Spring 2021 Newsletter

GTF SCHOLAR
THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE
GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

Spring 2021
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
GTF in the Post-Pandemic World

01 | President's Message | 07| A Letter from the Provost
|
02 | GTF To Expand Activities to South- | 08| New Latin American Doctor of
west Florida | Ministry Program
|
03 | Technology Advancements Un- | 11 | A Message from our Interfaith
derway | Chaplain
|
04 | GTF Homecoming Graduation is |
Now Set |
| 12 | Community Spotlight
05 | While the World Stood Still… |
Oklahoma City Prepares the Way! |

EOLOGICAL
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO
President's Message

NG

Dear GTF Community,

Our Spring newsletter theme is appropriate for the season, since spring is the time that barren vege-
tation begins to turn green, colorless landscapes begin to bloom with beautiful color, and naked trees
put on a new robe of bright green leaves. Spring is the season of renewal, of a return to vibrant life, of
the hope that a long winter is now behind us.

For over a year now, the COVID19 pandemic has frozen our human communities in a deep tunnel
of hibernation and fear. During this time, we have lost too many loved ones, we have experienced
economic hardships, and dreams have stood frozen in time. But with the advancement of vaccines,
it seems that we may truly be witnessing a light at the end of this long tunnel. We are not out of the
tunnel yet, but this light that draws us forward is a promising one. For the first time in a full year, we
are beginning to imagine life after the pandemic.

What will our post-pandemic life look like? That is the question we have been asking ourselves here
at the Graduate Theological Foundation. May I speak personally for a moment? I had many exciting
hopes and dreams for GTF when I assumed the Presidency, but so much of that was immediately put
on hold as the pandemic took over. Now, I am beginning to dust those dreams off, polish them up, and
put them back to work. For GTF, there is new life emerging. Like the greening earth in spring, GTF
is bouncing back to new form. New residential courses are being designed, the Homecoming Grad-
uation is back on the table, new cohort style degree and certificate programs will take our students
to Cuba and The United Kingdom, while short intensive residential opportunities will be offered in
Oklahoma City and in Sarasota Florida.

These items, as well as several others, are described
in more detail throughout this newsletter. All of it
imagines life in the light at the end of the tunnel.
Join us as we imagine what lies ahead for GTF and
its community in the post pandemic world. For the
one thing that can happen in a long winter’s nap is
a good bit of dreaming. Now, its time to wake up and
begin to put those dreams to work.

- Dr. Paul J Kirbas
President/CEO

01

EOLOGICAL GTF To Expand Activities
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO to Southwest Florida
NG

Paul and Jennifer Kirbas, President and Provost of GTF, consider Southwest Florida to be their home base. For
10 years, they lived in that area, before life took them to Chicago and eventually Oklahoma City. But as life
begins to return to normal and GTF can begin to offer intensive residential courses again, it seemed a perfect
opportunity to expand GTF residential courses to the Sarasota area.
“Having lived in Sarasota for several years”, Dr. Kirbas stated, “I know firsthand how popular the setting can be
for short term courses, especially in the winter months. I suspect that many students will want to take advan-
tage of the sunshine and warm climate while working on their coursework.”
In the post covid world, GTF will offer a regular schedule of one week and two-week in person residential in-
stitutes, both in Oklahoma City and in Sarasota Florida. The two locations will truly enhance each other, as one
(Oklahoma City) offers a vibrant 21st century city while the other (Sarasota) offers a coastal resort lifestyle.
These residential institutes allow students to earn a course credit by reading materials before traveling, attend-
ing the course seminars during the institute, and writing a course paper in the weeks that follow. GTF faculty
will be invited to lead these courses as appropriate to their expertise. The credit earned is equal to an E-Tutorial
Course, but a true benefit of attending a residential institute is the added interaction with the professor and
other students.
“When I was a student at GTF many years ago, there were no online courses available. I did all my courses in
residential institutes, either at Oxford or at the GTF location in Indiana. Although I fully endorse the online
education that we offer, I do think that adding back some residential opportunities will enhance the overall
experience of our students,” Dr. Kirbas stated.
The current plan is to offer the first Oklahoma City residential institute in August of 2021, and the first Sarasota
Florida residential institute in January of 2022. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

02

EOLOGICAL
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO Technology Advancements
NG Underway

Behind the scenes, a new modern website is currently in the final stages
of development. We hope to launch it within the next few months. Please
be patient as we all learn to navigate this new website. If you see anything
missing or confusing, please let us know. Together, we can make this new

website the best that it can be.

