students and faculty, is an integral part of the educational journey for future faith and justice leaders. Since coming to seminary and charting a path toward chaplaincy, dual degree student Bridgette Weber (bottom right) has not only been elected to the Student Leadership Collective twice, they have also worked with another student to support and sustain United students with Sunday evening United Family Dinners. United has also helped them uncover their purpose-filled throughlines from food to social transformation to justice through food sovereignty.  The connection between food and church is not anything new. Church potlucks, coffee and sweets between services, and pizza nights for youth groups are a familiar part of the landscape. As a seminary student, Bridgette is digging deeper to explore the broad historical import of food in culture, and how that connects to theological study. They are also developing a fundamental awareness of how issues of environment and justice and religion all intersect with the natural resources that sustain or degrade all life. Working toward United & Social Justice Ministry Bridgette’s connection to food started early. Their first job, at age 14, was at Taco Bell. Next, at Chilton, Wisconsin’s 7 Angels Restaurant, Bridgette worked with their mom and sisters and had their first experience working in the back of the house. After growing up in a small Wisconsin town and attending rural Catholic churches, Bridgette was eager to see what their future might hold. They started college at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, continued working in restaurants, dropped out of college, returned, and ultimately earned a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies. During college, Bridgette also found their “passion for building vibrant communities with food at the center.” While studying biology and ecology, Bridgette worked in the community. They were a farmer and chef, managed Trust Local Foods (as the only employee), joined the Sustainable Living Roadshow as a green market manager, and founded the Oshkosh Food Cooperative which finally opened in July 2020. After college, they were a pastry chef at L’etoile Restaurant—a James Beard award winning farm-to-table establishment in Madison—and worked at Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, a grassroots social transformation effort based in Sri Lanka. Bridgette was also a volunteer coordinator for a free clothing center and worked in “crisis management for houseless people.” All the while, between rejecting the toxic aspects of the restaurant industry, starting their own personal chef business, and searching for purpose, the idea of a vital ministry around food and sustainability as represented by the image of a “food church” kept arising in their mind. “Those two words,” Bridgette explains, “are an anchor to my spiritual calling.” Why? “Not only do I see food as a sacred intersection between our relationship to the land, water, and each other, but I see how this message of reality was subverted through colonization…and ways the Christian church codified slavery and industrial agriculture. I am drawn to work that moves us toward a dominant culture more in line with the Indigenous worldview of how to grow and manage food.” When they found United online and discovered the seminary offered programming in Social Transformation, “there was no doubt” they state, “that it was a huge, cosmic, universal, divine YES happening inside of me.” And it was not just the possibility of ministering through food, but a distinctive call to social justice. Finding Purpose at United & The Path Forward United, as Bridgette explains, “is a place where I can explore the multitude of who I am.” The seminary enables them to “examine and explore the roots of where I came from—the complex and dynamic and beautiful and traumatizing space that is—while supporting me in an inclusive, welcoming, and affirming place.” “Those accepting and nurturing aspects of United felt like a gift,” they add. The weekly United Family dinners provide an intentional and safe space for students and their families—and even regular guest President Molly T. Marshall (in a gray tee shirt on the right)—to share in good food and to nurture relationships. The meals are also a centering time to reflect on the values many students hold dear: creation care and sustainability for the planet. “Right now,” they say, “it’s a sacred place for us to experiment with how food brings us into conversation with the land and our history.” What has been developing from the food church idea, they say, is a “food sovereignty ethic for the beloved community.” This ethic “is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.”1 The concept of the food sovereignty ethic, Bridgette suggests, could be a “powerful ethical antidote” for the practice of Christianity long shaped by “dominion theology.” In simpler terms, Brigette adds, “I think food sovereignty has the power to heal many of our divides if we can invest our time, energy, and money into making it happen. I hope to see the church become a critical player in that transformation. As Dr. Norman Wirzba says, ‘Food is God’s love made nutritious and delicious.’ I think social transformation can be nutritious, delicious, and exciting!” United’s focus on art and theology has also allowed Bridgette to express other facets of their artistic side. First introduced to community earth mandalas during her time with Sustainable Living Roadshow, Bridgette created a mandala for the 2021 Symposium Week. They have also used their drawing skills in class assignments, including an art observation of the St. Paul Farmers Market, and an examination of the trinity using artistically rendered sourdough starter, dough, and bread. Through art, justice, and theology classes, Bridgette has also discovered how gender and sexuality are deeply connected to food. The 2022 summer term, they add, “brought together the articulation and minds of amazing writers and activists and humans who have been forging this path” of actively promoting justice. “That’s the kind of person I want to be.” The painstaking process of “getting to know deeply who I am,” though challenging, has also enabled Bridgette to lay bare their roots and start to reconcile the past with their goals for the future. The through lines of food and justice make possible the plan to bring the leadership and ministry skills they have gained at United back to the rural areas they left years ago. “I want unity and connection, and know that building these types of relationships will take care and time and attention. Joy and creative potential are just waiting for us,” Bridgette declares. 1. This is the definition of food sovereignty coined by La Via Campesina in 1996.

