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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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December 17, 2024
Alums VOICES

Rev. Cyreta Oduniyi (’19) Ministers through Counseling and Relationships

“Since I was a teenager,” Rev. Cyreta Oduniyi reflects, “I always…said I would love to be a youth pastor.” So it made sense that she earned an MDiv in pastoral care and counseling. While at United, Cyreta was excited to learn more about womanist and Black liberation theology from faculty who had learned from some of the pioneers in those fields. This connection, she asserts, “brought [theology] into a different light for me and brought it to life.” Since earning her MDiv, Cyreta has held several positions at Liberty Community Church in North Minneapolis and founded a consulting business. Currently, she serves as the program director at Liberty’s Northside Healing Space and as an associate pastor for youth development at Liberty. The Northside Healing Space program that Cyreta directs intends to reduce Minnesota’s disproportionately high rate of infant and maternal mortality within Black communities and its unhealthy relationship with health care. “We are caring and walking with families who are pregnant, in delivery, or postpartum,” she explains, and connecting families with “trusted providers”— doulas, midwives, other birth workers, lactation consultants, elders, and others—who use culturally sensitive “rituals and traditions that help wrap around the family.” Since 2016, when she founded I Am Youthwork, Cyreta has also been offering extra support to “those who work with children and youth,” including youth pastors. “Youthwork, she shares, “is how to walk with children and families on their spiritual journey in today’s context.” Recently, Cyreta re-enrolled at United to begin work on her DMin! Why come back? There are too few “women who represent what I look like, where I live, and the way my family looks” who are conducting meaningful research about her community, she admits. In addition, she couldn’t ignore all the nudges she received from United, Liberty, and God. With a laugh in her voice, Cyreta tells the story of all the ways she tried not to return to school. Still, she confesses, “God was like, ’Girl, shut up!’” And she is happy to be back. For Cyreta, returning to United feels both like a homecoming and the start of a new adventure. We are truly excited to see what she will do next to support the common good.

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November 25, 2024
Methodist Studies ministry VOICES

Rev. Gloria Roach Thomas (’98) Ministers through Love, Healing, and Hope in a Hurting World

Rev. Gloria Roach Thomas (’98) grew up in a small town in South Carolina. As she recalls, “I drank out of the colored water fountains, I went to the colored elementary school.” Still, she reflects, the surrounding community “told us we were someone, even when the world said we were not.” Her father was a community activist and civil rights proponent, and her parents gave back to the community. What brought Gloria to Minnesota? “I came to Minnesota in 1976 on a bet with my cousin,” she admits. “We wanted to live somewhere for one year away from our homes.” Much to the chagrin of her family and friends, Gloria ended up staying in the Twin Cities and started her ministry here. The Path to United Gloria’s years at Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc.—helping underserved families and individuals access education, financial knowledge, housing, and health services—inspired her to consider seminary. While there, she met successful United alums, and even got to know a person on staff at United. After a tour of the space in New Brighton and a fact-finding meeting, Gloria decided to apply. “My interest in attending United was met with interest and respect,” she remembers, “so it was United that I decided on.” Treasuring Experience At United, Gloria states, “I most treasured the overall theme of human inclusion in ministry.” She reveled in the variety of religions, denominations, and philosophies she found, the broad acceptance of gender expressions, “a variety of ways to refer to God,” and exposure to Womanist Theology. After graduating (MDiv, with a Pastoral Congregational Care emphasis), Gloria asserts that the pastoral care and grief education she received at United enabled her to reach the goal of supporting families who have lost kin to tragedies such as suicide or murder. For 14 years, she taught “Death and Dying across Cultures and Religions” in the Mortuary Sciences Program at the University of Minnesota. Gloria has led grief sessions with congregations, supported hospital staff, and worked with bereaved families. During that time, Gloria also became ordained as a United Methodist Elder, and ministered at several Twin Cities Churches, including Brooklyn United Methodist Church in Brooklyn Center, and Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Paul. While at Camphor, Gloria helped launch a building renovation and construction project to develop gathering spaces for community support programs. Re-fire-ment In 2018, Gloria announced her retirement from full-time work. She likes to call it “re-fire-ment”—re-firing into something new. In honor of her decades of dedication to community service and ministry, Governor Mark Dayton declared June 2, 2018, as Rev. Gloria Roach Thomas Day. In 2019, St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation named her as its local Facing Race Award recipient. In a video recorded for the Facing Race Award, Gloria credits her parents and home community for their strength and courage. “I stand on their shoulders,” she avows. “I would not take anything for that journey because it really began to take hold of who I am and it... set me on a journey.” More recently, Gloria shared that “God has allowed me many great ministry opportunities to assist in bringing love, healing, justice, and hope to a world that desperately needs it.” United is truly honored and blessed to count Gloria as one of its transformational alums.