Welcome to Populi!

After a careful study of different educational management software platforms, GTF has elected to partner with
a company called Populi. This company stood out to us for several reasons. Here at GTF, we have three major
systems we would like to put in place. The first is a Student Information System (SIS), that will allow a smooth-
er process for administration, and will allow students to see their own finances, register for classes, request
transcripts, and many other possibilities. The second system is called a Learning Management System (LMS),
that allows faculty to build webpages for their courses, and offers a platform for faculty and students to connect
with each other. The third system is an Integrated Library System (ILS) that will allow us to catalogue and com-
puterize our growing physical library. In many other cases, we would have to purchase three different systems
for these purposes. These different systems may or may not work with each other well, and may have different
processes that would not be consistent.
Populi, however, is a program that has all three systems combined in one package. This will allow for very
smooth interactions of these systems, so that a student could register for a course through the SIS, join the class
webpage through the LMS, and order the books through the ILS, and never know that three different systems
are being used.
In the months ahead, GTF and its partners will be building the foundations for these systems. This will involve
a lot of data transfer and information creation. We are extremely fortunate that the Library Science Department
of Oklahoma University will be using our library for a Directed Study project for their students. It is our
hope and goal to have these systems ready for use by the Fall of 2021.

03

EOLOGICAL
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO GTF Homecoming
NG Graduation is Now Set

It was meant to be an historic beginning to the new GTF location and leadership in Oklahoma City,
and a much-deserved celebration of the past. It was our Homecoming Graduation of June 2020. All
students, alumni, and faculty were encouraged to attend. We had many reservations in place, includ-
ing many of our international faculty. We reserved space in the Oklahoma City Convention Center.
We had special speakers in place for the Thursday evening Runcie Lecture and the Graduation itself.
Graduates of two years, 2019 and 2020, were invited to walk and receive their diplomas. It was all
coming together so nicely…..
And then, COVID hit. Like so many other events around the world, our Homecoming Graduation
was indefinitely postponed.
But with a light at the end of the tunnel, we can now announce that the GTF Homecoming Grad-
uation has been re-scheduled for May 26 and 27, 2022. Everything we planned for 2020 is still on
the table. The speakers have recommitted to this new date. Our international faculty and friends are
being re-invited. All Alumni are encouraged to attend. But there are a few added elements that will
heighten the experience. These are:

1) A brand new 10 story hotel has been constructed right next door to the GTF building. In essence, it
now serves as our “GTF dorm and dining hall”.
2) A brand new, 288-million-dollar convention center has been built in Oklahoma City. Our home-
coming graduation will be held in one of the finest facilities in the region.
3) A new, 80-acre city park has been constructed right next door to the new convention center. This
park has green spaces, garden areas, a pond with paddle boats, playgrounds, and many other features
for our guests to enjoy.
4) A new, modern streetcar system in now operational, and a station is right outside our building
doors. It will be quite easy and inexpensive for our guests to travel across the city.
5) One of our part time GTF staff members (Jeff) is also a student in the Master of Musical Composi-
tion program at the prestigious Wanda Bass School of Music at the Oklahoma City University. As his
master’s project, Jeff is creating an orchestral piece that will serve as the theme anthem for GTF. The
premier of this opus will be performed at the Homecoming Graduation.
6) Additional classes will be added to the graduation. We now invite all graduates in the
classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 to walk in this graduation. It promises to be a gathering unlike
anything we have witnessed in the history of our great institution.
04

RADUATE THEOLOGICAL While the WorldNGFOUNDATIO

Oklahom

Due to the Pandemic, our planned Homecoming Graduation has been in limbo, and is now
planned for two years beyond the original date. But while the world stood still, Oklahoma
City has created several new items that will enhance our gathering. Shared in pictures, here
are some of the things Oklahoma City has done during this long winter’s nap!