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June 6, 2023
UCC VOICES

Mizpah Church Offers United a Legacy Scholarship Fund | VOICES

Rev. Rebecca Lemenager (’01) was only seven when she knew she wanted to be a minister. All she needed was fertile soil in which to nurture that calling. Mizpah United Church of Christ (Mizpah), her home congregation in Hopkins, Minnesota, provided that nurture. Now, as Mizpah comes to the end of its life as a church, members have decided to provide a legacy of support for new pastors by establishing the Mizpah Church, United Church of Christ, Endowed Scholarship at United for UCC students who pursue ministry. Mizpah’s vital ministry spanned 125 years, providing a place for worship and spiritual formation as well as community support. Members played an active role by supporting a teen clinic, the Crisis Nursery, Loaves and Fishes, and more. In closing, they are making final financial gifts to those long-supported groups. Their gift of the scholarship to United will hold the Mizpah name in perpetuity. As decisions were being made, Linda Williams, a member of the Mizpah council, advocated for the new scholarship. Her husband, who attended the University of Minnesota in Duluth (UMD), started a scholarship fund with his college friends to support new UMD business students. That practice, and Rebecca’s urging, inspired them to find a way to support new ministers. “It is really important to help people who want to become ministers,” Linda says. “We don’t want the cost of seminary to be a barrier.” Rebecca adds, “When pastors graduate with debt, they have to make decisions about where they are called based on the compensation a congregation can provide. Having less debt opens up the possibility of serving a smaller congregation.” Mizpah and United have many connections. Both Rebecca and her mother, Betty Wentworth (’86), were United graduates. Rev. Coqui Conkey (’02), currently the Interim Pastor at Urbandale UCC, also came to United from Mizpah. Over the years, many pastors, interns, and students crossed paths from United to Mizpah and from Mizpah to United. Both places were known for their love of the arts and theological depth, both inviting people to wrestle with important questions. Ordained 21 years ago, Rebecca has served a variety of churches. For the last decade, she has been working at the Virginia Public Library, but on Sundays, you will find her answering her call in new ways. Last year, she provided pulpit supply 30 Sunday mornings for churches in five different denominations. She appreciates the fact that United broadened her understanding and passion for ecumenism. This year, she plans on doing even more pulpit supply, believing that supporting churches that might not be able to otherwise afford a pastor is a valuable service. Rebecca loved her time at United, stating that it prepared her well for what she is doing with the right mix of academic rigor, social justice, and pastoral care woven together. “We live in a polarized, hurting world. We need people who are willing to have a vision of what this world can be, leaders who can share that vision. United helped me learn those skills.” Rebecca goes on to say, “Most of us knew we weren’t going to become The Rev. Peter Gomes at Harvard, but that didn’t mean that we weren’t going to change a little piece of the world. That is true of Mizpah also. They weren’t ever the biggest church in the conference, but in small and important ways, we changed the little corner of our community.” Through the creation of this endowed scholarship, Mizpah’s 125 years of ministry will persist in a new form, transforming little pieces of the world through congregational ministry.

