Claremont School of Theology

CST professor Dr. Nicholas Grier leading The Juneteenth Emancipation Jazz Concert with two sold out shows in Portland, OR on June 19.

We had such a wonderful time connecting with the many CST alums and friends at California-Pacific Annual Conference last week!

CST celebrates Juneteenth National Independence Day, commemorating the end of the legal enslavement of African Americans in the US. We invite you to consider using the day, as you are able, to invest time and resources into your local Black communities and to recommit to dismantling white supremacy in all of its forms.

Current CST student Kevin Kang and CST alums Eddie Anderson and Jennifer Gutierrez were recently featured in this article from The Guardian about the recent immigration raids and demonstrations in Los Angeles.

‘To not speak out is to be complicit’: LA faith leaders mobilize amid Ice raids Since federal agents descended on the city, faith leaders have rallied congregants, protested and devoted resources to serve immigrants

If you’re at Annual Conference this week, be sure to stop by the CST table to say hi!

We are so proud of our extraordinary 2025 graduates!

A Statement from CST on Immigrant Justice, Peaceful Protest, and the Use of Force:

Members of the Claremont School of Theology Community,
Claremont School of Theology was founded more than 140 years ago with a vision rooted in the Gospel and carried forward by generations of people who have believed in the transforming power of compassion, justice, and belonging. In every season of our history, we have stood with the marginalized, the oppressed, and those who put their faith into action for a more just world. That commitment remains unshaken today.

We write to you now in a moment of deep moral concern.

We stand in unequivocal solidarity with immigrant families and communities targeted by unjust policies and unlawful enforcement actions. The recent increase in aggressive tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) represents a dangerous escalation in the criminalization of vulnerable people. These actions not only violate human rights—they betray our deepest theological and ethical convictions.

We also strongly reject the decision by the President of the United States to deploy armed federal troops into the Los Angeles area. This militarized response to constitutionally protected peaceful protests is a misuse of government power and a direct threat to democracy, public safety, and moral leadership. CST joins other institutions of faith and conscience in condemning this action.

We affirm the right—and indeed, the necessity—of peaceful protest as an act of sacred resistance. Nonviolent witness is at the heart of every movement for justice. We lift up and support those who are taking to the streets, gathering in sanctuaries, and raising their voices against oppression, in the tradition of prophetic justice-makers past and present.
We are especially proud of the faithful leadership of our partners in the United Methodist Church and the broader faith community:

· West Los Angeles United Methodist Church, a historically Japanese congregation with living memory of its members’ own forced incarceration during WWII, will host a prayer vigil tonight at 8:15 PM. This will be a sacred space for lament, hope, and community solidarity.

· An interfaith prayer vigil will be held this evening at 6:00 PM in Grand Park, downtown Los Angeles, uniting voices across faiths in a call for justice.

· Additionally, you are invited to join Father Greg Boyle, Rabbi Sharon Brous, Valarie Kaur, Bishop Taylor, and other faith and community leaders tonight—Tuesday, June 10 at 6:00 PM—in Grand Park (200 N. Grand Ave) for a candlelight vigil in solidarity and shared prayer.

CST’s mission calls us to educate leaders who are prepared to respond to the needs of a hurting world with wisdom, courage, and compassion. That means not only teaching justice in our classrooms but embodying it in our collective life. We are not neutral. We are not silent. We are on the side of those seeking refuge, safety, and liberation.

Now is the time for moral clarity. Let us pray together. Let us stand together. Let us act together.

Because justice is not optional—it is essential.

In faith and solidarity,

Grant Hagiya, Co-President
Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, Co-President
Steve Horswill-Johnston, Senior Vice President for Advancement & Communications
Andrew Dreitcer, Senior Vice President for Academics and Dean of the Faculty
Kyungsig Samuel Lee, Senior Vice President for International Relations

Full statement here: https://cst.edu/news/a-statement-from-cst-on-immigrant-justice-peaceful-protest-and-the-use-of-force/

When you’re headed down an LA feeeway, you
just may see this! Congrats again 2025 Grads!

CST Announces Transitional Leadership Structure to Support Strategic Vision and Sustainable Future

READ HERE:

CST Announces Transitional Leadership Structure to Support Strategic Vision and Sustainable Future LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 27, 2025) — Claremont School of Theology (CST) has announced a strategic and time-bound transitional leadership model designed to guide the institution through a period of executive transition, institutional restructuring, and renewed focus on long-term sustainability. The...

We are excited to announce that the CST Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Venu Mehta as the inaugural Bhagwan Chandraprabha Endowed Assistant Professor of Jain Studies—following the unanimous recommendation of CST’s Full Professors.

"We are deeply honored and blessed to have Dr. Mehta in this distinguished role. Her scholarship, dedication, and vision will not only advance the study of the Jain tradition at CST but also enrich our broader commitment to interreligious theological education." - Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan

Rev. Dr. Mazvita Machinga, Bishop Gift K. Machinga, and Rev. Woong-Min Kim were recognized as the 2025 Distinguished Alums at Claremont School of Theology’s Commencement ceremony in Los Angeles.

Recipients of the award are nominated by their peers for being agents of transformation and healing in the world, and for living out CST’s core values of compassion, justice, and belonging.

Read more about each extraordinary recipient here: https://ow.ly/SRCk50W0n0J