Continuing Education News - January 2026

Director’s Message Embrace A few years ago, a new statue called "The Embrace" was unveiled in Boston Common to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It depicts the arms of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta, embracing upon his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. About 100 yards away is the starting point for the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile red brick line winding through Boston’s streets to connect 16 historic sites telling the story of the American Revolution and the founding of our nation. The proximity of these two famous sites creates a startling juxtaposition. From the start of the Freedom Trail, one can look back toward "The Embrace" and remember that the freedom fought for in the American Revolution was not extended to the millions of enslaved persons living within its borders nor their descendants. Standing at "The Embrace," a visitor can look in the direction of the Freedom Trail and feel as Dr. King did nearly two centuries after our nation’s founding: the goal of freedom close enough to see but still just out of reach for African Americans. I have been thinking about these sites as the semiquincentennial year for the United States of America begins, with Martin Luther King Jr. Day this month and Black History Month in February. I’m especially thinking of this passage in Dr. King’s 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail: "[T]he goal of America is freedom . . . Before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence across the pages of history, we were here. For more than two centuries our forebears labored in this country without wages; they made cotton king; they built the homes of their masters while suffering gross injustice and shameful humiliation—and yet out of a bottomless vitality they continued to thrive and develop. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands." Often, celebrating historical moments risks glossing over troubling realities. This is true both in American history and in the Christian tradition. Faithful education requires telling the whole story, not select parts. I hope that as you make your plans for lifelong learning this winter and spring, you’ll add two March lectures at PTS to your calendar. First, on March 3, the Albright-Deering Lectures will celebrate the 70th anniversary of women being granted full clergy rights in the Methodist tradition, while noting the resistance and rejection of women in church leadership both then and now. Then, on March 12, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV, pastor of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., will present the Kelso Lecture, "For the Joy Set Before Us: Reflections on the Source of Resistance and Liberatory Praxis." Both lectures encourage us to examine history more completely, so that we are better informed as we strive for justice today and tomorrow. I hope you’ll embrace these learning opportunities with us! Peace, The Rev. Erik Hoeke Director of Continuing Education and Executive Director of Ignite at PTS McNaugher 211 412-924-1346 ehoeke@pts.edu 2026 Albright-Deering Lectures Called and Ordained: Celebrating 70 Years of Women’s Ordination in the Methodist Tradition With the Rev. Stephanie York Arnold and the Rev. Dr. Emily Nelms Chastain March 3, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Arrival and refreshments beginning at 9:00 a.m. In Person and Online Join us for our annual Albright-Deering Lectures! This year, we will explore the past, present, and future of women’s leadership in Methodist ministry. From the early pioneers who preached without permission to the complex realities faced by clergywomen today, the series traces how the Holy Spirit has moved—and continues to move—through the lives and leadership of women called to serve. Through historical analysis, theological reflection, and constructive visioning, these lectures invite the church and academy alike to consider how women’s ordination has shaped Methodist identity and how it will continue to form the church’s witness in the decades ahead. Free and open to the public. Co-sponsored with the Western PA United Methodist Conference. Register now! 2026 Kelso Lecture For the Joy Set Before Us: Reflections on the Source of Resistance and Liberatory Praxis March 12, 2026, 6:00 p.m. In Person and Online Co-sponsored by the Metro-Urban Institute at PTS. Justice organizers in certain traditions ask a key question: “What makes you angry?” Anger can motivate us to co-create with the Divine a more just and beautiful world, yet it is often more suited to tearing down than building up. If anger is the sprinter in the struggle for shared flourishing, joy is the marathoner. This lecture will explore the tradition of joy and how it energizes and sustains the transformation of our world. Register now! Watch: What Kenneth Bailey Taught Us About Mission—And What’s Next During the 2025 W. Don McClure Lecture this past fall, historian Michael Parker presented the lecture "The Life and Thought of Presbyterian Missionary and New Testament Scholar Kenneth E. Bailey." Afterward, there was a panel discussion addressing "The End of Mission? What’s Next for U.S. Denominations in a Post-colonial World?" Watch the lecture and panel discussion by clicking the images above. Neighborhood Theology Video Series How do we love our neighbors faithfully amid polarization, fear, and deep disagreement? In the latest episode of Neighborhood Theology—a series by the Seminary’s Neighborhood Collaborative—the Rev. Bala Khyllep, director of the World Mission Initiative at PTS, speaks with Monica Ruiz, executive director of Casa San José. Together, they reflect on practicing Christian hospitality in a divided world, exploring love over tolerance, building relationships across difference, and the spiritual grounding needed to stand for justice while refusing to dehumanize one another. Their conversation invites churches and individuals alike to imagine practical, hopeful ways of loving our neighbors that are life-giving for whole communities. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to check out future videos! PTS News and Resources Lent Devotional and Worship Planning Kit Coming Soon Read or listen to daily devotionals and access our free Worship Planning Kit with additional Lent and Easter materials. Coming soon! Continuing Education is part of the PTS Neighborhood Collaborative, which includes the Center for Adaptive and Innovative Ministry, Continuing Education, Faith Forming Families Network, Kelso Museum of Near Eastern Archaeology, Metro-Urban Institute, Miller Summer Youth Institute, and World Mission Initiative. Together, in their respective and collective work, these programs foster vocational discernment, co-learning, and transformative action for the common good by connecting diverse neighbors locally and globally. ©2026 Pittsburgh Theological Seminary | 616 North Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

