VTS Graduation Day, 2008!

Hearty Congratulations to the VTS Class of 2008! We had especially nice ceremonies both yesterday and today.

My Colleague Dr. Roger Ferlo gave the commencement address this morning, which was terrific. I especially liked the Hebraic flavor and spirituality of his address and how in it he stressed a shared commitment to the way of the Torah and to the act of loving God with all our minds. He made it clear that we should understand the "love of learning" and the "desire for God" as two sides of the very same coin. Click here to watch a video of the Commencement ceremony.

Today's honorary degree recepients included the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church and the Most Rev. Daniel Deng Bul Yak, archbishop of the Episcopal Church in the Sudan. The presiding bishop also gave the sermon at the annual mission service in the chapel last evening. Because Prof. Jones and I have been working with the Sudan and are huge supporters of Archbishop Daniel, we attended the special dinner last night at the VTS deanery, where both primates Deng Bul and Jefferts Schori were among the most honored guests. It was great fun talking with both of them.