The Claremont University Project

Claremont School of Theology is experiencing what can only be characterized as a renaissance. Those of you familiar with the European Renaissance understand well that those great gains were made in religion, science, art and the humanities by looking back to the Greco-Roman roots of Western Society. Only by looking back could Europe have moved forward.

The same is happening at Claremont. Many of us know that the School was founded as a theological and educational experiment, as a center for ecumenical education in a mid-century nation largely opposed to intra-religious dialogue. Over 50 years later, Claremont is now building on this ecumenical foundation to re-invent itself as an innovative center for the preparation of leaders in an intentionally diverse and interfaith context.

Earlier this spring, the School’s Board of Trustees adopted new statements of mission, vision and values. At their most recent meeting, the Board voted to take the next step and transition the School into a small focused university, organized around the School of Theology while adding new schools and programs that explore issues related to religious belief, practice and leadership. These schools will include the traditional theological disciplines (such as textual studies, theology, history, and worship) as well as emerging fields like religion and politics, sustainability, interfaith education and world spiritualities.

You may have heard recently that the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a second report from their major survey about religiosity in the U.S. (I commented on the first report in an earlier blog post.) While the entire 268-page document may take a while for most of us to digest, their summary findings are intriguing nonetheless. In short, the survey finds that most Americans have non-dogmatic approaches to their faith. The report summary says:

A majority of those who are affiliated with a religion … do not believe their religion is the only way to salvation. And almost the same number believes that there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their religion. This openness to a range of religious viewpoints is in line with the great diversity of religious affiliation, belief and practice that exists in the United States …

These findings reinforce the direction in which Claremont is heading. As we prepare to enter the second decade of the twenty-first century, those of us in theological education realize that religion is changing dramatically. For example, we are discovering that religious leaders from immigrant communities in Southern California which are predominantly Hindu, Islamic, and Buddhist have emerging needs for what Christians call “pastoral counseling” in the form of hospital visits, grief counseling, or domestic abuse counseling, which are practices that largely do not exist in the native contexts of these traditions. Claremont is uniquely equipped to welcome leaders from these traditions into our community and learn together about how we can help each other adapt—and creatively transform—our communities.

In short, the Claremont University Project will educate religious leaders (across the Judeo-Christian spectrum as well as those from the world’s great traditions) to be religiously multi-lingual and ethically grounded to improve the lives of those in our communities. As I have written elsewhere, we need leaders in all walks of life who have “a combination of ethical integrity, knowledge of their own faith, as well as substantial understanding or other faiths, and the experience of and appreciation for other cultures.”­

As we move forward with our plans, I welcome your comments and feedback. Together we will make a difference in the twenty-first century.

Naming the Unknown God

Earlier this spring, I had the honor of preaching at my home church, First United Methodist Church in Pasadena. The sermon was entitled “Naming the Unknown God,” drawing on Acts 17:22-31 where Paul is speaking at the Areopagus in Athens. He was a Christian speaking in a land of diverse religious belief and practice, which is not unlike our context today.

I had recently returned from a trip to South Korea, where I learned about the expansion of the Methodist Church there amidst a religiously diverse culture. This inspired me to think more about the traditional concepts of mission and witness in the Christian (and specifically Methodist) context. This sermon is a product of those reflections. In part, I say:

The missions that we take on are part of the process by which God is transforming the world. We do not have to worry about completion; all we need to do is get started … Transformation is a long-term project.

You can read my outline and view a video podcast at the church’s Web site. I welcome any comments you may want to share.

Incidentally, another member of the church—Rev. Kirsten Oh—preached on Sunday, and I assume her sermon will be posted online in coming weeks. Rev. Oh is joining Claremont’s administration on July 1 as Associate Dean of Student Life, so I encourage you to keep an eye and ear out for her sermon.