Advance
Report 2000
Affiliate Reports
Earlham School of Religion
The 1999-2000 school year has been exciting at Earlham School of Religion. At the outset of the year ESR received its consultation report, “Among Friends.” The data contained within it, marks ESR's efforts to engage Friends on issues important to the future of Friends and to the future of ESR's educational programming. “Among Friends” has been a key resource for panel discussions sponsored by ESR around the country and for ESR's strategic plan, which will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval at its June meeting.
Two key themes from “Among Friends” are heavily shaping ESR's plans for the future: communication and accessibility. With the former, we face the challenge of communicating clearly our identity and our mission, each of which tend to get blurred by Friends who know us only from the outside. With the latter, we are excited that many value ESR's approach to education and will devote significant energy to creating new ways for students to participate in ESR's programs.
ESR enjoyed its largest entering class in several years last fall, as 26 new students joined us in Richmond. In May, we sadly, but with satisfaction, said a fond farewell to 17 graduates who each go forward into their chosen areas of ministry. We anticipate a respectable-sized class of new students in the fall.
Happily, this has also been a year for confirmation of last year's personnel choices. Our selection for professor in pastoral studies has lived up to the high expectations placed upon him, as have administrative hires in admissions and in academic services. This year, we've succeeded in securing a new director of development (from Mid-America Yearly Meeting), a new field education director (from Indiana Yearly Meeting), and a new professor of Christian Spirituality (a Baptist Ph. D. candidate from Catholic University). In these hires we continue to strengthen our connectedness with yearly meetings without neglecting the need for appropriate ecumenical diversity.
ESR continues to fulfill its mission of preparing men and women for ministry. We respectfully request your prayers and support as we devote ourselves to this calling.
Jay Marshall, Dean