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June 6, 2023

Finding Light out of the Darkness of Trauma through Community

The American Psychological Association defines trauma simply as “an emotional response to a terrible event.” Broken down further, trauma can be acute (from a single horrific event that threatens one’s life or safety), chronic (ongoing or repeated trauma as from abuse or poverty), or complex (multiple, chronic, and prolonged exposures to trauma as experienced by people in war zones, those in abusive relationships, children who suffer from neglect and/or abuse). The emotional and physical effects of trauma can be severe and debilitating. I should know. I have been dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since I was 13 and have long been searching for ways to alleviate the symptoms of PTSD and other trauma-related disorders. I was not making much headway until I came to United, and started researching spiritual and community healing options, and a vast array of trauma treatment resources I never knew existed before. Therapy Options The traditional therapy that I experienced focuses on cognitive behavioral therapy and biochemical interventions. In these scenarios, the patient is mostly passive, and interactions are one-to-one. During my time at United during the COVID pandemic, I learned about the value of community as a means of healing and support. United places a strong emphasis on exploring and cultivating individual potential. This emphasis allowed me to construct my thesis by interweaving my Baha’i background and the mostly Christian resources on healing from trauma. I also integrated scientific PTSD research into my paper. Interestingly, both the new scientific sources and religious sources reach the same conclusion: we heal better in community. Active listening and bonding in groups allows individuals to reestablish a sense of safety that is difficult for professionals to achieve one-on-one. These bonds also help to raise oxytocin levels (the snuggle hormone), which is typically low in those who suffer from PTSD. Even better, working in groups challenges us to expand our identity and our love for others. The Spiritual Approach Throughout my thesis research, I found that even though Christian and Baha’i theologians approach trauma through varied means, an examination of their distinct and similar insights yields promising methods for overcoming our culture of separation and building communities of resilience. Postmodern Christian theologians, for example, emphasize the potential for destruction post-trauma, the need for political reform, and the value of lived experience. Baha’i theologians, by contrast, emphasize the potential for spiritual growth post-trauma, the need for constructive resilience, and the value of spiritual transformation. I propose that by integrating the discernments from both Christianity and the Baha’i faith, we can develop a more balanced and effective approach to trauma. It may be that individuals could fully process their emotions in community first, and then move forward together to find solutions. In that way, we would not become consumed by our trauma, nor ignore its wounds. Similarly, the practice of employing constructive resilience in tandem with political protests, when necessary, may provide the most efficacious path to humanizing our world. As individuals, many Baha’i and Christian theologians have incredible wisdom about spiritual healing methods. The greatest knowledge, however, comes from weaving together the individuals’ wisdom. I am so grateful for the support that United has given me so I could explore a variety of voices, from theologians to scientists, in my writing projects. I believe that, together, we can resist the darkness of trauma, but only if we listen to and learn from each other. As unique individuals, we all see the world in our own ways. Only by bringing our insights together can our understanding of trauma and healing grow.

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June 1, 2023
justice lgbtq Pride social justice

Honoring Pride at United

Welcome to the first day of Pride. With its roots in protest and a collective yearning for justice, Pride is a defiant, joyful resistance against the intersecting oppressions LGBTQ+ people face, and the pursuit of a future wherein all can be free. While nearly 54 years have passed since the Stonewall Riots, targeted rhetoric, policies, and legislation continue to wage harm against LGBTQ+ lives. Trans people and youth, in particular, bear the brunt of this assault. (more…)

