Archive and Resources

2024

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 28 and 29
Led by MTSO faculty members under the theme “The Gift of Lament: A Journey from Struggle to Hope.”

Williams Institute Lectures, April 9 and 10
Delivered by Eboni Marshall Turman, associate professor of theology and African American religion at Yale University Divinity School.

Liturgy and Leadership in the Digital Age, April 17
Workshop led by Rachel Billups, senior pastor of New Albany United Methodist Church in central Ohio, and Matt Rawle, lead pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

2023

The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, and Food Justice, Feb. 6
Dinner lecture by Christopher Carter, associate professor of theology at the University of San Diego. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

A Conversation with Anthony Reddie, Feb. 24
The Black Seminarians Network and the Anti-Racism Task force at MTSO sponsor a conversation with Professor Anthony Reddie, director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture at Oxford University.

Schooler Institute on Preaching, March 27 and 28
Led by Luke Powery, dean of Duke University Chapel and associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School. The theme: “Deep River: Preaching and the Holy Spirit.”

Growing Resilience: Connections Between Soil Science, Climate Change, and Spiritual Meanings of Soil and Water, April 19
Lecture by Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at Ohio State University. Presented through MTSO’s Science for Seminaries project.

Religious Responses to Sex Work and Sex Trafficking, April 26
MTSO Associate Dean Yvonne Zimmerman and an international group of scholars and practitioners discuss their contributions to the book Religious Responses to Sex Work and Sex Trafficking: An Outrage Against Any Decent People, examining the history, theological beliefs and current contextual best practices of faith-based non-governmental organizations working in the area of human trafficking that involves the sex industry. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

A Conversation with Jemar Tisby, Oct. 9
Author Jemar Tisby discusses his book The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism with the MTSO community. The conversation is moderated by Dean Valerie Bridgeman and Associate Professor of Theology Christopher Carter. All who study, work and live at MTSO were invited to read The Color of Compromise together in advance of this event.

2022

Shades of Green: Faithfully Financing Climate Justice, March 1
Four panelists provide an introduction to the financial decisions made by large banking interests that support fossil fuels. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Schooler Institute on Preaching, March 16, 23 and 30, and April 6
In four virtual sessions, MTSO President Jay Rundell speaks with eight MTSO alumni serving churches in a variety of contexts. The theme is "Conversations on Preaching in a Unique Time."

A Space-Making Gospel, March 31
The Theological Commons welcomes Rev. Olu Brown, former pastor of Impact Church in Atlanta.

Trust in Science? Responses to the Challenge of Science Denial, May 10
Psychologists and authors Gale M. Sinatra and Barbara K. Hofer discuss pressing issues related to science denial and the role of religion. An MTSO Science and Religion Digital Dialogue.

Institute on Theology and Disability, June 6-9
View key lectures and symposia from this international event.

Technology, Older Adults and Churches: Opportunities and Challenges, Aug. 31
Panelists Heidi Campbell and Marilyn Stratford discuss serving older parishioners for whom digital connections aren’t second nature. An MTSO Science and Religion Digital Dialogue.

All About Waste: Sanitation, Justice, and Reinventing the Toilet, Sept. 15
Three expert panelists discuss one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time: human waste and how to manage it sustainably and ethically. An MTSO Science and Religion Digital Dialogue.

Williams Institute Lectures, Oct. 25 and 26
Teresa Delgado, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. John’s University, delivers two lectures on the theme "Teaching Borderlands in the Midwest."

2021

Providing Sanctuary as Witness: Standing in Solidarity with Immigrants, Feb. 23
Lecture by Isaac Villegas, pastor of Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

The Art of Justice: A Multi-Genre Celebration of the Arts within Social Justice Movements, April 30 and May 1
Visual and performing artists present for a two-day event centered on the ways social justice is promoted through the arts. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Pastors, Pandemics and Public Health: Building Collaborative Responses to COVID-19, Sept. 16
A multi-professional conversation offering responses to the COVID-19 pandemic through scientific, social and pastoral lenses. An MTSO Science and Religion Digital Dialogue.