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November 22, 2024
Black Church Black Liberation Theology Theology Womanist

What Is Black Liberation Theology?

At its most basic, Black liberation theology is a contextual theology that centers its focus on liberating Black people from historical and ongoing oppression—namely, the multi-layered, criminally zealous, racially motivated, and dehumanizing oppression of Black Americans by myriad generations of white Americans. Black theology envisions a Black God and Black Jesus who are completely aligned with and sympathetic to Black people’s ongoing struggle. Black liberation theology also offers a framework through which Black Americans can reject the whitewashing of Christianity. Origins of Black Liberation Theology Black liberation theology grew from a long-held understanding that, in America, the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court ruling that promised “separate but equal” accommodations for Black and white Americans was a sham; unequal segregation was the true goal, and Black Americans were effectively disinherited, disempowered, and disenfranchised. In addition, how white Americans repeatedly used the Bible to justify slavery, and all of its attendant ills, made Bible-focused Christianity less welcoming to Black believers. As slaves, Black Americans were deemed property. Once “freed,” Black Americans were denied the promise of land, and many turned to sharecropping, an unregulated system whereby they farmed a small plot of land, and paid rent by giving shares of the crop proceeds to the capricious white landowner. Lynchings, common from 1880 to 1940, aimed to preserve white dominance and promote Black worthlessness. So-called “Jim Crow” laws—which lasted close to 100 years in the South—enforced racial segregation, and promoted vastly inferior social, economic, and educational opportunities for people of color. Some researchers identify an early form of liberation theology among Black and womanist abolitionists. By the early 20th century, African Methodist Episcopal Church leaders spoke in favor of a social gospel informed by liberal theology and Marxism. The idea of Black Power rose from the 1950s into the 1960s. The idea was championed by organizations as diverse as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and its Chairman, Stokely Carmichael, the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X (who rejected Christianity as a white man’s religion), and the Black Panther Party. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist preacher, and president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, espoused non-violent resistance. But he also associated with some of the 51 signatories to the “‘Black Power’ Statement by National Committee of Negro Churchmen” that appeared as a full-page ad in the New York Times on July 31, 1966. The statement sought to impress upon readers how the failure to address racism posed a national danger. “We are faced now with a situation where conscience-less power meets powerless conscience, threatening the very foundations of our nation.” In Section II: “TO WHITE CHURCHMEN: POWER AND LOVE” the statement reads: “We commit ourselves as churchmen to make more meaningful in the life of our institution our· conviction that Jesus Christ reigns in the ‘here’ and ‘now’ as well as in the future he brings in upon us. We shall, therefore, use more of the resources of our churches in working for human justice in the places of social change and upheaval where our Master is already at work.” During the 1960s, James H. Cone, an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who grew up in the segregated south, felt that his faith was being challenged by the Nation of Islam’s repudiation of white Christianity and the Black Power movement. The 1967 Detroit riots, during which 43 people (33 Black) were killed, spurred him into action. Black Theology and Black Power, Cone’s 1969 book, followed quickly by A Black Theology of Liberation in 1970, launched the Black liberation theology movement. Cone’s publications also came soon after the Black Christian National Movement was founded in 1967 by Rev. Albert B. Cleage Jr., a Detroit preacher who published The Black Messiah in 1968.  Foundational Principles of Black Liberation Theology Cone was so impassioned when he wrote Black Theology and Black Power that he completed the book in just one month. Cone explained, “I just felt myself driven by the truth, the truth of Black history and culture and what it had to say about the nature of Black faith in the struggle for justice.” First and foremost, Black liberation theology is a clarion call to social justice for Black Americans. As Cone declared in Black Theology and Black Power, “If the Church is to remain faithful to its Lord, it must make a decisive break from the structure of this society by launching a vehement attack on the evils of racism in all forms. It must become prophetic, demanding a radical change in the interlocking structures of this society.” Included under the umbrella of social justice is the concept of liberation from oppression. In the 1970 preface to A Black Theology of Liberation, Cone unabashedly states, “It