Tag: Liberation Theology

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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

Social Transformation Lunch—Easter as Uprising

"There has been a tendency to spiritualize resurrection, softening how radical and disruptive an act of resistance and justice it is. Some of our ancient spiritual forebears bore witness to the empty tomb as an uprising, an ongoing, embodied witness of getting up again and again in resistance to all that opposes abundant life." Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis. Join us after Chapel on Thursday, April 9, for a lunchtime conversation with Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis between 12:45 and 1:30 PM. Rev. Dr. Davis will lead a conversation reflecting on “Easter as Uprising.” Bring your own lunch and join the discussion in the Intersection on campus or on Zoom. This event is hosted by United’s Social Transformation Program and its Leadership Center for Social Justice. Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis is ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and has served as the lead minister at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, with expertise in social justice analysis, advocacy, and organizing. As an adjunct professor at United, he teaches “Preaching and Your Public Voice” and “The Formed and Transformed Leader.” Rev. Dr. Davis is also a member of United’s Board of Trustees. Join us online at 12:45 PM CDT on April 9 at this Zoom link. >

Rev. T. Michael Rock Preaching at Lyndale UCC

Rev. T. Michael Rock, United’s director of Contextual Education and Spiritual Direction, as well as an adjunct professor for Spiritual Formation and Contextual Education and shepherd of the chapel, will be preaching at Lyndale UCC (610 W 28th St,  Minneapolis, MN) starting at 10:30 AM CT on Sunday, February 22, 2026. He is also Lyndale UCC’s pastor for Congregational Life, and would love to see you at the service. Visit the church website to learn more.  

Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman Preaching at St. Paul’s UCC in Delano

Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman, United’s assistant professor of Theological Ethics and Formation, as well as our program director for Formation, will be preaching at St. Paul’s UCC in Delano (201 Buffalo Street, Delano, MN) on Sunday, February 22, during the 9:15 AM CT service. He would love to see you there! Visit the church’s website for details. 

Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis Preaching at St. Anthony Park UCC

Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis, United’s McVay Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Social Transformation, as well as program director for Social Transformation, will preach at St. Anthony Park UCC in St. Paul —led by pastor Rev. Victoria Wilgocki (’06)—(2129 Commonwealth Avenue, St. Paul) on Sunday, March 22, during the 10:30 AM CT service. He would love to see you there! Visit the church’s website for details. 

Book Launch—Trans Biblical: New Approaches to Interpretation and Embodiment in Scripture

Join us for the launch of Trans Biblical: New Approaches to Interpretation and Embodiment in Scripture, a new collection of wide-ranging essays published by Westminster John Knox. The book explores key issues animating trans-biblical interpretation from a variety of angles and emphases. Contributors, who represent a range of gender identities, answer the question—“What makes a biblical reading trans, or a trans reading biblical?”—in diverse and exciting ways. They also promote new ways of thinking about gender variation in the ancient world while more sensitively and critically addressing ongoing debates about gender and embodiment.  Several editors (including United’s adjunct faculty, Melissa Harl Sellew, ThD, along with Dr. Joseph A. Marchal and Dr. Katy Valentine) and contributors (including United’s core faculty, Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia Tanis) will offer brief remarks about the book, with a response by MA student Elliott Barnhill. Those who attend in person can enjoy light refreshments. Register below to join us onsite or online.

President Molly T. Marshall to Preach at St. John’s

In anticipation of welcoming Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien to the Twin Cities on Wednesday, September 25, President Molly T. Marshall will be preaching at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church twice on the Sunday before (during the 8:00 and 10:00 AM services) during St. John’s Racial Healing Holy Eucharist. St. John’s livestreams its 10:00 AM services, so if you cannot join us in person, you can access the service on their YouTube Channel. To attend in person, the church is located at 60 N. Kent St. in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit St. John's online to learn more and find directions.

Guest Lecture with Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in St. Paul 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 Anglican’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.  Dorrien will also participate in United’s Fall Convocation on September 26 as he joins us to celebrate the installation of his former student, Dr. Demian Wheeler, into the new Sophia Chair in Religious and Theological Studies. The Lecture at St. John’s and United’s Fall Convocation are completely free to attend! View the venue address and information below.