In Trust Center

Send us a textFive years ago, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab at Brandies University opened to explore and support the role of chaplaincy. With a changing religious landscape, the role of chaplains can be a benefit. Theological schools, in their work to train chaplains, can benefit as well. Dr. Wendy Cadge, founder and director, of the lab, and Dr. Michael Skaggs, co-founder and director of programs, discuss the role of chaplaincy in shaping the church.You can find more about the lab here.

Send us a textThere's a "trust gap" in the American workplace, according to Cory Scheer, Ed.D., the founder and CEO of TrustCentric. Scheer, a former pastor, academic administrator, and leader in business and nonprofits, studied trust as part of his doctoral work. The lessons can help theological schools learn how to improve performance and outcomes in their work. 

Send us a textAfter taking over as the president of Hartford Seminary, Joel Lohr, Ph.D., undertook a new strategic plan, which seemed routine. But after bringing in Rick Staisloff of rpk GROUP, he saw an opportunity and charted a course that ended with a revitalized mission and a new name: Hartford International University of Religion and Peace. You can find out more about the name change here. 

Send us a textThe rise of conspiracy theories and a lack of trust in institutions in societies have given some leaders in the church pause to consider the impact. In this episode, Rob Saler, Ph.D., of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, says theological schools can play a role in combatting these issues. 

Send us a textWhen Dr. David Rowe stepped in as the interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, the board of directors and senior staff had been having conversations about the future. For Lancaster, there was a question of how to preserve the mission for future generations. The result was a merger that provides a positive vision for the years ahead. Rowe and Elizabeth Palmer Bennett, who was CFO at Lancaster, discuss how the merger came about, what they saw in the field, and lessons they learned in the process. 

Send us a textDr. MaryKate Morse, who served as executive dean of Portland Seminary, discusses the key relationships she forged in an embedded seminary and how she demonstrated the value to the school. 

Send us a textThere has been considerable concern about artificial intelligence and its use in theological higher education, particularly as it relates to cheating. But Greg Henson, president of Kairos University, and Ruth McGillivray say there's more to it than that.  In this episode, they discuss the opportunities for theological schools to explore with AI. As promised in the episode, the In Trust Center made a transcript of the podcast (using AI software which made more than a few errors) and then asked ChatGPT to summarize it. Here's the response:From ChatGPT: The transcript is a conversation on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in theological education. The participants are Matt Hufman, Greg Henson (president of Kairos University), and Ruth McGill [Eds Note: It's McGillivray] (Executive Vice President of Northwest Seminary). They discuss the implications of AI in higher education, particularly in terms of cheating and the assessment process. While there is initial concern about the misuse of AI, the participants emphasize the need to embrace it as a tool and explore its potential benefits. They believe that AI can help make pastors and educators more effective by providing new ways of demonstrating competence and assessing learning. The conversation highlights the importance of rethinking assessment methods and focusing on holistic and context-specific approaches. The participants acknowledge that AI accelerates conversations already happening in education and encourages a relational and community-oriented approach to learning and assessment. Overall, they view AI as an opportunity for creativity and growth in theological education.

Send us a textWhat does it take to raise money? At its heart: generosity. In her career, Dr. Carla Maxwell Ray has helped raise more than $1 billion for a variety of organizations, institutions, and schools, and she encourages fundraisers to invite people into the opportunity to be generous. In this episode, Ray talks about ways to help people see generosity as a spiritual virtue and the opportunity to be part of the good work that is happening across the world.  In this episode, there are three books that are mentioned (links go to Amazon): “Five Pillars of a First Class Life: Smart Steps to Financial Empowerment and Mission Driven Living” by Carla Maxwell Ray. “Giving and Getting in the Kingdom: A Field Guide” by R. Mark Dillon"A Spirituality of Fundraising" by Henri J.M. NouwenYou can learn more about Generis and Carla Maxwell Ray here.

Send us a textHaving spent a life in religious education, Helen Blier, Ph.D., offers several key reasons why theological schools should consider lifelong learning and continuing education programs. She says those programs can serve as both an entry point into theological schools and a connection point for ministers serving in the field, helping them navigate change. This is particularly important as schools across denominations are re-evaluating continuing education and lifelong learning, particularly in Lilly Endowment Inc.'s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. Dr. Blier is the director of continuing education at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and also serves as the president of ALLLM, the Association of Leaders in Lifelong Learning for Ministry.  

Send us a textIs there a way to help theological schools cut overhead costs and free up resources to focus on mission? That’s the goal of the CHANGE Initiative, one of the projects funded in Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. David Boshart, president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and Dr. Jeff Williams, the project director of the CHANGE Initiative, provide an overview of how a nonprofit organization could provide business offerings to schools, increasing quality of services while allow schools the space to innovate.CHANGE stands for Configuring Higher Education Administration for Next Generation Excellence.Dr. Jeff Williams can be reached here. jwilliams@ambs.edu