is my contention that Christianity is essentially a religion of liberation. The function of theology is that of analyzing the meaning of that liberation for the oppressed so they can know that their struggle for political, social, and economic justice is consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Any message that is not related to the liberation of the poor in a society is not Christ’s message. Any theology that is indifferent to the theme of liberation is not Christian theology.” Black liberation theology is an active belief system that is grounded in the exigency of the present struggle to dismantle hundreds of years of white oppression. As Cone asserted in Black Theology and Black Power, “If eschatology means that one believes that God is totally uninvolved in the suffering of men because he is preparing them for another world, then Black Theology is not eschatological. Black Theology is an earthly theology!” For generations of Black slaves, sharecroppers, and churchgoers who were told to pin their hopes on finding a reward in heaven, Black theology places itself firmly in the present day. The words Liberation Theology tie directly to an ethos of lifting oppression wherever it lives as taught in the gospels.  In Black Theology and Black Power, Cone asserts that Black liberation theology asks, “What does the Christian gospel have to say to powerless black men whose existence is threatened daily by the insidious tentacles of white power?” He goes on to describe Black theology as “permeated with black consciousness”—a “ghetto theology.” It is a theology through which Black Americans can see themselves and recommit to the struggle for justice. Cone addresses the issue of redemption in his 2011 book, The Cross and the Lynching Tree (Orbis Books). “The gospel of Jesus is not a rational concept to be explained in a theory of salvation,” Cone explained, “but a story about God’s presence in Jesus’ solidarity with the oppressed, which led to his death on the cross.” He continued, “What is redemptive is the faith that God snatches victory out of defeat, life out of death, and hope out of despair, as revealed in the biblical and Black proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection.” The Future of Black Liberation Theology In 1989, four New York City seminaries organized a conference to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cone’s Black Theology and Black Power and encourage church leaders to bring Black theology from academic circles into the pews of modern Black churches and bridge the disconnect between the pulpit and the parishioners. Though Cone did not attend (much to the chagrin of the organizers), he agreed to a phone interview with a New York Times reporter. “The Black church,” Cone observed, “has produced outstanding preachers…but the church hasn’t produced theologians of equal quality. Without strong theology, preaching becomes entertainment, and there is a tendency to make church life center around the preacher.”  Rev. Dr. J. Deotis Roberts, another pioneer of Black theology who knew Cone and attended the event, praised the evolution of a “new Black ecumenism” that included perspectives of Black women and biblical scholars. Three prominent women theologians had already made the case for womanist theology earlier in the decade:  Rev. Dr. Katie Cannon wrote a book chapter “The Emergence of Black Feminist Consciousness,” in Feminist Interpretation of the Bible (1985);  Rev. Dr. Jacquelyn Grant, who studied under Cone, penned an article in the Spring 1986 Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center titled “Womanist Theology: Black Women’s Experiences as a Source for Doing Theology”; and Dr. Delores Williams’ seminal article, “Womanist Theology: Black Women’s Voices,” was published in the March 2, 1987 issue of Christianity and Crisis. At the same time, Roberts decried ways in which progress for Black people had stagnated. “Racism itself,” he claimed, “has become more insidious. If our people are to survive, it will be largely due to how well the Black church carries out its mission.”  Dr. Roberts’ emphasis on hope and acknowledgment of the intractable quality of racism in America, undergird reasons why Black liberation theology remains essential. Dr. Esau McCaulley, associate professor of New Testament and Public Theology at Wheaton College, quoted in a 2023 article, noted that Black theology “is a transformational, ecclesial tradition…that is willing to listen to and enter into dialogue with Black and white critiques of the Bible in hope of a better reading of the text.” Dr. Jemar Tisby, a contemporary Christian historian who has written about Cone, has authored several books. In The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism (Zondervan, 2019), Tisby asserts, “History demonstrates that racism never goes away; it just adapts.” He also characterizes many American churches as practicing “a complicit Christianity rather than a courageous Christianity.”  