At our last vestry meeting, I asked for the vestry’s support in designating Dr. Ellen Charry as our theologian in residence, and they enthusiastically approved. Ellen should be no stranger to many of you. She is active in many aspects of our parish life, from lectoring at services, assisting with cleanup days and retreat house work, teaching adult formation classes, and at the moment, chairing our 2023 Advancement Campaign. Dr. Charry is also a formidable theologian, having published and lectured widely. She has also been involved in theological formation within the Episcopal Church at the national level, most notably in chairing the panel on same-sex relationships in the life of the Church from 2008 to 2010 as part of the theology committee of the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops. In 2017, she retired from twenty years’ service on the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary.
It goes without saying that Ellen is a gift to this parish. She takes her place among so many other gifts in the parish, including others who contribute greatly to theological formation. She has taught as part of our Pilgrims in Christ formation class, has led several adult formation sessions, and will be leading others to come. It is a great resource to have access to her theological wisdom. Her probing mind helps keep us honest as Christians, and she has helpfully pushed us to confront the hideous legacy of anti-Judaism within the Church.
What does a theologian in residence do? Well, many things! First, in her role at Good Shepherd, Dr. Charry will continue to be a teacher of the Christian faith. She will do what she has already been doing. She will be a wonderful resource for those with questions about the Christian heritage, and she will be a sounding board for theological questions, bringing a veritable treasure trove of knowledge to engage with us as we journey to greater theological depth.
Dr. Charry will being offering a four-week class on Biblical interpretation in the spring (stay tuned for more details), and because the Bible is of particular interest to her, she will continue teaching about the Bible here at Good Shepherd. We live in an age of increasing Biblical illiteracy, and I hope you will take advantage of Dr. Charry’s knowledge in this regard.
Finally, Dr. Charry will consult with me on occasion to suggest ways in which the parish might speak with a theological voice to pressing issues of the day. In her words, Dr. Charry will help us interpret the Christian heritage to the culture, and the culture to the heritage. (Dr. Charry is already serving on our parish’s Social Concerns Committee, which is discerning how to respond to the problem of gun violence in our nation.) I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and seek guidance from an experienced theologian as this parish connects the Gospel we proclaim and the community and world in which we live.
As rector, I will, of course, continue teaching regularly in the parish, since the role of parish priest should always be one of teacher. But it’s a blessing to me not to teach in a vacuum! I’m grateful to Dr. Charry, as well as to other scholars among us like Dr. Barry Levis and Dr. Donald McCown who constantly enrich the formation of Christian disciples here at Good Shepherd. Dr. Charry is among many notable and generous teachers in our parish, but in her role as theologian in residence, she will endeavor to help this parish think and live more deeply on a theological level.
Should you like to consult Dr. Charry as a resource on theological matters, you can reach her by email. You can learn more about her experience and expertise here.
This Sunday, I will miss being with all of you at Mass, since I will be away preaching at my former field education parish from seminary days (in northern Virginia), which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary as a parish. Thank you to Father Gordon Reid for filling in as guest celebrant while I’m away.
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle