Shane Claiborne Visits as Theologian-in-Residence

EHS was delighted to host Shane Claiborne as our Theologian-in-Residence. Shane is a social activist who advocates for nonviolence through service to the poor. His ministry has taken him all over the world from Calcutta, India, where he worked alongside Mother Theresa, to Baghdad, where he served on the Iraq Peace Team.
Shane is the author of several books, including Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, Follow me to Freedom: Leading and Following as an Ordinary Radical, and Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals.Shane has also had stories in publications such as Esquire Magazine, and his work has been featured in everything from Fox News and the Wall Street Journal to CNN and National Public Radio. Shane spoke to the school about how to make sense of the demands of a vibrant Christian faith in the light of modernity.

Chaplain Gideon Pollach said of Shane’s ministry, “it is not the kind of Christianity that constrains people’s behaviors; it’s the kind of Christianity that challenges people to act and makes people want to act. It’s not about telling you that you did something wrong; it’s about inviting you to do something right.”

During his stay, Shane addressed the school in several formal and informal settings. He spoke in Chapel three times, including a vespers service on Monday, Jan. 18, where he spoke on topics including “The Irresistible Revolution,” “Resurrecting Church,” and “Another World is Possible.” Students had the opportunity to speak to Shane throughout the week in informal gatherings where he answered questions and signed copies of his books. He also visited classes where he was able to discuss his work with small groups of students.

Of Shane’s visit to Episcopal, Pollach said, “we worked really hard over many years to get Shane to come to Episcopal, and I did so because I thought that if we got him here, it would have a big impact on our students. To hear and witness a way of being a Christian in the world that had integrity and that was believable, credible, and visible. And all of those things were true. He was an amazing witness to the power of grace and love and the power of God in the world.

“I think that in terms of our recent history of Theologians in Residence, this will be a high water mark for students of seeing what it can mean to be a Christian authentically living in the world and asking the difficult questions that our lives pose us with a real eye towards what it is that God demands of us. And that will mean for Shane, and for our students, really appreciating that what God wants is for us all to engage in acts of love that create justice in the world. It’s just that simple and it’s just that profound; it is no harder than that. I really found that the week was refreshing and he was very engaging. The students that I’ve spoken to loved having him and the faculty members also seem to have been moved, so on all fronts it was a win-win, and it will be hard to match that in future. That’s a great measure of success for the program.”

The Theologian-In-Residence Program was established in 1993 through the generosity of Dick Rutledge '51. The program is designed to provide EHS students the chance to establish and/or reinforce a foundation of faith to light their path. This program is aimed at inviting Christian preachers, teachers, and theologians to campus to speak to the school community and work with students.

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Shane's writings on Soujourners Magazine

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