Claremont School of Theology

With one heart for justice in just one moment of courage, love is expressed and transformation has begun. When you're ready to meet your moment, visit www.cst.edu

Dr. Lailatul “Laily” Fitriyah, who researches decoloniality as Assistant Professor of Interreligious Education at Claremont School of Theology, was recently quoted in a Washington Post article titled “Indigenous people slam Avatar (again) for tropes and inaccuracies.” You can read the article and Dr. Fitriyah’s quote at: https://wapo.st/3PTNH6W

“This fall semester, I have the immense pleasure of co-teaching an online class on spiritual formation with Dr. Aizaiah Yong at Claremont School of Theology,” says Dr. Yohana Junker in a blog excerpt. “As we began thinking of how to ‘Bless the Space Between Us,’ between the weekly assignments, among the diverse time zones and geographic locations, an idea emerged of incorporating epistolary practices in what we named SpiritLetters. At the end of each week, we take turns writing a reflection on how our weeks have been, what kinds of spiritual practices have sustained us, and what types of literature, art forms, prayers, and blessings have given us nourishment as our lives unfold. These experiments with letter writing in the context of our teaching-learning community are intended to share a kind of presence that enacts, embodies, and evokes a sense of deep regard and warmth that only this medium can radiate. The Irish teacher and poet John O’Donohue is responsible for inspiring and inspiriting both our SpiritLetters and this blog post’s title.” Read the full blog by Dr. Junker and Dr. Yong at: https://bit.ly/3jhioXj

May peace, love and joy be yours this holiday season and all year long.

CST students are doing remarkable things! Contextual Theologies PhD student Rev. Bitrus Bamai and his wife Ruth were recently interviewed by fellow CST student, India India Jensen-Kerr, about the nonprofit they started in Nigeria where Bitrus and Ruth are from.

Last Christmas, their nonprofit, Beautiful Hands Compassionate Ministry, donated food items to these hundreds of internally displaced people– women and children whose husbands and parents were killed, their homes destroyed, and are displaced by terrorists. According to the leader of the displaced people, they ran out of food and two days before Christmas, everyone was worried about the situation. Their leader told them “not to worry because God will provide us with rice and other food items to celebrate. Just get ready.” Suddenly on Christmas Eve, the Beautiful Hands Compassionate Ministry, without any idea of what the people were going through, appeared with exactly what they were praying and hoping for.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, please contact Rev. Bitrus at [email protected].

The CST community joins Marian Gill’s family and friends in both grieving this loss and celebrating her memory. A lifelong educator, Marian served on the Board of Trustees from 2006–2016. “One of the greatest blessings in my life and my ministry at CST is to have known and worked with Marian,” President Jeffrey Kuan shared. We are deeply grateful for her years of service on our Board of Trustees and for chairing the Academic Affairs Committee.

When you’re ready to strengthen your ministry, we’re ready to help you earn your degree. CST’s top-rated Master of Divinity (MDiv) program is available 100% online in addition to our on-campus and hybrid options. To get started, email [email protected] or visit our website at: https://cst.edu/for-such-a-time-as-this/

Thanks to the O'Connor Scholarship, one CST student will be chosen to have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Jesus on a Holy Land Tour. Any active UMC MDiv student at CST can apply and, if selected, will be awarded up to $4500 to support a 10-day immersion trip to the Holy Land!

Winter Spiritual Care Seminars | AJRCA

Winter Spiritual Care Seminars | AJRCA Join us December 14 and 15 for three Spiritual Care and Education Seminars.

Today we’re spotlighting Ana Tamayo, who serves as CST’s Coordinator of Student Support Services, Designated School Official, & Accessibility/Disabilities Services Coordinator. Here’s what we asked her:

Q: What attracted you to working at CST?
A: “The people. The overall CST community is just wonderful. I loved this place from the beginning.”

Q: What do you love most about the work you do?
A: “Getting something done that makes a difference to a student. Hearing that I made even just a small impact in a student’s day/life/education – it is fulfilling.”

Swipe to see photos of Ana doing some of her favorite things, like cuddling with her cat named Kobe, enjoying her favorite sushi (caterpillar rolls), and satisfying her sweet tooth.

