2005
Diane
C. Kessler & Thomas P Ryan, CSP
Diane C. Kessler & Thomas P Ryan, CSP spoke on the theme
"Receiving the Vision? Reflections on the Relationship
Between Theology and Practice in the Ecumenical Movement"
Their talk was offered on Wednesday, 5 October 2005 (7:30pm)
Location: Washburn Auditorium, Episcopal Divinity School &
Weston Jesuit School of Theology
The Rev. Dr. Diane Kessler became the Executive
Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches in September
1988. She is the eighth Executive Director to assume ecumenical
leadership in the Council’s hundred plus year history. She formerly
served as the Associate Director for Strategy and Action, a
post she held for thirteen years. Her position entails direction
and public presentation of the Council’s work in areas such
as education and evangelism for Christian unity, ecumenical
worship, cooperation among local councils of churches, various
forums for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, and social mission/prophetic
witness. Rev. Kessler is author of two books, Parents and the
Experts (Judson Press, 1974), and God’s Simple Gift (meditations
on friendship and spirituality); co-editor of, Encounters for
Unity (Canterbury Press of Norwich, 1995), and co-author of
Councils of Churches and the Ecumenical Vision (World Council
of Churches, 2000); editor of Together on the Way: The Official
Report of the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches;
and editor of “Receive one another…” Hospitality in Ecumenical
Perspective (World Council of Churches, 2006).
Rev. Thomas Ryan, CSP is a Catholic priest,
coordinates ecumenical and inter-religious relations for the
Paulist community in the U.S. and Canada. After fourteen years
directing the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism and editing the
international journal Ecumenism, he founded and directed Unitas,
an ecumenical center for spirituality in Montreal. In 2000,
at the call of his community, he came to New York City to develop
a Paulist North American office dedicated to Christian unity
and interfaith understanding. Capitalizing on the interest in
spirituality today, Tom leads both ecumenical and interreligious
retreats emphasizing the sharing of spiritual gifts between
members of different Christian traditions as well as between
members of different religions. He has published over 100 articles
in a wide variety of magazines and writes a monthly column for
several church newspapers. His nine books include Tales of Christian
Unity;, A Survival Guide for Ecumenically-Minded Christians;,
Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality; The Sacred Art
of Fasting; Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom; Prayer of Heart
and Body: Meditation and Yoga as Christian Spiritual Practice;
and Disciplines for Christian Living: Interfaith Perspectives.
2004
Andrew Walls
A Methodist lay preacher, who has taught in universities in Sierra
Leone and Nigeria, in 1970 founded Religious Studies in Aberdeen,
founded the Journal of Religion in Africa, the Scottish Institute
of Missionary Studies and its Bulletin, and the Centre for Christianity
in the Non-Western World. This was transferred to New College,
University of Edinburgh in 1987, where he continues as director
and as an honorary professor. He is the greatest living historian
of the missionary dimension of Christian history (successor to
K.S. Latourette). In 1987 he was awarded the O.B.E., which recognised
his work for Scottish museums and galleries.
This talk is scheduled for October 6, 2004. It is co-hosted with
Boston University School of Theology as a part of the school's
Lowell Lecture Series.
2003
Interview of Rev. Dr. Michael
Haynes by Christopher Lydon. Michael Hayes
is Senior Minister, Twelfth Baptist Church (Second African Meeting
House). Christopher Lydon is founder of "The Connection."
WBUR Radio, Boston, and a distinctive voice in Print, television,
and radio journalism. This interview is available in the Bulletin
of the Boston Theological Institute, Spring 2004: Number 3.2.
This event was co-hosted with the Center for Urban Ministerial
Education, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at the Twelfth
Baptist Church, October 1, 2003.
2002
Professor Richard A. Falk
Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law and Practise,
Princeton University.
"Globalization and Religion." The talk appears in
a publication of the World Council of Churches, 2004. This event
was co-hosted with Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
on October 2, 2002.
2001
Professor Nicholas Lash
Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University.
"Road Signs: Reflections on the Christian Doctrine of God,"
with response by Professor Sarah Coakley of Harvard Divinity
School.
This event was co-hosted with the Department of Theology, Boston
College on October 9, 2001.
