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Timeline of Programs

Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion

Compiled by Jack L Seymour, Professor Emeritus, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

The following timeline lists the programs developed by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.  Organized by both year and by the goals of the Wabash Center in that year, the timeline shows both the programs of the center and its continuing activities. [1]

 

Founding of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology & Religion at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana.  (1996)

  • Supported by grants awarded by Lilly Endowment Inc. (The planning grants and first grants were a part of “Theological Teaching Initiative” of the Lilly Endowment.)
  • Mission: “to enhance and strengthen teaching in theology and religion in North American theological schools, colleges and universities.”
  • Originally located at Hovey Cottage on Wabash College campus.  In 2008 moved to the Wabash Center building on the Wabash College campus (301 W. Wabash Avenue, Crawfordsville, IN.).

 

1991-1995 Preparation and Forerunners

  • Wabash College Workshop on Teaching Religion for Young Scholars (1991 – 1992)
  • Ongoing conversations with Lilly Endowment & Wabash College administration & faculty
  • Lilly/AAR Workshops on Teaching for undergraduate scholars in religion (1991 – 1995)
  • ATS Teaching Grants Program (1989 – 1995)
  • Wabash College hosted a Consultation on Theological Teaching (March 1995)
  • Planning Grant from Lilly Endowment (1995)

 

1996[2]

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began early career (pre-tenure) workshops for theological school faculty (additional workshops offered 1996 – present)
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Began to support and participate in meetings at Professional Societies (1996 -present) – For example, American Academy of Religion (AAR), Society for Biblical Literature (SBL), Association of Theological Schools (ATS), Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI), Forum for Theological Exploration (originally Fund for Theological Education, FTE, Asian Theological Summer Institute (ATSI), American Theological Library Association (ATLA), Religious Education Association (REA), College Theological Society (CTS), Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA), Carnegie Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Center for Inquiry in the Liberal Arts, etc.)
    • Began series of disciplinary conversations with faculty (began with theology and continued from 1996 – 2018 with additional faculty groups from theology, world religions, Bible, biblical languages, history of Christianity, librarians, practice of ministry, religious education, preaching, ethics, field education, inter-religious studies)
    • Began to offer grants for study of teaching in theology and religion (first grant offered 1996 to the Boston Theological Institute)[3]
  • Vocation of Teaching
    • Planning for a consultation on the vocation of teaching
    • Vocation engaged in all workshops, disciplinary, and professional society meetings
  • Development of the Professorate in Teaching and Learning
    • Began to sponsor gathering for doctoral program directors (1996 – 2018; schools shared resources of preparing doctoral students in teaching); in 1996 began Consultation on the Formation of Teachers of Religion in Graduate Schools
  • Sustaining and Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Wabash Consultation on Undergraduate Study of Religion (meeting with chairs of undergraduate departments; 1996)
    • Partnered with Lilly Endowment through its Theological Teaching Initiative (1996). Continues cooperative work with many Lilly-funded projects including Keystone Project, Lexington Project, Louisville Institute, Association of Theological Schools, American Theological Library Association, Indianapolis Congregations Project, FTE, HTSI, ATSI, etc.
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching
    • Partnered with the Lilly Endowment Grant on Library Technology for Theological Teaching (1996 – 2000) – Began with 30 Theological libraries
    • Began to develop a presence on World-wide Web – Wabash Center website (1996 – present)

 

1997

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Continued early career workshops and planned for future workshops
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Continued conversations with academic discipline groups (world religions)
  • Vocation of Theological Teaching
    • Began project on the Vocation of Teaching (1997 – 2003). Resulted in the publication The Scope of Our Art (Eerdmans, 2001)
  • Development of the Professorate in Teaching and Learning
    • Scheduled conversations with representatives of PhD/ThD programs
    • Began work on syllabus collection
  • Sustaining and Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops raised important issues of faculty climate
    • Planned for grant program to address faculty and school culture and context
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Work with Lilly Endowment and theological librarians on online teaching and use of world-wide web
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Founding of Teaching Theology and Religion (TTR) – (1997 – 2019); Replaced by Wabash Center Journal on Teaching (2020-present)

 