Many people think our commitment to Interreligious Education is a recent addition to Claremont School of Theology, but in reality, World Religions was taught in the late 1800s when CST used to be known as the Maclay College of Theology at University of Southern California. Before any building on the Claremont campus was dedicated, Rabbi Samson Levey was also teaching Jewish Studies for our university. In the 60’s we offered courses in “Buddhism,” “Hinduism,” “Comparative Thought and Practices of World Religions,” “Buddhist-Christian Encounters,” and “Japanese Religions.” In the 70’s we added “Marxism,” “Religions of India,” “Sacred Traditions of China and Japan,” “Christianity and Communism.” 1981 saw our first “Seminar in Islam.” The school continued its commitment to Interreligious Education over the decades and by 2011, we had helped launch Bayan Islamic Graduate School with its roots in the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC). Learn more about our history at https://cst.edu/about

Rev. Belva Brown Jordan received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa at this year’s commencement. An ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Belva has focused her three decades of ministry on academic administration in higher education, supporting three other theological schools before coming to Claremont School of Theology. In all of her roles at CST, Belva has had the unique ability to handle difficult situations with grace, dignity, restraint, and good humor. We thank and honor Belva for the rich talents and gifts she continues to share with the CST community. https://bit.ly/3OVylyd

CST is part of the fight to keep this important day top of mind.

Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are dedicated to creating a more just, compassionate, and inclusive world. This , your donation to Claremont School of Theology's Annual Operating Campaign serves as an investment in that mission. Please consider making a donation at www.cst.edu/donate or rally your community for support by creating your own CST fundraiser on Facebook. Just follow the link to launch your fundraiser in under two minutes. ➡️ https://bit.ly/3gFO4EY

Are you ready to transform the world? Meet the moment at Claremont School of Theology. www.cst.edu

Looking for ways to experience Thanksgiving respectfully? Honor Native Americans by talking about the holiday’s real history and learning about different tribes and the people that are indigenous to where you live. You can use www.native-land.ca as a starting point. If you are having a feast or sharing your Thanksgiving plans on social media, you can practice a “land acknowledgment,” such as “we are gathered here today on traditional [insert local tribe here] land.” This practice shows respect for indigenous peoples and recognizes their enduring relationship to the land. You can also prepare and serve a Native American dish in honor of the original inhabitants of this land. You may also consider donating to Native American nonprofit organizations, such as the American Indian College Fund, the Native American Rights Fund, or the Native American Heritage Association.

Two of the three new episcopal leaders elected by the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church are Claremont School of Theology (CST) alumni! Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, a Latina pastor, author and speaker, was named a 2018-19 CST distinguished alumna for her work with immigrants in Arizona. She is a CST trustee. Before her election, she served as a pastor and as a district superintendent. Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, a pastor, author and coach, was featured in the CST “For Such a Time as This” campaign. He is the first openly gay African American man to be elected a bishop in The United Methodist Church. He most recently directed communications for the California-Pacific Annual Conference. Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/3gtdcP5

We’re continuing International Education Week with another featured international scholar, Yohan Im, who is joining us from South Korea for our Master of Divinity program. He said “Studying abroad has broadened my perspectives. I grew up in South Korea whose feature is a single nation-state. Moreover, I have been only under the influence of the Christian faith. So, I was quite a conservative person. Before studying in the U.S, I was not used to having a conversation with someone who had a different perspective from me. Therefore, I used to make conflicts in conversations with others. However, studying abroad changed my life.

"After coming to the U.S, I had the opportunity to communicate with people of various ethnicities, races, cultures, languages, countries, and religions. I love the academic diversity at CST. Through inter-religious programs, I have learned how to listen to other people’s opinions and how to solve problems about conflict of ideological differences. I believe that understanding different faiths and cultures will facilitate me to do effective ministry in a pluralistic world, even speaking about beliefs respectfully with people who do not speak “theological language.” The experience of studying abroad helps me to become a person who can recognize the diversity in the world, making my personality more peaceful.”

We’re celebrating International Education Week! Our international scholar of the day is Kumrila Mongzar from India who is studying Contextual Theologies (Global Ph.D) with a specialization in Process Studies. What she loves most about CST is that it’s “unapologetic to stand for justice, truth, and compassion.” She says “The foundation for such a worldview results in seeing everybody as equally human before their socio-political, ethnic, and religious background.” Kumrila also told us “studying abroad has broadened my horizons in perceiving the realities of life. It is helping me not only to fulfill my goals but also positively challenging me to enlarge those ‘goals.’ And the challenge to enlarge my goals has also resulted in personal growth as well. I am coming to learn there is always so much more than there is. And with diverse cultures and people it only adds so much beauty and excitement to it.”