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April 27, 2023

Beth Long-Higgins: United’s 2023 Distinguished Alum

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is proud to announce that Rev. Beth Long-Higgins (’88) is the seminary’s 2023 Distinguished Alum. An experienced pastor, talented consensus builder, and skilled administrator, Beth is currently the founding executive director of United Church Home’s Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging. The Center, launched in 2016, serves as a conduit for exchanging ideas, creating partnerships, and promoting innovations in the fields of senior services, higher education, research, and advocacy. Since its inception, the Center’s reach has grown tremendously. Beth has initiated The Art of Aging Podcast, published numerous articles, developed resources for older adults and those who interact with them, and organized an annual symposium focused on issues related to aging. In 2021, the Center joined forces with Eden Seminary’s NEXT Steps program to offer programs for older adults. For the program, Beth created a fun, yet educational curriculum that encourages participants to “grow whole,” not old. Beth has also helped develop a four-part video based curriculum to challenge the perception that old age is invariably a time of loss and decline.  Foundational to her current success, some might posit, is Beth’s 25+ year career as a parish minister. Ordained in the United Church of Christ faith tradition, Beth was an early pioneer in shared ministry with her spouse, Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins (’88). As a pastor, notes Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel (’81), President and CEO of United Church Homes (and award nominator), Beth “championed women in ministry, lay women in leadership roles, and innovative ministries in parish life, youth, and family outreach.” Beth’s initial connection with United Church Homes started in 2007 when she joined the board. In 2013, she was called to a new professional role as director of church and community engagement. Her success in that role led to the directorship of the Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging. Over the years, Beth has mentored other leaders and served on national boards. She is currently an elected member of UCC’s Council for Health and Human Service Ministries and serves on the board of trustees for Heidelberg University (Ohio). Beth has also taken part in advisory committees with Penn State, SAGE (Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ+ Elders), and other organizations that work to advance equity in care and services for older adults. Susan H. McFadden, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, who met Long-Higgins at the 7th International Conference on Aging and Spirituality in 2017, praises Beth’s “steady, wise, and inspiring work.” McFadden, who wrote a letter of support for this award, also credits Beth’s “openness to engaging in important issues of 21st century aging…[including raising] LGBTQ+ issues in conversations about what it means to grow old in our times.” “In the field of aging services,” Rev. Dr. Daniel concludes, “Beth has positioned the Parker Center, UCH, and herself as a trusted voice in ethical, faith-informed, and innovative thought leadership and program design.…She is a true exemplar of all the values, legacy, and pedagogy of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.” Join us in celebrating and congratulating Beth Long-Higgins as this year’s Distinguished Alum!  

