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This event has reached its attendance capacity; registration is now closed.
By registration; Join fellow ATS member school leaders for plenary sessions, small group discussions, and contemplative time focused on the impact of trauma among seminary students, and the formative responses schools of theology can use to build capacity for transformative action. This onsite event will promote intersectional resources in theology and behavioral science to support diversity in theological education, and is a continuation of the ATS webinar series, Trauma and Spirituality: Building Capacity among Theological Schools to be Agents of Transformation.
8:00–8:50 a.m. | Travis Auditorium
Registration and Light Refreshments
8:50–9:30 a.m.
Welcome from ATS and Fuller Theological Seminary
Elsie Miranda, ATS
David Wang, Fuller Theological Seminary
Framing the Contexts of Trauma and Spirituality around the Standards of Accreditation in Theological Education and Formation
Elsie Miranda, ATS
9:30–10:15 a.m.
Plenary
Clergy Care—Trauma, Hermeneutics, and the Integrity of Theological Education Beyond Polarization
Ribbons Harris, The Parsonage Project
10:15–10:30 a.m.
Opening Worship
10:30–10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45–12:00 p.m.
Plenary Panel
Trauma-Sensitive Theological Education
Facilitator: Steven Sandage, Boston University
Panelists: Eric Brown and Shelly Rambo, Boston University
12:00–1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30–2:15 p.m. | Travis Auditorium
Afternoon Plenary
Providing Safe Harbor
Jessica Young Brown, Virginia Commonwealth University
2:15–3:30 p.m. | all open meeting spaces
Break with opportunities to create sacred space, artistic expressions, or silent meditation
3:30–5:00 p.m.
Workshops
5:00–6:00 p.m. | all open meeting spaces
Break with opportunities to create sacred space, artistic expressions, or silent meditation
6:00 p.m.
Adjourn for the day (dinner on your own)
8:00–8:50 a.m. | Payton 101
Registration and Light Refreshments
8:50–9:15 a.m.
Plenary
Testimony of Trauma and Healing
Amos Yong, Fuller Theological Seminary; Aizaiah Yong, Claremont School of Theology
9:15–10:00 a.m.
Plenary
Grounding and Transition to Day 2
Micah McCreary, New Brunswick Theological Seminary; Jessica Young Brown, Virginia Commonwealth University
10:00–11:00 a.m. | Travis Auditorium
Fuller Theological Seminary Community Chapel Service
David Wang, Fuller Theological Seminary
11:00–11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Payton 101/The Garth
Lunch
1:00–2:45 p.m. | Travis Auditorium
Plenary Panel
Treatment and Intervention
Facilitators: Micah McCreary, New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Panelists: Dan Allender, The Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; Renee Begay, NAIITS An Indigenous Learning Community; Danielle (Danie) Buhuro, Sankofa CPE Center
2:45–3:15 p.m. | all open meeting spaces
Break with opportunities to create sacred space, artistic expressions, or silent meditation
3:15–4:30 p.m. | Travis Auditorium
Plenary Panel and Small Group Sharing
Pastoral and Cultural Realities of Trauma on Human and Pastoral Formation
Panelists: Eric Brown, Boston University; Julia Feder, St. Mary's College;
Shelly Rambo, Boston University
4:30–5:10 p.m.
Plenary
Healing Trauma through Ignatian Meditation and Bio-Spiritual Focusing
Bo Karen Lee, Princeton Theological Seminary
5:10–6:00 p.m. | all open meeting spaces
Break with opportunities to create sacred space, artistic expressions, or silent meditation
6:30–8:00 p.m. | Payton 101
Catered dinner together
8:00–9:00 a.m. | Travis Auditorium
Gathering and Light Refreshments
9:00–9:30 a.m.
Worship
9:30–10:45 a.m.
Plenary
Transformative Spiritual Consciousness
Stephanie Crumpton, McCormick Theological Seminary; Carrie Doehring, Iliff School of Theology (retired)
10:45–11:15 a.m.
Debrief and Conclusion
Bo Karen Lee, Princeton Theological Seminary; Elsie Miranda, ATS; David Wang, Fuller Theological Seminary
11:15 a.m.
Adjournment of Conference
ATS will reserve rooms via the rooming list (guests do not need to book their own rooms) at The Westin Pasadena (191 N. Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101).
