{"id":25566,"date":"2025-07-05T22:14:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T22:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=25566"},"modified":"2025-07-05T22:15:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T22:15:28","slug":"bethany-seminary-luncheon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2025\/bethany-seminary-luncheon\/","title":{"rendered":"A few facts from the Bethany Seminary Luncheon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Karen Garrett<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bethany Theological Seminary Luncheon during Annual Conference was held on Friday, July 4. Following a delicious meal in a comfortably filled large room we learned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–The person who came the farthest to attend the luncheon traveled 38 hours from New Zealand. That person is a current Bethany board member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Two graduates from Bethany\u2019s old Van Buren campus in Chicago, Ill., attended the luncheon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–We honored three graduates from Seminario Biblico Anabautista Hispano (SeBAH) including Richard Zapata in memoriam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Brethren graduate education will celebrate 120 years this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–This is the final year of the seminary\u2019s capital campaign, with $11.3 million raised to date. Over the next 12 months, Bethany plans to increase participation to help reach the goal of $12 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–The seminary has signed agreements with all the Church of the Brethren-related undergraduate colleges and universities to partner in a program for juniors and seniors to begin graduate school study at Bethany while they continue as undergraduate students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–For the 2024-2025 academic year, no Bethany students used federal loans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the interview between Bethany president Jeff Carter and faculty member Denise Kettering-Lane we learned:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Teaching Brethren studies includes encountering Brethrenism from the perspective of ecumenical students, which enriches the class discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Kettering-Lane teaches courses that broaden the Brethren studies offerings to include courses on Christian history such as \u201cReadings in Church History,\u201d a survey of primary sources.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Bethany Seminary president Jeff Carter (above).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Cupcakes shared at the “Cupcakes with Carter” event (below). Photos by Donna Parcell<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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–When discussing Brethren practices, one that raises the most resistance (and perhaps eyebrows) is the holy kiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Kettering-Lane is aware that more students now are not affiliated with a church or specific religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–The importance of creating community alongside opportunities for service draws students to Bethany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–When we gather together at Annual Conference, the 90 minute lunch break passes by very quickly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Karen Garrett serves with the Brethren Heritage Center in the Dayton area of Ohio and is a volunteer member of the Annual Conference Press Team.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n