Who and What is CDSP?

Many people have asked me what is CDSP like?  Who are the students?  So yesterday, we were given a one page fact sheet about CDSP.  Here are the facts:

Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Founded: 1893

Location: 2451 Ridge Rd, Berkeley, CA 94709

Enrollment for 2010 - 201: 75 (plus 14 affiliated Ph.D. Students)

Faculty: 10 Core, 9 Adjunct

Degree Programs: 

Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Concurrent Master of Divinity/ Master of Arts, Master of Arts (jointly with the Graduate Theological Union), Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development (jointly with Seabury/ Western) (Ph.D. and Th.D. from the Graduate Theological Union)

Certificate Programs:

Certificate of Anglican Studies, Certificate of Theological Studies, Hybrid Certificate of Anglican Studies, Certificate in Ministry Development

Tuition: $680 per unit, $8,160 per semester (M.Div, MTS, CTS, CAS, HyCAS)

Accreditation: Association of Theological Schools

Continuing Education: Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership (CALL) (on-line and on-campus)

CDSP Affiliation: The Episcopal Church, Province VIII (17 diocese in 9 states, Micronesia and Taiwan)

Student Profile (2010-2011)

Receiving loans, scholarships or grants: 61%

Living in CDSP housing: 37%

Gender: 53% Male, 47% female

States of Origin: Alaska, Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont

Countries: USA, Brazil, Canada, China (Hong Kong), Japan, Korea

Age

Under 25   11%
25-34         23%
35-44         13%
45-54         33%
55-64         15%
64+            5%
Median age: 46

Something to ponder this morning

Kira Skala, a fellow EFM trainer and Priest posted this on her facebook page this morning and I realized how appropriate the passage is for me as my incoming class begins to build community.  Thanks Kira for sharing this. Praying this weeks Gospel reading (Matthew 18:15-20) : Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: "He who loves community destroys community; he who loves the brethren builds community." A community is not an abstract ideal. We are not striving for perfect community. Community is not an ideal; it is people. It is you and I. In community we are called to love people just as they are with their wounds and their gifts, not as we would want them to be. Community means giving them space, helping them to grow. It means also receiving from them so that we too can grow. It is giving each other freedom; it is giving each other trust; it is confirming but also challenging each other. We give dignity to each other by the way we listen to each other, in a spirit of trust and of dying to oneself so that the other may live, grow and give." -Jean Vanier From Brokeness to Community

Orientation Day 2

It is 10:30 on Tuesday night, the second day of orientation has finally come to a close.  It seems that CDSP uses orientation as a way for us to understand the need for sabbath time in our lives.  The day was packed with so many things to do and experience that we require a sabbath at the end of the day. Tonight, a few of us decided to take a break and get to know each other better over nachos and a beverage.

Today was not all games though, I finally registered for my classes.  I will be taking 4 classes for a grade and auditing a fifth class.  The classes are:

Introduction to the Old Testament, taught at the Franciscan School of Theology
Elements of New Testament Greek, taught here are CDSP
History of Christianity I, also here at CDSP
Anglican Tradition and Life, at CDSP
Fundamental of Worship, at CDSP

Overall it isn't a terrible schedule, I will have 2 classes on Monday and Tuesday and one class on Friday morning.  It is 15 hours of classes, with an expectation of an additional 2 hours outside of class for every hour in class.

If you are interested in hearing more about a specific class, let me know and I will post the course description.

Today's orientation was actually very helpful because the topics discussed were:

• the differences between an academic, vocational and training program .
• how the program at CDSP is a combination of an academic and vocational program.  
• tips and techniques for reading academic textbooks
• how to best prepare yourself to get the most out of your readings. 
• This discussion was very enlightening to me since I am more accustomed to reading novels than textbooks.  
• the different options available to us as new students and how to best take advantage of your status as a student within the Bay area. 
•  Who knew so many different cultural programs (opera, symphony, theater, etc)  were available. 

Tomorrow begins a new day of orientation.

As one professor commented, "enjoy orientation, we put you to work starting next week."

My Room

Here are two pictures of my living arrangements for this academic year.  Nothing special but will definitely be adequate for me.

My bed and desk

My bookcase, closet and desk

Welcome

After having moved to Berkeley this month, I realized that I needed a way to keep everyone back home informed about what I'm doing and learning.  I was speaking with another seminarian and he recommended writing a blog.  This is my attempt at doing just that.  I hope that through this blog, I will be able to show you all a glimpse of what life is like for me at CDSP, Church Divinity School of the Pacific.

The first issue was trying to figure out what to call the blog.  The other seminarian's blog was entitled, festinalente, which translates to "make haste slowly".   I thought that was a great title but it was taken so I searched for something with meaning and came up with mine, which is a quote from Cicero. It translates to "not for ourselves alone are we born."  I believe it fits with my sense of a call.

I have been here for just over 5 days and have gotten settled in.  My room is complete for the most part.  I am living in a 9' x 13' "dorm" room with a bathroom down the hall.  It is not your typical dorm though as the residents range in age from their twenties to their fifties and sixties.

Tomorrow morning I begin orientation and will have a better idea of my class schedule.  I know a few people have asked for my reading list so I will make sure I post a sample of the books.

Peace,

Jay