Commencement week at 51视频 was filled with joyful celebrations, meaningful worship, and beloved traditions as the community gathered to honor the Class of 2026. On May 20, 51视频 conferred degrees on 35 graduates during its commencement ceremony at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, Texas. Degrees were awarded across the seminary鈥檚 programs, including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts in Religion, Master of Arts in Spiritual Direction, and the Diploma in Anglican Studies.

The seminary also awarded honorary doctorates to four distinguished leaders: the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, 28th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church; the Rt. Rev. Austin Rios 鈥�03, Bishop of California; Robert Clarke Heidrick Jr.; and the Hon. Lora J. Livingston, both former members of the Board of Trustees from 2016鈥�2025. Bishop Rowe delivered the commencement sermon, encouraging graduates to remain grounded in God鈥檚 peace and hope as they enter ministries that will undoubtedly bring both challenge and transformation. View Bishop Rowe鈥檚 commencement sermon here.

鈥淚t was a tremendous honor and joy to have our Presiding Bishop with us at this year鈥檚 commencement service at which he offered the commencement address as well as received an honorary doctorate from 51视频,鈥� shared interim dean and president, the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, interim dean and president.听鈥淭he Presiding Bishop鈥檚 words touched hearts 鈥� he was honest, encouraging and spoke to them about being peacemakers in a world that needs peace. What a powerful message in this time in our world.鈥�

Read the written citations linked below for each of the honorary degree recipients:

• The Rt. Rev. Austin Keith Rios
• The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe
• Robert Clarke Heidrick, Jr.听
• The Hon. Lora J. Livingston

In the days leading up to commencement, students, families, faculty, and staff gathered for several celebrations recognizing the graduating class. On the evening before commencement, graduates attended their final Holy Eucharist as students in Christ Chapel. During the service, each graduate received a Seminary Cross from local jeweler James Avery, continuing a treasured 51视频 tradition that has connected generations of alumni. Bruce preached at the service, offering words of encouragement and blessing as students prepared to transition into their next season of ministry and service, which is available to watch online here.听

The seminary also hosted receptions honoring graduates from its various degree programs. Counseling and Spiritual Direction graduates celebrated together at a special dinner attended by loved ones, faculty, and staff. The evening included welcomes from academic dean, the Rev. Benjamin King, PhD, and Bruce, along with a blessing from Gena St. David, PhD and an official welcome into the 51视频 Alumni Association from the Rev. Lecia Brannon, director of alumni relations.

The celebration was marked by gratitude, laughter, and heartfelt recognition of the graduates鈥� accomplishments. One especially memorable moment came when current counseling students presented graduates with personalized 鈥渟uperlative鈥� certificates highlighting their unique gifts, strengths, and contributions to the community.

“The 51视频 senior reception to honor the counseling and spiritual direction graduates was a touching reminder of the reason these programs exist: to foster transformation as students transition into new professionals equipped to meet the spiritual and mental health care needs of diverse communities,鈥� said St. David. 鈥淭hrough laughter, tears, superlatives, and blessings, we toasted our 2026 graduates and their courage in saying ‘yes’ to these meaningful vocations.”听

Graduates from the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religion, and Diploma in Anglican Studies programs were honored at a separate luncheon later in the week. Along with their formal induction into the 51视频 Alumni Association, graduates participated in a lively Q&A conversation with Bruce and the Rev. Alyssa Stebbing 鈥�22, Rector of St. Christopher鈥檚 Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas. The discussion covered everything from navigating ministry and family life to maintaining balance and finding joy in vocation, offering graduates practical wisdom and encouragement as they prepare for what comes next.

The week concluded with Last Gathering, one of 51视频鈥檚 most cherished traditions. Through videos, skits, tributes, and plenty of humor, the community offered heartfelt farewells to the graduating class. Spouses and partners were also recognized for the love and support they provided throughout the seminary journey, a reminder that formation and ministry are rarely undertaken alone.

Together, the celebrations of commencement week reflected the spirit of 51视频: rooted in worship, strengthened by community, and committed to preparing leaders for faithful service in the church and the world.

A photo gallery of the Class of 2026 commencement exercises and events can be viewed here.

The post 51视频 Welcomes 35 Graduates into the Alumni Community at 2026 Commencement appeared first on 51视频.

The post Class of 2026 Commencement Photo Gallery appeared first on 51视频.

51视频 is proud to announce Anthony Baker, PhD and Gena St. David, PhD as the keynote speakers for the 58th annual Blandy Lecture, to be held in November 2026.听

鈥淲ith so much overlap in the fields of theological education, mental health counselor education, and spiritual director education, it makes great sense to have two experts address the overlap,鈥� shared academic dean, the Rev. Benjamin King, PhD. 鈥淚t makes even more sense when those experts are our trusted colleagues and mentors. We all know Gena St. David and Tony Baker to be superb scholars and transformative teachers. They are also good friends. At this year鈥檚 Blandy Lecture, they will engage one another and us in intellectually stimulating and practical ways.”听听听

Anthony Baker, PhD is the Clinton S. Quin Professor of Systematic Theology at 51视频, where he has taught since 2004. He holds degrees from Olivet Nazarene University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (Ph.D.) and is the author of several books, including Leaving Emmaus: A New Departure in Christian Theology (2021).

At 51视频, he teaches courses in constructive theology, historical theology, Christology, Trinity, and ecotheology, while also supporting campus sustainability initiatives. Baker has lectured and preached internationally, including at the Sorbonne and the University of Cambridge.

He serves as theologian-in-residence at St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church in Austin and maintains a small practice as a spiritual director. He is also a three-time Polity Bowl champion, catching the winning touchdown in 2025.

