The program is now open to all GMU applicants, with the new course offerings of "Social Justice” and "Introduction to Pastoral Care" taught by (GMU alumnus) Dr. John Jeffrey and team. In the spring, the Rev. Dawn Hutchings, a Lutheran pastor from Canada and popular speaker/instructor in progressive theology, will teach "Introduction to Hebrew Scriptures.” These new courses will be available in both independent and cohort formats on Teachable©.

President Gerald Grudzen will offer an interfaith course on the History of God in early 2022. The course will span five weeks, with once weekly Zoom sessions, and draw upon readings from Karen Armstrong’s book, A History of God, as well as material authored by Dr. Grudzen.

The History of God covers the evolution of monotheism within the Abrahamic faith traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It features the key events in religious history that helped to define the concepts that characterized their understanding of God and the reformers who helped to purify and enlarge their understanding of the deity. In addition to the theological perspective that led to formulations of the divine nature and salvation history based upon revelation, the course also features philosophical perspectives on the nature of God within these three traditions.

To promote outstanding scholarship at GMU the course will be offered for only the $25 registration fee. If the student chooses to continue with GMU the course may be counted for credit toward a certificate or degree program. Once you apply and send in the $25 fee you will receive the syllabus and information on how to join the Zoom meetings in early 2022. There are a limited number of spots remaining. Apply soon.

Rev. Margie Schneider will conduct a course in Eco-Art & Creation Spirituality beginning in March 2022. This course will explore and awaken students’ natural creativity through participation in seven eco-art activities, performed within nature and seen through the eyes of Creation Spirituality and its four paths. They can also engender a deep sense of sacredness and an appreciation for the oneness of all things, leading to the discovery of a deep and lasting set of values – including a passionate desire to care for the earth, and to address the sacred connection one should have with her, with all her creatures, and especially, with the Creator.

Visit the International Conference on Building Bridges for Human Solidarity in the light of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Fratelli Tutti website to see the latest articles, uploads and plans for the 2023 conference.

Current plans are underway for collaboration with Tangaza University College in Kenya and Little Flower Seminary in Aluva, India, to offer Interfaith Studies programs and degrees in 2022.

GMU will launch a pilot Master's program in Science and Religion with courses from multifaith perspectives including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The program will be a hybrid of asynchronous modules plus Zoom seminars for each course. GMU is already collaborating with the Institute of Science and Religion at the Little Flower Seminary, Aluva, Kerala, India, to offer this program to students in India and Africa. Stay tuned for further developments.

Today I listened to a Zoom discussion among hospital chaplains, some of whom work with bipolar patients. Do bi-polar episodes ever intersect with spiritual experiences? I wanted to know more.

I went to our Religion & Theology database (from the GMU webpage click on GMU login, then select GMU Library) and typed in “bi-polar." I found some articles but they weren’t focused on my area of interest. I noticed, underneath each title, a list of Subjects the articles were about. Aha! The correct subject heading is “bipolar disorder." No hyphen.

I clicked on Advanced Search and entered “bipolar disorder” as a subject—so I could find articles that were really focused on the condition, not just those that mentioned it casually in passing. Presto! Relevant results. Then I added the subject “Spirituality”. Three articles appeared, nicely covering my topic. All three are available in full text, so I was able to read them in their entirety. Were I actually writing a research paper, I’d be able to cite them correctly as well, thanks to a citation feature accompanying each article.

Would you like one-on-one assistance? I’m available to conduct individual tutorials via Zoom on the use of the R&T database, or any other information source that might help in your research. Email me, and we’ll set up a convenient time. Using the Shared Screen option, I can guide you through your searches to find information on your topic.

GMU understands the economic impact of the pandemic on our world. Accordingly, we are reviewing our tuition policy, as well as to afford prospective students from developing countries the ability to enroll in GMU’s degrees and programs.

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