Bethany Theological Seminary holds inaugural forum.

Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., will host an Inaugural Forum titled, "Hearing Scriptures of Peace," on March 30-31. The forum celebrates the recent call of Ruthann Knechel Johansen as president of the seminary, and celebrates the role of the seminary as a resource for the church and the world.

The forum will include worship services, lectures, panel discussions, and small group sessions. Three plenary speakers and six Church of the Brethren panelists will represent various theological perspectives. The plenary speakers will be Scott Appleby, historian of religion from the University of Notre Dame; Rachel Gartner, rabbi and campus minister at Earlham College in Richmond; and Rashied Omar, scholar of religions and a Muslim imam from South Africa.

Church of the Brethren panelists will include Scott Holland, associate professor of Theology and Culture and director of Peace Studies and Cross-Cultural Studies at Bethany; Craig Alan Myers, chair of the Brethren Revival Fellowship and pastor of Blue River Church of the Brethren in Columbia City, Ind.; Amy Gall Ritchie, director of student development at Bethany; Roger Schrock, pastor of Cabool (Mo.) Church of the Brethren and former mission staff for the denomination; Daniel Ulrich, associate professor of New Testament Studies at Bethany; and Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm, associate professor of Preaching and Worship at Bethany.

The forum will open on Sunday, March 30, at 1:30 p.m. with a plenary session featuring Appleby, who will speak about Christian scriptures of peace. Johansen will share reflections on "Hearing Scriptures of Peace" at the Sunday evening worship service, which will include a performance of Olivier Messiaen’s "Quartet for the End of Time." On Monday morning, Gartner will present Jewish scriptures of peace. Omar will interpret Muslim scriptures of peace at the Monday afternoon plenary. The forum will conclude with worship on Monday afternoon.

The registration fee is $50, $65 after March 1. College and seminary students may register for a discounted rate of $25, $40 after March 1. Ministers will receive .7 continuing education units. Register at www.bethanyseminary.edu/forum. For more information contact coordinator Mary Eller at 800-287-8822 ext. 1825 or inauguralforum@bethanyseminary.edu.

Source: 2/15/2008 Newslines Extra