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April 16, 2026
Alums Open and Affirming Queer VOICES

Dr. Ginger Morgan Announced as New Associate Professor and Program Director for Interreligious Chaplaincy

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, April 16, 2026 — United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is thrilled to announce that Dr. Ginger Morgan will join its faculty as the new Associate Professor for Pastoral and Spiritual Care and Program Director for Interreligious Chaplaincy. Dr. Morgan will come to United from Madison, WI, where she is concluding her role at the Presbyterian Student Center Foundation as director of Candid and Community Initiatives. She is a highly qualified program director and chaplain with experience in healthcare, campus ministry, and higher education. With a PhD in Religion and Psychological Studies from Iliff School of Theology at the University of Denver, as well as a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Vanderbilt Divinity School, Dr. Morgan draws from her theological and multidisciplinary education in her work. Interreligious studies is one of United’s four pillars, and the Interreligious Chaplaincy (IRC) program—unique among peer institutions—constitutes the largest and fastest-growing of the seminary’s programs over the past five years. In alignment with United’s ethos, Dr. Morgan is a gifted scholar of religious pluralism, highly educated in progressive theological education, and foregrounds justice in chaplaincy and pastoral care. These values are evident in a chapter titled “Many Doors: Expanding Thresholds for Grace,” written by Dr. Morgan for the upcoming book Dispatches from Campus (Augsburg Fortress Press). Dr. Morgan’s career also reflects her personal experiences and identity. Writing to the search committee, she shared, “My formation includes reconciling my lesbian identity with my faith and living as a religious minority in India during high school, both of which shaped my intercultural perspective and vocational commitments.” She continued, “Throughout my career, I have sought to create inclusive spaces of belonging, whether supporting LGBTQIA+ students, young adults in recovery from addiction, or building programs attentive to justice and equity." Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, President, reflects, “United welcomes Dr. Ginger Morgan with confidence and great enthusiasm. Her varied leadership roles, especially in chaplaincy, equip her uniquely to lead our robust IRC program and to teach pastoral and spiritual care.” In his announcement to the student body, Dr. Kyle Roberts—Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs—noted that Dr. Morgan’s “career in chaplaincy spans hospital, hospice, and higher education contexts, and extensive program leadership experience.” He added, “I want to thank Dr. Demian Wheeler for leading this search process, especially during its formative stages during my sabbatical.” After participating in a months-long faculty search and on-site candidate lecture, being recommended by a unanimous faculty vote, and gaining approval from the Board of Trustees’ Academic Committee, Dr. Morgan will officially begin on July 1. Students, faculty, and staff are eager to welcome her to United for this exciting new chapter. For more information about United’s Interreligious Chaplaincy program, click here. 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. Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

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April 23, 2025
Alums Open and Affirming Queer VOICES

Rev. A. Leon Tredwell, PhD (’06) Publishes Good News in His New Book

Rev. A. Leon Tredwell, PhD (’06) realized his spiritual calling at age 10. “I came up in the church,” he explains, at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Norfolk, Virginia—a Black church  wrestling with the “narrative of civility.” At the time, “we were down to one lady (Ms. Walker) who shouted” when she caught the spirit. One Sunday, Lee and his friends were in the back row when someone told the youngsters exactly when Ms. Walker would shout. When the prediction came true, the boys broke into suppressed laughter. That’s when Lee heard the Spirit speaking to him. “Why are you laughing at her?” Lee recalls the voice asking. It continued: “She’s only doing that because I’ve been good to her. And I’ve been good to you, too.” Since Lee’s family setting had changed from abject poverty to suburban middle class, he could only agree. The die was cast. Coming to United Though Lee fully recognized his call to ministry, he began his professional life as a grain trader for Cargill. After 10 years of moving with the company, Lee realized his purpose wasn’t being fulfilled. Through a connection with and encouragement from Rev. Drs. Ralph and Alika Galloway, Lee decided to give United a try. Thinking back, Lee says that the first thing he appreciated about United was that “the environment and the content were inclusive, innovative, and it was a place of freedom.” Because he was wrestling with his sexuality, Lee especially needed that kind of open-arms welcome. He continues, “To see other queer people who were just brilliant and living out their brilliance in the fullness of who they were” was remarkably affirming. “Being queer in the Black church,” he observes, “was an anathema.” He remembers Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler and Dean Richard Weis† with great affection. Both teachers, he asserts, “taught us to wrestle with the biblical text until it opened up and spoke.” They also introduced Lee to Black and postcolonial hermeneutics, and Rev. Dr. Weis led him to passages in Jeremiah 38 (Hebrew Bible) that sparked his interest in learning more about a Black character named Ebed-Melech. Spreading the Good Word These days, since earning his PhD in Theological and Religious Studies in 2017, and spending many years preaching and teaching, Lee is excited to be publishing a new book. Titled Black, Queer, and Blessed: My Story and the Biblical Story Churches Don’t Teach, the book is part memoir and part theological reflection on the Ebed-Melech revelation. Lee has launched a new website (blackqueerandblessed.com) to promote the book and serve as a touchstone for young people who are struggling with their faith and sexuality. He is also planning an upcoming tour, including podcast interviews and speaking engagements at universities and seminaries, to share the good news about “blessings and connectedness with God.” “The spirit of God and the energies that God has given us are toward purpose,” he asserts. Reflecting on his time at United, Lee feels gratitude for the openness and creativity he discovered. “I am extremely grateful for the experiences at United and the shaping of my life as a result of being there.” He continues, “Because I was there and they embraced me and encouraged me, they helped me to evolve…to be where I am today.” _______________ † Deceased