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Dan Allender is founder and lead instructor of The Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, where he served as president from 2002 to 2009. He continues to serve there as professor of counseling psychology, and he has pioneered a unique and innovative approach to trauma and abuse therapy during the past 30 years. He previously taught in the Biblical Counseling Department of Grace Theological Seminary and in the MA in Biblical Counseling Program at Colorado Christian University in Denver. In 1997, Allender and a cadre of others founded The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology to train therapists, pastors, artists, and leaders to more effectively serve in the context of the 21st century. After receiving his Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary, Allender earned his PhD in counseling psychology from Michigan State University.
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Renee Kylestewa Begay, member of the Pueblo of Zuni, is a staff member of iEmergence—an Indigenous-led nonprofit organization that works alongside communities using the Indigenous Appreciative Inquiry mindset. She is also a faculty member of NAIITS, an Indigenous Learning Community. Begay is a conference speaker and author, and she co-manages a resource website and podcast called The Talking Circle with her husband. Instagram @reneebegay
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Eric M. Brown is an assistant professor in the CACREP Accredited Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine program at Boston University School of Medicine where he teaches classes on trauma counseling, group therapy, and career counseling. A counselor educator, a mental health counselor, and a researcher, his research is focused on issues related to the burnout prevention of helping professionals. Currently, he researches burnout and resilience of counselors, teachers, and pastors. At the beginning of 2021, he began working with the Resilient Church Collective—a program in Texas with a million dollar grant to help foster trauma-informed Black churches throughout the state in light of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning that occurred in 2020. Brown earned his MDiv from Abilene Christian University, an MEd and EdS in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Florida, and a PhD in counselor education and supervision from Old Dominion University.
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Jessica Young Brown is a licensed clinical psychologist whose work explores the intersections between faith and mental health. Assistant professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, she also provides consultation to organizations and denominations on mental health, creating trauma informed communities, and addressing racism and racialized trauma. She is the author of Making Space at the Well: Mental Health and the Church, published by Judson Press. A former faculty member and current grant administrator at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University, Brown’s primary vocational tasks involve equipping clergy to engage in practices that support their health and wholeness, and to lead in ways that help members of their communities to do the same. Brown holds a PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Danielle J. Buhuro is executive director and CPE supervisor of Sankofa CPE Center, LLC, which offers innovative online clinical pastoral education programming along with unique social justice-oriented clinical work settings and prepares clergy chaplains for board certification. She also serves as CPE supervisor at Advocate Aurora South Suburban, Trinity, and Christ Hospitals in Chicago. Passionate about issues of race, gender, and sexuality, Buhuro is the author of Spiritual Care in an Age of #BlackLivesMatter: Examining the Spiritual and Prophetic Needs of African Americans in a Violent America. She has served on the national board of directors for the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, and she facilitates numerous workshops nationwide on African American pastoral care and African-centered psychology. Buhuro attended Chicago Theological Seminary, where she earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees, respectively. She’s currently a PhD student studying social media identity, violence, and pastoral theology. Visit her website: www.SankofaCPE.com
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Stephanie M. Crumpton is associate professor of practical theology at McCormick Theological Seminary, where she is also director of the Trauma Healing Initiative (THI). A scholar, teacher, and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, she leads THI's mission to cultivate a prepared community of learners and educators who take their knowledge, experience, and practical skills for trauma informed and healing centered restoration into communities dealing with the impact of trauma. Her forthcoming book focuses on learning from African American social justice activists and organizers about how to how to heal while resisting injustice. A third book is in process about the gift of thriving in the face of trauma. Crumpton earned her MDiv from the Interdenominational Theological Center and her ThD from Columbia Theological Seminary.
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Carrie Doehring is professor emerita of pastoral care at Iliff School of Theology in Denver. As a licensed psychologist and ordained religious leader (Presbyterian Church, USA), she has explored how people draw upon religious faith and spirituality to cope with experiences like trauma, spiritual struggles, moral stress, and moral injury. She is the author of 57 chapters and articles, and three books on chaplaincy and interreligious, research-based spiritual care. Her book, The Practice of Pastoral Care: A Postmodern Approach, Revised and Expanded, has been used as a textbook in pastoral care and clinical pastoral education throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. She is coeditor and a chapter author of the book, Military Moral Injury and Spiritual Care: Resources for Religious and Professional Leaders. She served on the ACPE Learning Outcomes Committee, which revised learning outcomes for clinical pastoral education. She currently is part of a team developing and teaching three-day continuing education workshops for Navy chaplains and their religious ministry teams. Doehring earned her MDiv from McGill University, her MTh from Wilfrid Laurier University, and her PhD from Boston University.
