As the head of a Theological school in Canada, I read “Letters from Canada” (Summer 2025) with keen interest. The questions about responding to the global and local needs in relation to the caps on international students further prompt us to discern what it means to do theological education in the context that is increasingly territorial and polarizing.
I want to note that the advisory issued by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) to only travel to the U.S. if essential and necessary is the first of its kind in its 75-year history. I also want to underscore that the concerns behind this advisory are real for those who belong to minoritized groups in Canada. I wonder if we may need to add another pillar, “academic safety,” along with quality, accessibility and affordability as three pillars of theological education. I see the deep connection between ensuring academic safety and upholding academic freedom against the anti-intellectual currents that will likely continue to impact our work.
HyeRan Kim-Cragg
Principal and Professor of Preaching, Emmanuel College, Toronto
After reading “The Pendulum Swings Broadly” (Summer 2025) I wanted to share our experience with diversity at BSK Theological Seminary. BSK spent most of its history as a predominantly White institution, with 80 percentof our student body Caucasian. By 2023 our student body was predominantly Black, with nearly 70 percent of our students African American. This dramatic shift began with an invitation from Simmons College, a historically black college/university (HBCU) for BSK to offer the M.Div. on its campus. Our presence led to connection with the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. (NBCA). In 2020 BSK was named the official seminary of the NBCA and has now tripled in size, with half our faculty and many staff and board members now African American. We have revised our curriculum, so every syllabus includes the Black church tradition, history and voices. Following Black leadership has transformed our seminary!
David Cassady
President, BSK Theological Seminary
Gregg Brekke’s article, “We have to reframe the Situation,” revisits the challenge of “deferred maintenance,” but perhaps a better frame is “capital investment.” The piece highlights the pressing tension seminaries face: aging infrastructure and growing demands for technology. Once viewed as competing priorities, facilities and tech now must be integrated. How do you manage underused buildings while investing in digital initiatives? What encouraged me most was the creativity of the schools profiled. From rethinking campus ownership to forming partnerships, each found innovative ways forward. Their examples remind us that big challenges need not paralyze us—they can spark creativity. The question is: what bold steps can we take now to keep our mission strong while building the future we believe initiatives?
Brad Tisdale,
Founder and CEO, BG Advisors, LLC
