Winter 2022 Newsletter

GTF SCHOLAR

THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE
GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

Winter 2022

New Beginnings

| New Latin American Doctor
of Ministry Program
01 | President’s Interview | 05 |
|

|

|

03 | 2022 GTF Graduation Up- | 06 | New Center for Advanced
date | Interfaith Spiritual Direction
|

|

04 | The Augustinian Center | 07 | GTF Faculty and Alumni
for Religion and the Public | Publications
|
Square |

EOLOGICAL The Move to Sarasota...
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO An Interview
NG

In recent communications, we had heard that GTF was planning to spread its programs be-
tween Oklahoma City, where the administrative offices were located, and Sarasota Florida.
What is happening now?

I think it was the Scottish Poet Robert Burns who originated the phrase, “The best laid plans of mice and men…”
Indeed, for several years, our plans were to keep the administrative offices of GTF in Oklahoma City, while expanding
our residential offerings in Sarasota Florida. In late 2021, however, we learned that our office building in downtown
Oklahoma City was going to be re-purposed into retail space, and GTF would have to locate elsewhere in the area.
Meanwhile, we were fortunate to find an historic building in downtown Sarasota that could house our administrative
offices and our growing library. It seemed that the Oklahoma City location was becoming less important and needed,
and that we could consolidate our work (and reduce our costs) by closing down the Oklahoma City offices and plant-
ing all of our administrative and residential activities in Sarasota.

What advantages does the Sarasota location offer for the work of GTF?
It seems to me that there are many advantages for this move. Sarasota is in the southern metropolitan area of Tampa
Bay, so the major airport of Tampa, as well as the regional airport in Sarasota, will allow much easier travel for our stu-
dents and faculty. Our Sarasota location is in downtown Sarasota, allowing for many hotels and restaurants within easy
walking distance. The Selby Botanical Gardens are right across the street from our GTF building, and the beautiful
Sarasota Bay is just two blocks away. And, needless to say, the weather in Sarasota is nice all year around. When Covid
finally releases its grip on us, we expect much increased activity of in person classes and retreats here. Lastly, the costs
of operation for us here in Sarasota are greatly reduced from our Oklahoma City operations. This will help us keep our
costs down for our students.

How should people contact GTF now?

Our emails remain the same, and our phone number (405.653.9410) will also remain the same. The major change is
our mailing address, which is now 751 South Orange Avenue, Sarasota Florida. 34236.

Does this impact the official recognitions of GTF?

The changes only impact the administrative offices. As is well known, most of our activity is online, and our students
and faculty reside all around the world. Some of our administrative staff work remotely, from places like Indiana and
Oklahoma City. GTF as an institution is, and always has been, officially registered in the state of Indiana, and we exist
under a charter from that state. In the future, we will investigate to see if there are any advantages to officially move
GTF to the state of Florida. It may be, for instance, that future accreditation may be more easily obtained in Florida.
For now, however, no changes in the official recognitions are expected.

CHECK OUT THESE PICTURES OF THE NEW OFFICES OF GTF IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA

01

with the President

The New Home for the Historic The GTF Porch
GTF Sign (Furniture coming soon)

751 S. Orange Ave.

The GTF Parking Lot View looking in from front doors

Conference/Video Meeting Room

The GTF Kitchen The Jorge Colón Center for Latin
American Studies
The Front Door Entrance

The John Morgan President’s Office The John Macquarrie
02 Library Special Collection

EOLOGICAL 2022 Graduation To
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO Be Virtual
NG

In early December, as the Omicron variant was on a surge and
many events were being cancelled or rescheduled, many of our in-
ternational students, especially those needing to acquire VISAS to
travel, were in need of permanent information concerning the 2022
graduation exercises. At that point, it seemed that the only decision
possible was to cancel the in-person graduation for 2022 and plan
an online event.
Once we have determined all the students eligible for gradu-
ation, we will ask them to send us a picture to use as we announce
their names. They are encouraged to wear whatever they would
plan to wear at an actual in-person graduation. Other graduation
events will be included in the online graduation. The online video
will be first presented at a date and time to be announced, but will
also be available on demand following that.
We regret the need to cancel the in-person graduation, and
we hope that the online event will be a good substitute. We also
hope that in 2023, we will be able to hold the long-planned home-
coming graduation event that will include all the graduating classes
that have been impacted by the pandemic.