Gena St. David, PhD is Director of the Loise Henderson Wessendorff Center for Counseling and Spirituality and Professor of Counselor Education at 51视频. She holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (B.A.), George Fox University (M.A.), and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio (Ph.D.), and her latest book is The Nonviolent Brain (2026).

A licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist, St. David is trained in systemic therapies, EMDR, trauma and neuroscience, attachment and play therapy, and the Enneagram. In 2013, she co-founded The Human Empathy Project, an Austin nonprofit that fosters empathic connection between faith and LGBTQ communities.

She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on spirituality, ethics, and counseling, and is currently writing a book exploring the relationship between neuroscience and Christian theology. St. David and her family attend Vox Veniae Church in East Austin.

The daylong celebration will invite alumni and guests to reengage with the seminary鈥檚 academic and spiritual life. The schedule includes the opportunity to audit a morning class, attend an Alumni Eucharist in Christ Chapel, share lunch with the 51视频 community, and participate in a late afternoon reception followed by Baker and St. David鈥檚 lecture.

More details and a schedule of the day will be released soon.

The post Anthony Baker and Gena St. David Announced as 58th Blandy Lecture Speakers appeared first on 51视频.

This spring, the Master of Mental Health Counseling (MHC) program hosted a lively Alumni Panel event that brought together graduates and graduating seniors for an evening of conversation, mentorship, and encouragement. The event welcomed 10 alumni and 15 MHC seniors, creating a dynamic space for connection and professional reflection.

Throughout the evening, alumni introduced themselves and shared about their current roles, work settings, and the populations they serve. Their experiences offered students a wide-ranging look at the many paths available within the counseling profession.

“The energy at the Spring Alumni Panel was absolutely incredible,鈥� shared Maria Reyna, PhD, Associate Professor of Counselor Education. 鈥淚t was incredibly rewarding to see our alumni connect so deeply with graduating seniors, sharing everything from practical career advice to personal reflections on sustaining oneself in the field. The evening beautifully highlighted the strength, warmth, and enduring support of the MHC community.”

One of the highlights of the night was a rotating small-group discussion format, where alumni and seniors met in intimate groups to exchange insights and ask candid questions. Conversations covered topics such as navigating the search for a first job, transitioning into professional practice, and finding ways to sustain oneself in the emotionally demanding work of counseling.

The evening concluded with a thoughtful Q&A session, during which alumni reflected on lessons they wished they had known as students and offered words of wisdom to the soon-to-be graduates.

The Spring 2026 MHC Alumni Panel reflected the strength of the 51视频 counseling community and the importance of relationships that continue long after graduation. The energy in the room was a testament to the shared commitment to supporting one another in the work of healing and care.

The post Building Connections: MHC Alumni Panel Brings Together Graduates and Seniors appeared first on 51视频.

Last month, 51视频 welcomed the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe and the Rev. Molly James听to campus as part of the Class of 2026 Commencement celebrations. Rowe, presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary doctorate from the seminary. James, interim executive officer of the Executive Office of the General Convention, accompanied him during the visit to Austin.

Before the Commencement Eucharist on May 19, Rowe met with the 51视频 Board of Trustees, where he shared a vision of hope and renewal in the area of theological education.听

Rowe and James were also able to tour the 51视频 campus. Eric Scott, vice president for advancement and communications, and Tatiana Suggs-Perea, director of communications, led Rowe and James on an extended walk through the seminary grounds, offering a glimpse into the daily life of the seminary community.

The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, interim dean and president reflects, 鈥淲henever I am in the presence of our Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, I remember that not only are we colleagues, we are friends who have worked side by side through a number of conventions, including the election of Presiding Bishop Curry and Sean鈥檚 own election. His presence on campus and his delight at the tour he received by Eric and Tatiana as well as meeting with the board of trustees cemented a bond between Presiding Bishop Rowe and 51视频. I hope and pray that he visits us again in the future 鈥� his wisdom, knowledge and wonderful sense of humor fit in so well with 51视频鈥檚 ethos.鈥�

鈥淚t was a true joy to welcome Bishop Rowe and Rev. James to campus and to have the chance to share with them the life, beauty, and purpose of 51视频,鈥� said Scott. 鈥淭heir visit offered a meaningful reminder of 51视频鈥檚 critical place in the wider Church and the strength of the formation, community, and mission happening here every day.鈥�

Beneath 51视频鈥檚 canopy of live oaks, Rowe and James visited beloved corners of campus, including Christ Chapel, the dining hall, classrooms, bookstore, and the Harrison Library. Along the way, the visit sparked memories of their own seminary journeys.听

The post The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe visits 51视频 Campus ahead of Commencement appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Student Becomes First Episcopal Seminarian Selected for Bossey Institute in Switzerland appeared first on 51视频.

The post Iona Collaborative and 51视频 to Offer Certificate in Congregational Spiritual Direction appeared first on 51视频.

Bishop. Faithful Pastor. Loyal Friend. Yours is a ministry formed by the breadth of the Church and sustained by a deep confidence in the reconciling love of Christ. Across congregations, cultures, languages, and continents, you have given yourself to the holy work of gathering people into community, proclaiming good news, and helping the Church bear faithful witness in a divided world.

Born in Texas, you earned your Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College before coming to 51视频, where you received your Master of Divinity in 2003. 

Your ordained ministry has carried you from North Carolina to Rome and now to California. In the Diocese of Western North Carolina, you served as rector of La Capilla de Santa Maria, a Spanish-speaking congregation in Hendersonville, and as Canon for Spanish-Speaking Ministries. There, you helped strengthen the Church鈥檚 witness among Latino and Spanish-speaking communities, reminding the wider Church that the Body of Christ is made more whole when every story is welcomed as gift.