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April 14, 2025
Arts Distance Education Innovation theology and the arts VOICES

Student Rev. Alicia Reese Creatively Mixes Ministry with Improv

Rev. Alicia Reese has followed the pull of two great loves: theatre and ministry. “I spent most of my life in theatre; I think I started when I was seven,” she recalls. As she grew older, Alicia also felt “a strong call toward ministry,” but there were no women pastors in her church setting. “I never saw,” she reflects, “how that call to ministry could be lived out.”  Through high school and college, Alicia threw herself into theatre. At a small Christian school in Florida, she met a theatre director who believed the arts and church could go together. He let her take over the theatre ministry troupe—“a sketch comedy-ish group that used Christian themes and scripture,” Alicia explains.  In her 20s, after moving to Chicago and working in theatre full-time, Alicia experienced another strong nudge toward ministry. This time, she earned an MA in Theological Studies, but had the sinking feeling that she might have to give up theatre. A minister at her church, who recognized her unique gifts, encouraged her to pursue an MDiv. One of Alicia’s professors at North Park Theological Seminary introduced her to a prison education program at a correctional facility in Joliet. She embraced this new challenge and wanted to help those who were incarcerated share their stories. “So I pulled out my theatre bag of tricks,” Alicia shares, and considered using improv. Finding United The success Alicia found using improv to get incarcerated students to re-vision their stories inspired her to go back to school for a DMin through which she could explore the “connection between spiritual formation and improv.” Why United? “From the moment I started interacting with United,” Alicia remarks, “I felt that deep connection between the arts and theology and ministry.”  After meeting with Dr. Jennifer Awes Freeman, she was hooked. Jennifer helped Alicia create an independent study that involved taking classes at The Second City in Chicago, “a life-changing” experience. Alicia credits United’s “openness to exploration,” the ability to have both “a classroom and a laboratory,” and the needs-based scholarship she received as keys to her success. In addition, “every professor has made a stamp on my work along the way,” and interactions with other students have been “just as fruitful and formative.” Real Life Applications For Dean Roberts’ class, Alicia “designed a whole Lenten series of spiritual practices that use improv” for her congregation. For example, one week she asked congregants to practice failure using the “failure bow”—an exuberant, joyous admission of failure that tricks the brain into getting more comfortable with and learning from failure.  More recently, she created a similar series for Advent. When the children’s minister asked her to devise something for the children’s pageant, he and Alicia designed an intergenerational service based on joy and improv. Toward the end of the service, Alicia used an improv game called “Slide Show” to help the children tell the story of Jesus’ birth. For the first slide, Alicia shared a piece of the birth narrative, and the kids acted out the scene on stage. On alternate slides, the children acted out another piece of the story, and Alicia had to explain what they were doing. Along the way, the kids added new characters and became very engaged in the storytelling.  The pageant, Alicia exclaims, was “probably one of the most joyful, wonderful experiences I’ve had in a faith community, ever.” It was also a reminder of how the DMin work is spilling over into her ministry.  This is “a full-circle moment,” Alicia declares. The gift of “bringing art back into my life through my ministry work has felt like I’m living into the fullness of who God really called me to be now.”