03

EOLOGICAL The Augustinian Center for Religion
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO and the Public Square Offers New
NG Courses and Seeks Financial Support

The new GTF Augustinian Centre for Religion and the Public Square, led by Faculty
member Dr. Sean Oliver-Dee, is designed to help shape and nurture a new attitude towards
the place of faith and belief in policy and political discourse through the academy and into
the wider public sphere. It will do so through a range of activities ranging from traditional
publications such as articles and blogs through to personal engagements such as interviews
with policymakers and discussion forums. It is deliberately non-partisan and seeks primar-
ily, as Augustine argued for in The Two Cities, the peace of all through the work of the state
and of its people.
Under the direction and tutelage of Dr. Oliver-Dee, two new courses have been developed.
They are:
• RPS 500, Politics and Theology 1: Political Authority and Duty
The concepts of political authority and duty are complex and sensitive. Questions such as
‘what right has the state to demand anything from me?’ are frequently heard in political sci-
ence classes. These are also questions that the great religions have also grappled with as they
have sought to understand the role of the adherent within the life of the state. Historically,
this has been principally discussed in relation to Christianity in the West, but with burgeon-
ing non-Christian faith communities across the United States and Europe, these questions
are being discussed afresh in this new era.
• RPS 501, Politics and Theology 2: Toleration: Liberty in the Pluralistic State
This course tracks developments in Western political thinking from the concept of ‘defend-
ing truth’ to the creation of ‘social harmony’ that lies at the heart of governing societies
which have multiple, sometimes competing, worldviews. Theology and political theory are
used to frame the debates that have developed over the past three hundred years in America
and Europe. It offers historical and philosophical overviews as well as engaging with policy-
maker’s conceptual approaches to potential tensions.
Other events and programs, such as a speaker series, research efforts, and a new journal, are
awaiting financial support. If you would like to make a donation to this new center, please
visit:

https://gtfeducation.org/augustinian-centre-for-religion-and-the-public-square/
04

EOLOGICAL The New Latin American
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO Doctor of Ministry Program
NG Begins

The new partnership between the Graduate Theological Foundation and the Matan-
zas Evangelical Seminary in Matanzas-Havana, Cuba has officially begun with our first
cohort for the Doctor of Ministry program. The program began online (due to the pan-
demic), on November 22nd, 2021. The official inauguration included welcome videos
offered by GTF President Dr. Paul Kirbas and GTF faculty member Dr. Jorge Colón,
words by Dr. Carlos E. Ham (president of SET and GTF Board member), Dr. Clara Luz
Ajo (post-graduate programs’ coordinator) and explanation of the program. The fol-
lowing two weeks covered two courses: Contexts and Challenges [exploring the current
ecclesiological, religious, socio-cultural, political, economic challenges that have an im-
pact in planning and managing the mission of the Church in Cuban and Latin-American
contexts], taught by Professor Reinerio Arce; and Biblical-theological Fundamentals of
Practical Theology for Mission as the Basis for Ministry Work, taught by Professor Jorge
Colón. Participating in this program are 14 students representing churches and ecumeni-
cal institutions in Cuba.

Dr. Paul J. Kirbas Dr. Jorge Colón

On March 7, President Kirbas will travel to
Cuba to visit with the faculty and students of
our Latin American programs in Matanzas

and Havana, Cuba.

05

EOLOGICAL GTF Explores the Possibility
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO of a New Center for Advanced
NG Interfaith Spiritual Direction

It has become apparent that there is a growing community of spiritual directors who seek
higher education and credentials in a world in which interfaith spiritualty is the fastest
growing need. Here at GTF, we are blessed with a faculty that represent a great diversity of
faith traditions in their spiritual direction expertise.
President Paul Kirbas has appointed a faculty task force to explore the development of a
new center at GTF that will focus on degrees and graduate certificate programs in the area
of interfaith spiritual direction. The members of this faculty task force are:

Dr. Tony Stultz, Professor of Dr. Dennis Billy, the Karl Rahner Profes-
Buddhist Studies sor of Catholic Theology

Dr. Jan Lundy, Visiting Professor of Provost Jennifer Kirbas, who is cur- Dr. Howard Addison, the
Spiritual Direction rently working on a Doctor of Minis- Gershom Scholem Professor of
try in Interfaith Spirituality Jewish Spirituality
06

EOLOGICAL New Publications by
RADUATE TH FOUNDATIO GTF Faculty and Alumni
NG

We congradulate the following GTF faculty members and
Alumni for their newest publications:

Dr. Clair Linzey, the Frances Power Cobbe
Professor of Animal Theology, has recently
been published in a new book entitled Devel-
oping Animal Theology: An Engagement with
Leonardo Boff, in the Routledge Series: New
Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology, and
Biblical Studies.

Dr. Ed Marshall, the Viktor E. Frankl Professor
of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, and Dr. Ma-
ria Marshall, the Mignon Eisenberg Professor of
Logotherapy, have recently been published in a
new book entitled Viktor E. Frankl’s Logotherapy
and Existential Analysis: Theory and Practice.

Dr. Dee Stern, GTF graduate of 2015, has
recently been published in a new book
entitled Comforting the Bereaved through
Listening and Positive Responding: What
are the Bereaved trying to Tell Us? Her
book is published by Archway Publishing.

07

The GraduateTheological Foundation (GTF) is a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit educational institution.

Graduate Theological Foundation - 751 South Orange
Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

800-423-5983 - 1-405-653-9410 - Fax: 1-405-653-9435