A Mirror of Our Pluralistic World
Spending time with Andover Newton’s strategic plan, one might see an embedded vision of our community’s representation of this pluralistic world. As President Nick Carter and our faithful trustees negotiate Andover Newton’s vision of ‘building the Beloved Community,’ they consider some of the following objectives:
We will create a welcoming home to a broadly diverse student population (theological, racial, gender, etc) and in so doing enrich the seminary experience and better equip our graduates for effective ministry in a pluralistic world.
We will cultivate social justice partnerships that provide hands on learning and growth opportunities for our students and faculty.
These objectives, while forward looking, are realized on the Hill in many ways already. One hears the number thirty-five used a lot on campus. This is because we have students representing 35 denominations of faith working together in and out of the classroom. As these transdenominational relationships prosper, we learn from our friends at the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) that while our differences make our faiths unique and beautiful, it is our commonalities that can bring us together in order to act out love in the world.
We are a learning worshipping community that comes together and represents the differences of our world in active and compassionate ways. We coexist with Hebrew College, a rabbinical school located on the hill (link); we are a community that is open and affirming; we are a community that is diverse in so many lovely ways.