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April 12, 2025
Faculty Holidays Judaism

Passover Reflections from Dr. Mary Lane Potter

Passover is a time of joy. As Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav says, “When the mind is linked to joy, it is taken out of bondage and becomes free.” In my family, we sing, drum, fill Miriam’s well of living water beside Elijah’s cup of wine, take turns walking through two shimmering blue walls of water as everyone sings Wade in the Water or Yismechu Hashamayim, and end by dancing on dry land. Passover is also a time of deep reflection on oppression, justice, mercy, the enslaved, liberation, freedom, refugees, all those who hunger for food, shelter, and justice, and the oft-repeated commandment “Befriend the stranger; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Dt. 10:19) I am grateful every year for this ritual of remembering and reflecting, but especially this year, given the turbulence in the U.S., Gaza, Israel, and elsewhere. In my family, we invite that reflection in many ways. Here are just a few.  Before we begin the maggid, the telling, we remind ourselves that ours is not a triumphalist, us/them, or othering story but a profoundly theological telling that invites us to a complex view of Jewish life and all human life. “In the beginning our ancestors served idols,” we say. “My ancestor was a wandering Aramean,” we add, recalling a man whom tradition identifies as Laban, who tried to get rid of his own son-in-law, Jacob. “We were slaves but now we’re free,” we chant, yes, but it is not only the Egyptians who caused us to suffer, we are reminded. We, too, have gone astray and acted unjustly, misused our freedom, before, during, and after our liberation from Egypt. Our telling is one of hope and thankfulness, not righteousness and purity. At the start of the maggid, following a custom of Rav Huna (3rd century CE), a man familiar with poverty, we stand by the open door of our house as we sing “This is the bread of affliction…Let all who are hungry come and eat.” It is our pledge that we will welcome the stranger in need. During the telling, we follow a Sephardic custom of wrapping a piece of matzoh—the bread of affliction and the bread of the journey to freedom, a symbol of hope and trust that our struggles, our bitterness, our constricted hearts and imaginations, our terror will be transformed into abundant life—in a napkin, throwing it over our shoulder, and walking around the room.  “Where are you coming from?” someone asks. “From Egypt, The Narrow Place!” we reply. As we walk, we each reflect on what we need to leave behind. What values, attitudes, and actions are we carrying with us that we learned from our oppressors? What habits are keeping us prisoners?  What have we grown accustomed to that is no longer serving us, that may cause harm to ourselves, others, and our society? What burdens do we need to lay down? As Rabbi Hanoch of Alexander said, “The real exile of Israel in Egypt was that they learned to endure it.” Then, when the leader asks, “Where are you going?” We answer, “To Jerusalem, City of Peace! City of Joy!” As we make another circuit round the room carrying our journey bread, we each reflect on what a truly free life looks like for ourselves, our people, our country, all humankind, the earth. What will we do with our freedom? Will we resist injustice? Pursue justice? Spread compassion? When we take our seats, we unwrap our journey bread, break off a piece—symbol of broken dreams, broken promises, broken laws, broken bodies—and set it in a communal bowl, as a pledge to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with M’qom HaOlam, Dwelling of the World, M’qor ‘Or, Fountain of Light, Ein Chayyim, Wellspring of Life, as a token that we owe tzedakah, righteousness, to those who are today enslaved, those whose spirits are crushed, refugees, exiles, prisoners, and that we will fulfill it. For when one of us is in chains, not one of us can be free.  Chag Pesach Sameach! A joyous and meaningful Passover to all! _______________________________ Note: Artwork used in this reflection (from artist David Moss' beautiful 1983 art haggadah, based on the Ashkenazic medieval Birdshead haggadah but showing Jews caged and free) was supplied by Mary Potter.

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April 10, 2025
Announcements Community news news releases

United Will Award Frank Sims with Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) Degree at Its 2025 Commencement