1998

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Continued early career workshops and planned for future workshops.
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Continued conversations with academic discipline group (religious education & Bible)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Continued conversations and planned for publications on vocation
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies, including hosting a meeting at AAR/SBL of new faculty members
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Work on Wabash Center syllabus collection
    • Enhanced participation of the Wabash Center staff at disciplinary, guild, ATS, and deans’ meetings
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Initiated grants program for schools to address teaching and learning, faculty and school environment, and research on teaching and learning
    • Continuing conversation with Lilly Endowment Theological Teaching Initiative partners
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Explored digitizing resources for theological and religious teaching (1998 – 1999) – resulted in grants for creating and digitizing materials
    • Work with Lilly Endowment and theological librarians on online teaching and use of world-wide web
    • Began to track the enhanced use of the Wabash Center web and the syllabus collection
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Planned for book publications supported by the Wabash Center to begin with book on vocation of theological teacher and supported first faculty study grant for a book on teaching religion in colleges and universities

 

1999

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Continued early career workshops and planned for future workshops.
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Continued disciplinary conversations (practice of ministry)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Continued conversations on vocation
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Held a second consultation of representatives of PhD/ThD Granting programs and planned for continuing development of these meetings
    • Conversations at AAR/SBL on preparation of graduate students in teaching
    • Continuing work on syllabus collection
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants for schools (addressing issues of faculty support, tenure and promotion, and support for enhancement of teaching)
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching
    • National Conference in Information Technology in Theological Education (1999)
    • Partnered with the Lilly Endowment on its Information Technology for Theological Teaching (1999 – 2001) – added 42 additional theological schools
    • Worked to license use of Blackboard courseware for schools (1999 – 2004)
    • Hired staff member to work with technology emphasis
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Planned for article and book publications supported by the Wabash Center (many grew out of faculty workshops and colloquies)

 

2000

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Continued early career workshops and planned for future workshops
    • Began to offer grants for teaching and learning (e.g., a workshop on teaching and learning for the Wartburg Seminary faculty)
    • Launched Consultants program (2000 – present, many focused on teaching practices)
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Continued conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Continued conversations with disciplinary groups (both biblical languages and began a series with theological librarians from 2000 – 2013)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Continued conversations and planned for publications
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
    • Launched consultants’ program (some focusing on vocation of theological teacher)
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Continued conversations at academic associations
    • Continued to add to the syllabus collection
  • Sustaining and Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Awarding of grants to faculty and institutions (2000 – present; many projects focused on faculty relationships and climate, curriculum development, assessment, etc.)
    • Launched consultants’ program (2000 – present; many focused on school environment for teaching, faculty review, faculty climate, addressing race and gender)
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Developed website of resources for teaching – Guide to Internet Resources for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.
    • Conference with ATLA on digital materials for theological education
    • Made Blackboard courseware available to theological schools
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Awarding of Grants to Faculty Members (2000 – present; many grants resulted in published articles and books. For example, a grant to Joseph A. Favazza and F. Michael McLain resulted in the 2002 book From Cloister To Commons: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Religious Studies edited by Favazza, McClain, and Richard Devine co-published by American Association of Higher Education and the Wabash Center. It then resulted in consultations for colleges on service learning)
    • Research, workshops, consultants, grants, and colloquies began to interconnect
    • Began to develop resources for faculty on the Wabash Center website

 

2001

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began early career workshop for faculty teaching undergraduates (additional workshops offered 2001 – present)
    • Continued ongoing workshops
    • Supported consultants to work with schools on teaching
    • Began regular meetings on campus of consultants and workshop leaders (continued to present)
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Continued conversations with disciplinary groups (history of Christianity faculty)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Publication of Scope of Our Art and planning for future conversations and publications
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
    • Supported consultants for conversations at schools on vocation
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Continuation and development of conversations at academic associations
    • Continuing work on syllabus collection
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching
    • Work with Lilly and Theological librarians on online teaching and use of world-wide web
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Planned for book and article publications supported by the Wabash Center

 

2002[4]

  • Completion of Trippet Hall for Guest Accommodations and Meetings (2002 – present; Trippet Hall enhanced the environment for workshops, conferences, etc.)
  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began mid-career teaching colloquies for theological educators (additional workshops offered 2002 – present)
  • Began teaching workshops for faculty of African descent (additional workshops offered 2002 – present)
  • Added follow-up stipends for those participating in workshops
  • Continued ongoing workshops
  • Continued and enlarged consultant program
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings, with disciplinary groups, and at many professional societies
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Held consultation on career in theological scholarship
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
    • Supported consultants for conversations on vocation
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Sponsored ongoing conversations with new faculty and graduate students in professional academic association meetings
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Conference on Teaching and Technology for project directors at over 70 theological schools (2002, 2003, 2019)
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
  • Continued to edit and develop TTR
  • Planned for publications of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations to be published (e.g., From Cloister to Commons published by Stylus Press in 2002; Being Black, Teaching Black published by Abingdon Press, 2008 grew out of African American faculty workshop; and a project on vocation grew out of mid-career workshop which was published in TTR)

