The Rev. Dr. Susanna Singer

I believe that one of the most critical issues faced by people of faith today concerns the development of robust Christian identity, strong roots in vibrant communities of faith, and the capacity to act reflectively and effectively in the world in the service of God’s Reign. All these things have to happen in a context of immense cultural and religious diversity, where everything – including religious commitment – is a choice. The extremes of closed-minded rigidity or laissez-faire openness are not valid options in this context. Instead, people of faith need to cultivate deeply grounded Christian commitment coupled with openness to diversity – a daunting task. I bring theoretical frameworks and effective techniques from the fields of practical theology, transformative learning, cognitive-developmental theory, critically reflective teaching, and imagination in order to help students meet this exciting challenge.

The second focus of my teaching and scholarship is ministry development. The baptismal theology of the Episcopal Church compels me to enable students to empower the ministries of all, and to imagine new ecclesial structures that enable the church to turn towards the world, offering the Gospel to a changing world in fresh, inviting ways. The best current thinking in organizational development, leadership, systems theory, and change management informs my teaching in this area.

My teaching style is participatory, experiential and student-centered. All my classes include active learning – role-playing, group projects and practical design exercises – in order to ground students’ learning in the world of ministry. My goal is that students will become empowered, critically reflective, collaborative theological practitioners.