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, April 10, 2025. In honor of Frank Sims’ decades of community leadership and support for innovative education, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to announce that it will award Sims with a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) at its 2025 Commencement Exercises on April 27. Since the 1990s, Sims—now a retired corporate vice-president from Cargill, Inc., and former Board Chair and Interim President of Fisk University—has generously blessed United with his time, expertise, and stalwart support for its values and mission. In the 1990s, after Sims moved to the Twin Cities for work, he connected with United through a former Cargill colleague, Dr. Kita McVay (’96, ’09), who was serving on the board. She asked if he would like to serve on United’s board of trustees. After meeting with United President Ben Griffin (1987–1995) and learning more about the school’s progressive history and its more diverse and inclusive theological education, he gladly accepted. Since he first joined United’s board, Sims has served two full terms as a trustee, worked on capital campaigns, and supported scholarships for United students. Recently, Sims and his wife, Robyn, worked with President Molly T. Marshall to establish the Sims Scholars Initiative, a project designed to educate and prepare leaders who desire to constructively engage issues confronting Black spiritual communities. The initiative operates by selecting and mentoring a cohort of students to attend a unique, tuition-free Master of Arts in Leadership degree program at United. The first cohort entered seminary in 2024; applications for the 2025 cohort are due May 1. During his involvement with the seminary, Sims has often remarked on the importance of promoting education and giving back to the community. He has also expressed the belief that theological study can help people to understand the biblical values of charity, humility, and service. “Over the years,“ notes President Marshall, “Frank Sims has demonstrated his care for theological education and the church through providing generous scholarship assistance to United. An experienced leader, he has contributed greatly to higher education and, particularly, to this good school. We rejoice in the opportunity to honor him at Commencement.” Rev. Dr. Gary Green, United’s Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Social Transformation and Director of Anti-Racist Initiatives, declares, “My spirit has wanted to call Frank Sims ‘Doctor’ since we met, having heard of the myriad ways he has supported the mission of United. But now, after having worked with him in the creation of the Sims Scholars Initiative, I know firsthand of his worthiness for this honor, and I am elated that we are celebrating his living legacy in this way!”  “I am so grateful for the generosity of Frank Sims in establishing this scholarship. When our faculty speak of the students this initiative has attracted to United, they glow about the energy, the enthusiasm, and the dedication of students participating in the Sims Initiative. The many ways they contribute to the larger United community, and vice versa, have been a blessing to our seminary,” adds Dr. Kyle Roberts, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean, and Schilling Professor of Public Theology and Church and Economic Life. United will celebrate the graduating class of 2025 and award a Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Sims during its 63rd Commencement on Sunday, April 27, at 3:00 PM CT, at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN. Details, including onsite and online registration, can be viewed here. ______________ About United Founded by the nascent United Church of Christ as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the cutting edge of progressive theological thought leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to train leaders who dismantle systems of oppression, explore multi-faith spirituality, and push the boundaries of knowledge. Contact Nathanial Green (he/him), Director of Marketing and Communications United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138 Admissions admissions@unitedseminary.edu  