We find strength and unity in diversity. We are rooted in hope, growing in different directions and following different paths, but united by a common call to love, serve, and heal. www.cst.edu

As a Hispanic Summer Program (HSP) sponsoring school, CST students, faculty, and staff have access to an expanded curriculum taught by world-class Latinx faculty as well as programs that enrich Latinx theological education at our institution. You are invited to apply to the HSP Summer Session, which gathers students from across the country for a two-week summer intensive where participants get the opportunity to take accredited, graduate level courses with some of the nations top Latinx faculty in an environment that centers Latinx methods, pedagogies, and stories. Apply by December 1, 2022 for the 2023 session, which will take place from June 18th to July 1st. Learn more and apply at: https://bit.ly/3fY7K6P

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Sejin “Kaleb” Oh knew he had to answer his call and he knew CST was the place. For Sejin, and so many young pastors, scholarships are a lifesaver. They allowed Sejin to focus on his education and ministry and gave him and his family precious time together — to feel rested, secure, and ready to learn. Sejin now serves as Lead Pastor at El Segundo United Methodist Church, putting his education and calling into practice. He loves his church, and they love him. Your support of theological education directly leads to strong and creative pastors like Sejin who are unburdened by monumental debt. Please consider making a donation to CST's annual operating campaign at:

Donate Thank YOU! Thank you for your faithfulness to the mission and vision of CST and to our incredible students. Your gifts make this sacred work possible and serves as an investment in healthier, life-giving churches and organizations, as well as in the development of stronger communities across the wor...

Thank you to our students, staff, and faculty for the hundreds of responses for our Activating Change Survey! We’ll be hosting two town hall meetings via Zoom to share key findings and to listen to your experiences so we can continue to envision and co-create our future.

The town halls will follow the Brazilian model of ouvidoria, which means “a place to listen” from the Latin audire. The purpose is to listen mindfully and compassionately to suggestions, appreciation, claims, and concerns. If you’re a current student, staff, or faculty member, please join us via Zoom in this self-evaluation, accountability, participatory action, and critically important alignment process. Register at: https://bit.ly/3WvMntV

Today is “I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action” for colleges and universities. We all have our place in the American story, whether as a new immigrant, native to this land, a descendent of enslaved people, or those who came to our nation seeking a better life. The campaign provides an opportunity to bring awareness to this shared history and stand in solidarity.

As we come together with the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration to celebrate the diverse heritage of our nation’s social fabric, we’re calling on Congress to protect Dreamers and DACA recipients by passing bipartisan legislation. Visit www.fwd.us/action to take action today.

If you’ve been discerning a call to ministry or further study in theology and religion, especially within the United Methodist Church, be sure to join the Association of United Methodist Theological Schools (AUMTS) Virtual Recruiting Fair, featuring all thirteen UMC theological schools, including Claremont School of Theology. This free virtual event will take place on Friday, November 4 at 1-3 PM (EDT). Register at: https://bit.ly/3gNBfIo

In the last two and half years, the need for compassionate, spiritually-grounded, and well-educated hospital chaplains has not only grown but has changed. Because hospital staff have borne the overwhelming burden of a global pandemic, hospital chaplains have found themselves tending to the needs of exhausted, burned-out, frontline caregivers as much as or more than patients. We are honored to prepare students in our Master of Divinity in Interfaith Chaplaincy program for such a time as this.

If you too are grateful for the students who answer a call to chaplaincy, who extend the ministry of presence to all who need it, and who are formed by a school with a long and powerful history of transformative education in pastoral care, please consider making a donation to CST’s annual fund at: https://cst.edu/donate

Last chance to register for this transformative event discussing the philosophy & tradition of practicing forgiveness in faiths & cultures across the world, opening with an intro to the concept of forgiveness in . Register by Oct 29th at 5 pm PST. Special thanks to The Uberoi Foundation for Religious Studies for funding this incredible conference. https://bit.ly/3fcL02j

Prof. Dr. Laily Fitriyah’s newest graduate seminar “Learning with the Marginalized: Wasted Lives and Death Worlds?” focuses on theoretical and practical discourses on the roots and formations of the epistemologies of the oppressed. Dr. Fitriyah discusses how and why various forms of marginalization exist, and what constitutes the epistemologies that arise from marginalized contexts. Ways of thinking and living underneath global structures of oppression are talked about, and, most importantly, other ways to think and live that can nurture life, instead of producing death. Visit the link to learn more about Dr. Fitriyah. https://cst.edu/lailatul-fitriyah-2/

How might reading Genesis 34 alongside the real-life experiences of Love-Jihad/Honor killing in India lead to a more nuanced interpretation? Dr. Sharon Jacob, Visiting Professor of New Testament and Postcolonial Studies at Claremont School of Theology, recently published an article titled “Love in the Time of Nationalism: Dinah, Shechem, and Love Laws” for Feminist Studies in Religion, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to foster feminist studies in religion in all its variety and diversity. Read Dr. Jacob’s full article at: https://bit.ly/3CV4mRp