Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Archives

The Rev. Dr. José Irizarry, the new president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, discusses how to start well

Posted September 29th, 2022

The Rev. Dr. José Irizarry collects turtles and children’s books and is a salsa dancer when he’s not busy with his new job as president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Feeling like you belong

Posted August 29th, 2022

“Do you feel like you belong?” That’s what the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Rigby, the W.C. Brown Professor of Theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, asked the people attending Saturday’s Covenant Conversation at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. Rigby was the keynote speaker.

‘That’s who most needs to be here’

Posted August 2nd, 2022

The three presbyteries in Oklahoma — Indian Nations, Cimarron and Eastern Oklahoma — are partnering with Covenant Network of Presbyterians to hold a Covenant Conversation on Aug. 27 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. That event, set for 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Central Time, will be held both in person and online and features a plenary by the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Rigby, the W.C. Brown Professor of Theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

The Rev. Dr. José R. Irizarry to become Austin Seminary’s 10th president

Posted June 29th, 2022

The Austin Seminary Board of Trustees, at a called meeting on Monday, elected the Rev. Dr. José Ramon Irizarry as the Seminary’s next president.

A family affair

Posted May 24th, 2022

Although the branches of their respective family trees are heavily laden with Presbyterian pastors and elders, Akilah Hyrams and Noah Westfall — both alums of the PC(USA)’s Young Adult Volunteer program — are pursuing a different calling. At least for now.

‘Get acquainted and get familiar with your intended community’

Posted May 11th, 2022

The Rev. Zoë Garry and the Rev. Ezequiel Herrera operate in different ministry settings. But as they found out during an hour-long conversation last week, which can be heard here, they share at least two traits: both are church planters, and both serve God and new worshiping communities in the Synod of the Sun.

One mid council leader’s take on embracing our new reality

Posted November 29th, 2021

Like with many congregations in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), for the 90 or so churches in the Presbytery of Arkansas, worship is now a different experience than it was before the pandemic, the Rev. Stewart Smith said last week during an episode of the Synod of the Sun’s “SunSpots” podcast.

Austin Seminary President Theodore J. Wardlaw announces plans to retire in 2022

Posted November 3rd, 2021

The Rev. Theodore J. Wardlaw, the ninth president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, has announced plans to retire in 2022.

The Rev. Dr. Rose Niles joins Presbyterian Foundation as field staff

Posted July 30th, 2021

The journey that led the Rev. Dr. Rose Niles to become the Presbyterian Foundation’s newest Ministry Relations Officer began when she was asked to become a ruling elder at the age of 14.

‘It is very good’

Posted July 26th, 2021

After telling the 450 or so people attending the Synod of Lakes and Prairies’ Synod School on Monday that they’re co-creators with God and, as John Calvin once said, “little manifestations of God’s glory,” the Rev. Dr. Jill Duffield proved her point by asking participants to use their cellphones to take first a selfie and then a photo of the people seated around them.