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February 8, 2023

From Protests to Podcasts: Public Theology at United

For the past 60 years, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has consistently engaged in public theology.  It has tethered its theology to current events and ongoing crises in the world, and engaged in protests, marches, plays and other artistic expressions, publications, politics, podcasts, and more. Public theology is embedded in United’s foundational makeup, and will continue to shape its students and leaders for generations to come. The Justice Shack, created by Hortense MacLeod (’15) and Colleen Cook (’15), is a visceral example. And, as President Molly Marshall states, “More than ever before, the world needs a seminary like United because we focus on today’s most important questions and urgent needs.” United’s History of Public Theology When introducing his public theology course at United, Professor Demian Wheeler offers a variety of ways to define public theology. No matter what expression it takes, public theology passes the litmus test when it is: 1) public, 2) incarnational, 3) interdisciplinary, 4) dialogical, 5) global, and 6) justice seeking.  In sum, Wheeler asserts, “Public theology is the tenacious refusal of parochialism in theology; public theologians refuse to theologize in isolation from the wider publics in which they are situated.” Put another way, public theology is “worldly theology, interpreting important social questions from a distinctly theological point of view and attending to issues that are pertinent to political life, economic life, cultural life, and other sectors of public life… Most importantly, public theology is theology that serves and supports the common good.”  Throughout its history, United—as represented by its faculty, students, and alums—has consistently engaged in public theology. Professors James Nelson and Wilson Yates were early public crusaders. In 1966, Nelson took students to Mississippi to support voter registration in underprivileged areas, and in 1972 he was among the first religious professionals to engage in the University of Minnesota’s Human Sexuality program. His ground-breaking 1978 book, Embodiment, boldly explored sexuality within the context of theology and cogently argued to end societal and religious discrimination against those in the LGBT community. Above is a photo from Nelson’s Human Sexuality course. Yates, for his part, was the first white student jailed in the Nashville sit-ins in 1960 (he is pictured on the left here)1. By 1971, he had introduced a White Racism workshop into the Christianity and Culture course. In late 1974, Yates, then Professor of Church and Community, secured funding from the Archie D. and Bertha H. Walker Foundation to develop resources for a Church and Race program.  Early on, students at United also practiced public theology. In 1967, 20 students demonstrated for civil rights and housing legislation in Milwaukee. A year later students and faculty demonstrated at the Minnesota Capitol on behalf of a fellow student who refused induction into the armed forces. Protests against the Vietnam War and attendance at memorial services were also common. The first few women enrolled at United staged their own protest against discrimination. Though the seminary instituted a policy of non-discrimination in February 1971, faculty members were (according to Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Rev. Dr. Arthur Merrill2) “both astounded and confounded when [just months later]…three women…confronted them with three demands which specifically affected women students.” In the intervening years, among other things, United has witnessed and advocated for the common good of ordaining all fit ministers irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity or culture, safeguarding the future of undocumented minors, granting all loving couples the right to legally marry, working against violence and injustice, and preserving the earth for generations to come. In all cases, social justice work has found expression through art. Public Theology in Action Minister/Activist/Legislator Rev. Todd Lippert, a 2003 United graduate and the school’s 2020 Distinguished Alum, has consistently worked toward the common good as a United Church of Christ (UCC) pastor, an active member of ISAIAH (a statewide, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities and other community organizations fighting for racial and economic justice) and, from 2018–2022, a Minnesota state legislator. With ISAIAH, Lippert focuses on helping immigrants by building coalitions and advancing policy proposals. Speaking about his foray into politics, Lippert says, “I got involved in politics because I believe in the Common Good. Good for a few isn’t good enough.” These days, he is also a Community Minister at Creekside Church, a UCC-affiliated church in Minneapolis. The role, Lippert explains, “involves taking the ministry of Mayflower Church into the world in specific ways.…[T]o address our biggest challenges—halting climate change, realizing racial and gender equality, and dismantling poverty—we must be able to see God’s presence in our neighbors, no matter the color of their skin, their gender identity, or where they live. As we do, we can build more powerful coalitions that will allow us to take on corporate greed more effectively.” The United alum and trustee who nominated Todd for the 2020 Distinguished Alum award is Rev. Dr. Karen Smith Sellers (’76, ’13). In sharing why she nominated Todd, Sellers states, “Todd models brilliantly the ways in which a graduate theological education at United Theological Seminary prepares one for effective leadership in diverse sectors.” Teacher/Activist/Online Church Founder Rev. Dr. Bryan Demeritte, a 2005 alum and adjunct professor at United, recognized a deep need for access to a certain kind of spiritual home and sought to minister to an international audience. The idea for Wild Goose International, as it came to be known, took flight in 2018. As he explains it, Wild Goose was launched at the “intersection of three main public needs with respect to the Progressive Christian movement.” First, there is a paucity of progressive Christian communities in many countries “and even on entire continents.” As a public figure, Demeritte received numerous requests to create an international “progressive Christian worship and a pastoral/community of faith presence on social media.” Second, a significant number of places in North America are bereft of progressive spiritual church homes, and some people are unable or disinclined to venture into public for myriad reasons. Third, with the advent of online-only ministries over the last decade or more, many would-be parishioners have grown comfortable with that format.  