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March 6, 2025

Donors Establish the Wilson Yates Chair of Theology and the Arts

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, March 6, 2025. United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Wilson Yates Chair of Theology and the Arts. This tenure-track, endowed faculty position will be made possible by gifts from a cadre of United friends, alums, and former faculty. The chair’s beloved namesake, Wilson Yates, President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Religion, Society, and the Arts, has had a storied career and made significant contributions to United, perhaps none more so than in the development of United’s work in the field of theology and the arts. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Harvard University, where he did his PhD, he joined the United faculty in 1967, later becoming the Dean in 1988 and President in 1996 before retiring in 2005. Wilson’s visionary leadership expanded and deepened the connection between imagination, creativity, and theology as expressed through the arts that has been core to United’s academic ethos for decades, evidenced by the art from students and alums lining the walls of United’s campus, and anchoring its publications, programs, and digital media. As a professor, Wilson had a transformative impact on his students’ understanding of their art as theology and their theology as art, empowering them to find their creative voices. As Dean, he invited the faculty to explore and expand their understanding of the arts and the critical role that they could play in teaching. As President, he was active in the larger national and international conversations taking place regarding theology and the arts. In addition to teaching, Wilson has been a prolific speaker, author, and contributor to publications. In 1987, he wrote The Arts in Theological Education: New Possibilities for Integration in which he designed and evaluated a comprehensive study of where and to what extent the arts were integrated in theological studies in 134 seminaries of the ATS (Association of Theological Schools). His later writings included the book Art, Theology and the Church which he co-edited with Kimberly Vrudny (’95), exploring the factors that made possible the rise of interest in the arts in the church as well as in the early programs of theological schools. Wilson, along with Jane Dillenberger, John Dillenberger, Doug Adams, Robin Jensen, Terrence Dempsey, Jim Waits, John Cook, Catherine Kapikian, and Kimberly Vrudny (’95)—as well as other important figures—were instrumental in creating and developing the first theology and arts programs in seminaries. In his writings, Wilson identified six key points of intersection between art and theology, including an understanding of the role of the arts in worship; art as a key to understanding Christian history; art as a means of experiencing the human condition; art as a means of encountering the prophetic; art as a form of the sacramental; and art as a source of Christian vision. In 1988, he founded and edited the journal ARTS: The Arts in Religious and Theological Studies, and in 1997, he co-edited and published The Grotesque in Art and Literature: Theological Reflections with James Luther Adams, his advisor at Harvard. In 2002, Wilson was a leader in the creation of SARTS, the Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies. Published in 2009, the book Visual Theology: Forming and Transforming the Community through the Arts—edited by Robin Jensen and Kimberly Vrudny (’95)—was dedicated to Wilson and his legacy: a desire to see the arts as a necessary part of theological education. In his work after retirement, Wilson has continued to teach and write, focusing on artists who have been lifelong theological companions, including the historical artists Andrej Rublev, Giotto, and Rembrandt, and artists from the twentieth century such as Käthe Kollwitz, Picasso, Marc Chagall, Rouault, Barbara Hepworth, and Jacob Lawrence. Dr. Kyle Roberts, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, celebrates his predecessor’s impact on United’s faculty and academic offerings, saying, “One can hardly think of United without also thinking of Theology and the Arts, and vice versa. And one can hardly think of both without also thinking of Wilson Yates. Wilson's academic work and creativity in Theology and the Arts birthed that spirit and focus at United, establishing a unique identity among seminaries. This endowed chair in his name and honor secures that historic identity and legacy for decades to come." Dr. James L. Waits, Dean Emeritus of Candler School of Theology at Emory University, has known and worked with Wilson for decades. Reflecting on his friend and colleague, Dr. Waits asserts, “I have known Wilson Yates for over fifty years, and have admired his substantive contributions both to the church and to theological education. His love for and advocacy for the arts has been a unique and special gift to colleagues and institutions alike.” With gratitude for Wilson’s living legacy and the generosity of these committed supporters, President Molly T. Marshall reflects, “What a joyful project it has been to gather friends of United, Wilson’s many friends, to provide funding for this chair. This endowed chair rightly honors his legacy, and this good school continues his groundbreaking work in theology and the arts, extending it in ever-new directions. We have learned from him that a longing for beauty is akin to a longing for God.” A natural progression of Wilson’s vision and leadership, this chair supports, in perpetuity, the centrality of the arts at United as a core pillar of the seminary’s educational experience. The United community will celebrate the installation of a faculty member into this new Chair soon. United is excited to name this faculty member and share more about this event in the months to come. United offers its deepest gratitude to those many whose gifts will establish the Wilson Yates Chair of Theology and the Arts: A Grateful Student  Jo & Daniel O. Aleshire David & Jeanne Anderson David A. (’84) & Julie B. Bard Mary Farrell Bednarowski & Keith Bednarowski Ted Bowman Julie R. Brown & Jones Adkins (in memory of Harriet Spencer) Pat Browne (’23) Lucy & Robert Brusic Ann & David† Buran Larry & Andy Dunbar Sue Ebbers (’78) & Carolyn Pressler Estate of Priscilla (’83, “Cil”) & Jack Braun Amy & Jack Fistler Terry & David Gilberstadt Ruth & John Huss Marva Jean Hutchens (’80) Cindi Beth Johnson & Thor Mickelson Barbara Anne Keely Stuart Knappmiller (’97) Elizabeth Macaulay (’99) & Cooper Wiggen Linda & Warren Mack Kathi Austin Mahle (’78) & Steve Mahle Julie Mall (’85) Molly T. Marshall Robert† & Polly McCrea Fergus & Ann (Schilling) McKiernan Kita McVay (’96, ’09) & James Wm Johnson Jonathan (’00) & Martha Morgan Mary Ann Murray (’76) Christie Cozad Neuger (’80) & Win Neuger Vonda Pearson (’98) Jim Peck (’99) Ruth Phelps (’85) Mary Pickard Martha Postlethwaite Bill & Susan Sands Belle & Robert† H. Scott Joan Soranno & John Cook Terhuly Foundation Bundy Trinz (’10) Lynn & Carol Truesdell Michelle & Chris Turnau Ron & Carol Vantine Fentress† & James Waits Wilson Yates There’s still time to join these many donors by making a gift to the Yates Chair! Please contact Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson, Vice President for Advancement, at cbjohnson@unitedseminary.edu to make your contribution and be part of this extraordinary moment. 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 train leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him), Director of Marketing and Communications United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities press@unitedseminary.edu • 651-255-6138 The photo of Wilson teaching is by James Butler. Used with permission from Hennepin Avenue UMC. † Deceased

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February 18, 2025
Activism Black Liberation Theology Civil Rights justice leadership social justice

The Hawkinson Fund for Peace and Justice Finds a New Home at United’s Leadership Center for Social Justice