 

2003

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
  • Continued ongoing workshops (early career, mid-career, and faculty of African American descent
  • Supported consultants for teaching workshops at schools
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
    • Continued disciplinary conversations (homiletics)
    • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
    • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
    • Supported consultants for conversations on vocation
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Continued ongoing conversations with schools and supported consultants for work with schools
    • Began to offer grants for schools to address issues of environment and climate
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Sponsored panel on library and faculty cooperation at ATLA
    • Training meeting for Wabash Center consultants and workshop leaders
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued conferences on Teaching and Educational technology (continued for several years including 2002, 2003, 2019)
    • Worked with Lilly information technology project directors
    • Facilitated access to Blackboard courseware for 30 of the 72 Lilly schools receiving Lilly technology grants
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning including further development of Guide to Internet Resources for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools (e.g., support for faculty to see the emerging distance learning program at Luther Seminary and scholarships to Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools Computer Camp 5 and the AAC&U Conference on Technology, Learning, and Intellectual Development)
    • Support for development of Teaching Greek website
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Planned for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations (e.g., 2002 Mid-Career Colloquy produced an issue of TTR)

 

2004

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began workshops for teaching in racially and culturally diverse classrooms (2004 – 2007)
    • Continued ongoing workshops (early career and mid-career)
    • Continued to provide schools with consultants
    • Provided a series of pre-session teaching workshops at professional academic associations
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies (e.g., teaching the Bible in diverse classrooms)
  • Continued faculty disciplinary conversations (homiletics)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
  • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
  • Supported consultants for conversations on vocation
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
  • Continued conversations with school program directors and supported consultants to assist schools with preparing their graduates as teachers
  • Sponsored sessions at professional academic associations including dinners for new faculty and graduate students
  • Continued to develop partnerships with several academic societies, teaching projects, and Lilly endowment funded projects
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
  • Conversations in workshops
  • Sponsored workshop for academic deans at ATS deans’ meeting
  • Sponsored meeting with caucus of religiously affiliated institutions at AAR
  • Provided consultants and grants for conversations at schools
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
  • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning (e.g., consulted with Bible faculty for further development of language teaching project)
  • Sponsored colloquium for ATLA
  • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
  • Completed evaluation of Wabash Center Internet Guide
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
  • Continued to edit and develop TTR (Special issue on teacher’s career and life)
  • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations
  • Received report of Wabash Center supported research on introductory undergraduate religion course – Effective Practices from 50 teachers

 

2005

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began mid-career colloquies for college/university faculty (additional workshops offered 2005 – present)
    • Held conference on teaching Introductory Religion courses (2005; 50 schools present)
    • Initiated Educating Clergy Project 2005 – 2012 (Held conferences followed by sponsoring teaching workshops at theological schools)
    • Continued ongoing workshops (early career, mid-career, and faculty teaching in racial/ culturally diverse classrooms)
    • Offered consultants to schools for teaching workshops
  • Teaching and Learning in Subject Areas
  • Sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings, with disciplinary groups, and sponsored programs at professional societies (e.g., workshops on service learning and teaching the Bible)
  • Vocation of the Theological Teacher
  • Continued conversations in workshops and at professional societies
  • Supported consultants for conversations on vocation
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
  • Continued ongoing conversations and supported consultants for schools
  • Continued meetings with graduate students at professional societies
  • Offered grants for graduate programs to develop programming to prepare doctoral students for teaching
  • Sustaining and Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Educating Clergy Project (2005-2012; workshops, grants, and consultations)
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools (including mission of schools, teaching practices, and faculty development and climate)
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
  • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning
  • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools (on distance learning, online teaching, and hybrid teaching)
  • Provided support for theological faculty to participate in a course for teaching online
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Publication of Educating Clergy by Charles Foster et.al. (2005; partnered with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR (Special issue of TTR on mid-career faculty)
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations to be published – for example projects such as Mary Hess, 2005. Engaging Technology in Theological Education: All That We Can’t Leave Behind. Sheed & Ward, Rowman & Littlefield; Victor Klimoski, ed. 2005. Educating Leaders for Ministry. Liturgical Press; Barbara Wheeler, 2005, Research report on Theological Faculty and Theological Teaching. Auburn Center for the Study of Theological Education, Auburn Seminary.