In a country still rife with religious, institutionalized, and deeply embedded racism, Black theology offers a crucial framework for holding fast to hope and faith without losing sight of justice struggles that persist. Conclusion Championed by James Cone, Black liberation theology rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is a theology tethered to the plight of Black Americans intent on fighting against oppression and following Christ’s model of working to lift up the downtrodden.  Since Cone’s ground-breaking publications, many other theologians have carried forward the study and practice of Black Liberation Theology.  Dr. Anthony Reddie is the professor of Black Theology and director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture at Regent’s Park College in Oxford, England. He is also the editor-in-chief of Black Theology: An International Journal and has authored numerous books, articles, and book chapters including Theologising Brexit: A Liberationist and Postcolonial Critique (Routledge, 2010), and the republished Is God Colour-Blind? Insights from Black Theology for Christian Faith and Ministry (SPCK, 2020) Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley is the Jonathan Blanchard Associate Professor of New Testament and Public Theology at Wheaton College in Illinois. His books include Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope (IVP Academic, 2020), which won several book awards, and How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South (Convergent Books, 2023). He is also a contributing writer for the New York Times.  Dr. M. Shawn Copeland is a womanist theologian and a professor emerita of systemic theology at Boston College. She was the first African American to serve as president of the Catholic Theology Society of America. Her books include Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being (Fortress Press, 2020) and Knowing Christ Crucified: The Witness of African American Religious Experience. (Orbis Books, 2018).  Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney is the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Texas and a womanist theologian. Her publications include Daughters of Miriam: Women Prophets in Ancient Israel (Fortress Press, 2008) and Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne (Westminster John Knox Press, 2017) Rev. Dr. Willie James Jennings, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale University Divinity School, won the 2015 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race (Yale University Press, 2010). He has also authored After Whiteness:  An Education in Belonging (Theological Education between the Times) (Eerdmans, 2020) This is by no means an exhaustive list. Black Liberation Theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities United’s erudite professors and alums can offer many suggestions for Black liberation and womanist theologians to follow and books to read. In fact, for the past 62 years, United has been steadfastly committed to promoting social justice and working toward social transformation. As Dr. Demian Wheeler, a United faculty member who teaches Black liberation theology courses, shares, “Rigorous and empathetic dialogue helps us remember that privilege and power shape the way we see things. It helps us remember that we are fallible, limited human beings with incomplete, partial, and historically conditioned perspectives. It helps us remember that all theology is contextual theology.” He adds, “Cone’s Black theology arose out of the need to make sense of Christianity in a white racist society, a society that has attempted to systematically strip black people of their very dignity, being, and humanity.” Nearly every United degree program—from the MA to the MAL to the MDiv—includes a requirement to take coursework in Ethics and Justice. That means most students can learn more about Black and womanist theology. The DMin in Social Transformation also invites students to study theologies of liberation. Even our 15-credit Certificate in Ethics and Justice includes an option to study Black and womanist theology. If you found this blog informative, please share it with others. If you feel called to seminary, contact our admissions team to explore United’s 30+ seminary degree programs today! We appreciate your willingness to explore Black liberation theology and its mission to dismantle white supremacy and create true freedom for all Black Americans. ¹ “This Far by Faith,” PBS, accessed November 2024, https://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/journey_5/p_2.html. ² APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.) Cone, J. H. (2018). Black Theology and Black Power. Orbis. ³ APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.) James H. Cone. (2010). A Black Theology of Liberation—Fortieth Anniversary Edition: Vol. Fortieth anniversary edition. Orbis. ⁴ APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.) Cone, J. H. (2018). Black Theology and Black Power. Orbis. ⁵ Ibid. ⁶ Peter Steinfels, “Conference on Black Theology Unites Scholars and Pastors,” The New York Times, October 29, 1989. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/29/us/conference-on-black-theology-unites-scholars-and-pastors.html ⁷ Ibid. ⁸ Chris Meehan, “Black Theology Offers Hope,” Christian Reformed Church, February 1, 2023. https://www.crcna.org/news-and-events/news/black-theology-offers-hope 

