At Wesley, learning continues during the summer, in and out of the classroom…
DC summers are no strangers to me. When I was in college, I spent a couple of summers living in the district as – like most other college students you’d meet in DC over the summer – an intern. This summer is a little different: I am taking courses toward my MTS degree while taking advantage of the variety of resources the city has to offer “emerging” church leaders.
In mid-June, I had the opportunity to attend
Pentecost, an event sponsored by
Sojourners that offered training and resources for living out faith in the public life. We talked about our own stories and how they intersect with others’ stories and the larger story of God, which calls us to peace and justice. In my small group, which was comprised of other people based in the greater DC area, I heard many stories of how the Gospel spoke into lives, and how this Gospel is the reason why many people are seeking justice on behalf of the poor and marginalized. The event featured a panel of speakers, including
Rev. Joseph Daniels, who teaches in our
Urban Ministry program here at Wesley and also serves as co-chair of the
Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) and on the Board of Directors of the
Council of Churches of Greater Washington.
Following the conference, I attended an intensive, week-long summer course on campus called
Church of Baseball.
Dr. Shaun Casey, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and avid baseball fan, taught this course based on baseball as America’s civil religion, examining the influences of civil religion and its rituals to contemporary society. Even though the course was specifically on baseball, it provided tools for applying and discussing Christian theology with the secular world. The course included a tour of the new
Nationals Park and a Friday night
baseball game. It was definitely one of the most unique courses I have taken in my graduate career.
Finally, one of the other highlights of my summer in DC (so far) was the chance to see the
Jesus for President book tour with
Shane Claiborne (who also wrote
The Irresistible Revolution) and
Chris Haw. The book
Jesus for President is a very bold work, that calls us to pledge our allegiance to the Kingdom of God and challenges us to be critical of how our policies reflect (or do not reflect) Christ’s teachings.
Other highlights of the summer include two courses on faith, spirituality and the arts, one of which featured a class trip to the National Gallery of Art to see a modern interpretation of the Stations of the Cross by Barnett Newman. So far, summer in DC has been both educational and fun, and it’s only the beginning of July!
Education at Wesley capitalizes on all that Washington, DC and the mid-Atlantic region offer. To learn more about summer courses at Wesley or the unique opportunties offered by theological education in DC, email Beth in the Wesley admissions office at bludlum@wesleyseminary.edu.
Elaine deLeon is preparing to enter her second year of the Master of Theological Studies program at Wesley this fall. Having completed her undergraduate degree at Drew University in New Jersey, Elaine moved to DC to focus on theological studies with an emphasis on social justice. She is a member of the United Methodist Church.