GMU wishes our Global Family Health, Happiness and Fulfillment in 2024 and Always!

The GMU Board of Directors met on Monday, January 15 via Zoom to review GMU's current academic and financial status and plan for the future. GMU is in good hands and looks forward to a bright future thanks to this group of talented people dedicated to GMU's success.

President Gerald Grudzen has announced the appointment of Dr. Reginald Nalugala as GMU's International VP of Africa. With a Ph.D. in International Development from Oxford University ,Dr. Nalugala brings a wealth of experience in academia and will promote enrollment and participation in Africa.

GMU seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of those who wish to start Intentional Eucharistic Communities, and together with PCS is offering:

Creating Inclusive Eucharistic Communities in an Emerging Synodal Church 5 sessions  $475 + 25 App Fee

Women in the Bible and Christian Tradition 5 sessions  $475 + 25 App Fee

Credit for these courses can be applied towards a GMU degree or GMU certificate.

Recently Published Books About Chaplaincy

As GMU considers expanding and enhancing its certificate program in Chaplaincy, it seems appropriate to explore the current resources on this topic available to students, faculty, and researchers. Perhaps all of us with connections to GMU are “chaplains” of a sort, as we spread our ministries of global, interfaith service and dialog to our communities. 

Here are five titles that may be of interest to people studying or wanting to know more about the experiences of chaplains and chaplaincy, with an emphasis on interreligious focus, and on those who work in community settings other than, or in addition to, hospitals.

• The Heart of a Chaplain: Exploring Essentials for Ministry, by Dr. Jim Browning and Dr. Jim Spivey (B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, 2022) offers the observations of 37 contributors representing 914 years of experience as they explore six major types of chaplaincies. Included is a mentoring tool in the appendix and an extensive resource section, along with a chapter on “memorable moments.”. 

• Foundations of Chaplaincy: A Practical Guide, by Alan T. Baker (Eerdmans, 2021) surveys the biblical and theological foundations of chaplaincy and enumerates four specific responsibilities and skills that define chaplaincies’ “ministry of presence”: providing, facilitating, caring, and advising. He gives the reader practical advice and shares anecdotes from over thirty chaplains currently serving in a variety of settings and organizations including healthcare, the military, correctional institutions, police and fire departments, sports teams, college campuses, and corporations. 

• Disaster Spiritual Care, 2nd Edition: Practical Clergy Responses to Community, Regional and National Tragedy. edited by Rev. Willard W. C. Ashley Sr. and Rabbi Stephen B. Roberts. 2nd edition. (SkyLight Paths, 2017) The first comprehensive resource for pastoral care in the face of disaster―a vital resource for clergy, seminarians, pastoral counselors and caregivers of all faith traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and more.

• Mantle of Mercy: Islamic Chaplaincy in North America, edited by

Muhammad A. Ali, Omer Bajwa, Sondos Kholaki, and Jaye Starr.

(Templeton Press, 2022) This book presents thirty essays by Muslim chaplains reflecting on their experiences as spiritual caregivers working in a variety of settings—including hospitals, prisons, universities, and the armed forces. They share how their faith informs their service, how they navigate the obstacles of a predominantly Christian profession, and how they administer to the spiritual needs of people of different faiths or of no faith at all.

• Hindu Approaches to Spiritual care: Chaplaincy in Theory and Practice, edited by Vineet Chander and Lucinda Mosher (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2020.) Made up of some 30 essays by chaplains, scholars and other important voices in the field, this book provides spiritual caregivers with a theoretical and practical approach to the relationship of Hinduism and chaplaincy. It covers the issues that arise in specific locations, such as college, healthcare, prison, military, and the corporate sector, LGBT centers, social justice work and environmental activism.

All these titles are available in Kindle or paperback format on Amazon.com and could probably be ordered via interlibrary loan from a local library.

Please contact me for research assistance, especially if you’re stuck. I’m here!

~Judy Clarence, M.L.I.S., GMU Librarian

History, Spirituality, and Theology of Eastern Christianity

It is your last chance to register for Dr. Nazar Sloboda's free presentation on "History, Spirituality, and Theology of Eastern Christianity" on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 7 PM EST as an introduction to his course.

Increase your knowledge and enhance your understanding and appreciation of Eastern Christianity. Dr. Sloboda's course on the "History, Spirituality, and Theology of Eastern Christianity" begins the following Tuesday, February 13 for five successive weeks at the same time: 4 PM (PST) – 7 PM (EST). The final session will be on Tuesday, March 12. The cost is $475 plus the $25 application fee. There are a limited number of scholarships available. Apply soon.

Dr. Sloboda received a Doctorate in Sacred Theology Ecumenism and Dialogue from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), Rome, Italy. He will direct GMU graduate studies programs in Orthodox theology and history.

