|
|
|
"The Academy was revitalizing, enlightening, challenging, and fun — you really are pushed to learn and think, and to know your fellow scholars well. And everybody cares!" says
Xiomara
Liceaga.
For Liceaga, a member of San Martin de Porres, Allentown, the 2003 Summer Theological Academy was two weeks of truly loving God with "heart, soul, mind and strength." Xiomara and 14 scholars from nine different synods gathered for theological and vocational exploration in the fourth Academy, held June 28-July 12 at Muhlenberg College.
Among the diverse elements of the Academy, Xiomara singled out the theological courses and the reflection groups as essential for her own growth. Dr. Timothy Wengert, an internationally recognized scholar of Reformation history and the Lutheran confessions, taught the Academy plenary course on classic themes and crucial issues in Lutheran theology. Xiomara was enthusiastic about this course: "Tim was excellent — he taught so well·!"
For Dr. Wengert, the Academy was a personal and professional delight: "I wish that I could do this all year round — I have never been as strengthened in my own faith by such an event as by this one. Here we have theology and theologians at their finest — including parish pastors, seminarians and youth — and all are eager to learn and explore in a setting of true worship and praise of God. Nothing could be finer!"
Xiomara's elective theme course focused on theological questions and liberation theology. This course, "Theology in the Real World," was led by Dr. John Hoffmeyer, who also serves as a visionary and Faculty Consultant in the developing of Theological Education with Youth.
Theme courses were also offered on fundamentals of Christian worship and on moral deliberation and decision-making.
Xiomara's reflection group, led by mentor Romeo Dabee of Queens Village, New York, was also formative for her. She reported that she appreciated the quality of in-depth conversation among a small group of scholars, especially in the Academy's second week. Other mentors in this summer's Academy included seminarians Rev. Frances Baxter and Annette Griffin, and Maritza Torres-Dolich, a LTSP graduate and current STM student who serves as interim pastor at Cristo Redentor Lutheran Church in Reading, Pa.
Reading was the setting for the Academy's servant learning component, developed in partnership with Pastor Keith Rohrbach and the people of Hope Lutheran Church, Reading.
Academy follow-up ministry includes an e-mail listserve, optional Ministry Leadership Projects, a TEY Convocation on the LTSP campus, and a scholars reunion hosted at LTSP. In addition, scholar alumni/ae are encouraged to celebrate and share their Academy experience in home congregations and local youth ministries, and occasionally have opportunities to engage in peer theological education at synod youth assemblies and retreats.
The 2004 Summer Theological Academy will be held July 3-17, 2004, at Muhlenberg College. For more information on next year's academy or to read more about this year's, visit the academy website, http://tey.easterncluster.org/sta2004.html.
Also attending from Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod were Kelly Moore (Christ, Christmans) and Jonathan Rodriguez (Hope, Reading).
|
|
|
|
|