For twelve years, you served as rector of St. Paul鈥檚 Within the Walls in Rome, a multilingual and multicultural Episcopal congregation in the heart of that ancient city. In that ministry, you led a community shaped by worship, hospitality, and service, including its witness through the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center. Your ministry in Rome embodied an Anglican generosity of spirit: rooted in the gospel, and alive to the presence of Christ among those seeking refuge, dignity, and hope.

In December 2023, you were elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of California. On May 4, 2024, you were ordained at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and in August 2024 you became the Ninth Bishop of California. As bishop, you now shepherd one of the Church鈥檚 most visible and complex dioceses with a vision grounded in Christ, community, healing, and shared ministry. 

You have called the diocese to be 鈥淩ooted in Christ, bearing fruit for the healing of the world,鈥� a vision that reflects both your pastoral heart and your confidence that the Church still has vital work to do in the public square.

Your ministry has been marked by fluency across difference: Spanish, Italian, and English; local parish and global Church; ancient tradition and contemporary need. You serve as Vice Chair of The Church Pension Fund Board of Trustees and have served as a deputy to General Convention, helping lead in the wider councils of the Church. As the first Latino bishop to lead the Diocese of California, you offer a witness of historic significance, not only because of the office you hold, but because of the expansive and deeply human way you inhabit it.

You are a member of a tight-knit cohort of five 51视频 classmates who have connected weekly for almost 25 years. This group, who refer to themselves as ‘Team Seminary,’ say of you: 鈥淎ustin shines brightly because of his deep joy, born of an authentic faith that sees him encounter the world with curiosity rather than criticism.  Austin has the 鈥榞ift of joy and wonder in all [God鈥檚] works,鈥� dispositions that have built in him wells of remarkable resilience and grace.鈥�

鈥淎ustin inspires the virtue of humility, both because he models a faithfulness that does not have his own status as its end, and because he鈥檚 good at most everything, from shooting pool, to making music, to verbatim recall of seemingly every memorable movie scene in Hollywood history.  As encouraged by Laurence Tureaud, he seeks to 鈥楤e Somebody,鈥� and make the world a better place. 

In gratitude for your faithful ministry, your leadership across cultures and communities, your witness to the global and multilingual Church, and your enduring connection to this seminary, the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Theological 51视频 is honored to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa.

The post The Rt. Rev. Austin Keith Rios appeared first on 51视频.

Pastor. Bishop. Servant leader. Steward of change. Yours is a ministry shaped by deep love for the Church and a steady confidence that, in every season of uncertainty, God is calling the people of Jesus Christ more fully into courage, humility, and common life.

Rooted in western Pennsylvania, formed by the faithful witness of local congregations, and educated at Grove City College and Virginia Theological Seminary, you discerned a call to ordained ministry at an unusually young age. From the beginning, your vocation has been marked by clarity, maturity, and a willingness to serve where the Church鈥檚 needs are most urgent. You later earned a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from Gannon University, bringing to your ministry not only pastoral conviction, but a disciplined understanding of institutions, change, and faithful adaptation.

Ordained to the priesthood in 2000, you served as rector of St. John鈥檚 Episcopal Church in Franklin, Pennsylvania, where you learned the daily and holy work of parish ministry. There, among a congregation and community facing their own challenges, you practiced the ministry of presence, listening, truth-telling, and reconciliation. You served not only within the walls of the Church, but in the civic life of the community, embodying a priesthood attentive to the whole life of God鈥檚 people.

In 2007, at the age of thirty-two, you were elected and consecrated Bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania, becoming the youngest member of the House of Bishops. In that ministry, you helped a small diocese face complex realities with honesty, imagination, and hope. You led through moments that required courage and transparency, and you called the Church to trust that truth, repentance, and resilience are essential to faithful Christian witness.

Your episcopal ministry expanded as you served as Bishop Provisional of Bethlehem from 2014 to 2018 and, beginning in 2019, as Bishop Provisional of Western New York while continuing your leadership in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Through these shared episcopal partnerships, you helped model new forms of diocesan collaboration, privileging Gospel impact over institutional habit and inviting the Church to imagine structures that serve mission rather than preserve anxiety. In a time when the wider Church has been compelled to ask hard questions about sustainability, vitality, and purpose, your ministry has offered a practical and hopeful witness to adaptive leadership.

In June 2024, the House of Bishops elected you on the first ballot as the Twenty-Eighth Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, and the House of Deputies confirmed that election at the 81st General Convention. On November 1, 2024, you began your nine-year term as Presiding Bishop and Primate, succeeding the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry and taking up the ministry of chief pastor, chair of Executive Council, and public voice of this Church.

At your investiture, you called Episcopalians to become 鈥渙ne church in Jesus Christ,鈥� grounded not in nostalgia or institutional self-preservation, but in shared ministry, mutual interdependence, and the proclamation of resurrection life. 

Those who know your ministry recognize in you a rare combination of pastoral warmth, administrative wisdom, theological seriousness, and evangelical hope. You are a preacher and pastor, a bishop and strategist, a truth-teller and bridge-builder. 

The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, your predecessor as Presiding Bishop says of you, 鈥淭here are times when the right person is summoned by the Spirit, working through ordinary human agents, to serve in what proves to be just the right moment. That was the case when in the biblical story old Mordecai challenged a young Queen Esther with the words, 鈥榃ho knows? Perhaps you have been called to the Royal dignity for such a time as this.鈥� That was the case for the bishops who elected Bishop Rowe to be the Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church.鈥�

Bishop Curry continues, 鈥淟ike Mordecai we sensed and trusted that the Spirit was leading us to Bishop Rowe as is the right person to lead with us into  the providential possibilities ofthis moment in our life as a church committed to living and bearing witness to the way of Jesus Christ for 鈥榮uch a time as this.鈥� 

His seasoned commitment to Jesus Christ, his depth of spirituality, his experience in and  knowledge of the organizational and managerial sciences, his genuine humility, remarkable wisdom  and subtle wit, all came together to suggest that he was someone who could provide the kind of faithful and effective leadership needed to serve God鈥檚 way of love and life through us as a church in 鈥榮uch a time as this.鈥欌��

In gratitude for your faithful priesthood and episcopate, your courageous and adaptive leadership, your commitment to local ministry and churchwide renewal, and your witness to the unity of the Body of Christ in a changing world, the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Theological 51视频 is honored to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa.

