AUSTIN, Texas — On Feb. 25, Jehu J. Hanciles, associate professor of history of Christianity and globalization at Fuller Theological Seminary, will discuss migration and mission, and the significance of African Christianity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Sierra Leone-born Hanciles is also director of the Center for Missiological Research (CMR) at Fuller. The CMR, newly founded in 2009, houses the PhD program in the School of Intercultural Studies and aims to promote collaborative research among Western and non-Western scholars on emerging missiological issues.

Hanciles’ teaching and research focuses on the history, experiences, and expressions of Christianity in the non-Western world. He has lived and worked in Sierra Leone, Scotland, Zimbabwe, and the U.S.

RICHMOND, Va. — Dawn DeVries, professor of systematic theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary (formerly Union Theological Seminary-Presbyterian School of Christian Education), has returned from Rome where she was invited by the Vatican to serve as a delegate at the “Harvesting the Fruits” Symposium.  

She attended the Catholic-Reformed symposium as one of 28 theologians and one of two representatives from North America representing the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

The purpose of the symposium was to help the Roman Catholic Church decide how it will proceed in the next phase of its own ecumenical mission.  The Protestant delegates were asked to be a part of the meeting as advisers to the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

DeVries’s scholarship includes the history of doctrine and Reformed theology.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Rev. Jacqui Lewis, pastor of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City and a nationally recognized speaker and preacher on the topics of racial justice and reconciliation, will give the annual Women in Church and Ministry Lecture at Princeton Theological Seminary on Feb. 25. Lewis’ lecture is titled “The Flesh Became Word: Constructing Counter Narratives for Gender, Race, and Class.”

Lewis is adjunct professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and Union Theological Seminary in New York. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned her Ph.D. from Drew University in religion and psychology. 

CHICAGO — At its winter meeting last week, the McCormick Theological Seminary board of trustees approved a report from a working group commissioned in October to explore issues of space and identity, student housing, tuition income, educational innovation, fundraising, relationship with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and relationships with other denominations. At the heart of the report is a strong re-affirmation of McCormick’s core mission as well as the aspiration to become a seminary that is flexible, agile, adaptive and creative.

“What began with a response to pressing financial issues last year has become an exciting process of revisiting how McCormick most effectively fulfills its distinctive mission in this unique urban environment of Chicago,” said McCormick President Cynthia Campbell.

While McCormick’s administration building remains on the market, this summer the seminary plans to build out various spaces within the building to accommodate new ‘state-of-the-art’ classrooms. Several additions to the seminary’s curriculum are  imminent.

They include the new Institute for Cross-Cultural Theological Education, the first group of students pursuing the new Master of Arts in Discipleship Development and the Master of Arts in Urban Ministry and a new Certificate in Executive Leadership program.

LOUISVILLE — Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary will host a two-day workshop Feb. 19-20 for seminarians and professional clergy that will focus on issues related to child sexual abuse.

Professional educators will introduce the topic of child sexual abuse and discuss warning signs of abuse, red flags for abusers, how to report abuse, talking with a child about appropriate touching, and how to talk to adults about sexual abuse.

Coordinated by LPTS student Melissa Gee — who worked at a Child Advocacy Center where she encountered heartbreaking cases of child sexual abuse — the workshop will be led Dr. Lisa Pfitzer, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Louisville Department of Pediatric Forensic Medicine; and Donna Lloyd, executive director of the Comfort House, a Child Advocacy Center working with child victims of sexual abuse.

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary’s third annual mission conference will be held March 9-10 on the seminary’s campus. 

The theme of the conference is “Turning Mission Upside Down.”  Keynote lecturers are the Rev. Jin S. Kim, founding pastor of Church of All Nations in Minneapolis, and the Rev. Fletcher Matandika, founder of Ministry of Hope and Joy to the World Ministries.

DECATUR, Ga. — Applications are being accepted for Columbia Theological Seminary’s Thompson Scholars event, “Evangelism for the Rest of Us,” May 25-28.

Leaders for the event are Steve and Sharol Hayner. He is president and professor of evangelism and church growth at Columbia. She is a graduate of Columbia and served for six years on the staff of Peachtree Presbyterian Church, in Atlanta.

The Thompson Scholars program features small-group discussions and visits to other ministry settings. Participation is limited to 15 individuals, who are selected after submitting an application.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and will be accepted until the event is full or April 1. Event details and application instructions are available online.