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November 19, 2024
social transformation students VOICES

Social Transformation Student Doe Hoyer Follows the Spirit

Doe Hoyer, who is pursuing an MDiv in Social Transformation, grew up southeast of the Twin Cities. Their grandfather was a Lutheran pastor. “I really had a strong love and resonance with him as a child,” Doe shares, but “as a queer child, I always felt like a misfit” at the family’s Lutheran church. It has taken some time, but since starting at United, Doe has found where their gifts can flourish and grow. The Slow Road to Seminary When Doe was 16, they experienced a “devastating loss” when a cousin tragically died. Retrospectively, they acknowledge there was a “missed opportunity for spiritual care there.” That trauma turned Doe away from religion and spirituality for many years. After earning a BA in linguistics at Macalester College, Doe’s early jobs included teaching ESL to Latinx and Somali adults. Though teaching a colonizing language bothered Doe, they learned how challenging it is for immigrants to navigate American systems. Meanwhile, through involvement with the local Reclaiming Pagan community, Doe found “a thread of earth-based spirituality” and “community singing.” They also made an important connection with United alum Colleen Cook* (’12), with whom they lived for six months. Not only did Colleen share stories about their time at United, they proved to be a “vocal encourager.” During what they describe as a “seven-year discernment process,” Doe took on more leadership roles, learned how to be a community song leader, and had experiences that affirmed the spirituality in nature. Then, just a few weeks before Colleen passed away in 2019, they texted Doe: “Maybe you want to apply to United.” Growing into an Organizer “Reckoning with my Christian roots and learning more at United,” Doe asserts, “has allowed me to have so much more flexible thinking about Christianity.” They made strong connections with other students in their “incredible” formation class with Rev. Dr. John Lee (’19). Rev. Dr. Jessica Chapman Lape’s “amazing classes” have “yielded connections with inspiring chaplains,” and they treasure the feedback and encouragement from professors Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman, Rev. Dr. Gary Green, and Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis. For the past year, Doe has also worked as an organizer and song leader for the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery. The Coalition, co-founded by Sarah Augustine—a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant—“calls on the Christian Church to address the extinction, enslavement, and extraction done in the name of Christ on Indigenous lands.” Doe’s local involvement with repair communities for Makoce Ikikcupi, the Dakota land recovery project, helped them get the job. Doe believes lessons learned in United’s social transformation and chaplaincy courses have strengthened their organizing abilities. As Doe explains it, chaplaincy’s emphasis on remaining present and open with another helps temper the social transformation push for action and systemic change. Moving between these skill sets helps Doe forge deeper and longer-lasting relationships with other activist organizers. Following the Spirit “I could not be doing this work,” Doe attests, “without the learning and reflective experiences I have had through United.” They now encourage others to check out the seminary. “We need people who are going to engage robustly with their own spirituality, what it means to bring that to others in this world,” and how that can play out in meaningful service. * Deceased

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November 7, 2024

Statement by United President Molly T. Marshall on the 2024 US Election

This morning, many in our community are fearful, not knowing what comes next for them and their loved ones. The possibilities of disenfranchisement, displacement, and oppression foster despair and rightful anger. I shared these words with our students last Tuesday, and now, in the wake of this election, I offer them as much to you as to myself. Please breathe; stay close to your beloveds; find anchors for your hope; and trust that you can be an agent of civility in public witness. This is no time to cower from our calling. United is steadfast in its support of those threatened by the policies of the incoming Trump administration. We will live into our prophetic witness for the common good, decrying hatred, vilification of LGBTQ+ identities, and the oppression of immigrants. Let's be vigilant as we extravagantly care for those who fear personal harm. As we have for 62 years, United will prepare leaders to meet the most pressing needs in our churches, faith communities, and society. We will not abdicate our purpose nor betray those who have laid the path before us. May we cultivate a beloved community and, as our values urgently prescribe, let us be a public witness for the common good.  May it be so. Rev. Molly T. Marshall, PhD President Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him), Director of Marketing and Communications United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138

