News & Insights

The highlight of the Summer 2020 issue of In Trust magazine was a special section on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The complete issue will be online as soon as the new In Trust Center website is launched. But in the meantime, below are PDFs of the pandemic-related articles.


Theological schools and the challenges of the times
How do we move beyond the pandemic? How do we work toward a more just and equitable world?

This spring, the In Trust Center hosted more than 20 webinars and online conversations to give leaders the opportunity to share concerns and ideas. Here is some of what we heard.


Beyond COVID-19: Relaunch and reconnect
Restarting your school in the new normal requires a “stagile” mindset
By John Spurling

A systematic framework for reopening an institution that includes reviewing, regrouping, redefining, refocusing, and remaining personally resilient. 


Should we go on?
Amid the pandemic, some seminary leaders may need to ask the hardest question of all
By Michael Cooper-White

School leaders need to consider all their options — even the unthinkable ones.


COVID-related legal issues for theological schools
A Q&A with lawyer James Robertson, board chair at Hartford Seminary
By Amy Kardash

What are the biggest pandemic-related legal risks for seminaries? What legal actions may result from them? How can seminaries mitigate risk? 


Zoom board meetings: Something is missing
By William Harrison

Videoconferences are good for formal meetings and votes, but not good for wide-ranging discussions of strategic issues that lead to the wisest decisions.


The mission of the seminary in an age of nostalgia
By Anna Robbins

Instead of feeling nostalgic for a gilded past that never was, the president of Acadia Divinity College suggests rewriting our stories, examining and refocusing our missions, and leaning with hope into the future, unknown as it is.


Viewpoint
Paradigm shift 2020: A theological perspective on changing times
By Jim Gimbel

The president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary offers a theological reflection on change, emphasizing that today’s seminarians are ready to take the lead.

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Upcoming Events

The In Trust Center hosts learning community spaces throughout the year. Check out our upcoming events below.

Who's Next? Succession Planning for Boards

UPCOMING WEBINAR: OCT. 24, 1 PM (ET)

Planning for board officers vacancies should start well in advance with an intentional, smooth, and carefully designed transition plan.

Seminaries are people too: Mindsets that make or break institutional change

ON DEMAND:

Theological schools are launching innovative projects to reshape education, but many struggle to achieve transformational change despite strong grant funding. Human nature, organizational culture, and governance practices often hinder progress. In this webinar, Drs. Aaron Einfeld and David Rowe provide tools to identify/overcome hidden barriers to change, offer practical steps for institutional leadership to move their institutions forward

I See That Hand

ON DEMAND

Board members are typically recruited for their leadership, business acumen, and networks. Dr. Rebekah Basinger, project director of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards Initiative, will discuss how strategic questioning and interrogation skills are essential for effective board stewardship.

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