Notes on VTS Faculty Publications

Yesterday's VTS "Dean's Commentary" blog contained a helpful summary of recent faculty writing and publication. I learned some things about what my colleagues were up to that I did not know:



The end of the summer for most academics remains Labor Day when schools and teaching responsibilities begin in full swing. At one time many seminary professors left the heat and humidity of Alexandria and went to cooler places for the summer, combining vacation, reading, research and writing. Now few have “places” where they “escape” for the summer. Many of our faculty members are more likely to teach some in the summer D.Min. and MACE programs or in August term. Summer, though, is still primary time for the 3 “Rs” of reading, (w)riting, and research. Some of the fruits of reading, research, and writing from the faculty from the last year or several years has come “to market.” In practical theology Joyce Mercer, Professor of Practical Theology, has just had published Girltalk Godtalk: Why Faith Matters to Teenage Girls—and Their Parents (Jossey-Bass); and David Gortner—who just arrived in August to begin as the Director of the D.Min. Program and Professor of Congregational Leadership and Evangelism—has also just had published Transforming Evangelism (Church Publishing) as part of a series on the Episcopal Church in the 21st century. More broadly regarding the challenges confronting the Anglican Communion, Ian Markham, Dean and President, and Barney Hawkins, the Associate Dean and Director of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies and Institutional Advancement, have together published an essay published in the periodical Modern Believing.In the area of music and liturgy, Bill Roberts, Associate Professor of Church Music, has published psalm settings for psalms 27, 97, 99, 100, and 126 in Psalm Settings for the Church Year: Revised Common Lectionary (Augsburg/Fortress), which includes a CD-ROM with congregational parts. Stephen Cook, Professor of Old Testament, published a major commentary for preaching: "The Season of Epiphany" in New Proclamation Year B, 2008–2009, Advent through Holy Week, by B. K. Peterson, S. L. Cook, V. Bridgeman Davis, and D. J. Schlafer (ed. David B. Lott; Minneapolis: Fortress) 77–144. He also wrote an exegetical commentary on psalm 50:1-6 for 440–45 in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year B, Vol. 1 (ed. Barbara Brown Taylor and David L. Bartlett; Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox). From his continuing work on the reception of Christian scripture in China—John Yieh, Associate Professor of Old Testament, has published in Reading Christian Scripture in China, ed. Chloe Starr (T & T Clark) a chapter on “Enquiry into Its History of Reception.” During his sabbatical leave this last year, Professor Yieh has continued his research in Hong Kong, China, and at the British Museum in London. There have been some other faculty publications this summer and surely some of which I am not yet aware. There are also increasing electronic publications by the faculty, such as the commentaries found on our webpage under the Center for Anglican Communion Studies and the Institute for Christian Formation and Leadership. The development of resources—books, hymns, musical settings, articles, essays, commentaries, curriculum, the list goes on—is critical to the ongoing life of the church and central to our mission as a theological seminary. The end of summer holds the promise that new students always bring. The end of the summer also means the end of open-ended time and a new balancing of responsibilities in order to attend to the 3 “Rs” of reading, writing, and research. Moving to Labor Day—and actually faculty meetings before then—has a certain bittersweetnessness. ---Dr. Timothy F. Sedgwick Associate Dean for Academic Affairs