What if learning—that is, discerning, debating, reaching to make sense of ourselves, our communities, our cosmos and our Creator, and then considering and ordering our relationships and our responsibilities to all of these things—what if such learning is the very essence of our personhood, of life in community, of our worship of God?
Cynthia Lindner, 2023 Distinguished Alumna Address
Hermeneutical circles. Stephan Licha, who joined the Divinity School faculty this year, gave a Monday forum at DDH on April 15. He spoke about his work on Esoteric Zen in Premodern Japan and on the emergence of "Buddhism" as a "religion" in the nineteenth-century--and on the hermeneutical questions that connect these divergent questions and periods.
The art of storytelling. The energy in the room was high as participants delighted in the revelations provided in response to a prompt, "I secretly love/hate..." Thus began a workshop on April 8 by alumna Rebecca Anderson, founding co-pastor of Gilead Chicago. She next invited one-minute stories as they explored which details of a story should be explicitly given and which can be supplied by the audience's imagination.
New Clothes. Thi Diem Nguyen, graduating MDiv student and House resident, spoke at chapel on April 1. She juxtaposed the account of Jesus' burial cloths left behind in the empty tomb with the beginning of her own new life in faith. "I fell in love with the Dominican sisters' habit and that was the start of my journey... God used the outward beauty to attract me, and revealed to me the inner beauty of being God's love for others."
Tragedy and hope. PhD candidate Virginia White spoke on "What (or Whose) Story are We Living: Reflections on Tragedy, Structural Evil, and Embodying Hope" on March 25. She drew on Judith Butler and Paul Ricoeur to explore tragedy and what can "inch us towards what is real, or to see more of what is true."
Convocation. Alexis Vaughan will speak at the DDH Convocation on Friday, May 31. An alumna and trustee, Alexis serves as Managing Director, Domestic Operations, for Week of Compassion, the Disciples' relief, refugee, and development mission fund.The service will mark the conclusion of DDH's 129th year and celebrate its graduates. The celebration will include food, festivities, and toasts on the backyard patio.
Bon appetit. House Scholar Charlie Platt prepares lunch on the new induction ranges, one feature of the new kitchen renovation. Hidden from sight is a massive air handler and ductwork that ensure adequate airflow in the dining room. The design team used environmentally friendly ways to reduce heat in the spaces without introducing air conditioning while addressing safety concerns associated with gas stoves and ovens.