- The streetcar stop in front of the GTF offices

- GTF Offices (left) next to the new ‘Dorm and Dining Hall’ - The new streetcar system

- Bricktown: the part of town that GTF is located 05

d Stood Still…

ma City Prepares the Way!

- The new OKC Convention Center: the location of our
2022 Graduation Ceremony

- The new Omni Hotel adjacent to the Convention Center - The new 80 acre 'Scissortail Park' as seen from the Convention Center

- The new Scissortail Park - The First American Museum

06 - The view from the large patio of the Convention Center, location of the 2022 Graduation Reception

EOLOGICAL A Letter from the
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO Provost
NG

We are pleased to announce that a new Doctor of Ministry concentration has been added to our roster of
programs – The Doctor of Ministry in Interfaith Spirituality.
This past year has certainly taught us that our world needs a place where we can come together to find com-
mon ground. There is a need to discover the deeper spiritual truths shared by our different faith traditions
so that together, we can meet the needs of an ever-growing diverse world society. We believe this program
in Interfaith Spirituality will help in this endeavor.
This program requires 10 courses and an exit project or the non-project option. Students may choose
courses that best fit their needs as long as there is a wide exposure to different religious perspectives. Cur-
rent course offerings include those in Jewish Spirituality, Eastern Orthodox faith, Islamic spirituality, Roman
Catholic spiritualty, Hinduism and Ministry with Unaffiliated just to name a few.
I have taken the plunge to experience this program as I work toward my Doctor of Ministry degree here
at the GTF. The desire to deepen my spiritual experience has long been my heart’s desire. In seminary, I
yearned for the depth of spiritual awareness that my Spiritual formation professor embodied. I explored
continuing education programs with courses offered in spiritual formation. It was my CPE experience
which allowed me to meet around the table with different faith traditions – Catholic, Unitarian, Seventh
Day Adventist, Episcopal – as we were able to find unity in the midst of diversity in the foundational core
value which is pastoral care and love.
Finding unity in the midst of diversity is what we
hope to discover through this course of study. I
am currently finishing a course with Dr. Vassillios
Bebis entitled Introduction to Eastern Orthodox
Spirituality. Through the readings, I have discovered
spiritual truths that are common to both the Eastern
Orthodox church and my denomination, Presbyterian
Church (USA). At the same time, my spirituality
has been enriched by the Eastern Orthodox teachings
and practices.
To broaden our knowledge of and to look through the
lens of another’s faith can only serve to enhance
communication and understanding and create space
where we can work together to serve the world.

Peace and grace, 07
Jennifer Kirbas
Provost

EOLOGICAL New Latin American Doctor of
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO Ministry Program Begins
NG
First Students Welcomed this Fall

GTF is excited to announce the opening of our specialized Doctor of Ministry program
in partnership with the Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) in Mantanzas, Cuba. This
D.Min specialization will focus on church planning and management, and will be offered in a
cohort style. Students from Cuba and Latin America, and Spanish-speaking students from all
other places, are invited to participate. The courses will be a combination of online offerings
and two onsite encounters on the beautiful campus of SET in Mantanzas. These onsite cours-
es will be 2 week intensive studies, and all room, board, and travel costs are covered in the
basic degree tuition.
Please help us share the news of this new Doctor of Ministry offering. If you are interested in
learning more, or would like to apply to the program, please contact our offices. The follow-
ing pages describe the program in more detail, in both Spanish and English.