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2025. Now in its third year of operation, the Leadership Center for Social Justice (the Center) at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to announce that the Hawkinson Fund for Peace and Justice (Hawkinson Fund) is a new programmatic focus thanks to an agreement with Grace University Lutheran Church (Grace Church).  Moving forward, the Center will lead the Hawkinson Fund while furthering the Fund’s mission of supporting individuals who have demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing peace and social justice through justice-oriented projects, standing up for their convictions, or displaying ongoing leadership within a peace or justice organization. Rev. Dr. Ry Siggelkow, director of the Leadership Center for Social Justice, asserts, “The fruit of Rev. Hawkinson's prophetic ministry and vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, the Hawkinson Fund has recognized and funded social justice leadership for more than 35 years. In the current context of rising authoritarianism, border walls, militarism, and war, the mission of the Hawkinson Fund stands out as a beacon of hope that another way and another world is possible. We are thrilled by the opportunity to lead the Fund in its next chapter.” The Fund was created in 1988 in honor of long-time pastor and justice activist, Rev. Vincent L. Hawkinson. Hawkinson, who passed away in 2001, believed that religious leaders should speak up and act against injustices and violence in the world. He marched in the South during the Civil Rights movement and took a stand against the Vietnam War. In 1956, Rev. Hawkinson was called to Grace Church in Minneapolis, where he served until 1988. Stan Jacobson, Chair of the Hawkinson Fund for Peace and Justice at Grace University Lutheran Church, avers: “We are thrilled that United’s and LCSJ’s leaders have welcomed the Hawkinson Fund to its new home in light of the congruence of our respective missions to lift up and foster leaders pursuing social justice and peace in our communities and around the world. The transfer will allow for new opportunities to extend the Hawkinson Fund’s mission beyond Grace University Lutheran Church to like-minded people and congregations seeking to advance social justice.” The consonance of mission between the Hawkinson Fund and the Leadership Center for Social Justice should ensure a smooth transition. In keeping with the mission to inspire bold action for justice, the Hawkinson Fund at the Leadership Center for Social Justice is now seeking scholarship applications from undergraduate and graduate students in Minnesota, regardless of religious affiliation or citizenship. The Hawkinson Fund offers three to five $2,500–$5,000 scholarships each year to candidates who have served as role models in moving society toward a more just and peaceful future. Applications are due March 17. United President Molly T. Marshall adds, “United is grateful for the opportunity to extend the Hawkinson legacy of peace and justice as we steward these generous funds. This seminary’s mission is very much aligned with the emphasis on empowering students for social justice.” United and the Leadership Center for Social Justice are excited to expand the Center’s reach and support promising social change agents in college or graduate school. Communities desperately need youth and adults who will fight for justice and stand up for the common good. Financial support of any kind is one of the more significant ways you can partner in this necessary work. If you would like to make a gift to United’s Leadership Center for Social Justice, or directly to the Hawkinson Fund, click here and be sure to select “Leadership Center for Social Justice” or “Hawkinson Fund” from the drop-down menu. About The Leadership Center for Social Justice United’s Leadership Center for Social Justice seeks to equip, inspire, and empower leaders to faithfully and reflectively engage in concrete, contextual ministry for social justice. In the spirit of faith, hope, and love, the Center supports leaders in developing skills in contextually sensitive, creative, and effective leadership and social praxis. About United Founded by the nascent United Church of Christ as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the cutting edge of progressive theological thought leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to train leaders who dismantle systems of oppression, explore multi-faith spirituality, and push the boundaries of knowledge.

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February 11, 2025
Academics Faculty Legacy united faculty