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October 19, 2024

Remembering Rev. Dr. Barbara A. Holmes, President Emerita

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, October 19, 2024 — United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is saddened to have received news of the death of President Emerita Barbara A. Holmes, known affectionately as Dr. B., who faithfully served as United’s eighth President from 2012 to 2016. Before her career in theological education and seminary leadership, Dr. B. was a practicing corporate attorney and educator. Having received her JD from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 1984, she spent the next ten years in the legal profession, first as a clerk, and then as a senior attorney. Following experiences she had while volunteering with individuals experiencing homelessness, she enrolled in seminary, receiving her MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1995 and her PhD in Religion (Ethics) from Vanderbilt University in 1998. Dr. B. was ordained in both the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Prior to her time at United, Dr. B. held various positions at Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS) on the faculty and in administration. In 2005, she made history as the first Black woman to serve as a seminary’s Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean in the United States, a role she held until 2010. She was also MTS’s Professor of Ethics and African American Religious Studies from 2005 until her call to United in the summer of 2012. During her tenure at United, she contributed to the seminary’s growing understanding of inclusion and reached out to communities of both racial and religious diversity. In particular, she proactively engaged leaders from Black, Native American, Somali, and Muslim communities. An artist, Dr. B. was fond of saying that she believed that art was one of God’s primary languages. Working with Associate Dean Margaree Levy (’17), United hosted, “The Gospel According to Jazz” with Grammy-award-winning jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, a friend of Dr. B’s and MTS student, in 2013. The event, held at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, drew an enthusiastic and diverse audience of over 900 people, inviting new friends to learn about the work that United was doing. Looking back, Margaree reflects, “Dr. B. often spoke of the spiritual possibility that is present in those that are listening and creating Jazz, saying, ‘It takes you to church.’” With support from the Henry Luce Foundation, a program titled “Out in Gospel” was developed, and local and national artists were invited to participate. The mission of “Out in Gospel” was to provide theological and creative support for LGBTQ+ Gospel musicians within the Black Church. It also educated the wider community about human sexuality, the arts, and worship. Associate Dean Margaree Levy (’17) noted, “‘Out in Gospel’ left a meaningful impact on the community and provided space for difficult conversations. The school had wide-open arms for everyone, and Dr. B. facilitated this work.” A preeminent womanist theologian and ethicist, she was a prolific author with published works including Joy Unspeakable, Contemplative Practices of the Black Church; Race and the Cosmos: An Invitation to View the World Differently; and Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village, published in 2021 by Fr. Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation, where she served as a member of the Core Faculty. As noted by former Board Chair Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Sartain (’11) upon the announcement of her resignation, Dr. B. “sought to build upon our tradition of progressive leadership, infuse new life into our mission, vision, and values statements, diversify the community, and move United into the age of technology.” United’s current President Molly T. Marshall, in gratitude for the legacy and impact of her predecessor, shares, “United gives thanks for this remarkable woman of faith and expansive learning. Her time at United called the seminary to new appreciation of African art, holistic spirituality, and racial justice.” We remember Dr. B.’s contributions to the landscape of theological education, her visionary scholarship, and her service to this vibrant community. Blessed be the memory of President Emerita Barbara A. Holmes. A full obituary for Dr. B. can be viewed at this link. Update (October 25, 2024): Dr. B. served as a Core Faculty member for the Center for Action and Contemplation from 2019 until her passing. Brian McLaren, Dean for the Center, published a moving reflection honoring Dr. B.'s life and scholarship. You can read it here. The Center's executive director, Michael Poffenberer, also published his reflections memorializing Dr. B. You can read Michael's article here.

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October 9, 2024
Announcements Faculty

