Meadville Lombard Theological School held its 160th commencement ceremony on June 5, 2005 at the First Unitarian Church of Chicago. Twenty degrees were conferred, including 13 Masters of Divinity, two Master of Arts in Religion, one Doctor of Ministry, and four honorary degrees.

Sharon Welch, Professor of Religious Studies, Women's Studies and Multicultural Education at the University of Missouri - Columbia, challenged the graduates to become "Artisans of Hope," in her convocation address. Touching on the power of metaphor, Welch said it is time to create new metaphors to direct people toward hope and wonder, rather that to allow the thought-stopping, hateful metaphors of the day to continue to rule.

Candidates earning the degree of Master of Divinity for the class of 2005 include: Elisabeth Frauzel Bailey, Emilie Catherine Boggis, Stefanie Sabine Etzbach-Dale, Danielle Gerrior, Laura MacDonald Horton, Heather Kristin Janules, Naomi King, Madeline Oglesby, James Curtiss "Chip" Roush, Bruce Robin Russell-Jayne, Kent Hemmen Saleska, Wendy Williams, and Melissa Jean Ziemer.

Danielle Leigh Gladd and Daniel A. Schlorff received their Master of Arts in Religion, and Silvia Ruth Behrend received her Doctor of Ministry degree.

Several of the Master of Divinity graduates have announced their selection as parish ministers from Utica, New York to Flagstaff, Arizona, while others are still either in conversation or search for settled or interim positions. Sylvia Behrend will continue to teach-both at Meadville Lombard Theological School and Gonzaga-in the area of using the arts in personal and community transformation.

In his charge to the graduates, The Rev. David Bumbaugh, recognized the strange world these graduates are inheriting. He urged them to go out into the "wilderness" to forge a road others could follow as well as to remember the dreams that lured them to ministry. (Read the entire text of the charge here.)

Four members of the Unitarian Universalist community were conferred with honorary degrees for their work for Unitarian Universalism and their work for the world community:

• The Rev. David Cole, Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
• The Rev. Dr. Hugo J. Hollerorth, Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
• The Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa
• Dr. Melissa Harris Lacewell, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

(Click on their names to read the entire text of their citations.)

Several prizes were announced at the graduation ceremony, including:

• The Larry E. Axel Memorial Award was awarded to Sylvia Behrend. for excellence in teaching in the modified residency program. The award is named for the late professor of philosophy at Purdue who was instrumental in setting up the MRP program and moving it to Meadville Lombard.
• The John Godbey Prize in Historical Studies is given to honor the best essay submitted in the field of church history; there were two recipients for this prize: Laura Horton and Chip Rousch.
• The Clayton Raymond Bowen Prize, for excellence in New Testament studies, was awarded to John Saxon.
• The Roberta M. Nelson Prize is awarded for excellence in religious education and was presented to Melissa Ziemer.
• The Robert Charles Billings Prize for Excellence in Preaching was awarded to Danielle Gerrior.
• The Robert Charles Billings Prize for Excellence in Scholarship is awarded to a graduating student with the highest academic standing. This year, the Billings scholarship prize was awarded to Naomi King.
• The Leadership prize was awarded to Chip Rousch.

For more information about these awards, click here for the entire text of the awards presentation as delivered by Dean Grodzins.

Contact:
Tina Porter tporter@meadville.edu
(773) 256-3000 ext. 236