Remembering Dr. Marilyn J. Salmon, Professor Emerita of New Testament Theology

Dr. Marilyn J. Salmon, Professor Emerita of New Testament Theology (1989–2014), is fondly remembered as a committed scholar, a dedicated teacher, a faithful religious leader, and an early and passionate advocate for interfaith dialogue and understanding. Born and raised in Minnesota, Marilyn earned her BA from Concordia College, Moorhead, her MDiv from Northwestern Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary), and her PhD from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she developed a lifelong passion for the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. Marilyn worked on the Gospel of Luke in her doctoral dissertation and, in that research, advanced scholarship about the differences between Christian and Jewish readings of Scripture, work that she continued to explore throughout her life.  Dr. Mary Farrell Bednarowski, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, shares, “When Marilyn arrived in 1989, she was first among the ‘new’ faculty who arrived at United as members of the original faculty began to retire. Her joy in being at United and her love for her subject matter made her a delightful colleague.” Mary continues, “She certainly opened my eyes to the widespread nature of unintended anti-Judaism in Christian theology and preaching, and she was generous in sharing elements of her own spiritual journey. And, I still have her recipe for lamb stew.” Marilyn was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1990 and served for many years at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in St. Paul. Active in the diocese, she also worked as part of the Bishop’s Staff in the Episcopal Church in Minnesota as a Missioner for the School for Formation, helping create classes that would serve lay and ordained ministers. In these and other roles, she contributed in significant ways to the vitality and strength of the church.  A challenging but revered teacher, Marilyn made a significant contribution to students’ more nuanced and broadened understanding of the New Testament. Students were encouraged to approach texts with creativity and imagination. They were invited to look for new ways to read familiar passages and to experiment with interpretation while also staying true to the text. Artist and sculptor Doug Abbott (’10) affirms that “Marilyn challenged and turned upside down a set of assumptions I had about my religious identity.… The foundation that came from the growth under her tutelage marvels me to this day.”  As Karen Larson (’12) attests in a Facebook comment, “I hear her voice every time I run across a passage that sounds anti-Jewish.” Dr. Lyle Schlundt (’15) adds, “She was a great teacher. [I] will never forget her saying, ‘Jesus was a Jew talking to other Jews about Judaism.’” Maureen Smith (’01) notes, “I often quote her in the Bible study I lead at my church. I say my New Testament teacher said one of her missions in life was to restore to the Pharisees their good name.” “She was an engaging professor and always very kind to me,” asserts Amanda McElray Hunter (’10). “Her legacy and commitment to building peace through interfaith work will live on through her students.” Rev. T. Michael Rock, Director of Contextual Education and Spiritual Direction, adds, “As a contextual education supervisor for many of Dr. Salmon’s students, I was always impressed with their exegetical acumen, good historical criticism and knowledge, and practical applications of scripture. Like many gifted seminary professors, Dr. Salmon had a lasting impact on the local church through her students.” In a testament to her myriad achievements, Marilyn was awarded the Founders Medallion by the Graduate Studies department at Hebrew Union College. Awarded to a PhD graduate from at least 25 years ago, she was honored for her support of “vibrant faith communities.” Her leadership skills were also evident at United where she served in a variety of administrative roles, including acting dean. Dr. Kita McVay (’96, ’09), former United President, writes, “Marilyn and I worked closely together as colleagues when Dean Richard Weis took sabbatical and Marilyn stepped in as acting dean. Marilyn could hold in tension the multiple interests within the seminary, from fundraising to analyzing new models of education, and brought her deep experience of United and its singular identity to the role of acting dean. Her own spiritual journey had no stopping point, and Marilyn continued pushing the boundaries to find her authentic place. Her conversion to Judaism was, of course, a major milestone in the journey. She found at Mount Zion a home where her exploration could continue, a warm community, and, much too soon, a locus for final consecration.” Marilyn’s gifts to the community included leadership in interreligious engagement. For many years, she served on the Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning advisory board. The Center was founded in 1985 at the College (now University) of St. Thomas. A gifted speaker, she delivered lectures and led workshops locally and across the United States on the Bible, Feminism, and interfaith dialogue. She taught adult education series for churches and ecumenical and interfaith organizations, and she frequently facilitated Continuing Education workshops, helping participants find creative ways to approach the Lectionary texts for preaching.  In 2006, Marilyn’s book Preaching without Contempt: Overcoming Unintended Anti-Judaism was published. She sought to address practically ways in which Christian preachers often unintentionally perpetuate anti-Judaism in their teaching and sermons. This publication, dedicated to her sons, in the hope that one day they would ask her why she had to write it, was a culmination of her lifelong work. Reflecting on her ongoing scholarship, Marilyn wrote, “I want our students to be passionate, creative, responsible interpreters of the Scriptures, knowledgeable about both ancient contexts and contemporary audience….I am committed to raising awareness of the caricatures of Judaism that permeate biblical preaching and teaching and perpetuate Christian anti-Judaism. I believe that the integrity of the Christian Gospel is at stake.”  In 2015, just after her retirement, Marilyn was the Didier Seminar Speaker at The House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, filling in for the widely respected New Testament scholar and theologian Marcus J. Borg, who had recently died. “Jesus Then and Now” was the title of her address.  Later in life, Marilyn’s commitment to her scholarship and devotion to the study of theology and biblical texts led her to discern a calling away from the priesthood in the Episcopal Church and into Judaism. She became an active member and participant in her community of Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, where she continued to share her many gifts.  As President Molly T. Marshall observes, “United grieves the death of this fine scholar-practitioner who expanded the seminary’s inter-religious engagement. Treasured as a professor and beloved colleague, we give thanks for her graceful imprint.” United gives thanks for the many ways in which Marilyn served students, alums, fellow faculty, and the broader community, working to promote peace and understanding about diverse faith traditions and expressions. May her memory be a blessing for us all.  A service for Marilyn was held at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul on Thursday, February 13, at 12:30 PM. You can live-stream the service. A Celebration of Life followed the service at Shamrocks in St. Paul. Everyone was welcome at both events. For more information, you can read Marilyn’s obituary here. 