Remembering Rev. Dr. Dayton D. Hultgren, Former President of United

(SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2024) — United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has received news of the death of Rev. Dr. Dayton D. Hultgren, a former President and faculty member of the school. From 1971 to 1982, Dr. Hultgren led a period of growth and evolution in seminary education, overseeing milestones throughout his tenure that would have an impact for decades to come. Inaugurated in 1971 at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, President Hultgren was United’s second president, succeeding founding President Emeritus Ruben H. Huenemann. There were exciting programmatic initiatives during President Hultgren’s tenure. United had its first woman graduate, and in the ensuing decade, the school became a leader in the education of women in the fields of theology, ministry, and religious studies. Under President Hultgren’s leadership, Professor Emeritus James B. Nelson and President Emeritus Wilson Yates—with the University of Minnesota Medical School’s program in sexuality—helped develop a joint course in human sexuality. Dr. Nelson’s writings on human sexuality and medical ethics earned national recognition. Dr. Gayle Graham Yates laid the groundwork for teaching women in ministry and taught the first course in feminism and the Church as well as the first course in religious studies in the early 1970s. Rev. Dr. Patricia Wilson Kastner was appointed the first full-time woman professor in 1975, teaching historical and constructive theology. In 1976, Professor Emerita Mary Farrell Bednarowski was appointed to the faculty, becoming the first director of the Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MARS) program that same year. The Antoinette Brown Womenspace and Resource Center, proposed by United’s women’s caucus, was developed in 1977. One of President Hultgren’s most significant early hires was Academic Vice President Thomas C. Campbell in 1974. Following Campbell’s death in 1979, Professor Emeritus Clyde J. Steckel was appointed Academic Vice President and Dean. In his “Recollections of the 1970s,” included in the 40th Anniversary Edition of VOICES, Dr. Steckel describes various steps taken by President Hultgren to revise aspects of United’s organizational structure, including an “opening [of] faculty meetings to the seminary community and appointing [of] students to the senate, board of trustees, and faculty committees.” He also played a significant role in forming the CUE Regional Seminary Support Program, a mechanism through which Chicago Theological Seminary, Eden Theological Seminary, and United received financial support from local congregations. After 11 years in office, President Hultgren stepped down in 1982 and was succeeded by the appointment of Rev. Dr. Mary (Molly) B. McMillan (’78) as interim president. In addition to his tenure at United, President Hultgren served as President of San Francisco Theological Seminary as well as in various roles at Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University, and the University of St. Thomas. He would later establish a consulting firm, HBH Associates, and was recognized for his philanthropic work throughout the rest of his life. Professor Emerita Barbara Anne Keely met President Hultgren in 1991 while serving alongside him on a Presbytery committee—which included Rev. Dr. Molly McMillan—focused on raising funds to benefit local congregations. "Dayton brought his sense of ministry and fundraising gifts to the Presbytery, churches, and other nonprofits.” She continues, “He loved the Church, and shared that love through United, the Presbytery, and church consulting." President Emeritus Wilson Yates, a faculty member during President Hultgren’s time in office, notes that Dayton Hultgren brought a new generation of thought about theological education and served as a catalyst for democratizing the institution’s governance structures. “This positioned the school to become a leader in the development of new forms of theological education.” Reflecting on President Hultgren’s kindness at the onset of her term, United’s current President, Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall says, “Not too long after I arrived at United, former president Dayton Hultgren courteously took the time to come for a visit. I was struck by his kind nature and fond reflections on his time serving United. He knew well the complexity of seminary leadership and went out of his way to encourage me as I began my time of service.” She continues, “The Apocalypse writes of such servants: ‘they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them’ (14:13). Blessed be his memory among the forebears of this good seminary.” For President Hultgren’s immense contributions to the life of United, his legacy of generosity, and his forward-looking leadership, we give thanks. Blessed be the memory of President Dayton D. Hultgren. A public memorial service for President Hultgren has not yet been announced by his family. Until then, click here to read President Hultgren’s full obituary and honor his rich legacy. About United Founded by the nascent 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 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

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August 12, 2024
Announcements Lecture

Renowned Theologian and Ethicist, Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien, to Lecture at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in St. Paul on September 25

