BTI Annual Lectureship
Since the inception of the Boston Theological Institute in academic year 1967-1968 there has been a Convocation, Worship Service, or Lectureship given to recognize the beginning of the consortium's common academic year. A BTI Hymn was written and composed in recognition of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the BTI and is found on this website.
The following lectureships have been sponsored by the consortium with member school partners beginning in academic year 2001-2002, beginning with the most recent.
2009
David Franks, Professor of Theology and Co-Director of the Masters of Arts and Ministry Program at Saint John’s Seminary, presented the Annual BTI Lecture. The topic was “Faith and the Liberation of Reason and Culture.” Reception, dinner and lecture were held at Saint John’s Seminary. The talk found its inspiration in the following from Pope John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis #60.
“In its deepest identity the seminary is called to be, in its own way, a continuation in the Church of the apostolic community gathered about Jesus, listening to his word, proceeding toward the Easter experience, awaiting the gift of the Spirit for mission. Such an identity constitutes the normative ideal which stimulates the seminary in the many diverse forms and varied aspects which it assumes historically as a human institution, to find a concrete realization, faithful to the Gospel values from which it takes its inspiration and able to respond to the situations and needs of the times.”
2008
Celebrating BTI’s 40th Anniversary on October 15, 2009: Keynote speaker Daniel Aleshire, Director of the Association of Theological Schools in the USA and Canada, will address the topic, “The Large Hadron Collider: The BTI, and the Future of Theological Education. Aleshire was also honored at HDS’s Harvard-Andover Library from 4 - 5 PM on Wednesday, October 15. His recently published book, Earthen Vessels: Hopeful Reflections on the Work and Future of Theological Schools (2008) represents the 500,000th addition to the Harvard-Andover Library! A book-signing occurred at the event. The BTI Dinner and Lecture: Acknowledging 40th Anniversary took place in the Sperry and Braun Rooms at Harvard Divinity School.
Forty years ago, North American theological education was at a unique moment in its history. The Association of Theological Schools had just completed a major project on how the resources of theological schools should be redeployed to meet a number of questions. This presentation will review the issues that theological education was facing forty years ago, assess the ways in which fundamental issues have persisted or changed, and speculate on the shape and future of theological education in the next forty years.
2007
The BTI recognized the 200th anniversary of Andover Newton Theological School with this year’s annual BTI lecture, “Advancing the ‘Beloved Community’: People, Power and Change.” Featured Speakers were Marshall Ganz & Richard Parker,
Harvard University’s J. F. Kennedy School of Government. The Annual BTI Dinner and Lecture marks the celebration of Andover Newton’s 200th Anniversary! Wednesday, October 10, 2007.
2006
“From Conflict to Communion: Exploring a Sabbath Way of Life,” was the topic for this year’s Annual BTI Dinner and Lecture. Featured Speakers included Marva Dawn with Thomas Porter, Esq. and Canon Ed Rodman. The event was held at Episcopal Divinity School, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 with Dinner (6:00) & Lecture (7:30). Events were held in Washburn Auditorium, with two workshops with Marva Dawn & Thomas Porter: 1) Sunday in American Society 2006, and 2) From Conflict to Communion
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.
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