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Sudanese Bishop Joseph Garang Atem receives honorary degree from Seabury-Western
Atem was consecrated bishop in 2008. He has served in the Diocese of Renk since he was ordained deacon in 1996. Immediately prior to becoming bishop, he was the principal of Renk Theological College. Atem graduated from Seabury-Western in 2000 with an earned Master of Theological Studies degree.
The Diocese of Renk was founded as a missionary diocese in 1989. Despite Sudan's two civil wars spanning more than 40 years, the diocese has thrived by building the theological college, a widespread grassroots literacy program and six schools, as well as health, agriculture and peace programs.
"Joseph exemplifies the value of theological education that answers the needs of Christians living in the world," said the Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean and president of Seabury-Western. "Seabury's extended community has loved and admired him long before he became bishop of Renk. We are delighted to celebrate him and give thanks for the extraordinary gifts he brings to his ministry."
Seabury-Western conferred the degree during a Festal Evensong on the first day of a week-long event called "Mission and Ministry in the Great Emergence." The seminar, which featured keynote speaker author Phyllis Tickle, included doctoral level coursework for Seabury-Western's doctor of ministry students; the annual alumni gathering called "Bread for the Journey"; and continuing education opportunities.
More than 75 people participated in the event, which also included seminars led by the Rev. Terry Martin, a popular blogger known as Father Jake; the Rev. Winnie Varghese, priest-in-charge at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in New York; and the Rev. Nadia Bolz Weber, a Lutheran pastor who is developing the House for All Sinners and Saints, an emerging church in Denver, and blogs as the Sarcastic Lutheran.
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