 

2006[5]

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Began teaching workshops with Asian/ Pacific Islander faculty (2006 – present)
    • Began workshop for fostering effective teaching and learning in racial/ culturally diverse classrooms
    • Held colloquy for Women as Teachers (2006)
    • Held colloquy on teaching Pastoral Leadership for Public Engagement
    • Began Wabash Center workshops for teaching online (2006 – 2018)
    • Continued ongoing workshops (early and mid-career workshops)
    • Supported consultants to assist schools with teaching workshops
    • Sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings and programs at professional societies
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Educating Clergy Project held six two-day conferences for seminaries, divinity schools, and rabbinical schools. These workshops were followed by grants and support for consultants to work with schools.
    • Continuation and development of ongoing support of consultants for schools
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Offered grants and consultants for conversations at schools including those focusing on Educating Clergy
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools (including assessment, cultural diversity, teaching pastoral imagination)
    • Established online workshops for seminary faculty teaching online
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR (special issue on strategies for religious leadership formation)
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations
    • Complied a bibliography of over 125 articles funded by Wabash Center grants during the previous 10 years

 

2007[6]

  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
  • Continued ongoing workshops for pre-tenure, and mid-career faculty and on teaching and racial/ cultural diversity
  • Supported consultants for teaching workshops at schools
  • Sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings and programs at professional societies (including reunion dinner for participants in last 10 years of Wabash Center workshops and colloquies)
  • Held workshop for theological librarians
  • Held interdisciplinary consultation on the teaching of the Black experience
  • Development of the Professorate in Theology and Religion
  • Sponsored ongoing conversations among schools including biannual conference for program directors
  • Supported consultants to help schools develop programs to train doctoral students as teachers
  • Continued luncheons and programs for graduate students and new teachers at professional societies
  • Sustaining Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Sponsored Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses Project (2007-2012; offered several workshops at professional societies and across US and Canada, provided grants, and offered consultations)
    • Supported grants, peer-mentoring, and consultants for conversations at schools (some included curriculum, being theological teacher, measuring outcomes, racial and cultural dynamics)
    • Sponsored leadership development meeting for consultants and leaders of Wabash Center programs
  • Conversations in workshops
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Continued online workshops for teaching online
    • Began to develop e-newsletter Teaching Links providing resources on teaching
  • Creation of a New Literature on Theological Teaching
  • Continued to edit and develop TTR
  • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations
  • Sponsored workshops on writing the scholarship of teaching at professional societies
  • Publication of Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses by Barbara Walvoord (2007)
  • Offered grants to mid-career scholars on “pedagogy of difficult conversations”
  • Coordinated and developed in partnership with the Lilly Endowment a project examining research on theological education

 

2008

  • Completion of building for the Wabash Center, 301 W. Wabash Avenue, Crawfordsville, IN. on grounds of Wabash College (2008 – present)
  • Workshops and Other Reflective Practices on Teaching and Learning
    • Continued ongoing workshops including pre-tenure and mid-career
    • Began workshops for Latinx faculty (2008 – present)
    • Continued to provide consultants for workshops on teaching
    • Sponsored consultation on theology and the arts
    • Continued conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Development of the Professorate in Teaching and Learning
    • Continued conversations and support of consultants for schools
    • Organized sessions for graduate students and new teachers as professional societies
    • Sponsored biennial gathering for directors of doctoral-granting institutions
  • Sustaining and Empowering Environments in Theological Schools and Religion Departments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants, peer-mentoring, and consultants for conversations at schools (including assessment, service-learning, online teaching, and race and cultural diversity)
    • Encouraged grants and consultants for schools to focus on both Educating Clergy and Introductory Religion Course
    • Sponsored a meeting for leadership development of consultants, workshop, and colloquy leaders
  • Technologies and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Continued online workshops for teaching online
  • Creation of a Scholarly Literature on Theological Teaching
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations (e.g., Being Black, Teaching Black, N. Lynne Westfield published by Abingdon Press, 2008).

