Programs & Curriculum |
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Programs that Integrate Faith & Service
JST’s Master of Divinity integrates faith and service or social justice. One way that the program does this is through its field education assignments that all 2nd year MDiv students must complete. Students can serve at a prison, hospital, school, or parish and at other venues to complete this assignment. Another program is the Master of Theological Studies which incorporates a project assignment of faith and service or social justice that must be completed at the end of the program.
Courses Integrating Faith and Service
JST’s foundation for theological education and pedagogy models its faculty commitment to culturally contextualized theology. By this we mean that theological inquiry begins with a robust study of culture and the questions facing societies and individuals in their daily lives. Cultural questions are then explored through a theological lens to discern how the resources of the Catholic and Christian tradition can help us understand and address – even transform – real issues facing our world.
Comprehensively, the commitment to culturally contextualized theology has been implemented institutionally in two ways. First, the learning outcomes incorporated into every degree program at JST include: (a) skillful cultural analysis; and (2) attention to the poor and marginalized. These goals are assessed annually for each course, each program and each graduate. Second, a Professor of Sociology (Jerome Baggett) has served on JST’s faculty for nearly 20 years and leads us and mentors students in cultural analysis and social research.
Comprehensively, the commitment to culturally contextualized theology has been implemented institutionally in two ways. First, the learning outcomes incorporated into every degree program at JST include: (a) skillful cultural analysis; and (2) attention to the poor and marginalized. These goals are assessed annually for each course, each program and each graduate. Second, a Professor of Sociology (Jerome Baggett) has served on JST’s faculty for nearly 20 years and leads us and mentors students in cultural analysis and social research.
Examples of culturally contextualized theology in the curriculum:
Field Education Connecting Faith and Justice:
Field Education placements that connect faith and justice include:
- San Quentin State Prison, where students minister to male inmates. Responsibilities include leading bible study groups, restorative justice groups, spiritual direction of inmates.
- Federal Correction Institute, Dublin, CA, where students minister to female inmates. Responsibilities include leading groups on topics such as forgiveness, bible study, personal development (such as Enneagram workshops).
- Sojourn Chaplaincy, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Responsibilities include visiting patients and accompanying them in the role of hospital chaplain. The hospital serves the local homeless and marginally housed and is also a Trauma Center. (Please see: sojournchaplaincy.org/)
- The Gubbio Project, Tenderloin, San Francisco, serves the homeless in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. (Please see: thegubbioproject.org/)
- East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Berkeley, “is dedicated to offering sanctuary, solidarity, support, community organizing assistance, advocacy, and legal services to those escaping war, terror, political persecution, intolerance, exploitation, and other expressions of violence.” (Please see: https://eastbaysanctuary.org/) We have a Jesuit scholastic planning to minister at EBSC for his field education placement for next academic year.
Student Engagement |
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Opportunities for Engagement
The Iliff School of Theology has had a long-standing commitment of providing students with robust opportunities to engage in the world while they are in school. Internship and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) are the two primary curricular opportunities for students to engage the world. In addition, Iliff also offers a variety of practical and justice-focused courses, immersion programs, and supports student-led groups who organize within the community. Many Iliff students also volunteer to get to know their local community, serve a cause they care about, and gain experience in a professional field. Finally, Iliff students are encouraged to integrate their learning into their lived experiences, so that their education becomes embodied and relevant to the world.
Student Senate
The Senate is a representative body of students at the Iliff School of Theology striving to serve the needs of the student community encouraging individual growth, communal ties, and spiritual development. The Senate supports a forum for open and civil communication and acting as a liaison between the student body and faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and trustees.
Iliff Voices in Action
This organization is comprised of students who are interested and concerned about issues of social change, discrimination, hunger, homelessness, oppression, and injustice.
Iliff Queer Coalition
Iliff Queer Coalition (LGBTQA Students and Allies)–Iliff Queer Coalition provides education, social support, and advocacy for LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Allied) concerns. We celebrate the diversity of creation and the integrity of all individuals, while opposing divisive action, language, and attitudes that undermine God’s love.
National Alliance of Pan African Seminarians
To provide social, spiritual, academic and professional support to African American & African seminarians and theologians during their pursuit of education and vocational discernment.
Walking the Talk - Student Engagement
We believe that people make a place, so we asked schools to profile three current students who are engaging major social issues while in seminary.
Lisa Cathelyn (M.Div. III)
Lisa Cathelyn held a position assisting low-income persons in enrolling in health insurance before coming to JST. While at JST, she has had a field placement working with women inmates at the Federal Correction Institute, Dublin, CA.