The post The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe appeared first on 51视频.

Jurist. Advocate. Trailblazer. Servant of justice. Yours is a life shaped by faith, disciplined by the law, and devoted to the conviction that justice must be more than an ideal. It must be accessible, practical, humane, and available to those whose voices are too often unheard.

After graduating from the UCLA School of Law in 1982, you began your legal career with the Legal Aid Society of Central Texas. That first work was not incidental to your vocation. It revealed the deep pattern of your life: a commitment to those in need, a belief in the dignity of every person, and a determination to help the legal system serve not only the powerful, but the vulnerable and the overlooked.

In 1999, you were sworn in as Judge of the 261st District Court in Travis County, becoming the first African American woman to serve on a district court in Travis County. In that role, you brought to the bench clarity of mind, steadiness of temperament, respect for the law, and compassion for the people whose lives came before the court.

Your colleagues elected you to serve as Local Administrative District Judge for the Travis County Courts, a role you held for nine years. In that work, you helped guide one of the most consequential civic projects in the county鈥檚 legal history: the design and construction of the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility. That facility stands not only as a courthouse, but as a public expression of your belief that justice requires both sound institutions and human welcome. You were instrumental in establishing a law library and self help center for self-represented litigants, a center that was dedicated in March of 2026 as the 鈥淟ora J. Livingston Law Library & Self-Help Center.鈥� 

Your commitment to access to justice has extended far beyond the courtroom. You have served with the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the Texas Center for the Judiciary, the American Bar Association, and many other organizations devoted to legal aid, indigent defense, pro bono service, and the delivery of legal services. Even in retirement, you have continued the work. After leaving the bench in 2022, you served as a Senior Judge and as Interim Director of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. In 2024, you received the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award from the State Bar of Texas, recognizing your extraordinary contribution to pro bono service and equal access to justice. 

Your legacy also lives in the formation of future lawyers. The Lora J. Livingston Scholarship, created in 2023 by the Travis County Women Lawyers Association Scholarship Fund, now supports University of Texas law students who demonstrate commitment to community, access to justice, pro bono service, public service, and servant leadership. 

As a longtime member of St. James鈥� Episcopal Church, and as senior warden during a season when that historically Black congregation was becoming an increasingly multicultural community, you helped lead with wisdom, compassion, humor, accountability, and grace. You have shown that faith need not distort justice in order to inform it, and that the deepest Christian commitments can strengthen a public life marked by fairness, restraint, and courage.

51视频 has been blessed by that same wisdom. Called to the Board of Trustees in 2015, you served during a season of growth, discernment, and institutional transformation. As chair of the Faculty and Education Committee, you helped guide faculty expansion, curriculum revision, and the seminary鈥檚 ongoing commitment to Beloved Community. You helped found and champion the transformative Pauli Murray Scholarship.

Those who know you describe you as a judge who understood power as responsibility, an advocate who understood service as duty, and a Christian who understood justice as a form of love. You have helped people imagine a common life ordered by dignity, fairness, and mercy.

Your good friend and retired 51视频 faculty member, the Rev. William Seth Adams, says of you, 鈥淟ora Livingston is clearly honorable and judicious. But beyond that and before that, she is very good humored, tough minded, insightfully well spoken, thoughtful, a compassionate jurist, a dear friend, devoted to St. James鈥� Episcopal Church in east Austin and to the Seminary. Many years ago, likely in the late 90鈥檚, Lora and I had a take-out lunch together in her chambers at the Court House. It was during my time of pastoral responsibility for St. James鈥�. Over lunch, I asked Lora to serve as the Senior Warden of our parish. After several thoughtful questions, she accepted. I was wonderfully pleased. It was one of many gracious and wise decisions she made in her years on the bench.

In gratitude for your pioneering judicial service, your lifelong commitment to access to justice, your leadership in the Church and civic life, your formation of future lawyers, and your faithful service to 51视频, the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Theological 51视频 is honored to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

The post The Honorable Lora J. Livingston appeared first on 51视频.

Attorney. Civic leader. Servant of the common good. Faithful son of Austin and of the Church. Yours is a life shaped by quiet conviction, public responsibility, and a deep belief that communities become stronger when people of goodwill learn to listen, build trust, and act together for the sake of their neighbors.

A native Austinite and lifelong member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, you have lived your vocation at the intersection of faith, law, civic life, education, health care, and human dignity. From your earliest years, you understood leadership not as prominence, but as service. As a student at St. Stephen鈥檚 Episcopal School, in the wake of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., you helped lead the creation of a scholarship fund for African American students, an early act that revealed the pattern of a lifetime. 

You earned your undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971, and you graduated from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1975.

You have become known throughout Central Texas as a lawyer of integrity, a builder of institutions, and a leader whose influence is often most powerful because it is exercised without self-display. You have served the law with discipline and skill, but you have served the community with heart, patience, and uncommon generosity.