Reading Paul in Prison: A Book Launch and Colloquium, Sept. 28
Colloquium marking the publication of Abject Joy: Paul, Prison, and the Art of Making Do by MTSO Associate Professor of New Testament Ryan Schellenberg. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Blackness, Mental Health and Faith: A Conversation Across the Waters, Oct. 21
Discussion between leading disability and pastoral care theologian John Swinton and womanist process theologian and mental health advocate Monica A. Coleman. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, Nov. 2 and 3
Juan M. Floyd-Thomas, associate professor of African American religious history at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion, speaks on the theme “America at the Cross(roads): A Century of Struggle from 1921 Tulsa Massacre to #BlackLivesMatter.”

Lunch Conversation with Valerie Bridgeman and Bishop Johnathan E. Alvarado, Nov. 11
MTSO Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs talks with Bishop Johnathan E. Alvarado, pastor of Grace Church International in Atlanta.

2020

Reading Noah’s Ark in the Age of Climate Change, Feb. 25
Lecture by Julia Watts Belser, associate professor of Jewish studies at Georgetown University. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Schooler Institute on Preaching, March 3 and 4
Led by O. Wesley Allen Jr., Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology.

Beyond Good Intentions: The Role White People Must Play in the Work of Racial Justice, Oct. 15
Lecture by Melanie Morrison, founder and executive director of Allies for Change. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

On Higher Ground: Ministries of Food Sovereignty in African American Christian Traditions, Nov. 6
Lecture by Heber Brown III, senior pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and founder and executive director of the Black Church Food Security Network. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

2019

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 12 and 13
Led by Frank Thomas, Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Homiletics at Christian Theological Seminary.

Redefining the Trauma Zone, March 26
Faculty lecture by Francesca Nuzzolese, MTSO associate professor of pastoral care and counseling. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

The Death of Civility: On the Birth of Dignity-Based Interfaith Ritual and Practices, April 4
The Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus presents the 15th annual Lecture on World Religions and Interreligious Relations, delivered by Najeeba Syeed, associate professor of interreligious education at Claremont School of Theology.

Reading Philippians in the Age of Mass Incarceration, May 7
Faculty lecture by Ryan Schellenberg, MTSO assistant professor of New Testament. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Christians and the Disinherited, Sept. 6
The Ohio Council of Churches celebrates its centennial with a one-day conference focused on the century to come, cosponsored by MTSO and the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ. The evening session features Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.

Women’s Participation in Food Justice: Developing Transnational Solidarity, Sept. 24
Lecture by MTSO Assistant Professor of Theology, Ecology and Race Elaine Nogueira-Godsey and Ohio State University doctoral student Kelsey Ryan-Simkins. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, Nov. 5
Pamela Lightsey, vice president of academic and student affairs and associate professor of constructive theology at Meadville Lombard Theological School, delivers two lectures.

2018

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 5 and 6
Led by Wil Gafney, associate professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School.

Space-Sharing Principles for Religious Organizations and Groups, March 7
Faculty lecture by Paul Numrich, MTSO professor in the Snowden Chair for the Study of Religion and Interreligious Relations. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Shabbat: An Epistemological Principle for Holiness, Sustainability and Justice in the Pentateuch, March 13
Lecture by Marvin A Sweeney, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, March 20 and 21
Grace Ji-Sun Kim, associate professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion, delivers two lectures on the theme “Embracing the Other.”

Building Community Bridges: Conversations on Disability, April 11 and 12
A workshop around disability and faith communities. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Faith, Food and Flourishing with Heber Brown, April 17
A workshop around food justice. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Beyond the Politics of Rescue: Organizing, Empowerment, and Harm Reduction in the Movement to End Human Trafficking, May 1
Lecture by MTSO Associate Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics Yvonne Zimmerman and Candler School of Theology Assistant Professor in the Practice of Ethics and Society Letitia Campbell. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Living in a "Post-Christian" Culture, Sept. 25
Lecture by Edwin David Aponte, executive director of the Louisville Institute. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Alumni Day, Oct. 15
Presentation of the John and Ruth Mount Alumni Awards for Distinguished Service and a luncheon honoring Emeritus Professor Ervin Smith.