 

2009[7]

  • Teaching and Learning
    • Held colloquy on Theology and the Arts (2009)
    • Continued ongoing workshops (including pre-tenure, mid-career, and faculty of African descent and for Latino/a faculty)
    • Provided consultants for schools conducting workshops on teaching
    • Continued conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Began work on an evaluation plan for workshops
  • The Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Sponsored conversations among schools and at professional societies
    • Sponsored meetings for graduate students and new teachers at professional societies
    • Sponsored workshop for FTE dissertation fellows
    • Began Graduate Program Teaching initiative to assist graduate programs with enhancing teaching courses and certificates in doctoral programs
  • Theological School and Religion Department Environments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants, peer-mentoring, and consultants for conversations at schools (including learning outcomes, interdisciplinary teaching, institutional mission and religion majors, race, and culture)
    • Encouraged grants and consultants for schools to focus on both Educating Clergy and Introductory Course
    • Brought consultants together to explore learnings and best practices from their common work
  • Digital Technology and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center website as resource for learning and developed an E-Newsletter
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Continued workshops for teaching online
  • Scholarly Literature on Teaching in Theology and Religion
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations
    • Began workshops on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching (2009 – present)

 

2010

  • Teaching and Learning
    • Began colloquies for theological school deans (2010 – 2018)
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultants for school
  • Continued and sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings and programs at professional societies
  • The Professorate in Theology and Religion
    • Began to partner with FTE, HTI, ATSI on workshops on teaching for doctoral candidates (2010 – 2019)
    • Began Graduate Program Initiative working with 57 schools to enhance preparation of doctoral students in teaching and learning (2010 – 2019)
    • Continued ongoing conversations among schools and at professional societies and supported consultants to assist schools
  • Theological School and Religion Department Environments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants, peer-mentoring, and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Attention to the concern of school environment and climate in colloquies sponsored for theological school deans and theological librarians
    • Planned evaluation of consultant program
    • Planned leadership training event for consultants and workshop leaders
  • Digital Technology and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center resources for online teaching and learning
    • Completed an assessment of Internet Guide to Religion
    • Continued online course for teaching online and began an evaluation of the course and its future
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
  • Scholarly Literature on Teaching in Theology and Religion
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Held colloquy on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
    • Enlarged the collection of books and articles on teaching in Wabash Center library
    • Continued to refine Teaching Links (topics included critical thinking, learning styles, service learning, grading rubrics, assessment, diversity, and syllabi)
    • Offered grants focused on “transnational pedagogies”
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2011

  • Teaching and Learning
    • Continued ongoing workshops (including pre-tenure and mid-career and for Asian/Asian American faculty), and offered consultants on teaching for schools
    • Sponsored colloquy on religious commitments in undergraduate classroom
    • Continued sponsoring conversations and programs at professional societies
    • Developed Philosophy for Workshops and Colloquies to guide Wabash Center (developed under the following headings – Teaching is a Vocation, Teaching is a Craft, and Institutional Setting Matters)
    • Began a longitudinal study of workshops and colloquies
  • The Professorate in Teaching and Learning
    • Sponsored ongoing conversations among schools through the Graduate Program Initiative (defining key components and principles for preparing future teachers). Scheduled consultations as 12 schools and provided grants for 15 schools
    • Supported consultants to assist schools
    • Continued work with future and new teachers at professional societies (including session on designing introductory course syllabus)
    • Supported workshop sessions and conversations at professional societies
    • Provided teaching and assessment workshops for doctoral fellows with FTE, HTI, & ATSI
  • Theological School and Religion Department Environments
    • Conversations in workshops
    • Supported grants, peer-mentoring, and consultants for conversations at schools (including on race, student assessment, learning outcomes, capstone courses, online and hybrid courses, and race and cultural diversity)
    • Encouraged grants to assist schools
    • Continued colloquies for theological school deans
  • Digital Technology and Theological Teaching and Learning
    • Continued work on Wabash Center resources for online teaching and learning (including Teaching Links and E-Newsletter)
    • Added to and completed ability to search the Internet Guide to Religion (1200 syllabi)
    • Supported grants and consultants for conversations at schools
    • Continued online course for teaching online
  • Scholarly Literature on Teaching in Theology and Religion
    • Continued to edit and develop TTR
    • Continued planning for publication of projects generated in grants, workshops, and consultations
    • Continued workshops on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

 

2012[8]

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations (including early career and mid-career faculty and Latino/a Religion faculty and Asian/Asian American faculty)
  • Continued to enhance the orientation and support for workshop and colloquy leaders
  • Sponsored conversations at and programs at professional societies (including regular conversations with representatives of other Lilly-supported programs)
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Continued work in many settings (professional societies, FTE, HTI) with students preparing to teach in theological education and religious study
  • Educational Environments
    • Continued to sponsor consultants and grants for schools (on topics including capstone courses, improving teaching for globalization, designing an assessment plan, introductory courses, student learning outcomes)
    • Continued workshops for theological school deans and theological school librarians and for faculty teaching online
    • Continued work with the Graduate School Initiative (offered grants to schools to assess their programs)
    • Sponsored conference with deans and directors of graduate studies programs to define key components in effective graduate teaching programs
    • Offered grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website and resource collection (Created an evaluative process for website)
    • Enhanced social media presence of Wabash Center
    • Continued to develop TTR and work for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations (including workshop on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)