Your civic leadership has helped shape the Austin we know today.Your service has extended across some of the most important institutions in this community. You have chaired and guided organizations devoted to health, philanthropy, education, scouting, civic life, and the Church. You are or have been Chair of the Board of Travis County Hospital District (now known as Central Health), Chair of the Shivers Cancer Foundation and the Austin Geriatric Center, Transportation Chair of the Austin Area Research Organization, and a board member of the Lebermann Foundation, Capital Area United Way, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, and St. Stephen鈥檚 Episcopal School. You have been honored by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce as Austinite of the Year, by the Antidefamation League with its Jurisprudence Award, by the Austin Bar Foundation as a Distinguished Lawyer, and by the Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America as its Distinguished Citizen

Through your service with Central Health, you helped make possible a more just and comprehensive system of care for people who too often stood at the margins of access. The health care structures you helped establish have grown in reach and complexity, including the expansion of specialty care and diagnostic services for those served by Central Health. Such achievements are not the work of one person alone, but they are made possible by leaders who know how to gather people around a shared moral purpose. Again and again, you have been such a leader.

51视频 has been among the institutions significantly blessed by your wisdom and willingness to answer the call. Your service on the Monday Connection and Pauli Murray Scholarship committees has provide steady guidance and connectivity for these important communities. As Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees, you helped guide this seminary through a consequential season of institutional growth, strategic discernment, and renewed public witness. During your board leadership, 51视频 raised the funds, constructed, and opened the Bishop Dena A. Harrison Library and Learning Complex, significantly strengthening this institution鈥檚 ability to advance its important mission, rooted in the reconciling ministry of Christ, of forming people for vocations of ministry, service, and healing. 

Those who know you describe you with words that do not fade with repetition: authentic, selfless, wise, steady, generous. Your good friend, the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge says of you, 鈥淎s the board’s executive Chair, among us, every single day, Clarke embodied Christian faith, hope, and love. He kept God’s mission always at the center of conversations and decisions. Clarke鈥檚 leadership created an atmosphere of trust and encouragement that lifted all of us who worked alongside him. Even more than I admire him, I cherish Clarke as a true friend in Christ.鈥�

In gratitude for your faithful service to Austin, your leadership in health care, education, law, philanthropy, and the Church, your steadfast devotion to 51视频, and your enduring witness to servant leadership, the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Theological 51视频 is honored to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

The post Robert Clarke Heidrick Jr. appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe – Commencement 2026 appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce – Commencement Eucharist appeared first on 51视频.

The post Black Counseling Alumni Gathering at 51视频 Centers Wellness, Connection, and Community appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Faculty Engage in Leadership and Professional Dialogue at National Counseling Conference appeared first on 51视频.

By Rachel Ambasing, MDiv Class of 2028 and Postulant in the Diocese of San Diego

Last month, I traveled to Seattle, WA, alongside fellow students, Tina Francis and Iwao Asakura, to attend the 2026 AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) Episcopal Leadership Retreat. These annual gatherings are more than just “networking opportunities”; they are crucial spaces of connection where we鈥檝e centered and celebrated the complex stories, diverse gifts and varied needs of the expansive AANHPI Episcopal community. Through these retreats I鈥檝e encountered God in an expansive way, feeling challenged and invited to consider how God shows up in different bodies, places, and stories.

The first time I ever met Tina and Iwao was at one of these retreats (in Austin in 2023 and Portland in 2024, respectively, and back before I had an inkling that I would be an enrolled student at a seminary). My relationship with the two of them was a big reason I chose 51视频 as my place of formation.

This year, the theme of the retreat was 鈥淟et it Not Happen Again,鈥� which is also the motto of l. The phrase served as a reminder to us of all that our ancestors endured. And, it was a reminder of our call to live in solidarity, not only with those suffering in the AANHPI community, but with all those people and communities whose needs have been historically unseen and underserved.

We were surrounded by solidarity across ethnic and racial lines as we made our pilgrimage through Seattle and Tacoma. In Seattle we visited , a historically Japanese church; in the ; and the ; while in Tacoma we visited the , and . Each of these communities started off as a space serving a particular cultural and ethnic group, but eventually grew to a place of expansive, inclusive belonging, service and safety to all who could connect with the stories being made in that place.

And, we had an opportunity to express our own solidarity through public witness when we visited the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement鈥檚 detention center in Tacoma. The 70 of us attending the retreat gathered just outside of the fenced boundaries at an altar of remembrance set up and cared for by local organization, as well as the wider community. The altar already held prayers remembering those who had died in detention, including Charles Leo Daniel, and Jose Manuel Sanchez Castro, and for those still waiting to be freed. We prayed and sang songs as we hung strands of tsuru 鈥� origami cranes 鈥� until a waterfall of carefully folded, vibrant paper cascaded over the altar鈥檚 tent covering like a waterfall.

Over 5000 tsuru were collected from across The Episcopal Church, including over 250 from 51视频 community, and coming to us from as far as Paris, France. The idea was inspired by , a group of Japanese American non-violent direct-action advocates for justice.

It was a packed, and busy retreat, and I left with gratitude for how God showed up through community care, collaboration, and being surrounded by folks committed to collective well-being.

The post 51视频 Students Attended Annual AANHPI Episcopal Leadership Retreat appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Dr. Jeehei Park appeared first on 51视频.

Each year, junior Master of Divinity students from 51视频 take part in an immersive border experience that invites them to encounter the complex realities of migration, ministry, and life along the U.S.鈥揗exico border, called Encuentro. Through visits with community organizations, conversations with those directly impacted by immigration policy, and shared reflection with classmates and faculty, the journey becomes a powerful opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of faith, justice, and the Church鈥檚 role in the borderlands.

Experience this important trip through the Rev. Nancy Frausto’s, Director of Latinx Studies and Lecturer in Multicultural Ministry, reflections from each day.

Encuentro: Searching in the Borderland 鈥� Day 1

After long hours on the road, we arrived and were welcomed by Padre Cruz Hector Torres and Nora Salinas, forensics coordinator with the South Texas Human Rights Center. She led us out to the water stations scattered across the harsh terrain of Brooks County and the surrounding region. There, our students encountered a ministry of life-saving compassion: simple blue barrels filled with water, placed in the desert to prevent the deaths of those forced to make the journey on foot. Each station is both an act of resistance against indifference and a quiet proclamation that migrants lives matters.

听

From the desert, we made our way to the Center鈥檚 office, where we met volunteer deputy Don White, locally known as the 鈥淏one Collector.鈥� With deep humility and unwavering commitment, Deputy White recovers the remains of those who have perished in the desert and works to help identify them. His work restores dignity to the dead and offers grieving families the possibility of closure; the sacred act of laying their loved ones to rest.

听

It was a sobering and holy day. We closed our time together in prayer, remembering by name and spirit those whom Nora herself had helped recover and identify. The weight of their stories stayed with us.

听

And yet, even in the heaviness, there was space for joy and community. We ended the day gathered around good food, and our very own Daniel TenSpot Weaver lifted our spirits by serenading us with mariachi.

The post Formation in the Borderland: Juniors Journey to the U.S.-Mexico Border for Encuentro appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rt. Rev. Diane Bruce appeared first on 51视频.

The post Dr. Johnson Named Board Member of City of Austin LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission appeared first on 51视频.

The post Upcoming Manross Lecture to Feature the Rev. Benjamin King, PhD appeared first on 51视频.

The post Counseling Program Hosts First Threaded Case Study Discussion appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Dr. Anthony Baker appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Cruz Torres appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Dr. Jeehei Park appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Celebrates Strong Presence at Episcopal Parish Network Conference appeared first on 51视频.

The post Dr. Marlon Johnson Delivers Keynote at Sold-Out TACES Midwinter Conference appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Leaders Help Shape House of Bishops Conversation on Theological Education appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Kathleen Russell appeared first on 51视频.

The post Triduum 2026 at 51视频 appeared first on 51视频.

The post The Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart, PhD Preaches and Lectures at 2026 Payne-Harvey Event appeared first on 51视频.

The post The Rev. Teresa L. Fry Brown Receives 2026 McDonald Teaching Award appeared first on 51视频.

The post Celebrating Community and Connection During Women鈥檚 History Month at 51视频 appeared first on 51视频.

The post Latinx Counseling Concentration Seniors Present Community Collaboration Projects appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Sarah Mast appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Madeline Hawley appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Sarah Mast appeared first on 51视频.

The post Payne-Harvey Lecture 2026 appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Dr. Marlon Johnson appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Dr. Teresa Fry-Brown appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Launches Search for 10th Dean and President appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Hosts Pauli Murray Reception Honoring Scholars and St. James’ Episcopal Church, Austin appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Celebrated 100 Years of Black History Month with Community-Wide Events and Engagement appeared first on 51视频.

The post The Rev. Jeehei Park, PhD Promoted to Associate Professor of New Testament appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Counseling Program Recognized Nationally, Reaffirmed by CACREP for Eight Years appeared first on 51视频.

The post Payne-Harvey Lecture Speaker Announced as the Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart, PhD appeared first on 51视频.

By Sascha Anderson, Postulant from the Diocese of the Rio Grande

In January of this year, a group of seven AAPI, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx seminarians from 51视频 joined seminarians from across the Episcopal Church at the Seminarians of Color Conference, held in Oklahoma City. The conference brought together BIPOC students from seminaries and divinity schools across the country with folks from the Episcopal Church鈥檚 Asian America, African Descent, Indigenous, and Latino Ministries departments. We heard from recent seminary graduates, lay leaders, and bi-vocational clergy.听 We heard from powerful speakers like the Reverend Guy Hewitt, Director of the Racial Justice Unit for the Church of England, who spoke to us about racial reconciliation in the Church of England; and the Rev. Dr. Mary Christ (Amskapi Pikuni / Blackfeet Nation), who spoke to us about her incredible work with St. Michael鈥檚 Ministry Center in Riverside, CA, funding and establishing a permanent supportive housing initiative from the ground up.听

The value that came from being in a room with other seminarians who shared lived experiences cannot be overstated. To be in a room surrounded by people praying in Xhosa, Chahta, Lakota, Japanese, Spanish, and other languages felt, to me, like the best expression of God鈥檚 church and the past, present, and future of our faith communities. Clergy of color continue to face myriad challenges in ministry鈥搃ncluding access to seminary education and mentorship after seminary鈥揵ut bringing us together to learn from one another and to build solidarity was a true blessing. It also highlighted the continued need for our faith communities to continue to invest resources in developing clergy and church leadership who reflect the diversity of all of God鈥檚 people, as diverse and vibrant communities are not built without strong and sustained support.听

I am tremendously grateful to the missioners and staff of the Episcopal Church who made this possible and to 51视频 for support in attending the conference. I鈥檓 already looking forward to next year!

The post 51视频 Seminarians Attended Episcopal Church’s Seminarians of Color Conference appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Sarah Mast appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. David Sugeno appeared first on 51视频.

The post The Rev. Teresa L. Fry Brown, PhD Named 2026 McDonald Teaching Award Recipient appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Dr. Russ Levenson appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Jewels Wolf appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Rev. Nancy Frausto appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Dominique Robinson appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Counseling and Theology faculty to present nationally on clergy well-being and counselor formation appeared first on 51视频.

The post Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce Commissioned as Interim Dean and President appeared first on 51视频.

The post Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe Announced as Commencement Speaker appeared first on 51视频.

The post New Essay Collection Wisdom, Knowledge, and Faith Highlights Voices Shaping the Future of Episcopal Theology appeared first on 51视频.

The post 51视频 Senior Defends MAR Thesis, Begins PhD in New Testament appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Dr. Anthony Baker appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post The Very Rev. Dr. David Monteith appeared first on 51视频.