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, August 12, 2024. United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in St. Paul are delighted to announce that they are jointly sponsoring a lecture by the highly esteemed American theologian and ethicist Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien. The free event will take place at 6:30 PM on September 25, in the main church at St. John’s and be live streamed on St. John’s YouTube channel. Dorrien, the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University, will base his lecture around two of his recent publications: Anglican Identities: Logos Idealism, Imperial Whiteness, Commonweal Ecumenism and the autobiographical Over from Union Road: My Christian-Left-Intellectual Life. Both books have a 2024 publication date. In Anglican Identities, Dorrien offers a comprehensive historical examination of Anglicanism, encompassing the faith’s longstanding proclivity toward ecumenicalism and idealist approaches. He also argues that the religion’s aspirational ecumenical vision is directly antithetical to English Anglicanism's entanglement with colonialism and white supremacy. Over from Union Road, on sale September 30, is a rich memoir that describes Dorrien’s unlikely journey from being an academically inattentive high school athlete to becoming a renowned social ethicist, theologian, and intellectual historian. The book also covers Dorrien’s participation in the civil rights movement and other social and cultural upheavals during his lengthy career. Dr. Demian Wheeler, United’s associate professor of Philosophical Theology and Religious Studies and a former student of Dorrien’s, endorses the publication. He writes, in part, “This riveting and beautiful book is the remarkable story of how Gary Dorrien became Gary Dorrien, how a shy athlete from rural Michigan became the foremost religious historian and theological ethicist of our time. With his signature blend of genealogical detail, comprehensive analysis, and gripping storytelling, Dorrien chronicles the events and experiences, ideas and struggles, and loves and losses that indelibly shaped his spirituality, his activism, and his progressive Christian worldview.” In addition to the lecture about his two recent publications, Dorrien will also lead a discussion on themes from Anglican Identities. The Episcopal Church, whose roots were formed within the English Anglican tradition, is a current autonomous member of the Anglican Communion. Earlier this year, Dorrien was awarded the Gandhi, King, Mandela Peace Prize at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The citation honored Dorrien’s “distinguished teaching and magisterial, rigorous, monumental, and definitive scholarship that counter and disrupt white racist theology and ethical inquiry by centering the truths of Black life, Black Christian witness, and political imagination.” It is indeed a signal honor to be hosting this theological, ethical, and intellectual luminary in the Twin Cities. Attend in person at 60 N. Kent St., St. Paul, MN 55102.  Click here to view the lecture. 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

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July 11, 2024
Announcements Faculty

United Welcomes Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Jennifer Maidrand

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, July 11, 2024 — United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is excited to announce that it has welcomed another Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow—Dr. Jennifer (“Jen”) Maidrand—for its 2024–25 and 2025–26 academic years. Dr. Maidrand, who started her two-year fellowship July 1, is our Visiting Assistant Professor of Bible, Culture, and Interpretation. An accomplished scholar, educator, and activist, Maidrand holds a PhD in Bible and Cultures from Drew University. For her dissertation, “Excavating Promised Land: The Geopolitics of Scripturalization in Palestine-Israel,” she earned the Rabbi Dr. Sheldon J. Weltman Prize for Excellence in Biblical Studies. Her MA in Theological Studies, also from Drew University, focused on religion and ecology. Professionally, Maidrand has served with Global Ministries (UCC) in Palestine and has robust experience working with an array of churches across the US concerning education and advocacy related to the Middle East. She is a member of the United Church of Christ and is committed to fostering interfaith and intercultural community education and dialogue around sacred texts, the earth, and social justice. At United, Maidrand will teach four courses per year—two in the fall term and two in the spring. Based in Ohio, all of her courses will be taught through distance learning, but Maidrand will commute to United for key community events and maintain a faculty advisory load during her fellowship. “We are delighted to have Dr. Maidrand joining us as a Louisville Institute Fellow,” attests Dean Kyle Roberts. “A biblical scholar focusing on the intersection of Bible, culture, and interpretation, she fills an important role in our curriculum. She will teach introductory courses on religious texts and biblical interpretation, as well as upper-level electives that address crucial issues of geopolitical concern and elucidate ways in which politics and interpretation intertwine. Ministers and spiritual leaders need the kind of biblical and cultural literacy she will offer in these complex and contested times.” President Molly T. Marshall agrees. “Dr. Maidrand brings excellence in biblical studies,” she asserts, “and she connects her scholarship to pressing concerns in our time, e.g., land issues in Israel/Palestine. United has a storied history with Louisville Institute Fellows, and our faculty is adept at mentoring emerging professors in theological education. We are grateful to welcome her to this thriving community.” For her part, Maidrand expresses her gratitude for the opportunity. As she writes, “I am thrilled to be joining the United faculty as a Louisville Fellow. United's commitment to prepare leaders to steward movements of peace and justice, in their faith communities and beyond, is one I share wholeheartedly. I look forward to accompanying students in this part of their journey in hopes that my own interests in contextual biblical interpretation, decolonial methodologies, and ecumenical peacebuilding in Palestine-Israel will be of service to their formation.” Welcome, Dr. Jen Maidrand, to our faculty and to our United community!  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 About the Louisville Institute Funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment, Louisville Institute awards grants and fellowships to those who lead and study North American religious institutions, practices, and movements, advancing scholarship to strengthen church, academy, and wider society.

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