 

2013

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops for early career faculty, mid-career faculty (where the focus was religious commitments in undergraduate classroom), and for Latino/a faculty. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Continued work with students preparing to teach in theological education and religious study
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (including topics of seminary’s mission, departmental curricula, multicultural teaching, redesigning MDiv, assessment, dismantling white privilege)
    • Continued work with theological school deans as well as with faculty teaching online
    • Continued work with directors of doctoral programs and with the Graduate School Initiative
    • Continued to offer grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website including updating the website
    • Continued to enhance resource collection including beginning to explore the work of social media
    • Continued to develop TTR and work for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2014

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for early career and mid-career faculty. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Continued work with doctoral students (professional meetings and HTI, ATSI, & FTE doctoral fellows)
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (topics included classroom pedagogy and theological school’s identity, religious commitment in classroom, curriculum, departmental assessment, diversity, modular pedagogies)
    • Continued work with theological school deans, theological librarians, and faculty teaching online
    • Sponsored consultation on diversity strategies in teaching
    • Continued work with directors of doctoral programs, including facilitating assessment of doctoral programs at 30 schools
    • Held summative conference of Graduate School Initiative identifying best practices
    • Held consultation on future of theological education
    • Offered grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website, resource collection, and social media presence
    • Launched “Scholarship on Teaching” as new web-based teaching resource
    • Renamed the “Internet Guide” as Syllabus Collection
    • Enhanced Wabash Center blogs (“Stories from the Front,” “Race Matters in the Classroom”) and continued to grow “Teaching Links”
    • Began developing video interviews about teaching as web content
    • Continued to develop TTR and work for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations
    • Sponsored an evaluation of TTR (conducted by Helen Blier)
    • Moved book reviews of TTR online and continued to explore online options for sharing the scholarship of teaching and learning
    • Held colloquy on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching

 

2015

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for early career and mid-career faculty, and for faculty of African descent. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Continued work with students preparing to teach in theological education and religious study, including a set of Doctoral Student Seminars (2015 – 2020)
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools
    • Continued work with theological school deans and faculty teaching online
    • Continued work with directors of doctoral programs
    • Offered grant program for religious studies faculties on curriculum
    • Offer grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
    • Sponsored a professional event for all consultants and workshop leaders (sharing three longitudinal studies completed for Wabash Center (pre-tenure workshops, grants, and TTR and resources)
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website, resource collection, and social media presence
    • Continued colloquy on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching
    • Continued to develop TTR (including an issue on teaching abroad).  Reviewed the evaluation of TTR.
    • Continued to seek publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2016

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for early career and mid-career faculty (mid-career focused on community engagement), for faculty of African descent, and for online teaching. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders.
  • Sponsored a re-gathering of workshop participants who were in 2006-2007 workshops to explore the impact
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Continued work with students preparing to teach in theological education and religious study, including a series of doctoral teaching seminars in Chicago and Dallas, and sessions at professional meetings and regional gatherings
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (topics included faculty development and curriculum coverage, teaching workshops, civic engagement, experiential learning, mentoring teaching assistances)
    • Began redesigned course on online teaching in theological education
    • Collaborated with Interfaith Youth Corps on pedagogy of interfaith teaching
    • Held biennial conference for graduate program directors, deans, and chairs. Continued to work with schools on projects
  • Hired staff member to lead work with doctoral students (“Preparing Future Faculty program”) and to work with doctoral programs
    • Offered grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website including blogs on teaching, video interviews with faculty, expanded social media presence, and book reviews. 
    • Added blogs on “Teaching Islam,” “Teaching, Religion, Politics,” “Theological Schools Deans,” as well as continuing to expand “Race Matters,” “Storied from the Front”
    • Expanded the Wabash Center Resource collection at Wabash College
    • Continued work with TTR.
    • Continued to work for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2017

