Faculty in the News - December 2015

The recent report on megachurches from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research continues to get press. Prof. Scott Thumma has been interviewed and quoted in these articles from the Baptist News Global, The Columbus Dispatch, the Religion News Service, and Enterprise Lifestyles, among others.

A panel discussion featuring Prof. Scott Thumma is airing on CGNTV and can be accessed here. The panel discussion was taped in English (with Korean subtitles) while Prof. Thumma was in Korea in November. His visits included Onnuri Church, a megachurch that has its own global TV station.

Prof. Lucinda Mosher will be in Haiti from December 10 – 19. She will be teaching an intensive course on ecumenism and interfaith relations at Séminaire Theologie d’Eglise Episcopale du Haiti (Port au Prince), on December 14-18. She is expecting a class of some 40 seminarians and clergy. On Dec. 16, she will be a guest at a graduation ceremony for two seminary seniors, to be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, and for a ceremony dedicating the new seminary library.

President Heidi Hadsell was quoted in the Hartford Courant on Dec. 4, 2015, in the article, “Are Prayers the Opposite of Action? Murphy Sparks Social Media Dispute.” The story was about Sen. Chris Murphy’s tweet following the mass shooting in San Bernadino, CA, that left 14 dead. “Your ‘thoughts’ should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your ‘prayers’ should be for forgiveness if you do nothing — again,” he tweeted. President Hadsell was among those interviewed about whether or not calling for prayer can be a cover for inaction. “Prayer is a real response,” she said. “It is meaningful, but there are other meaningful ways to respond as well.”