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Julia Feder is assistant director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality and associate professor of religious studies and theology at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Her writing and research focus on theological anthropology, theologies of suffering, and spirituality. She is the author of Incarnating Grace: A Theology of Healing from Sexual Trauma and co-principal investigator of "Just One Jesuit: Communities' Accounts of the Effects of Clergy Abuse Through the Lens of a Singular Priest's Mission Activities," a grant from Fordham University's "Taking Responsibility Project." Feder received her PhD from the University of Notre Dame.
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Stephanie Goins has worked in program development, management, teaching, and research for more than 30 years, focusing on issues concerning vulnerable children, well-being, and culture. Having begun her career in psychology, she is currently serving as faculty with NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, and as an adjunct professor in the Anti-Human Trafficking Certification Program at Vanguard University. Prior to this, she was the program director for an international human rights organization focusing on prevention and aftercare for trafficked and exploited children. Goins has lived and worked in Africa, Europe, and the United States alongside her husband. She earned her doctorate through Oxford Centre for Mission Studies/University of Wales in Cardiff, where she focused on processes of forgiveness as they related to reintegration for former child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
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L.M. "Ribbons" Harris is founder and executive director of The Parsonage Project, where she focuses on supporting clergy through initiatives like mini sabbaticals, professional development, and institutional advocacy, while actively addressing targeted violence and terrorism among faith communities. She does so in collaboration with the US Department of Homeland Security and as a founding partner of Bedrock—an NGO made up of representatives from three separate White House administrations and more than 50 national organizations committed to combating hate fueled violence. As the former executive director of a community development corporation, Harris co-launched Operation Starting Line and served as the deputy director of the National Prison Education Project, demonstrating her commitment to education and advocacy. Her later role as a police chaplain equipped her with skills in critical incident stress management (CISM) and psychological first aid, underscoring her dedication to mental health support in high-stress environments. A prominent leader within the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, she was an ambassador for the Parliament of the World's Religions for two Parliaments, bringing together world religious leaders to combat climate change, build bridges for peace among faith traditions, and advocate for human dignity worldwide. Harris holds an MTS in theology and ethics from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where she serves as an admissionary, and a BSLS in psychology and history from Excelsior College.
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Bo Karen Lee is associate professor of spiritual theology and Christian formation and the founder and director of the Center for Contemplative Leadership at Princeton Theological Seminary. Her book, Sacrifice and Delight in the Mystical Theologies of Anna Maria van Schurman and Madame Jeanne Guyon, argues that surrender of self to God can lead to the deepest joy in God. She has recently completed a volume, The Soul of Higher Education, which explores contemplative pedagogies and research strategies. A recipient of the John Templeton Award for Theological Promise, she gave a series of international lectures that included the topic, “The Face of the Other: An Ethic of Delight.” Lee recently completed her term as president of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality, and is on the editorial board of the journal, Spiritus. She also serves on the steering committee of the Christian Theology and Bible Group of the Society of Biblical Literature. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women, and the American Academy of Religion. She earned her BA in religious studies from Yale University, her MDiv from Trinity International University and her ThM and PhD from Princeton Seminary. She furthered her studies in the returning scholars’ program at the University of Chicago, received training as a spiritual director from Oasis Ministries, and was a Mullin fellow with the Institute of Advanced Catholic Studies.
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Sam Lee is the director of NFTC Training at The Allender Center. As the senior NFTC Model training leader, he provides oversight on curriculum, instructors and facilitators, assessment, and research endeavors on behalf of The Allender Center. He served in pastoral ministries for more than ten years before stepping into the counseling field, and now engages in story work through his private practice, Sam Lee Counseling. Lee graduated from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology with an MDiv in 2007 and an MA in counseling psychology in 2013.
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Micah L. McCreary began his term as the twelfth president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) in 2017. Prior to NBTS, he was president and CEO of McCreary and Madison Associates—a psychological and human resources consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. He also served as a tenured associate professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for 21 years. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on topics such as trauma and race, church hurt and suicidal ideation, and the holy pause of Holy Saturday. His new book, Trauma and Race: A Pathway to Well-being, was published by Fortress Press in September 2023. A member of the New Brunswick Classis of the Reformed Church in America (RCA), McCreary was ordained by the New Hope Baptist Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan (member of the National Baptist Convention), and his ordination was recognized by the American Baptist Churches in 2001 and received by the RCA in 2018. He was installed as an RCA General Synod Professor of Theology in 2021. McCreary holds an MDiv from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University, and an MS and a PhD in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has received several fellowships, including the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship, the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Fellowship, and the American Council on Education Presidential Fellowship.
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Elsie Miranda was named director of accreditation for ATS in July 2018, and she transitioned to director of diversities in 2023. She came to ATS after 22 years at Barry University Department of Theology and Philosophy, serving most recently as associate professor of practical theology and as director of ministerial formation. As a Cuban American and practical theologian, she has focused her research interests on the intersection of faith and how socio-culture and socio-political realities impact both human formation and efforts toward peace and justice at local and global levels. As a Roman Catholic, she has been actively involved in the practice of synodality—“walking together” as an action of the Spirit in the communion of the Body of Christ and in the missionary journey of the People of God—convening groups in English and Spanish. Miranda earned an MA in pastoral ministry with a concentration in religious education from Boston College and a DMin in practical theology from Barry University.
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Shelly Rambo is associate professor of theology at Boston University School of Theology. Trained as both a systematic and constructive theologian, she is particularly attentive to the transmission of Christian theologies of suffering, from history to the present. She locates her work at the intersections of Christian theology, literature, and postmodern thought. She is the author of Spirit and Trauma: A Theology of Remaining and Resurrecting Wounds: Living in the Afterlife of Trauma. Her current book project, Spiritual Guides for the Afterliving (forthcoming with Fordham University Press), builds on her extensive work with chaplains and collaborations with the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab—a hub for education and research in chaplaincy. She is coeditor with Wendy Cadge on a primer for chaplains, titled Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Twenty-First Century (UNC Press, 2022). Rambo earned her MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, an STM from Yale Divinity School, and a PhD from Emory University.
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Steven J. Sandage is the Albert and Jessie Danielsen Professor of Psychology of Religion and Theology with appointments in the School of Theology and the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. He is also research director and staff psychologist at the Danielsen Institute, which has a long history of providing psychological services to both religious leaders and the wider Boston community. His recent books with the American Psychological Association (APA) include: Forgiveness and Spirituality in Psychotherapy; Relational Spirituality in Psychotherapy; and Spiritual Diversity in Psychotherapy. He has done research on spiritual formation, mental health, and intercultural competence among religious leaders for more than 20 years through funding from the Templeton Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc., the Fetzer Institute, and the Peale Foundation. He also practices as a licensed psychologist at the Danielsen Institute with clinical specializations that include couple and family therapy, multicultural therapy, and spiritually integrative therapy. Sandage received his MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School of Trinity International University and an MS and PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University.
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David C. Wang is the Cliff and Joyce Penner Chair of the formation of emotionally healthy leaders at Fuller Theological Seminary, where his academic and applied work focuses on the holistic formation of Christian leaders, inclusive of the formation of emotional health and resilience alongside the leader’s intellectual and spiritual formation. With this expertise, Wang helped draft the accreditation standards of the Association of Theological Schools pertaining to the spiritual formation of seminary students. He is also on the advisory board of the Association’s Global Awareness and Engagement Initiative. Wang serves as editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology, is a licensed psychologist who maintains a small clinical practice, and is pastor of spiritual formation at One Life City Church. He oversees the Seminary Formation Assessment Project, a program of research funded by the John Templeton Foundation that conducts longitudinal empirical research on the human and spiritual formation of students enrolled in 18 North American seminaries representing a variety of religious backgrounds. Wang is also co-principal investigator of the Trauma-Resilient Church Collective Program, a five-year project funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. mobilizing diverse local congregations to address both individual and systemic factors as they meet the spiritual and mental health needs of trauma survivors. He earned a PhD from the University of Houston and a ThM from Regent College.
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Aizaiah G. Yong (he/him) is an international educator, practical theologian, ordained minister, and executive leader who has served in higher education and nonprofit leadership for nearly 15 years, devoting his energy to change work in partnership with Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color. Currently, he serves in the administrative faculty and as co-director of the Center for Engaged Compassion at the Claremont School of Theology, which is devoted to the study, teaching, and cultivation of compassion. Yong earned an MA from Northwest University and a PhD from Claremont School of Theology.
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Amos Yong is professor of theology and mission at Fuller Theological Seminary. Licensed as a minister with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, he has authored or edited dozens of scholarly volumes. His graduate education includes degrees in theology, history, and religious studies from Western Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary) and Portland State University, and he has an undergraduate degree from Bethany University of the Assemblies of God.
Date & Time
Tue, Nov 19, 2024
, 8 a.m. PT —
Thu, Nov 21, 2024
, 11:15 a.m. PT
Location
Fuller Theological Seminary | Pasadena, CA