Justine Javier (M.Div. III)
Justine Javier worked in faith formation in an urban parish in Washington, D.C. before coming to JST. While at JST, she has had a field education placement with the Sojourn chaplaincy at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, a large urban hospital and major trauma center in San Francisco, CA.
- JST offers three Arrupe Scholarships per year. The Arrupe Scholarship is a three-year, full-tuition ($17,618) scholarship, based on full-time enrollment (twelve academic units per semester). The scholarship also covers enrollment in the ministry immersion (3 credit hours) and your 2nd and 3rd year MDiv Field Education classes (3 credits hours each).
- As part of both the ministerial formative process of the MDiv degree and JST’s commitment to working for social justice within our local community, Arrupe Scholars are required to be pastorally involved with justice work within the Bay Area. Such involvement includes working with: parishes of the West Oakland Deanery, San Quentin Prison, Dublin Prison, local Catholic schools, Children’s Hospital, and local social service agencies. This involvement may be through your field education placement, volunteerism or paid work, and it is a requirement of retaining the Arrupe Scholarship.
- We also offer Merit Scholarships varying from 50% - 100% depending on service, GPA, and professional background.
Core Commitments |
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Environmental Q&A: How does JST practice and promote environmental stewardship and sustainability?
JST practices sustainability in its operations in the following ways: energy-efficient technology in lighting and all electrical installations; low-flush toilets; window installations to maximize heat retention. We have recycling and composting bins in common spaces and recycling bins in all offices. We purchase compostable materials whenever possible for food service for large gatherings, and avoid use of disposables. As a branch campus of Santa Clara University, we are coordinating with the SCU Center for Sustainability to maximize sustainability at this campus. Sustainability is a key strategic priority for the university.
Q: What makes School unique?
Interfaith, Ecumenical Education
In addition to the focus on culturally contextualized theology (as described previously), JST is unique because of its international culture and its membership in the interfaith, ecumenical Graduate Theological Union on the Pacific Rim. First, as an international theology in the Jesuit and Catholic tradition, JST’s academic and ministerial formation must open the center of inquiry to a more generous hermeneutic of inclusivity – taking seriously the sufferings, joys and challenges that students bring from their home communities. Dialogues that authentically engage different cultures and perspectives are the norm at JST, preparing graduates to return to serve local communities and expanding the scholarship of JST faculty to speak on global issues from a place of experience and informed understanding. Second, the cross fertilization of ideas and cultures at the GTU in Berkeley takes interreligious initiatives seriously as a fact of life in our shared future. To build that shared future, JST community life must open itself to the scholarship and service priorities of all schools in the consortium. The intermingling of faculty, student and programs at the GTU is unique in the US (and probably around the world).
Field Education Opportunities
Field education placements generally fall into four areas including parish ministry; high school or ministry in an educational setting, including university ministry; health care ministry; and prison ministry. M.Div. field education placements include San Quentin State Prison, CA, The Federal Correction Institute, Dublin, CA, Sojourn chaplaincy, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and the Gubbio Project, Tenderloin, San Francisco. M.Div. students engage in eight hours of ministry per week per semester and participate in facilitated weekly theological reflection groups. The groups provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon the context of their field education and their growing ministerial identity, and to integrate praxis with academic learning. STL and STD students also engage in twenty hours of ministry experience per semester. This primarily includes service in local parishes. Students also minister in other organizations such as Catholic Worker, Berkeley which works with the homeless and marginally housed. Second year Master of Divinity students at JST are placed in various settings throughout the Bay Area. Placements include: Prison ministry; Hospital chaplaincy.
Q: How is JST changing the world?
Fr. Kevin O'BrienDean, Jesuit School of Theology
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At the Jesuit School of Theology, through our curricular and co-curricular programs, we transform students who will then transform the communities to which they are sent. In the Jesuit tradition, we care for each of our students in their uniqueness, helping their growth in mind, body, and spirit, so that they are well poised to transform the world considering the gospel. At the same time, we teach students to be open to be transformed and taught by those they serve, in an authentic spirit of solidarity. Our faculty have long committed to contextual theological education, which means that our study and scholarship is informed by the needs, questions, and desires of the communities we serve. This makes us better servant-leaders and servant-scholars. Our alumni -- both lay and ordained -- serve on every continent and lead institutions, teach in classrooms, serve in parishes and churches, and care for the emergent needs of this generation. We change the world, but only with the help of God and one another. |
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