Installation of Valerie Bridgeman as dean, Nov. 2
The installation ceremony features an address by Renita J. Weems. Also, Dean Bridgeman moderates a panel discussion, “Building a Community of Care and Accountability Around Your Life.”

Building Regional Food Hubs, Nov. 9
A conference, dedicated to the life and work of Patrick Kaufman, connecting healthy food, farms and communities. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

2017

Talking About What Matters Most: End-of-Life Conversations, Feb. 15
Discussion led by Kristin Langstraat, system director for faith community relations at OhioHealth. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Opioids and Heroin: The Sins of Our Past, Feb. 22
Presented by Andrea Boxill, deputy director, Governor’s Cabinet Opiate Action Team, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Schooler Institute on Preaching, March 14 and 15
“Come Back When You’ve Found Something True: New Ways to Encounter Scripture,” led by Anna Carter Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary.

Matthew and the Pharisees: History or Fake News? March 29
Faculty lecture by John Kampen, professor in the Dunn Chair in Biblical Interpretation. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Mindful Social Media Usage and Methods for Ministry and Nonprofits, March 30
Workshop by MTSO Educational Technology Coordinator Shannon Harper. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Midwest Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education, Oct. 17 and 18
Organized by MTSO, the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, and the Green Seminary Initiative.

Connecting Theology, Ecology and Race: A Conversation on Environmental Justice, Oct. 24
Faculty lecture by Elaine Nogueira-Godsey, assistant professor of theology, ecology and race. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

“Was Not Martin Luther an Extremist?” The Reformation Legacy and the Family of Martin Luther King Jr., Nov. 1
Presentation by Jeffrey Jaynes, MTSO professor in the Warner Chair of Church History, with response by Tejai Beulah, MTSO coordinator of partnerships and the Black Church and African Diaspora Studies specialization. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, Nov. 7 and 8
John Thatamanil, associate professor of theology and world religions at Union Theological Seminary, delivers two lectures, “Circling the Elephant: Christian Approaches to Religious Diversity,” and “The Quest for Interreligious Wisdom.”

2016

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 8 and 9
“The Most Important Word in Preaching: Story or Exposition?” led by Mike Graves, the William K. McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Saint Paul School of Theology.

Missing in Action: The Disappearance of Progressive Christianity in the Movement to End Human Trafficking, Feb. 16
Faculty lecture by Yvonne Zimmerman, associate professor of Christian ethics. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Faithful Justice: Confronting Mass Incarceration, Feb. 26
An afternoon of critical dialogue, scholarship, and networking to identify practical actions we can take as we work together to dismantle mass incarceration. Keynote address by James Logan, author of Good Punishment? Christian Moral Practice and U.S. Imprisonment. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Millennial Dreaming: Cultivating Hope and Ecological Vision, April 20
Faculty lecture by Timothy Van Meter, associate professor of Christian education and youth ministry. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

"A Long Way from Home": Displacement, Lament, and Singing Sorrow in Psalm 137
Faculty lecture by Valerie Bridgeman, associate professor of homiletics and Hebrew Bible. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

John and Ruth Mount Alumni Awards for Distinguished Service
A service of thanksgiving honors Brice Balmer ('73) and Charles Harrison ('86).

Finding Deuteronomy in the Dirt: How Farming Informs My Biblical Scholarship
Lecture by Raymond F. Person Jr. professor of religion, Ohio Northern University. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, Nov. 1 and 2
The Rev. Canon Dr. Titus Presler delivers two lectures: "Christian-Muslim Maelstrom: Analyzing and Theologizing a Crisis," and "Christian-Muslim Maelstrom: Building Toward a Viable Future."