The post Black History Month Keynote 2026 appeared first on 51视频.

View full service .

The post Ben King appeared first on 51视频.

The post Message from the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce on the Letter from the Bishops appeared first on 51视频.

View full service .

The post The Rt. Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan – Commissioning of the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce appeared first on 51视频.

View full service

The post Bishop Bruce appeared first on 51视频.

The Rt. Rev. Diane Jardine Bruce has joined 51视频 as Interim Dean and President, bringing with her decades of experience in parish ministry, diocesan leadership, and collaborative institutional life. In the conversation below, Bishop Bruce shares what excites her about 51视频, how her varied vocational path has shaped her approach to leadership, and what gives her hope for the future.

What drew you to 51视频 in particular, and what excites you most about serving the community during this season of growth?

I have long admired the forward-thinking direction the 51视频 has taken. From the Iona Collaborative to the Mental Health Counseling Program; from the MDiv, MAR, and MSD degrees to the Latinx and chaplaincy concentrations, these offerings reflect a holistic approach to formation that meets the needs of both the church and the world today.

What parts of your personal and professional background have most shaped who you are today and the way you approach leadership?

Having served as a banker for 17 years, a curate in a downtown county seat, a rector of a bilingual parish in a beach community, a bishop overseeing multicultural ministry and stewardship, and a provisional bishop in the heart of the country, I have learned that the most important work any leader can do is to build strong professional relationships. For me, leadership is rooted in listening and collaboration to ensure the success of the organization as a whole. Listening allows leaders to think holistically and to guide an institution not by personal will alone, but by the insight and wisdom of those who carry out the work day by day.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing in Austin, both on campus and in the wider city?

Since my son completed his MA and PhD at the University of Texas, I am already familiar with much of Austin. I have visited this seminary many times, which is part of why I have grown to love it so deeply. I enjoy exploring not only the seminary鈥檚 immediate surroundings, but the city of Austin and the region beyond. Over time, I have compiled a list of 鈥渕ust-see鈥� places and restaurants, drawing recommendations from friends and sources like Atlas Obscura. I look forward to spending weekends exploring and checking items off that list, in part as a way to better understand the environment in which the seminary is planted.

As you step into this role, what do you see as the seminary鈥檚 greatest strengths鈥攁nd where do you sense opportunities for growth or renewal?

This seminary has a long, strong history of enriching the world with people prepared to preach, teach, counsel, care for, and change the world. The faculty and staff excel at their work, and those who come here to study in any of the disciplines offered or who participate locally in the work of the Iona Collaborative, are enriched by the experience which helps make wherever they land in the ministry or work a much better place. In terms of growth or renewal, I will always advocate for diversity and reconciliation 鈥� meaning that expanding and enhancing the opportunities to look deeply at our shared history, tell the truth about all that has happened around us, and work towards healing is paramount. I am grateful that this Seminary is long down this road. Is there more that can be done? Of course there is. This is complex work. I am grateful to the openness to do this work here.听

What gives you hope right now鈥攆or theological and counselor education, for the Church, and for the future of 51视频?

I believe the 51视频 is a beacon of light and hope for the Episcopal Church鈥攁 community marked by respect, hospitality, and mutuality. The seminary honors, integrates, and lives out a wide range of essential disciplines through a shared life of conversation and collaboration, all of which are vital to the life of the church and the needs of the world today. To lose any part of these multifaceted programs would diminish the seminary鈥檚 ability to serve both the church and the wider world. My heart is full of joy every time I talk to a student or a member of the faculty or staff 鈥� what incredibly gifted people!

The post A Season of Leadership and Hope: Introducing 51视频’s Interim Dean and President appeared first on 51视频.

From The Episcopal Church Office of Armed Forces and Federal Ministries:

The Office of Armed Forces and Federal Ministries is inviting Parishes and Dioceses of the Episcopal Church into a renewed season of connection and partnership with veterans, service members, chaplains, and military families. This ministry extends beyond the Armed Forces to include those serving in federal institutions and in hospital settings where pastoral care is urgently needed.

Guided by the Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, the office provides pastoral support and ecclesiastical endorsement for military, VA, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and hospital chaplains. The office also collaborates with dioceses and congregations to nurture and strengthen ministries that walk alongside veterans, members of the military and their families. Bishop Ritonia鈥檚 leadership is shaped by a commitment to compassionate presence and a deep respect for the sacrifices and gifts of those who serve.

Bishop Ritonia encourages lay leaders, clergy, and seminarians to discern how they might engage with this work. Some may feel drawn to military or federal chaplaincy. Others may be discerning hospital chaplaincy or a call to develop veterans ministry within their parish or diocese. Many are already faithfully serving in these spaces, and the church welcomes anyone who feels a sense of call, curiosity, or desire to connect with this special population.

To support this effort, the office is conducting a Church-wide survey. The survey aims to identify veterans and active military families within congregations, learn where ministries are already thriving, and understand where new opportunities for chaplaincy and pastoral care are emerging. It also provides a way for individuals to express interest in military, VA, Federal Bureau of Prisons, or Federal chaplaincy and to explore the possibility of serving their diocese as a Veteran/Military Missioner.

At the recent Veterans Day service, a veteran approached our team after hearing Bishop Ritonia preach. With emotion in his voice, he shared that her willingness to name moral injury and moral injustice during the sermon made him feel genuinely seen for the first time in years. He said, 鈥渕ost people thank us for our service, but no one ever acknowledges the weight we carry. Today, I felt understood.鈥�

That moment reminded us that healing often begins with simply being recognized, being named, honored, and remembered by the church. For veterans who have carried silent burdens, even a single sermon can open the door to hope.

This is why our work continues. And this is why your voice, your story, and your support truly matter.

The Office of Armed Forces and Federal Ministries invite all members of the Episcopal Church to complete the survey below. The responses received will help guide the development of future partnerships and resources that support veterans, military families, chaplains, and all who feel called to minister among them.

To take part in the survey, please .听

For more information, or to connect with the office, we warmly invite you to .

If you feel called to support the work of our Military and VA chaplains, please consider making a monetary gift by using this link –听

The post Office of Armed Forces and Federal Ministries Invites Greater Engagement Across the Church appeared first on 51视频.

View full service .

The post The Rev. Jeehei Park appeared first on 51视频.

This past November, for the 57th consecutive year, the Blandy Lecture and Alumni Convocation gathered alumni and friends of 51视频 for a joyful time of reunion, learning, and fellowship. Planned and led by the 51视频 Alumni Association Steering Committee and Office of Advancement and Communications, this year鈥檚 Blandy delivered the invigorating, inspirational experience that generations of 51视频 graduates have come to cherish. The intermingling of alumni, guests, and current students across campus offered a vivid reminder that members of the 51视频 community never truly depart鈥攖hey simply serve in new locations.

The festivities began the evening prior with a virtual reunion featuring reflections and conversation with current 51视频 leadership. The day of Blandy opened with Morning Prayer before attendees joined one of three class sessions: New Testament with the Rev. Dr. Jeehei Park, Theology with Dr. Tony Baker, or Anglican Studies with the Rev. Nathan Jennings, Ph.D.

At midday, alumni gathered with students, faculty, and staff for Holy Eucharist, during which the Hal Brook Perry Award was presented to the Rev. Andy Andrews. Andrews, who earned his M.Div. from 51视频 in 1996, currently serves as Missioner for Beloved Community and Congregational Vitality in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. His ministry centers on reconciliation, healing, and justice鈥攚ork that has shaped parish communities, strengthened diocesan initiatives, and built partnerships in places yearning for transformation and hope. His leadership reflects the spirit of faithful engagement and compassionate service that Hal Brook Perry embodied and encouraged. Read the award citation here.

The Rev. Dr. Minerva Skeith 鈥�19 presided at the Eucharist, and the Rev. Constance Coleman-Fletcher 鈥�20 preached (view sermon here).

Over lunch with the full community, Eric Scott, Vice President for Advancement and Communications, offered words of welcome鈥攌icking off his remarks with a celebratory walk to the podium carrying the Polity Bowl trophy. Afterward, guests explored campus including Trinity Crossing outside the Bishop Dena A. Harrison Library and the Campus Bookstore, where alumni enjoyed dessert and browsed the latest Thuribull gear.

In the afternoon, Blandy lecturer Kazu Haga joined Dr. Gena St. David for a workshop titled 鈥淓mbodied Nonviolence in a Time of Collective Tension.鈥� Their conversation drew on themes from Dr. St. David鈥檚 forthcoming book The Nonviolent Brain: Unlocking our Potential to Save the Planet, Animals, and Ourselves and Haga鈥檚 recently published Fierce Vulnerability: Healing from Trauma, Emerging Through Collapse. Designed especially for MHC students and alumni, the workshop offered continuing education credit and invited participants to explore the spiritual and neurobiological foundations of nonviolent practice.

After the workshop and Evening Prayer, attendees gathered in the dining hall for a festive dinner and the chance to reconnect with friends old and new.

Before the keynote address, the Alumni Association presented the inaugural Dave Scheider Award, named in honor of the Rev. Dave Scheider, whose vision and determination shaped the founding of 51视频鈥檚 Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Scheider imagined a program where spirituality and psychology were deeply integrated鈥攆orming counselors prepared to be healers in every dimension of human experience.

The award鈥檚 first recipient, Kevin Overton-Hadnot 鈥�23, exemplifies this holistic vision. As founder of Counseling For Us in Austin, Overton-Hadnot has expanded access to culturally responsive mental health care, reduced stigma around therapy, and created therapeutic environments rooted in dignity and belonging. His work demonstrates both professional excellence and unwavering commitment to community well-being. Read the award citation here.

“It was uplifting to greet so many mental health counseling alumni returning to campus to spend the evening with former faculty and current students,” said Dr. Gena St. David, Director of the Louise Henderson Wessendorff Center for Counseling and Spirituality. “We are grateful for everyone who contributed to this warm, inspiring homecoming. From the counseling CEU workshop, to the dinner, inaugural counseling award, and keynote lecture, the time together was poignant and energizing.”

The evening concluded with the keynote lecture delivered by Kazu Haga, who spoke on the meaning of nonviolence, his journey in reconciliation work, and the intentional community of Canticle Farm where he makes his home.

51视频 Academic Dean, the Rev. Benjamin King, Ph.D., shared, 鈥淚 was delighted that our Blandy lecturer addressed the concerns of alums and students across all our programs. Kazu Haga reminded us that in this fraught time for the world we must pay attention to the smaller points of joy or abundance or grace in our lives, and so begin to see the patterns of those things throughout creation. I came away from the lecture filled with hope and grateful for our alums who, through their service, change the world in innumerable small and big ways.鈥澨�

鈥淥nce again, this year, our events brought together the best of the seminary鈥檚 traditions with some new traditions for our entire Alumni community to build upon for the future,鈥� reflected the Rev. Lecia Brannon, Director of Alumni Relations and liaison to the Alumni Association Steering Committee. 鈥淲hether our alumni were on campus or joining virtually, our Alumni Convocation events and the Blandy Lecture offered a 51视频 connection for everyone. Thank you to the members of the Alumni Steering Committee and the 51视频 Alumni Association for their dedication and commitment to this event for the seminary community.鈥澨�

The post Inaugural Dave Scheider Award Highlights 57th Blandy Lecture and Alumni Convocation appeared first on 51视频.