LTSP Honors Betty Pettit

Betty Pettit, a former member of the Board of Trustees of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), and secretary of the board from 1991-2003, was honored April 22, 2009, at the spring trustees meeting. A photo portrait of Ms. Pettit (September 25, 1929-January 31, 2007) was unveiled in the Robert F. Blanck Board Room of The Brossman Center in recognition of her service as trustee and board secretary. The trustees were joined by Ms. Pettit's family and the pastor of her home congregation for the ceremony. Ms. Pettit joined the board in 1990 after her election to the board by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), one of the synods of Region 7 of the ELCA which directly relate to LTSP.

Board chair Dr. Addie Butler shares a memory before the unveiling.

Former board chair Dr. Robert Blanck remembers serving with Betty Pettit.

Unveiling of the portrait.

Members of Betty Pettit's family and Pr. Rick Summy (L) after the portrait unveiling.

An album of photos from the unveiling, including high resolution versions for download, is available here.

President's Message: April 2009

The President's Message for April 2009, from the Rev. Dr. Philip D.W. Krey, president of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). President Krey talks about Good Shepherd Sunday, May 3, which is Region 7 Seminary Sunday, an opportunity for congregations the seminary serves to support LTSP with prayer, financial support, and identifying and sending students, the future leaders of the church in the world.

Learn more about May 3 Seminary Sunday: Ltsp.edu/SeminarySunday

Public Vocation of Scientists and Theologians topic of April 21 Convocation

"Public Vocation of Scientists and Theologians" is the topic of the April 21 Convocation lecture at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). The lecture will be presented by the Rev. Dr. Nelson Rivera, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Hispanic Ministry, and Director of the Latino Concentration at LTSP. The lecture is scheduled for 11:30 am on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 in Benbow Hall, The Brossman Center, on the LTSP campus at 7301 Germantown Avenue in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. Admission is free and the lecture is open to the public.

Professor Rivera received a BA (Cum Laude) from Universidad de Puerto Rico in 1981; an MDiv from LTSP in 1987; an MA from Temple University in 1997; an STM from LTSP in 1998; and his PhD from Temple University in 2006; and served in pastorates in Puerto Rico from 1987-93. He regularly teaches courses on God, Creation, Christology, Theological Anthropology, and Liberation Theology. His research and teaching also include courses that explore the relationships between theology and the natural sciences, and the traditions of Western philosophy and culture. Among Prof. Rivera’s strong interests is the exploration of the social and theological dimensions of important scientific ideas. Recently, his research has focused on the meanings and implications of evolutionary theory, and on the possibilities for a theology of evolution. As part of his responsibilities with the Latino Concentration, Prof. Rivera teaches courses in Latino Theology and Ministry. As a Lutheran, he has been involved, with other members of the Latino community, in a critical reassessment of Luther's theology as a source for their own ecclesial reflection. As a theologian and a Latino scholar, as someone committed to the perspectives brought by liberation theology, Prof. Rivera normally moves within an interdisciplinary intellectual landscape.

For more information on LTSP and directions to the campus, go to Ltsp.edu.

Sacred Texts - Modern Issues: April 26

The spring 2009 Trialogue Event for Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders, seminarians, students, and those interested in interfaith learning. Sunday, April 26, 2009, 2 to 7 pm at The Brossman Center at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Presenters for the program include Yehezkel Landau, Faculty Associate in Interfaith Relations at Hartford Seminary, Imam Abdullah Antepli, Muslim chaplain at Duke University, and Rob Arner, a PhD student at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, concentrating his studies in the field of theological ethics..

About the Program

As we look to compare and contrast the Abrahamic faiths, there is much to learn from examining the ways in which representatives of each religious community interprets sacred texts that provide guidance for modern issues. This process helps us with our own stereotypes and distrust involving these traditions, as well as learning more about our own traditions. The 2009 Trialogue focuses on the interpretation process - the exegesis and isogesis in Christianity, "PaRDeS" in the Jewish tradition, tafseer and ijtehad in Islam - used by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars to provide contemporary interpretations based on sacred sources that often were not confronted with the same challenges faced today.

This Year's Theme

This year a presenter and respondent from each faith will focus on the concept of "Just War" as a unifying theme around which to organize their interpretive comments. They will also lead small follow-up discussion groups and field questions. Participants can expect to come away from the program with a broader understanding of each tradition's interpretive methodologies as well as food for thought for future interfaith conversations. A light supper is included.

Learn about the presenters and more on the program, and register online: Ltsp.edu/trialogue