08

New Program S E TEMINARIO VANGÉLICO DE EOLOGÍA
Doctor of Ministry
MATANZAS – CUBA (SET)
(D.Min.)
GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) ESTADOS UNIDOS (GTF)
Venue:
Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Matanzas, Cuba. General Characteristics:
Contact person: Being an essentially ecumenical and inclusive program, it offers a
Lic. Sissi Subiaurt Silva, Secretary professional D.Min. program for Cuban and Latin-American pastors,
women and men in ministry leadership. It also includes lay people
✉ [email protected] that have actively worked in other leading ecclesiastical ministries.
☎ Office: (+53) 4529 0575 We also welcome students interested of other countries who have
basic talking, reading and speaking abilities in Spanish.
2 de mayo y Final. Matanzas. Cuba. Código Postal General Objective:
40100 To contribute to the advancement and specialization of pastors as well as
that of lay people that work in other ministries in local churches. By
www.setcuba.org broadening their professional competence, they acquire abilities and
tools necessary for planning and managing the ecclesiastical ministries.
Requirements to enter the program:
a. BA in Theology or Master’s in Theology or the equivalent degree

granted by an educational institution of Theology acknowledged by
the GTF and SET.
b. Being currently working in a pastoral position or developing other
ministries, having no less than 5 years of experience, detailed by a
reference letter issued by their national Church.
c. Interview with the SET Postgraduate Department.
d. Ability to read documents in English language or other types of
knowledge, when required.

Requirements to obtain the academic degree:
a. Accumulating 36 credits.
b. Writing the final doctoral project, approved by the Faculty.
c. Culminating studies in a period of 3 years maximum, unless problems

of force majeure (health, political or any other major inconvenients)
preventing the completion of the program. The administration will
evaluate cases individually.

Program scheduling
• The program will consist of two and a half academic terms. Two face-

to-face encounters per period, of two weeks duration each, will take
place, having to complete two courses in each one.
• The process of personal interviews and registration will be carried out
during the month of June 2021.
• The first encounter will take place on the days 15-19 and 22-26
November 2021.
Costs: For Hispanic students in the United States of America, the cost

of tuition is US $ 19,100.00, in addition to the costs
of accommodation, food, transportation and visas.

09

Nuevo programa S E TEMINARIO VANGÉLICO DE EOLOGÍA

DOCTORADO EN MINISTERIO MATANZAS – CUBA (SET)

(D.Min.) GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
ESTADOS UNIDOS (GTF)
Lugar donde se desarrollará el programa:
Seminario Evangélico de Teología de Matanzas, Cuba. Características generales: Este programa, eminentemente ecuménico e
incluyente, ofrece un D.Min profesional a pastoras y pastores cubanos,
Persona de contacto: latinoamericanos e hispanos de otras latitudes, con experiencia en el
Lic. Sissi Subiaurt Silva, liderazgo ministerial, así como a personas laicas que se han venido
desempeñando activamente al frente de otros ministerios eclesiales.
Secretaria del rectorado y docente También damos la bienvenida a solicitantes del extranjero que tengan
✉ [email protected] habilidades básicas de habla y escritura española.
☎ oficina: (+53) 4529 0575
Objetivo general: Contribuir a la profundización y especialización del
10 2 de mayo y Final. Matanzas. Cuba. Código Postal cuerpo pastoral, así como de personas laicas que se desempeñan en
40100 otros ministerios en las iglesias locales, a fin de ampliar su competencia
www.setcuba.org profesional, con la adquisición de capacidades y herramientas necesarias
para la planificación y gestión de los ministerios eclesiales.

Requisitos para ingresar al programa

a. Ser graduado de Licenciatura en Teología o Maestría en Teología o
equivalente otorgado por una institución de educación teológica
reconocida por la GTF y el SET.

b. Encontrarse trabajando activamente en un cargo pastoral o
desarrollando otros ministerios, con no menos de cinco años de
experiencia, lo cual se expresará en un documento aval que expida
la dirección de su Iglesia nacional.

c. Someterse a una entrevista personal por el Departamento de
Posgrado del SET.

d. Poseer habilidades para la lectura de documentos en idioma inglés.

Requisitos para obtener grado académico

a. Acumular un total de 36 créditos.
b. Escribir el proyecto final doctoral, con la aprobación de la facultad.
c. Culminar los estudios en un período no mayor de tres años, a menos

que circunstancias de salud, política u otros inconvenientes mayores
lo impidan. La administración atenderá cada caso en particular.

Calendarización del programa

• El programa constará de dos y medio períodos académicos. Se
efectuarán dos encuentros presenciales por período, de dos
semanas de duración cada encuentro, venciéndose dos cursos
en cada uno.