Creation Spirituality

Make a New Year's Resolution to connect with nature. To help everyone afford this unique experience, Dr. Margie Schneider is offering her two 8-week courses, Creation Spirituality TH580 and Eco-Art & Creation Spirituality TH581 to be taken in succession in March at the substantially reduced price of $150 each. That's less than $20 per session! Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to "Embrace Creation!"

Doctorate in Senior Care and Hospice Chaplaincy in Collaboration with Pacific Institute

GMU will oversee a Doctor of Ministry in Senior Care and Hospice Chaplaincy. Prospective students should have the interest and background necessary to work with senior populations. Students will take one unit of clinical pastoral education (CPE) with the Pacific Institute for Essential Conversations led by John Jeffrey.  The Doctorate has two possible tracks. One track is geared toward those working with seniors in some form of senior programs such as housing, community centers, or senior health advocacy programs. The other track is for those in end-of-life care such as hospice or medical professionals in geriatric fields.

Students would take four GMU courses including "Chaplaincy 1:The Basics"; "Spirituality and Aging"; and "Ethics and Pastoral Ministry." For the final course, students can choose from a mentored research project or a supervised internship.

Community Chaplaincy

Negotiations are underway for collaboration with All Faiths Seminary on a Community Chaplaincy Program. The curriculum and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) structure are being developed. Stay Tuned for updates. 

Religion and Science

A new cohort in the GMU's Religion and Science Program will begin in the spring of 2024. Discover the compatibility of scholarship and faith. The Alliance for Shared Values in New Jersey (a Hizmet affiliate) has agreed to fund three scholarships for students in developing countries in the next Science and Religion graduate cohort.

by Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor

"...We all know that Dr. King is one of the most revered leaders of our times, inspiring millions of us. Why? Dr. King’s life and legacy continue to be a timeless source of inspiration for me personally. Dr. King was a drum major for peace, justice and righteousness. He was the conscience of his generation. He was an uncompromising champion of human rights and nonviolence; like Mahatma Gandhi, he believed that nonviolence is an infinitely superior method of achieving social justice and resolving conflicts..."

Many individuals are beginning 2024 by embarking on a new venture, such as training to become a celebrant. The goal of The Center for Celebrant Training is to help them be the best celebrant they can be.

People’s Catholic Seminary presents Three Forums on the Journey Together in a Synodal Church for Everyone: Next Steps

Join us for three sessions of mutual listening and sincere dialogue to continue exploring possible paths ahead on the journey together in a Synodal Church.

Session 1: January 16, 2024, 1 pm-2 pm EST (video above): 

Topic: The Face of the Synodal Church on the Road Together

Session 2 February 6, 2024, 1 pm-2 pm EST

Topic: All Disciples, All Missionaries

Session 3: March 12, 2024, 1 pm-2 pm EST 

Topic: Weaving Bonds, Building Communities

These sessions will be recorded and a report sent to the Vatican for the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality in October 2024 in Rome. 

GMU is pleased to announce that we received funding for our educational programs in Africa in the amount of $2,000 from the US alumni of Lucerne University in Belgium.

Thanks to the outstanding generosity of GMU's alumni and benefactors, partial scholarships are now available in all areas of study for all GMU students.

Please support your university!

GMU cannot succeed without YOU!

The Women's Ordination Conference is in its seventh year of offering the Lucile Murray Durkin Scholarship, a $2,200 scholarship for women and non-binary people discerning priestly ordination—primarily in the Catholic tradition and secondarily in other denominations—and pursuing theology studies. The application process is open, and applications are due by April 29, 2023.

New Year's Blessing

May your inner vision be transformed so that you can see more clearly your own journey with all humankind as a journey of peace, hope, and bondedness (Nm 24:15-17; Jn 20:20).

May your God be someone you can lean on in your weak or painful moments. May you know God as your rock, your shelter, your strength, your wing of comfort and support (Ps 94:18).

May you be aware of all the places your feet carry you in the new year. May you know "how beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news" (Rom 10:15).

May you not be afraid of the questions that press upon your mind and heart. May you welcome the questions and wait patiently for the day when they will have their answers (Mt 11:3).

May you be the one with welcome in your smile and hello etched upon your hand, the hand you extend to everyone who blesses you with presence (Lk 7:36-50).

May yours be the gift of reverence for all created things. May you face bravely and enthusiastically the responsibility to preserve and care for the beauty of Earth (Sir 42:15-43:33).

May the wellsprings of compassion flow deep within you until you can taste the tears of your brothers and sisters (2 Cor 1:3-7).

May you awake each morning with thank you on your lips and in your heart, recognizing that all is gift, that all is blessing (Ps 138:1).

May your friendship with God be strong and healthy. May that love be both a comfort and a challenge as you struggle to find your way in the new year (Jn 21:15-19).

May your spirit be open and perceptive in discovering the will of God for you. May your prayer be that of wisdom, guidance, and a deeper understanding of God's way for you (Lk 1:26-38).

May your life this new year be a living legacy to your God.

- Joyce Rupp