Wild Goose—so named, notes Demeritte, “because of the indigenous traditions around the world that see the image of the goose as one of the Holy Spirit, instead of the traditional dove”—continued to minister to an international LGBTQIA+ faith community until the second year of the pandemic when churches had become more adept at their new model of online programming—one that coincidentally allowed more people to access services. Of his former role with Wild Goose, Bryan asserts, “United’s unique focus on pastoral education, assisted in deep self-reflection, so that those formative processes could reveal summative growth as an ordained leader in congregational ministry.” Minister/Organizer/Activist In 2011, when Rev. Terri Burnor (’15) began her journey at United, she explained that her life to that point was “pretty ordinary, in the most mainstream definition of ordinary.” Once she witnessed faculty and alums “living out their values in profound ways,” Burnor charted her own path of public theology through acting in solidarity with frontline communities. As a participant, intern, minister, and organizer, Burnor has worked with several social justice groups. She was involved with the Poor People’s Campaign, a national movement that unites people to “challenge the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism.” Other involvements include the Minnesota Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, the Worthy Now Prison Ministry Network, and Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, where Burnor currently serves as senior movement builder. Burnor has also answered the call to show up on the streets and at the State Capitol. Movements she has stood up (or sat down) for include climate justice and Indigenous rights,  supporting protection for undocumented immigrants, securing rights for individuals to make their own reproductive choices, and providing people in prison with religious freedom and the message that they are worthy of love and justice. In 2012, when Minnesotans were asked to vote on a marriage amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, Burnor turned her car into a roving billboard for the “VOTE NO” movement. “We’re a small institution,” Burnor declares, “and yet, when you’re out on the street and in relationship with grassroots organizers, we’re the ones that show up. We’re the ones that you’ll see there. That to me is a testament to who we are as a school.” Counselor/Theologian/Podcaster On his podcast website, A People’s Theology, Rev. Mason Mennenga (’22) describes himself as “an aspiring theologian, podcaster, YouTuber, and the internet’s youth pastor.” Mennenga actually runs two podcasts, posts short-form content on YouTube, and shares some of his past writing. He is also a Colorado-based admissions counselor for United. By its very nature, podcasting is a public performance, and Mason uses this public space to explore intersections between scripture and lived experience. As he explains it, “I wanted to have conversations about theology with people who are doing inspiring and liberating work in the world, and I wanted people, regardless of their theological backgrounds, to be able to join the conversations.” His October 12, 2022 podcast, for example, features Karen González, author of the newly published book Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration. González, who emigrated from Guatemala with her family when she was a child,  is a speaker, writer, and immigrant advocate who attended Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently working on her PhD in Christian Ethics. In the episode, González discusses the way in which her emigration to the U.S. as a child has made her feel as though she does not fully belong in her native Guatemala, or in the U.S. The liminal space she inhabits helps her to write compellingly about the immigrant experience, and she cites texts and stories that show how deeply important the care and succor of immigrants was in the Bible. Yet, she asserts, churches largely ignore this foundational directive for mercy and kindness. Drawing on works from indigenous theologians, González also argues that the western view of property rights is antithetical to God’s vision for the responsible interdependent relationship that should exist between nature and humans. “It is biblical,” she says, “to view the land as not belonging to us.” In another podcast, Mason discusses ways to further social justice with Jamie McGhee and Adam Hollowell, authors of You Mean It or You Don’t: James Baldwin’s Radical Challenge. Episodes also cover topics including homelessness, the role of protest in advancing justice, disability justice, racial justice and more.  A wide range of theologians have appeared on the podcast, including Dr. Diana Butler Bass, Dr. Monica Coleman, Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce, and Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza. Over time, A People’s Theology has risen to rank among the top one percent of all podcasts.  So You Want to Be a Public Theologian? The need for informed discourse in the current morass of division and injustice, as in past eras, will not let leaders be still—leaders like you. United welcomes you to this fascinating and ever-growing field of study. To learn more, consider a degree program or get in touch with Dr. Wheeler. 1. Virgil Glenn, 19, right, carrying a pro-segregation sign, shouts angrily at Wilson Yates, a 23-year-old Vanderbilt University divinity student bearing an anti-segregation poster as both pro and anti-segregation pickets marched up and down the Memorial Square in downtown Nashville April 11, 1960. JACK CORN / THE TENNESSEAN 2.  Merrill, Arthur L. United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities: An Ecumenical Venture (New York: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1993), 189.]