• El proceso de entrevistas personales y matrículas se efectuará
durante el mes de junio de 2021.

• El primer encuentro se efectuará durante los días 15-19 y 22-26
de noviembre de 2021.

Costos: Para el estudiantado hispano en los Estados Unidos de Norteaméirca, se
cobrará una matrícula de US$19,100.00 además de los costos de
alojamiento, alimentación, transporte y migratorios.

EOLOGICAL
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO A Message from our
NG Interfaith Chaplain

“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is
turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”1 - Rumi
My husband, Mark, and I just returned from a quick trip to Death Valley, California. It’s a wilderness, a desert, a place
which compels exploration. Salt plains, sand dunes, low rises, mountain peaks, craters, dry riverbeds, eroding cliffs- all
reminders of the literal and spiritual seismic forces in our lives.
Regardless of my desire for life to play out statically, predictably, seemingly under my control, change inevitably comes
and I am tossed, once again, into unfamiliar territory, wondering and wandering through uncertainty. In the midst of
it, I tumble from dizzying heights and sink into deep lows. I attempt to scale hills, each slogging step slowed by shifting
foundations that give way. It’s easy to get lost the farther I move, the more I try to escape the transitions. The pandemic
has brought this observation too close to home. But even in comparatively “uneventful” years, I find myself struggling
against change.
In his book A Language Older Than Words, Derrick Jensen states, “Transitions by definition involve pain, loss, sorrow,
and even death.”2 It seems obvious. But so often I expect transitions to be easy, exciting, desirable. More often than not,
they require my letting go and simply allowing them to unfold in the way they will. They require a death, of sorts, the
end to a previous way of life or of being that I believed would continue unimpeded.
The desert reminded me of the hopeful incandescence of change. Sunday evening, we made our way to a part of Death
Valley known as the Artist’s Palette to watch how the diminishing light of sunset deepened the beauty of the colors and
shapes on an eroding cliffside. In addition to the tans, browns and yellows of the surrounding hills, centuries of water
and wind had chiseled layers away to reveal pinks and purples and seafoam greens, especially when the dying day’s light
shone on them. But, in order to really observe the changes, I had to stop moving and simply sit down and pay attention.
The changes were incremental, incredibly subtle. But the quieting of my mind and body attuned my spirit to the tectonic
transitions, both in the cliffside, eons in the making, and in the minute-by-minute changes as the shadows grew, the
hues intensified and the contrasts sharpened. In the silence and stillness of the desert, we bore witness to the age-old
wisdom that resistance to change leads only to suffering. Instead, unseen beauty is revealed when our striving for con-
trol is surrendered to what is being shown by creation and the Creator.
Of what have you had to let go during this past year? What has been revealed to you? Where have you found quiet and
stillness? What are the transitions you are undergoing?
I look forward to your answers to these and other questions and the wonderings that arise from these. With you, I pray
that the days to come are better than those we’ve left behind and that, as Rumi encourages, we will learn to “let life live
through” us. May it be so.

1 https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/827452-try-not-to-resist-the-changes-that-come-your-way, Rumi 11
2 A Language Older Than Words, Derrick Jensen, 2004, p. 175.

EOLOGICAL
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO
Community Spotlight

NG

We are excited to recognize and share the most recent additions to our
growing community.

Please join us in welcoming these new students to GTF Programs!

Abdirashid Abdinur – Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies
Abdullahi Ahmed Ali – Bachelor of Theology in Islamic Studies
Mary Katherine DiModugno – Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Pastoral Psychotherapy
David Giambrone – Master of Sacred Music
Myrna Keough – Doctor of Sacred Music
Lauren Edward McKinney – Doctor of Psychology in Pastoral Logotherapy
Mohamed Elmuntasir Mustafa – Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies
Nicholas Nwagwu – Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling
Rebecca Sternal – Doctor of Psychology

*Applicants who signed the privacy statement on their application form and were subsequently accepted to the GTF are

12 excluded from lists of newly activated students.

The GraduateTheological Foundation (GTF) is a 501(c)(3)
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