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for doctoral students (“Preparing Future Faculty”), early career, mid-career faculty, and faculty of Asian/Pacific Island descent. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders.
  • Sponsored conversations and programs at professional societies
  • Began two “Weekend Workshops” for Doctoral Students
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (topics included religious studies field work, religious studies and theology, assessment of learning outcomes, enhancing face-to-face encounters in hybrid courses)
    • Continued work with theological school deans and faculty teaching online
    • Held summative conference for Undergraduate Department Grants program
    • Continued work with doctoral programs
    • Continued to offer grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website
    • Develop focused materials for “Theological School Deans,” “Race Matters in the Classroom,” and “Stories from the Front (of the classroom)”
    • Continued to expand the Wabash Center Resource collection. Launched a new website to share this content
    • Begun research program on “Pedagogy of Interfaith Learning” with Katherine Jones and Cassie Meyers (2016-2018)
    • Continued to develop TTR (Decided to separate from sponsorship of Wiley Blackwell publishers so that the focus of the journal could be more in line with programming of the Wabash Center)
    • Continue to seek for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2018

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
  • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for doctoral students, early career, mid-career faculty, and faculty of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Continued work with workshop and colloquy leaders.
  • Sponsored doctoral student teaching seminars (NYC and Boston), weekend workshops (Seattle Pacific and SMU), and meetings at professional societies
  • Sponsored conversations at disciplinary meetings and programs at professional societies, including a conversation on pedagogies of inter-religious studies
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (topics included assessment, hybrid pedagogies, multi-cultural teaching, religion and theology major, contextual learning, distance learning)
    • Continued work with theological school deans
    • Continued work with directors of doctoral programs and sponsored a conference for project directors for schools in “preparing future faculty” program
    • Sponsored leadership development event for Wabash Center program leaders and consultants on “teaching in higher education”
    • Partnered with IFYC to work with schools on consultations on interfaith education and pedagogy
    • Held colloquy on Teaching against Islamophobia
  • Offered future faculty grants to enhance teaching practices (2018-2019)
  • Offered grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website and resource collection (editing syllabus collection and transitioning “Internet Guide” to “Religion on the Web”). Launched a new website to share this content attending to syllabus collection and “religion on the web”  
    • Expanded social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
    • Expanded focused materials for “Theological School Deans,” “Race Matters in the Classroom,” and “Stories from the Front (of the classroom)”
    • Continued work on TTR while planning a new Wabash Center academic online journal
    • Continued to sponsor the colloquy on Writing of the Scholarship of Teaching
    • Worked for the publication of resources developed through grants, workshops, and consultations

 

2019

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
    • Held colloquy on race critical consciousness for transformative theological education (2019-2020)
    • Held workshop on teaching digital media (2019)
    • Continued ongoing workshops and consultations for doctoral students, early career, mid-career faculty, teaching with digital media, and faculty in racial and cultural groups. Continued to work with workshop and colloquy leaders.
    • Worked with doctoral students by scheduling teaching and learning weekends (at Gonzaga and Princeton Theological Seminary), teaching seminars, and meetings at professional societies
    • Sponsored workshops and conversations at professional societies and with partner Lilly-supported programs (including an invitational gathering co-sponsored with Odyssey Impact on “teaching with film for social change”)
  • Continued work with doctoral program directors
  • Educational Environments
    • Sponsored consultants working with schools (topics included transition in departments of religion, rabbinic formation, integration of spiritual formation in teaching, hybrid programs, cultivating community of intellectual formation)
    • Continued work with theological school deans
    • Continued work with faculty teaching online
    • Continued work with directors of doctoral programs by scheduling biennial meeting of program directors.  Founded a working group to define best practices for “preparing future faculty”
    • Held additional colloquy on Teaching against Islamophobia
  • Offered future faculty grants to enhance teaching practices (2018-2019)
  • Developed programming for leadership development with those working with Wabash Center programs
  • Offered grants to support projects and peer-mentoring
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Brought together a working group to look at future digital strategies for the Wabash Center
    • Continued to enhance the Wabash Center website and resource collection
    • Expanded social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
    • Expanded focused materials for “Theological School Deans,” “Race Matters in the Classroom,” and “Stories from the Front (of the classroom)” and added “Online Teaching, Online Learning,” “Reflections on Teaching and Learning, “Teaching and Traumatic Events,” “Teaching Religion and Politics,” and “Teaching Islam”
    • Continued to expand the Wabash Center Resource collection.
  • Launched the Wabash Center Journal on Teaching (2019 – present)
    • Continued to schedule a colloquy on Writing the Scholarship of Teaching
  • Continued to seek publication of resources developed through workshops, grants, and consultations

 

2020[9]  

