St. Thomas University Now Housing the Ecumenical Institute
MIAMI, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Thomas University School of Theology and Ministry is pleased to announce its newly created interdenominational Ecumenical Institute, inviting the interfaith community to attend its opening Friday, September 24, 2010.
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"The Ecumenical Institute's vision seeks to embody the hope of the gospel prayer," says its Director, Rev. Diane Shoaf. "May they be one, as we are one…. That is our message in an era where dialogue is much needed, in particular, cross-cultural, ecumenical, and inter-religious dialogue." As people who journey in the 'already' and 'not yet' of God's reign of shalom, the Institute's collaborators seek mutual understanding of the religious convictions and practices of other Christian traditions, other Abrahamic faiths and other world religions. Mindful of local and global consequences of missed or failed opportunities to understand, the Ecumenical Institute seeks to model the unity in which humanity hopes.
According to St. Thomas' President – Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale – "The Ecumenical Institute supports our educational programs of the School of Theology and Ministry, particularly the Master of Divinity degree program, in providing contextual theological education. The mission of the Ecumenical Institute reflects the uniting and purposing of a number of efforts and assets for the ongoing provision of contextual theological education and spiritual formation."
The Institute welcomes learners into programs of study aimed at preparing men and women for ministerial and pastoral leadership, advising learners during their program of study, and nurturing learners in their ministerial, pastoral, and spiritual formation. The support provided by the Ecumenical Institute is in cooperation with and responsive to the needs and requirements of constituents particularly in terms of ordination standards. This support, aimed at equipping women and men for leadership in the 21st century, draws upon a variety of innovative delivery systems and teaching/learning methods.
The Institute's embodies the hopes and aspirations of the School of Theology and Ministry (formerly, the Institute for Pastoral Ministry) and Florida Center for Theological Studies. The Institute for Pastoral Ministries (IPM) was founded by the Rev. Dr. Patrick H. O'Neill in 1980 and has been led by Dr. Mercedes Iannone and Dr. Joseph Iannone since 1981 at (what was formerly Biscayne College and is now) St. Thomas University, the archdiocesan university.
The September 24 opening reception, to be held in Sullivan Hall, 14401 NW 37th Avenue, Miami Gardens, starts at 5:00 PM, followed by the first lecture in the annual Patrick H. O'Neill Ecumenical Lecture Series - "The Ethics of the Gospel of John: Challenges for Interpreters in Today's World" by Dr. Dr. Alan Culpepper, Dean of McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University. Guests then meet for dinner at the Bobcat Hall of Fame, 6:00 PM, with the lecture starting at 7:30 PM at the Chapel of Saint Anthony. For additional information, call 305 474 6002 or email [email protected].
SOURCE St. Thomas University
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