WCC news: WCC: “people of Greenland have an inalienable right to self-determination”

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay has stated that the US government’s stated determination to own and control Greenland is in diametric opposition to the wishes of the people of Greenland and to their political trajectory towards independence.  Photo: Claus Grue/WCC 14 January 2026 “It is tantamount to neocolonialism,” said Pillay.  “The World Council of Churches joins with Bishop Paneeraq Siegstad Munk, head of Greenland’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, in appealing to all Americans who believe in freedom, dignity, and the right of people to choose their own path, to call upon their elected representatives and their government to stand by the Greenlanders in their right to determine their own future.” Pillay further noted that the people of Greenland have an inalienable right to self-determination and are on a clear pathway to independence, confirmed both by their own representatives and by the Danish government.  “Their rights and views must be seriously considered and respected,” said Pillay. Read the full statement Website of the National Church of Greenland Praying for peace in a tense situation (WCC interview, 12 January 2026) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC News: WCC rejoices at liberation of four Armenian captives

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay rejoiced at the liberation of four Armenian captives—Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, Vigen Euljekjian, and Vagif Khachatryan—who will safely return to Armenia from Azerbaijan.  Area close to the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) region. Photo: WCC 14 January 2026 “Their release brings relief and hope to their families after years of suffering and uncertainty,” said Pillay. “We give thanks for the release of these four individuals and rejoice with their families.” He reflected that every human life restored is a sign of hope. “At the same time, true and lasting peace cannot be achieved while others remain in captivity,” he added. “The World Council of Churches remains deeply concerned that 20 other Armenians are still held in Azerbaijani detention.” Pillay affirmed that genuine peace in this context requires the liberation of all hostages, respect for human dignity, and adherence to international humanitarian and human rights principles. “We continue to pray and to call for the release of those who are still detained, trusting that peace and justice must go hand in hand,” he concluded.  WCC member churches in Armenia See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: As humanitarian crises mount, Sudan and South Sudan church leaders urge sustained global attention

Church leaders in Sudan and South Sudan are amplifying the need for sustained global attention, as massive humanitarian crises grip the two historically linked nations. A Sudanese refugee woman in Nairobi during voter registration for the January 2011 referendum. Photo: Fredrick Nzwili/WCC 14 January 2026 At the 1,000-day critical mark, Sudan’s war has pushed the country to a breaking point, according to agencies, and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. In more than three and a half years of war, the consequence has been the death of an estimated 150,000 people, either after being caught in crossfire or because of disease or hunger. The war, whose central issue is a power struggle between two generals and their armies, has displaced more than 13 million, according to the United Nations. Caught in the brutal war is a minority church, which is offering some humanitarian response alongside its partners and agencies, while amplifying the call for peace. Anglican Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo of Sudan, on Christmas Eve, re-stressed an earlier Episcopal bishops ’appeal to the parties to the conflict to silence the guns and give peace a chance. “On the third and a half years—32 months—Sudan continues to bleed,” said Kondo in the December statement, which expressed the people’s difficulties in celebrating Christmas. “Humanly speaking, it is very difficult to say happy Christmas to someone who has been under fire for 32 months and when families have lost their loved ones, and who were forced to leave their homes to live as refugees and internally displaced.” In October, the Anglican Church’s bishops cautioned that the war would not bring peace or development to the country. While condemning the countries fueling the war in Sudan, the bishop urged the militaries to open safe humanitarian corridors to facilitate the delivery of essential aid, including medicines and food. “…We express our deep grief and condemnation of the mass killing of civilians in all Sudan, including women and children, and all other atrocities committed by all sides across Sudan,” reiterated Kondo.“ We implore the international and regional community to pay attention to the war in Sudan…” Nearly 34 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, making Sudan the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, according to Christian Aid. More than 11 million children face crisis or worse levels of hunger. At least 770,000 are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition. The charity is among 13 others in the UK that have united to put a spotlight on the Sudan crisis under the coalition #KeepEyesOnSudan, which includes CAFOD, Tearfund, World Vision, and the International Rescue Committee, among others. “It is inexcusable that catastrophic levels of hunger are persisting because humanitarian organizations are being prevented from reaching the communities most in need. In some of the worst-affected areas, aid is completely blocked,” says the coalition’s petition, which seeks signatures to push the UK government to act on the Sudan crisis. In the neighbouring South Sudan, Rev. Tut Kony Nyang Kon, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches, said the humanitarian situation in the country remained critical, requiring sustained and coordinated response from international organizations, donors, and the government. South Sudanese people are facing an endless cycle of violence, with displacement, economic instability, climate-induced disasters, and an influx of refugees fleeing the Sudan conflict, escalating the burden. By the end of 2025, 10 million people needed humanitarian assistance, representing two-thirds of the country’s population. According to UN projections, over 7.5 million people will face crisis-level hunger between June and July 2026. “The church in South Sudan can play a significant role in mitigating humanitarian challenges due to its widespread presence, moral authority, and trust within communities,” said Kon. According to Kon, by leveraging its moral authority, extensive networks, and community trust, the church can be a powerful agent of hope and transformation in South Sudan’s crisis.   WCC member churches in Sudan  WCC member churches in South Sudan See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland