orming faith in communit

The paths that led Greta Long (MAPCC) and Drew Unrue (MAPCC) to Garrett-Evangeligcal were not similar. Greta grew up in the United Methodist Church, was part of a progressive campus ministry in college, and came to seminary seeking to “reaffirm my belief in a God who is loving, a God who is compassionate, a God who is inclusive.” Drew Unrue, on the other hand, grew up in South Carolina within white evangelicalism until his early 20s when, they say, “I came into an understanding of my own queer identity,” and enrolled in seminary, in part, to pursue “integration in affirming spaces, and fully enfleshed embodiment of that identity.” Drew and Greta’s differences underscore the joy and challenge of spiritual development in a seminary context: Schools must address students’ uniqueness and particularity, while also creating a cohesive community that meets the needs of every student.

This challenge becomes more acute when considering the truly vast cultural diversity within the hallways. One in seven Garrett-Evangelical students is an international student, representing twentytwo countries and a wide spectrum of ethnic and theological differences. Many seminaries would be overwhelmed by the call to make education embody the global church—even creative friction can cause conflict. What’s clear in speaking with Greta and Drew, however, is that it is precisely the community’s breadth that helps to nurture care. “There’s a spirituality that resides in mutuality that fills the community with empathy and respect,” Long says, “It goes beyond progressive or conservative—it asks, ‘How are we showing up for other people?’”

The differences aren’t just geographic, either. Unrue, for example, confesses that his quest for meaning-making took him beyond the bounds of classical theology, towards process thought. “I think we are all in motion and becoming. Spiritual formation is constant and eternal,” they note, “Buddhist prayers, spiritual meditations, getting back to and reinvigorating a Christian mysticism—embracing those have been really powerful for me.”

It’s a sign of a mature and healthy community of faith when those practices can joyfully flourish beside more traditional seminary offerings, like the weekly chapel services that Long religiously attends. She observes that, as she moves into her vocation, “being in intentional worship as a recipient to the Spirit, instead of as a facilitator of that space, is really meaningful.” She also says that the diversity of Garrett’s community is part of what makes those services so meaningful. “Seminary was the first place I heard scripture being read in other languages,” she continues, “It feels obvious to know that Christianity is a world religion, but then to hear scripture being read in Korean, in Chinese, in Swahili—it’s really powerful and offers me a lot of hope: We are not alone in this.”

The goal of spiritual care is, of course, to provide fertile soil for students to grow, as they discern who God is calling them to be. Unrue admits that, even though they hoped and knew that seminary would change them, they’re still surprised by the direction of their work. “Prior to coming to Garrett, I anticipated going a purely academic route,” they confess, “But studying at Garrett my first year, I was working at a church and I started fielding pastoral care concerns and so I decided to pursue something more on-theground. To be very frank, that was something I was hesitant about!” It didn’t erase their previous desires and interests, but instead helped them integrate what they were learning into who they were becoming. “My time here helped me come into an identity not only as a process theologian,” they reflect, “but someone who is dedicated to social justice.”

That kind of growth isn’t just good for the individual, it feeds collective transformation. “The number of students at Garrett who are queer, who operate out of queer theology and queer theory has been incredibly moving for me,” Long shares, “I’ve learned a lot through them, and it’s provided opportunities for me to have conversations that I wouldn’t have with my family or home church.” Contrary to what some people might suggest, building relationships across difference doesn’t shake or disorient people’s faith— it’s one of the most essential ways to discover what it is we believe. “My faith is the strongest it’s ever been,” Long says, “I’m more open for the Spirit to show up in spaces I might not be looking.”

Ultimately, it’s that intention and care for one another’s thriving that teaches Garrett-Evangelical students about who God is as much as what they learn in a classroom. “It’s more than just about academic questions,” Unrue notes, “it asks how our bodies are existing in a space—turning theory into praxis.” If theology is only something that happens in a book or a paper, we’re badly missing the mark for what it means to form ministers, therapists, and scholars ready to meet the church’s needs in the twenty-first century. We need more than people who are smart—we need leaders who care deeply about their neighbors, awake to the reciprocity community demands. Paradoxically, it’s also the path that leads to true discernment— engaging others is the best way to know ourselves.

“My time at Garrett not only has honed a direction, it’s brought to light different pieces of myself that I never anticipated,” Unrue concludes, “The space that’s provided here is one of openness and change, if and when you’re ready for it.”