Statement of my theological foundations:
While I primarily try to show rather than tell my theological convictions, I believe it is important to name that my work as a minister is grounded in several core assumptions. I center my faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, whose reign subverts all worldly power, and who teaches us to live in right-relationship with one another and with God. While we see sin manifest in unjust power structures, exploitation of the oppressed, and destruction of God’s beloved created world, I firmly believe that we have been given all we need to turn away from sin and restore our relationship with God. We have the teachings of our Scriptures, passed down through the ages and lived out by our teacher Jesus, written by humans and infused with divine wisdom. We have the assurance of God’s forgiveness, the promise that we have been made as part of God’s Creation, that God always desires to be in covenantal relationship with us. And we have the sustenance, discerning power, and ongoing communion of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to gather in Churches to do God’s work in the world. I can attest from my own life and call to ministry that Christ calls us to his work from the margins, that the Holy Spirit empowers us to works of justice and mercy that we never would have thought were possible on our own, and that God’s love for us is deeper and wider than we can possibly imagine.
If you are curious about my theology, Christology, and strategies of Biblical hermeneutics, I recommend that you check out my work in the appendix.
Practicing theological reflection and engagement as part of one’s sense of ministerial identity & Experiencing and appreciating a variety of theological perspectives.
Throughout my undergraduate and seminary studies, I developed the theological basis from which I practice ministry. In turn, my ministerial experiences in the field shape my understanding of and relationship with God. It is especially important to me to engage with diverse theological perspectives, particularly those who speak from marginalized communities, to better understand Jesus as a figure who stands and lives intimately with those who are oppressed. Two seminary classes that greatly influenced my theology are “Black Liberationist and Womanist Approaches to Christology” (taught by Dr. Keri Day) and “Incarnation and Incarcerated Bodies” (taught by Dr. Mark Taylor).
One of my deepest convictions is that good theology speaks to people’s lived experiences. I am especially passionate about how our understanding of Jesus can speak to people on the margins, particularly women and people of color living in the majority world. Women of color disproportionately experience the effects of modern imperialism and the climate crisis, both of which are caused by extractive economic practices that favor the minority world. In a paper I wrote for Dr. Day, I focused on the rise in violence against women and girls (VAWG) that comes with climate-related disaster, while asking how our Christology can speak to this moment of crisis. I wrote in conversation with Delores Williams’ Sisters in the Wilderness, a trailblazing text in the field of womanist theology that shaped much of how I think about Christ’s promises of survival and work of reconciliation in the world. You can read my full paper in the appendix.
Integrating theological reflection in teaching, preaching, and ecclesial and community leadership.
If it isn’t already obvious, I care a lot about bringing the richness of theology and scripture to the so-called “real world.” I believe that how we read the Bible and how we talk about God has real, material stakes for how we treat one another and our fellow creatures. Thus, I put a lot of preparation and reflection into my preaching and teaching, with the goal of taking my audience seriously as theological partners. While working at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church, I taught three adult education sessions over the course of my internship. For one, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to lead a session on The Executed God by Mark Taylor, which I was reading for my “Incarnation and Incarcerated Bodies” class. I was nervous that this topic would not be received well at a white middle-class suburban church. I worried about the accessibility of dense theological topics, and that I would be seen as too radical or too strange. After a lot of preparation and consultation with my professor and supervisor, I ended up really proud of the session and impressed with the healthy, thoughtful engagement from the congregation. I built my presentation around this focus statement: “The center of our faith is a God executed by an unjust state. Reflecting on Jesus’ crucifixion offers us both a way in to understand the cruelty of mass incarceration, and the tools to begin imagining a Christian counter-movement.”
Articulating a theology and practice of ministry consistent with the UCC Manual on Ministry & Embodying the UCC Ministerial Code.
My vision of myself in ministry is as a proclaimer of God’s good news for the world, with a special focus on justice and good news for the oppressed. I also see myself as a pastoral caregiver who helps people to connect with a wider sense of meaning. I resonate completely with the Ordained Minister’s Code, through which I agree “to preach and teach the gospel, to administer the sacraments and rites of the Church with integrity, and to exercise pastoral care and leadership in covenant with others.”
I hope that throughout this portfolio, I have demonstrated my deep respect for the UCC’s theology of ordination, and my intent to meet the Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers. And at the same time, there is no way for us to live into faithful ministry on our own. One of my favorite things about the UCC’s theology of pastoral ministry is its emphasis on covenant. By entering into a life of service with the church, I acknowledge that I am entering and/or committing to deepening a series of relationships, with God, with my friends and family, with my church, with the United Church of Christ, and with all my fellow ministers. I am committing to networks of accountability, to reaching out to my support system when things get hard, and to trusting both God and my community and their call on my life.
Demonstrating an appreciation for and participation in the ecumenical and interfaith partnerships of the UCC.
Interreligious and ecumenical collaboration is an important part of my call, and one I hope to continue to develop throughout my pastoral residency. As an undergraduate religious studies major at Georgetown University, I learned about the deep human need for connection and transcendence while studying multiple traditions. And outside of the classroom, I also got to be part of building shared spaces of worship and human connection. In my work for the ESCAPE program, I had the privilege of helping to design and run Ignatian Contemplative retreats for first year students. In my work with the Interreligious Student Team, I supported Jewish, Muslim, and Dharmic life programming on campus, and developed an ethic of interreligious humility that helps me cultivate dialogue across faith differences. I also developed a deep love and appreciation for programming across many faiths. From braiding challah with the Jewish Student Association to choosing vegan snacks to share after Buddhist meditation, I feel richer for getting to work with students of different faiths, and hope to continue my lifelong process of interreligious engagement and growth.
At Princeton Theological Seminary, I have had the opportunity to develop a strong ecumenical mindset both through my interpersonal relationships and through my internships. I have worked in Presbyterian, Lutheran, and interdenominational spaces, and believe in fostering connection across difference so that we may all be one. I love the UCC for its united and continually uniting stance, and hope to be a part of that outreach and work.