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
    • Continued scheduled workshops and colloquies as much as possible online including early career, mid-career, and with faculty in racial/ cultural groups
    • Continued to sponsor online the colloquy on race critical consciousness for transformation theological education
    • Created an online mini-workshop on “Teaching with Digital Media”
    • Began Digital Salons for re-imagining teaching and learning in a time of pandemic and trauma (2020–present). Salons were scheduled for mid-career faculty, for mid-career African American faculty, for early career, for faculty of Asian/ American faculty, for engaging the imagination as theological school faculty, and for Latinx faculty
    • Enhanced online orientation for leaders
    • Moved teaching seminar online and completed research in “Preparing Future Faculty” project
    • Offered sessions for doctoral students online at professional associations
  • Educational Environments
    • Focused programming and shared resources on responding to the pandemic, faculty overload, moving to online teaching, crisis pedagogies, educational design, anti-racism, and self-care
    • Continued to offer consultants to work with schools online
    • Sponsored online a colloquy on teaching black religious experience
    • Continued to support grants to assist schools
    • Continued to work online with programs of and groups in professional societies
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Recorded 70 podcasts and webinars
    • Created a dedicated page on website to online teaching
    • Created a dedicated blog column for teaching justice and engaging larger social issues of injustice
    • Created an online “Teachers Art Corner”
    • Enhanced social media presence
    • Began linking of symposia and webinars with grants and workshops to create a full environment to assist individual faculty members and schools to engage in education for change – “mobilization pedagogy” (2020 – present). Topic: Becoming Anti-Racist and Catalysts for Change & Teaching and Improvisation
    • Expanded resources on the Wabash Center website on online teaching and responding to the pandemic (2020 – present)
    • Conducted review of TTR and worked with staff and editorial committee to set new directions for JOT
    • Continued to seek the publication of resources developed through workshops, grants, and consultations
    • Sponsored an evaluation of the impact of Wabash Center programming for the past 25 years (conducted by Evelyn Parker and Jack Seymour)

 

2021

  • Faculty Practices and Vocation
    • Continued to respond to the limitations imposed by the pandemic. Scheduled workshops and colloquy online for early career and Latinx faculties
    • Continued to offer digital Salons. Met with faculty leaders to assess the responsiveness and effectiveness of the salons
    • Continued with two online meetings for doctoral students through the “Preparing Future Faculty” project
    • The Wabash Center directors met online with workshop leaders for the last ten years to review and assess the needs and work of the Wabash Center
    • Conducted a formative evaluation of the programming since the beginning of the pandemic
  • Educational Environments
  • Created two multi-session virtual symposia – one on creativity and the other on anti-racism
  • Redefined and focused criteria for consultations
  • Sponsored consultations with several theological schools and religion departments (topics included best practices of teaching; values and principles for collaborative learning; classroom practices that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion; nurture and rigor in assignments, curriculum revision)
  • Sponsored sessions at over ten professional societies
  • Enhanced the regranting process to better focus projects and strengthen institutional support and impact
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Published issues of JOT – moved to redevelop and relaunch the journal to better fulfill and advance commitments of the Wabash Center
    • Published several blogs under topics such as “Teaching on the Pulse,” “Online Teaching,” “Democracy Matters,” “Creativity,” “Praxis”
    • Developed podcasts on significant topics about teaching, educational environment, teaching in atmosphere of trauma, future of theological education, race, and classroom practices (in 2020-2021 over 80 total)
    • Created 11 webinars
    • Enhanced social media presence
    • Revised the Wabash Center website enhancing access to the scholarship of teaching
    • Continued to add to Wabash Center resources center

 

 

[1] Under “Resources” and “Workshops and Programs” on the Wabash Center website is a full listing of each type of program https://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu.  This timeline names when new programs were initiated and gives examples of continuing activity (e.g., examples are given of grants, publications, consultations, and programs at professional academic associations to illustrate the scope of work.)

 

[2] Each section is organized by mission and program goals.  “Servants of Excellence” was the guiding motto of center leadership.

[3] Throughout examples will be given of the many grants given by the Wabash Center to support teaching workshops, research on teaching and learning, on contexts for teaching and learning, for addressing race and cultural dynamics, on faculty environment, etc.

[4] Lucinda Huffaker became director of the Wabash Center

[5] Program areas for the Wabash Center were revised in 2006 and the first comprehensive evaluation of Wabash Center programming from 1996-2004 was completed by including workshop, meeting, and grant programs (conducted by Mary-Ann Winkelmes, with Erin Driver-Linn, Kathleen Talvacchia, and Victor Klimoski).

[6] Nadine Pence became director of the Wabash Center

[7] The names for the program areas were slightly revised for 2009-2012 grant period.

[8] The mission statement and program areas for the Wabash Center were revised.

[9] Nancy Lynne Westfield assumed position of director of the Wabash Center and the programming of the center. The center was immediately and significantly affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Wabash Center