The Seminary Explores

Reflections on Daniel A. Payne and Gettysburg

Dr. Mark Tyler, Historiographer of the AME Church, and the Inaugural Daniel A. Payne Lecturer, highlights the life and work of Daniel A. Payne and the importance of his years at Gettysburg Seminary.

He emphasizes the importance of and the role that education exhibited in Payne’s life as an African American intellectual in the 19^th century. Tyler also discusses Payne work as the first  historiographer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; he (Tyler) is the 15^th person to hold that position. While a true intellectual, Tyler notes the fact that Payne’s life emphasized the use of Head and Heart in ministry. The intellect and the emotional commitment are inseparable; they inform one another.

Dr. Tyler's full lecture can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n6aoWutn20

 

Dr. Mark Tyler

 

Thumbnail image source: By C M Bell - https://www.loc.gov/item/2016690322/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103021368 

Songs of Liberation, Equality and Kindness

Tom Jolin, a folk musician, introduces this episode by sharing his love of folk music that developed in the 50s and 60s in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Using a dulcimer, banjo or accordion, he then describes a brief history of each of the songs or melodies for the listeners.

This segment includes: “Love from the Heart/Marching Through GA by Henry Clay Work whose father spend three years in jail for abolition work; “No More Auction Block for Me” by the 1^st South Carolina Volunteers. This was the first authorized Black regiment with Black men coming from South Carolina and Florida; “Deportee” (Crash at Los Gago Canyon) by Woody Guthrie tells the story of migrants who were deported from California and the plane crashed in 1948. These and the other songs/melodies are significant for what we are experiencing today.

What is Liberation Theology?

Dr. Nelson Rivera, Professor of Theology and Ethics at United Lutheran Seminary, defines and describes the development of Liberation Theology. This theology places an emphasis on context of the people, especially the poor. Rivera gives an overview of the seminal work of Gustavo Gutiérrez and discusses the contributions of other Liberation Theologians. Rivera makes it quite clear that Liberation Theology is not Marxist. Dr. Rivera also shares how his interest in Liberation Theology developed and gives suggested readings for those in the listening audience who want to read more about this area of theology.

 

The Rev. Dr. Nelson Rivera
Professor of Theology and Ethics
United Lutheran Seminary

 

Credits:

Thumbnail Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrez#/media/File:Gustavo_gutierrez_(Peruvian_theologian).jpg

A Christmas Offering 2025

Tom Jolin and Julie Aha share music (hymns and carols) for the Christmas season from the global village. They present songs and music that originate from Canada, Belgium, United States, Native Americans, and Germany. A brief historical introduction to each piece helps to remind us of the hope and joy of the Christmas celebration around the world.

Join us for a "Small Writing Surface Concert" to ring in the holiday season.

On the Appalachian Trail

In this episode John Hartzell (retired attorney and Coast Guard Officer) talks about hiking the Appalachian Trail. He discusses his decision to undertake this life-long desire to experience this historic path. John talked about the planning that included his hiking partner, the difficulties along the trail, along with the diverse types of people he encountered. He shares the routine that developed during the experience including shelter, eating, purchasing food, and visiting the small towns along the way. John also shares the physical changes he experienced hiking along with the opportunity to reflect on life events during those alone moments. At the end, he gives suggestions for anyone who is considering hiking the Trail.

 

(Thumbnail Photo: https://appalachiantrail.org/our-work/about-us/media-room/ )

“Say the names our mothers gave us:” poems that power The Girl Singer by Marianne Worthington

The poems in Marianne Worthington’s The Girl Singer tap into music performance, audiences, family identity and cultural expectations from many directions. She joins Katy Giebenhain for a conversation about the book. Marianne’s work has appeared in Oxford American, The Louisville Review, Appalachian Review, Untelling, New Southerner, Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Salvation South and elsewhere. A graduate of Carson-Newman University and Ball State University, she is co-editor, with Silas House, of Piano in a Sycamore: Writing Lessons from the Appalachian Writers’ Workshop. This is a craft anthology from teachers at the renowned Workshop in Hindman, Kentucky from its first 40 years. She co-founded and was the poetry editor for the journal Still. Marianne is the author of the chapbook Larger Bodies than Mine. The Girl Singer received the Weatherford Award for Poetry from Berea College and The Appalachian Studies Association.

You can visit Marianne's website at: https://marianneworthington.com/

Photo Credit: Dereck Hammers

Reflecting on 2024 and Looking Forward to 2025

Pastor Fritz Foltz, Pastor emeritus St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, centered the conversation on the 2024 election of Donald Trump. He discusses the 2024 presidency and the support of Trump by many conservatives from the perspective of the Manhattan Declaration. It was a joint statement among Roman Catholics, Evangelicals, and Pentecostals pledging to work together to put common religious beliefs into civil law. Foltz explored the gap between the Trump administration and the call of the gospel. 

Global Partnership: An Encounter with Tanzania

Tristan Ericson and Elizabeth Mitchell shared their reflections on a recent mission trip to Tanzania. They were part of a mission team of over twenty-five people mostly from St. Paul Lutheran Church in York, Pennsylvania.

This trip was designed to acquaint and connect the delegation with the leaders and congregants Mpuguso Church of the Konde Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Once there, they helped where needed by the church and places they visited, the Lutheran school, the hospital. Tristan and Elizabeth talked about Sunday worship that was between three and four hours in length but did not seem that long. It was vibrant.

When asked about some of the outcomes of the trip, Elizabeth and Tristan stated that the people they had heard about before the trip were no longer in the abstract. They now have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. The hospitality shown to them was overwhelming. This trip helped members of St. Paul and other churches in the area to be aware of the connections that exist in the global church.

Revisiting Kites over the Mango Tree

Dr. Janet Powers, Professor Emerita of Interdisciplinary and Women's Studies specializing in Indian religion and literature at Gettysburg College joins Katy Giebenhain for a conversation about her book Kites Over the Mango Tree: Restoring Harmony Between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat. Powers is a certified conflict resolution mediator and has worked with women's peace-building organizations in India, Palestine, Israel, Haiti, South Africa, and Estonia. Her PhD is from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has received many awards including a Peacemaker of the Year Award from the Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice, the inaugural Outstanding Contribution Award by Gettysburg Connection for Mediation Services of Adams County, and a YWCA Gettysburg Adams County Callie Award. Powers is the author of scholarly articles and poems as well as three books. You can also hear Dr. Powers speak about her experience of being a woman in academia on the Tell Us A Story podcast.

The African American Presence in Gettysburg: The Black History Museum

Jane Nutter, the President of the Gettysburg Black History Museum, talks about the development of the museum. She emphasizes the fact that the museum goes beyond the presence of African Americans in Gettysburg during the Civil War. The museum highlights the Blacks in Gettysburg before, during, and after the War. She notes that the museum contains artifacts from various individuals and families of color including photographs, furniture, and documents. The community was enthusiastic to contribute to the collection. In a sense, due to segregation, the Black community established its own vibrant society and community life  that included its own American Legion, the Elks, and community events.