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January 9, 2025
Beliefs justice Legacy peace

A Jimmy Carter Kind of Baptist

Among my progressive Baptist friends, we have a saying about identity: “I am a Jimmy Carter kind of Baptist.” Deeply Christian, he was unwaveringly committed to racial justice, the inclusion of women as pastoral leaders, the glad acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ persons within the Body of Christ, and the twin hallmarks of freedom of conscience and religious liberty. Three encounters with the former president helped shape my appreciation of his legacy. While a young theology professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, I heard his vibrant concern for social justice as he was our commencement speaker. Not only was his address a call to the graduates to act for those on the margins of society, but his demeanor of respect for everyone he encountered while in our midst demonstrated that regard. Besides, it was great fun to sit a couple of chairs away from a Secret Service agent clad in an academic robe, complete with earpiece. Seated nearby was a faculty member with an ancient hearing aid that dangled from his ear; one was licensed to kill, the other to flunk. A second encounter occurred at the Carter Center when Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter convened a group to implement “The New Baptist Covenant,” an initiative primarily devoted to seeking reconciliation and collaboration between Black and White Baptists. The Carters understood the inequities caused by segregated worship and segregated communities and wanted to mobilize the healing of fractures caused by racism. Their passion for overcoming persistent discrimination was contagious. Subsequently, President Carter committed to attending regional meetings to help promote the agenda of this emerging covenant. I was a part of the planning group that brought him to Kansas City. Sharing a platform and observing his clarity of purpose strengthened my resolve. The preacher of the occasion was Rev. Carolyn Ann Knight, a gifted Black woman, and his enthusiasm for her message reached revivalistic proportions! It revealed what he valued and expressed his easy rapport with his Black kin. We celebrate the life of this good man at a precarious time in our nation’s history. I trust that the guidance we received from his well-lived life is not lost by either church or society.

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January 8, 2025
social justice social transformation students VOICES

Ryan Cagle’s Ministry Leads through Social Transformation & Eco-Justice

Student Ryan Cagle, who grew up in what he describes as the “backwoods of Alabama and the foothills of Appalachia,” is pursuing both an MDiv in Social Transformation and an MA in Eco-Justice. For the past three years, he has also been the driving force behind a social justice ministry in Parrish, Alabama, called Jubilee House Community. It is a big lift, but Ryan finds that his academic work at United is complementing his home ministry. “Seminary has always been a dream for me—something I always wanted to do,” Ryan shares. He’s been involved in ministry since he was 18 and supplemented his ministry with extensive reading. When he decided to pursue seminary, there were no local options. United, however, seemed like a good fit. “The theology and the place and the diversity that is here and embodied in the community,” Ryan explains, was what he needed. Social transformation was an obvious choice since Ryan was already engaged in community organizing and social justice work. Still, much of his ministry in Alabama deals with “ecologically oriented” issues, so he wanted to explore that side too. Fortunately, Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis, associate professor of Christian Ethics and Social Transformation, supported by the McVay Endowment, allowed Ryan to create a self-directed study in Land, Food, Faith, and Justice. Once United added the MA in Eco-Justice, Ryan couldn’t resist adding that degree.  Ryan asserts he cannot “quantify the number of ways that what I’m learning [at United] is actively helping me refine the actual on-the-ground work that I’m doing.” His academic work, Ryan says, is enhancing how he relates, leads, and ministers to others, how they approach decision-making, and how they effectuate eco-justice for those in their community.  With no state funding, Jubilee House Community operates a 24/7 food pantry, a free store for non-perishable items, a community garden, and Alabama’s first, second, and third free 24/7 Narcan® (naloxone) distribution sites (part of their harm reduction efforts). It’s an amazing, heart-filled, and transformational ministry. “I love United.” Ryan avows. “It’s been one of the most life-affirming and vocation-affirming places I’ve ever been and experienced in my entire life.”

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