Some observations about Duke Divinity School

Spiritual Formation: I'm very encouraged by the focus on cultivating our spiritual vitality. It would be very easy for these 3 years to become a stressful, competitive, and overly academic time. And although we will make mistakes and experience those things, they care deeply about developing our hearts and souls. The orientation and the Bridddge program started with worship each day, and it's been a different and special experience worshiping with people who are embarking on a similar journey of preparing for ministry. One service that was particularly powerful was one where we remembered our baptism, which I have never done before. We went one by one to the front of the room and dipped our hand in water as we were told "Remember your baptism..." This conjured memory after memory of when I was baptized - standing in the lake with Pastor Dave, being put under the water and coming back up, seeing my mom and giving her a hug afterwards. I surveyed the last 10 years since I was baptized in my mind. As I thought of the journey I've been on, I don't know if I've ever connected with God's faithfulness in such an intimate way. When I sat down I wept and wept until the service was over. I've had many challenges, questions, and fears since I've been baptized, but God has been good. God is good.

I'm also looking forward to the spiritual formation groups we meet with weekly, morning prayer every morning and worship Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. These three years will not just be studying theology, it will be experiencing theology.

Community: One of the primary emphases is that we learn best in community. During orientation we have constantly heard the message that we are in this together. One of the speakers told us to look to our left and our right at the people sitting next to us - our job is to make sure that in 3 years, they are still there. The worship and prayer that I mentioned before is for our spiritual growth, but it's also for us to be worshiping together. This does not replace finding a local church, it is rather an opportunity to worship with our fellow students.

I started to get the sense that this could become a constant retreat. This means it's important for me to be involved in my neighborhood and other parts of Durham and Duke so that I understand and connect with the world at large, not just in the Duke Divinity bubble.