Presidential Priorities
Inaugural Statement
Dr. Elías Ortega-Aponte, Ph.D.
President
Professor of Religion, Ethics, and Leadership
Meadville Lombard Theological School
October 26, 2019
Theological education matters in our lives. The impact of theological education goes beyond the vocational and academic preparation of religious professionals for congregational leadership. Theological education contributes to our civic lives, equipping religious communities, lay members, and religious leaders with a moral vision necessary for justice-making work in the world and lives of service in the public sphere.
It is my honor to serve as President of Meadville Lombard Theological School, a school that dares to chart a visionary path for the future of theological education, re-imagining how we provide an academically rigorous and spiritually grounded education through low residence contextual learning model that better serves the lives of future religious and lay leaders. Our mission grounds our work in the liberal religious values of Unitarian Universalism, and because of this faith tradition, our school continues to be a catalyst for the growth of Unitarian Universalism and beyond. Theological education today has a role to play, to ignite our imaginations with passion for the work that makes the Beloved Community a reality.
Our Mission and what we value commit us and our Unitarian Universalist grounded theological education to openness and to multiple faith belongings. It positions us uniquely to become leaders in theological education in the 21st century, in a pluralistic society that seeks to make meaning of the world in new, creative, and accountable ways. A Theological Education grounded in liberal religious values is most effective when it lives prophetically into what our Unitarian Universalist Movement can offer to the world: to help reshape a broken world through the power of justice, equity, and compassion, in our ways of being faithful to our sacred faith and with responsibility for one another
Who We Are
Meadville Lombard Theological School has a history of preparing leaders to become inspiring change agents. Among our alumni, we have congregational ministers, non-profit leaders, and community organizers advocating for issues like voting rights, gender equity, and justice-system reforms. We have prepared chaplains to serve in multiple contexts like the healthcare industry and the US Armed Forces. Our alumni have drawn from the benefits of an academically rigorous and spiritually grounded education to make a difference in professional settings beyond congregational ministry. Your life, or that of someone you know, may have been touched by a Meadville Lombard Theological School alum and their commitment to lives of integrity, justice, and compassion.
In the current political and social climate of increased vulnerability and risk for the LGBTQI community, racial and ethnic minorities, and immigrants, in a time when financial instability, food and housing insecurities are a constant threat, and in the midst of a crisis of care of the body, the mind, and the spirit, Meadville Lombard Theological School’s education speaks out with the depth and richness of its justice-seeking tradition. In this moment, as a school, we bring together theory—to assist us in understanding the challenges religious leaders face in the world—and practical tools—to offer a response that puts words and deeds into action for the care of the needy in our communities, whether within and without the boundaries of our worshipping community.
Our Why
We are committed to being partners in the work of fostering Effective Religious Leadership in the 21st Century.
Learning Community: We are deliberate in fostering intentional learning communities for social change and shared leadership. Our low-residency contextual model of education takes the complex lives of adult learners seriously. It also honors the context where religious leaders serve, striving to prepare them with the requisite tools for success in all aspects of congregational life, from pastoral needs to congregational administration. Moreover, it models adaptability to multiple demands of future religious professionals, like employment, caring responsibilities, and ministry. In so doing, the Contextual Model of Education is an alternative that removes barriers that may hinder the pursuit of theological education, embracing a path that nurtures creativity, innovation, and new models of faithful servant leadership in changing times.
Embracing cultural shifts: cultural competency skills and religious literacy is essential for religious leadership in the 21st century. Every graduate of Meadville Lombard develops cultural competency proficiency through our curriculum that centers anti-oppression, anti-racism, and multi-cultural pedagogies. Whether we are working to overcome the polarization of politics in the nation, the emboldening of white supremacist individuals in the public sphere, or coming to terms with realities of demographic changes in which people of color will be the significant majority of the population, our educational model prepares leaders to respond to the fracturing of our society.
Interreligious and ecumenical: connecting, encountering, being in fellowship, and learning from and with our siblings in other faith traditions are key to public shared ministry. They are also key to the ongoing relevance of liberal religion in the public sphere. Meadville Lombard plays a role in revitalizing the place of theological thinking as central to informing our public sphere, as well as thinking partners in addressing pressing issues within our movement. To make this possible, we lean into our mission and work side-by-side with learners from multiple faith traditions and those who claim multi-faith belongings within Unitarian Universalism.
Technological fluency for ministry in a digital world: technology has accelerated the pace of communication and opens opportunities for engagement in our global, multicultural, and multi-religious world. Effective religious leadership today requires technological fluency, and the capacity to adapt to, make critical use of, and educate others in the reflective use of communication technologies as an essential component of religious leadership. At Meadville Lombard, we provide opportunities for our community of learning to explore learning with the use of digital technologies. We also provide opportunities for understanding how technological competency is a key tool for ministry, that facilitates communication, community building, and enriches the religious life of the community.
Hospitality: We understand that our education is not only an academic endeavor but also a spiritual one. Our practices of hospitality within our community of learning and community partners create space for healing and transformation. The possibility to be transformed and be of service can be sustained with a message that inspires one to hope.
Meadville Lombard Theological School has a long and rich history. For 175 years, this school has mustered the courage required to take risks to live into its mission, in ways that foster excellence in ministerial education as a response to changing times. In times of challenges, it has anchored its hope in future possibilities, drawing the best from its past. It moves forward inspired by the living tradition that is Unitarian Universalism. When the paths may not have been the clearest and uncertainty loomed large over the horizon, we have taken comfort in the promise that when we light a chalice—the symbol of our covenantal faith, the Spirit of Life will guide us forth, beckoning us to live with a greater commitment to build a beloved community shaped by justice, compassion, and equity.