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Center for Anglican Communion Studies

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary, announced today that the Rev. Dr. J. Barney Hawkins IV, director of the Doctor of Ministry Programs and Professor of Parish Ministry, has been named the first Executive Director of the Seminary’s Center for Anglican Communion Studies. Hawkins will step into his new position on November 1, 2007.

The Center for Anglican Communion Studies was envisioned in 1992 and created in 1998. There were three primary objectives according to the mission statement. The first was ‘to coordinate and nurture scholarly engagement among Anglicans worldwide’; the second was ‘to house Anglican materials and host Anglican scholars’; and the third was ‘to devote time, money, and energy toward assisting individuals and groups from around the world to reflect creatively upon the historic nature and contemporary possibilities of the Anglican Christian tradition.’

‘With these three purposes in mind,’ said Dean Markham, ‘The Seminary is working toward becoming known as a place of hospitality and support for Inter-Anglican commissions and ecumenical bodies, and encouraging meetings of international groups. At the same time, the VTS community benefits in countless ways from the insights and experiences of those who come here.’

The mission statement for the Center of Anglican Communion Studies establishes a broad mandate for the Center: to support research, convene consultations and conferences, and develop new initiatives that constructively address and support the nature and mission of the Anglican Communion. These goals may be realized in a number of ways that will not only address immediate concerns in the Communion but support the long-term development of the Communion.

Before joining the Seminary faculty in 2000, Hawkins served as Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore, MD, as well as Rector of the Church of the Ascension in Hickory, NC, a position he held for almost 14 years. Dr. Hawkins has served on the boards of Episcopal Relief and Development and Kanuga Conferences, Inc. He is presently Treasurer of the North American Regional Committee of St. George's College, Jerusalem. Hawkins holds an undergraduate degree from Furman University, an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

Since coming to VTS in 2000, Hawkins has traveled extensively around the world, meeting with faculty and students from various theological seminaries. In a 2004 trip to East Africa, Hawkins visited theological schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi which, for him, opened up ‘the challenges facing our sister theological schools in the Communion.’ In 2006, Hawkins took a sabbatical where he spent time at Holy Cross Theological School in Myanmar-Burma. ‘The seminary curriculum is the conversation a faculty has amongst itself,’ said Hawkins, ‘and I was fortunate enough to be able to witness that in action at Holy Cross.’

Continued Hawkins, ‘This past summer, my time with clergy in the Diocese of Wellington in New Zealand and experiences at the International Study Center at Canterbury Cathedral, emphasized once again that we’re a part of a very large and diverse family. Canterbury Cathedral was really a capstone moment for me as I listened to Anglican students from around the world as they talked about the Church and the Lord they loved.’

Hawkins expressed deep gratitude to Dean Markham’s invitation to take on the new challenge and for the Dean’s early imprints toward the amelioration of “this venerable institution.’

Founded in 1823, Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the 11 accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church. The school prepares men and women for service in the Church worldwide, both as ordained and lay ministers, and offers a number of professional degree programs and diplomas. Currently, the Seminary represents more than 55 different dioceses and 7 different countries, for service in the Church.

Item from: Virginia Theological Seminary

Center for Anglican Communion Studies

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary, announced today that the Rev. Dr. J. Barney Hawkins IV, director of the Doctor of Ministry Programs and Professor of Parish Ministry, has been named the first Executive Director of the Seminary’s Center for Anglican Communion Studies. Hawkins will step into his new position on November 1, 2007.

The Center for Anglican Communion Studies was envisioned in 1992 and created in 1998. There were three primary objectives according to the mission statement. The first was ‘to coordinate and nurture scholarly engagement among Anglicans worldwide’; the second was ‘to house Anglican materials and host Anglican scholars’; and the third was ‘to devote time, money, and energy toward assisting individuals and groups from around the world to reflect creatively upon the historic nature and contemporary possibilities of the Anglican Christian tradition.’

‘With these three purposes in mind,’ said Dean Markham, ‘The Seminary is working toward becoming known as a place of hospitality and support for Inter-Anglican commissions and ecumenical bodies, and encouraging meetings of international groups. At the same time, the VTS community benefits in countless ways from the insights and experiences of those who come here.’

The mission statement for the Center of Anglican Communion Studies establishes a broad mandate for the Center: to support research, convene consultations and conferences, and develop new initiatives that constructively address and support the nature and mission of the Anglican Communion. These goals may be realized in a number of ways that will not only address immediate concerns in the Communion but support the long-term development of the Communion.

Before joining the Seminary faculty in 2000, Hawkins served as Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore, MD, as well as Rector of the Church of the Ascension in Hickory, NC, a position he held for almost 14 years. Dr. Hawkins has served on the boards of Episcopal Relief and Development and Kanuga Conferences, Inc. He is presently Treasurer of the North American Regional Committee of St. George's College, Jerusalem. Hawkins holds an undergraduate degree from Furman University, an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

Since coming to VTS in 2000, Hawkins has traveled extensively around the world, meeting with faculty and students from various theological seminaries. In a 2004 trip to East Africa, Hawkins visited theological schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi which, for him, opened up ‘the challenges facing our sister theological schools in the Communion.’ In 2006, Hawkins took a sabbatical where he spent time at Holy Cross Theological School in Myanmar-Burma. ‘The seminary curriculum is the conversation a faculty has amongst itself,’ said Hawkins, ‘and I was fortunate enough to be able to witness that in action at Holy Cross.’

Continued Hawkins, ‘This past summer, my time with clergy in the Diocese of Wellington in New Zealand and experiences at the International Study Center at Canterbury Cathedral, emphasized once again that we’re a part of a very large and diverse family. Canterbury Cathedral was really a capstone moment for me as I listened to Anglican students from around the world as they talked about the Church and the Lord they loved.’

Hawkins expressed deep gratitude to Dean Markham’s invitation to take on the new challenge and for the Dean’s early imprints toward the amelioration of “this venerable institution.’

Founded in 1823, Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the 11 accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church. The school prepares men and women for service in the Church worldwide, both as ordained and lay ministers, and offers a number of professional degree programs and diplomas. Currently, the Seminary represents more than 55 different dioceses and 7 different countries, for service in the Church.

Item from: Virginia Theological Seminary