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January 11, 2023

United’s Distance Learning Success Story

Do you feel called to faith or justice leadership, but want to stay rooted in your community? You need a seminary that fits your needs. At United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, our state-of-the-art technology allows students from around the world to study online while: Becoming an involved member of the United community and classroom Gaining a world-class progressive education Accessing support from peers, staff, and faculty Training to become an impactful leader Why United Has an Edge Innovation is part of United’s DNA. Forged during the volatile social climate of the 1960s, United was never envisioned as a monolithic organization. From its inception, the seminary has demonstrated an intentionality of advancing public theology to stay current with the times, moving toward a more diverse faculty and student body—by faith traditions, gender, orientation and expression, ethnic background, life phase, and geographic location. By extending United’s reach into a national and global sphere, we are leaning into our values of interreligious and intercultural engagement. At the same time, we are uniquely poised to equip our students to lead and minister toward justice and peace in a multi-faith world. We offer flexibility. In the fall of 2022, the average age of a United student was 43. Many of our students have life circumstances that make compulsory in-person attendance difficult, as they are rooted in their communities—homes where they want to stay and make an impact. Lisbeth Melendez Rivera—a 35+ year veteran of social justice work, and recent candidate for city council in Hyattville, Maryland—worked on a Master's degree while living on the East Coast. “I’ve conducted my entire learning experience on Zoom,” she shares, “and it has been a fantastic experience.” Being able to learn from a distance was essential for Rivera. “I was able to work and get assistance from my union to complete my studies,” she explains. If she were required to move, Rivera adds, “that would not have been possible.” Our leadership promotes transformation through distance learning. Our technological investment was a calculated plan, and not a sudden pandemic-inspired shift. United, when it moved in 2019 to its Saint Paul home in the CASE building, deliberately advanced its technological capabilities in the new space. The city-centered campus, with its modern and tech-friendly design, is near light rail and bus routes. As such, it is far more accessible for both commuters and distance learners. Pictured at left, Rev. Mason Mennenga—a United alum, employee, and podcast host of A People’s Theology—admits that the seminary has a “Zoom culture.” “It’s a great thing,” he adds. “Our distance students feel like there is a distinct community built among them. This is especially rare for seminaries and there is a reason why we often have students transfer from other distance programs to ours, because we offer a leading distance program. In fact, we have been doing Zoom courses for almost five years, well before the pandemic, so we have been able to develop a community of students over Zoom far longer than other seminaries.” The Nuts and Bolts Synchronous classes allow for discussions in real time. Each one of our classrooms has high-quality microphones, high-definition cameras, and flatscreen TVs so that the online/in-person interaction in the classrooms is as seamless as possible. As one recent distance learning graduate asserts, “distance learning worked for me because I always felt like I was a part of the United community.” Asynchronous pedagogy—a modality that allows students to access content and move at their own pace—is the most flexible option for our faculty and students. It also allows students and faculty to be a little more creative. For asynchronous classes, as Associate Professor of Theology and the Arts Dr. Jennifer Awes Freeman explains, she creates a personal introduction (sometimes on video) and invites her students to create and post their own introductions. These self-directed introductions allow students to discover commonalities as well as unique points of interest and start to form a community. Awes Freeman adds, “In my course design and interactions with students, I strive to create an accessible, transparent, and collaborative learning environment. Regular and open communication, coupled with responsive pedagogy (such as incorporating additional resources in response to student questions), helps to foster learning online.” Rivera (pictured at right) notes that she has been able to meaningfully connect with United’s faculty and fellow students online. She also “highly values” the opportunities she had to serve on the Student Leadership Council, take part in the Committee Advocating for Racial Justice (CARJ), and meet one-on-one with faculty. Rivera even organized an online “pancake breakfast” with her fellow students. “I asked, as part of my project, for my classmates to help me organize a common space where each student brought their favorite pancakes, or something that met their dietary requirements, with extra servings to share.” Students find ways to make community, both when they are online and on campus. Synchronous classes allow for discussions in real time. Each one of our classrooms has high-quality microphones, high-definition cameras, and flatscreen TVs so that the online/in person interaction in the classrooms is as seamless as possible. United also has a selection of library resources available online, including eBooks and journal articles. Dr. Tim Sena, director of the Spencer Library, notes that he is “working on increasing the number of these resources all the time.” The pandemic also created an impetus to make the online library even more accessible. Translating Online Learning to Ministry United is educating leaders to serve in many impactful ways—congregational ministry, chaplaincy, nonprofits, arts organizations, public policy roles, academia, social services, and more. Our unique curriculum, which incorporates social transformation, the arts, and interreligious dialogue, helps to better inform and ground advocates for justice, equity, inclusion, and love for all. As one alum has stated, “United understands that students are not solely called to preach and teach within the walls of an institution, but to take our witness into the public square.” On a more practical level, all students—whether distant or on campus—have chances to take leadership roles in student affinity groups, the student leadership council, United chapel services, and other events that United hosts live and via livestream. With help from our chaplain, students also have access to personal counseling and CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education), an interfaith hands-on learning practicum. What’s more, all that technology is increasingly part and parcel of ministries, nonprofits, and many other businesses today. Notes one 2022 graduate, “Technology is a huge part of ministry, and United prepared me to hit the ground running in my new church home.” Those who founded United Theological Seminary were uniquely prescient in their vision for aligning the new seminary with the newly formed United Church of Christ. Steeped in the turmoil of the 1960s, the founders recognized the importance of an ecumenical seminary, foresaw “professional preparation of men and women (emphasis added),” and dedicated themselves to providing “the most adequate program of theological education possible.”¹ Sixty years later, as our nation calls for racial justice and slowly recovers from the unprecedented pain of a worldwide multi-year pandemic, United’s students, alums, and faculty have been creative, ethical, and compassionate leaders. Girded with our foundational values and modern technology, we have learned to lead worship in new ways, coordinate public forums, work to transform society, minister to hurt communities, and keep providing quality theological education in person and through distance learning. 1.  Merrill, Arthur L. United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities: An Ecumenical Venture (New York: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1993), 287–288.]

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