Bridging the Gap: Using Technology as a Purpose-Driven Tool
Workshop by MTSO Educational Technology Coordinator Shannon Harper. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Compassionate Competency
Alex Shanks, faith organizer for Equality Ohio, leads a workshop on LGBTQ competency and safety within faith communities. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

2015

Climate Conversation with Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, Jan. 22
An evening of thought-provoking conversation with Joel Barker of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and Ted Ford of Ohio Advanced Energy Economy. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Towards a Practical Theology of Disability, Jan. 26
A public lecture by John Swinton,chair of divinity and religious studies at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Trained as a nurse, chaplain and theologian, Swinton teaches multidisciplinary courses in healthcare and spirituality. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 23 and 24
"Beyond Band-Aids: Building the Beloved Community in the Age of Ferguson," led by Valerie Bridgeman, MTSO associate professor of homiletics and Hebrew Bible, and Jorge Lockward, director of global praise for the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.

Pursuing Happiness Across Cultures: Positive Psychology, Bible, Korean Jeong, and African Ubuntu in Creative Dialogue, April 9
Faculty lecture by Paul Kim, professor of Hebrew Bible in the Williams Chair of Biblical Studies, and M. Fulgence Nyengele, professor of pastoral care and counseling in the Chryst Chair in Pastoral Theology. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Religions of India in America, April 15
Vasudha Narayanan, distinguished professor of religion at the University of Florida and past president of the American Academy of Religion, delivers the 11th Annual Lecture on World Religions and Interreligious Dialogue, presented by the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus.

Williams Institute Lectures, April 22 and 23
Melanie Harris, associate professor of religion and ethics at Texas Christian University, delivers two lectures: "African American Environmental History and Ecowomanism: Black Self Recovery and Earth Care," and "Interfaith Womanism and Ecology: Sharing Values, Sharing Earth."

Printing Beyond Propaganda: Publishing ‘Church Manuals’ in the Reformation Era, Oct. 1
Faculty lecture by Jeffrey Jaynes, MTSO professor in the Warner Chair of Church History. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Williams Institute Lectures, Nov. 3 and 4
Stacey Floyd-Thomas, associate professor of ethics and society at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences, delivers two lectures: “Seen but not Heard: Living at the Intersections of the Color Line, Culture Wars and Complex Subjectivity,” and ” Hidden in Plain Sight: The Growing Edge of Womanist Ethics.”

2014

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 10 and 11
Led by MTSO fully affiliated faculty member Mark Kelly Tyler and Timothy Eberhart, assistant professor of theology and ecology.

Williams Institute Lectures, March 12
Delivered by Daniel Boyarin, professor of Talmudic Culture at the University of California at Berkeley.

Developing Community: A Toolkit for Doing Nonprofit Work, March 14
Keynote addresses by John Edgar, executive director of Community Development for All People, and Christine Shaw, public and community relations coordinator for Ohio University Zanesville. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

The Fleeing Nones: Food for Thought from the Spiritual but not Religious, March 27
Faculty lecture by Linda Mercadante, MTSO professor in the Straker Chair of Historical Theology. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Community Organizing and Development Through Nonprofits, Sept. 19 and 20
Keynote addresses by Rev. Dr. Troy Jackson, author and director of the AMOS Project in Cincinnati, and Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, author and consultant to a variety of nonprofits. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.

Installation of Dean Lisa R. Withrow, Oct. 6
Includes an address by Dean Withrow.

2013

Schooler Institute on Preaching, Feb. 10, 11 and 12
Led by Bishop Gregory V. Palmer of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki, professor emerita at Claremont School of Theology.

Williams Institute Lectures, Feb. 26 and 27
"Lessons from Medieval Spain: Religion's Power to Unite or Divide," delivered by Albert Hernández, associate professor of the history of Christianity at the Iliff School of Theology.

2012

Modern Research on Ancient Texts: The Story of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Oct. 29
Faculty lecture by John Kampen, MTSO professor in the Dunn Chair of Biblical Interpretation. Presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO.