We were richly blessed by one another’s presence and the work of the Holy Spirit at our January 2026 faculty retreat. We reflected together on how schools can cultivate community, how we can be people who flourish within our limits in the context of community, and how the church’s community-building basis can provide escape routes from polarization.
Thanks to everyone who came, to Dallas Theological Seminary, and to the Center for Transformational Churches at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for making this time possible.
Watch this space for announcements about future gatherings of the Fellowship!
This year our focus was shared reflection. The conversations were candid and powerful.
The apotheosis of acronyms: Donald Guthrie of TEDS interviews Nelson Morales of SETECA, who traveled from Guatemala to share perspective from a different context on community in theological education. Building community in a school must be intentional and costly.
Kelly Kapic did not surpass the limits of the human, although it sometimes felt like he had, in prompting us to reflect on how the limits of our created nature are a gift from God. The humility to which we are called is not first and foremost the humility of sinners but the humility of creatures, beautifully and wonderfully made to play specific, defined roles.
We did go on a “field trip” of sorts this time – to Dallas’ True Food Kitchen. Some of us had trouble remembering all that stuff about “the goodness of our created limits” when the dessert menu arrived!
Darrell Bock, Jennifer Woodruff Tait and Brent Waters led us in reflecting on the challenge of polarization. One thing that stood out: Nobody needed an explanation of why this is the seminary’s business. The collapse of goodwill across partisan lines is an all-hands-on-deck calling for theological education, as we equip our people to navigate this challenging environment.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon!
