Dear alumni/ae and friends,
On January 28, 2025, VDS once again had the opportunity to host local clergy, faith leaders, and non-profit leaders for breakfast in our Reading Room. I had chosen the idea of the “common good” as our topic for reflection and conversation. It is a term with meaning and resonance for many different fields of study, including theology, politics, law, and ethics. In this interfaith and ecumenical gathering, I asked about all the ways, big and small, that we can work towards the common good.
The "common good" refers to the idea that certain conditions should be available to all persons in a healthy society. It usually indicates actions that benefit everyone, not just individuals, and thereby require collective participation to achieve. Actions that help the well-being of the community as a whole - access to quality education, healthcare, public safety, a healthy environment, religious freedom, a just legal system – are among the common “goods” which create a more just world.
Framing our conversation was a verse from the Epistle of Barnabas, which can be translated as such: "Do not live entirely isolated, having retreated into yourselves, as if you were already fully justified, but gather instead to seek together the common good." In a time in which retreat from public life seems like a viable option, we are encouraged to not isolate ourselves, but to gather in spaces small and large, to work towards the common good. The common good is fostered wherever human dignity is protected. And by valuing the idea of the common good, by each working according to one’s own ability and calling, we create a world where all can flourish and thrive.
Best,
Yolanda Pierce, Ph.D.
Dean
Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair
Professor of Religion & Literature
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Vanderbilt Divinity School is proud to offer a welcoming environment for midcareer professionals seeking answers to life's complex questions. From law and business to medicine, theological education provides a space for self-reflection, healing, and service to humanity. Our diverse community and tailored programs attract individuals from top-tier careers who are ready to explore the intersections of faith, ethics, and human experience.
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After more than 27 years of dedicated service to Vanderbilt, Rev. Kitty Norton will retire in May 2025. Since joining in 1997, Kitty has played a vital role in advancing the mission of Vanderbilt Divinity School through her leadership and commitment. We are immensely grateful for her impact and celebrate her legacy.
As we prepare for this transition, we are beginning the search for a new Assistant Dean of Development to continue this important work.
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Welcome to XST: Exhibition + Experience, a Black History Month art exhibition at Vanderbilt Divinity School. XST challenges the illusion of “me-ism” and redefines the collective “WE” through an evolving artistic experience. The exhibit is open to the community during gallery hours in Room G06. Gallery Hours:
Wednesdays (Feb. 26, Mar. 5) | 12–2 p.m.
Thursdays (Feb. 27, Mar. 6) | 12–2 p.m.
Fridays (Feb. 28, Mar. 7) | 2–4 p.m.
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Join Vanderbilt Black Seminarians for a Black History Month Worship Service featuring Dr. Herbert Marbury, associate professor of Hebrew Bible and Black religious studies. Following the service, food and fellowship will honor the Black Church tradition on Feb. 26, 6 p.m., Vanderbilt Divinity School, Rooms 124 & 127.
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Listen to Professor Phillis Isabella Sheppard on WPLN's This is Nashville as she joins Elliott Martin, co-founder of The Conversation Coalition, and Rev. Brandon Baxter to discuss bridging gaps between different beliefs and ideologies. The conversation explores how people find meaning and the importance of respectful dialogue.
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Lucas F.W. Wilson, MTS’15, brings powerful and personal narratives to light in his edited collection Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy. Predominantly set in white Christian fundamentalist and evangelical contexts, the 17 survivor stories expose the traumatic effects of conversion therapy, revealing how it wreaks havoc on the minds, hearts, and souls of those who endure it. The collection serves as a powerful call to ensure that these harmful practices will not happen to future generations.
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Join us for the annual Bogitsh Lecture on Feb. 24, 6 p.m. at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Room 124. Delivered by Associate Professor David A. Michelson, "Drunk with the Love of God: A Mesopotamian Chapter in the History of Wonder" explores the Syriac vocabulary of divine encounter—what seventh-century author Isaac of Nineveh described as being "drunk with the love of God."
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Join us for a book talk on The Essence of Leadership: Maintaining Emotional Independence in Situations Requiring Change with authors Derek A. Anderson and Professor Jaco Hamman. Explore strategies for emotional regulation and self-differentiation to strengthen leadership in an anxious, changing world on Feb. 26, 12 p.m., Vanderbilt Divinity School, Room G33. Lunch will be provided.
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Join us for "Let The Church Say A.I.", a symposium exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and Black digital religion. Featuring leading scholars and faith leaders, this event will examine how Black churches can empower their communities through STEM education, vocational training, and AI-driven social justice on Feb. 28, 1–5 p.m. at Vanderbilt Divinity School, The Space.
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