Fellows Class of 2008

Joseph F. Duggan's ministries continue to go global. Through his doctoral research at the Lincoln Theological Institute at the University of Manchester, U.K., he is exploring the impact of colonialism on Anglican theology and beginning to understand and articulate a postcolonial theology. Joseph recently wrote the introduction to the Spring 2009 issue of the Journal of Anglican Studies, which also includes his paper from the Postcolonial Theology Conference he helped lead at Manchester last year. He is planning to hold four more conferences on this subject: India (2010), Australia (2012), Africa (2014) and England (2016).

Stephanie Spellers is a past Cox Fellow and Minister for Radical Welcome, The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, MA, launched The Radical Welcome Project – a two-part project that generates models and resources to help the church tear down barriers and embrace what she calls ‘The Other.’ Stephanie is working with a young, multicultural team to develop The Crossing, a new emerging worship ministry at St. Paul’s, into a new congregation that intentionally practices radical welcome to the most marginalized members of society, including inner-city members of the lesbian, gay, and transgender communities. Her emergent church draws some 45 people a week and is growing because of a diverse collection of worshipers from around the Boston area. She also collaborated with a team to create curricula and materials congregations will need if they want to share radical welcome in their own faith communities. Stephanie is the author of Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation.

Susan Richardson is rector of Grace-St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mercerville, New Jersey, focuses her transformational ministry on children with learning differences and their families. Through the support of the ECF Fellowship, she has developed workshops she offers on both local and national levels that emphasize the need for both practical strategies and a firm theological grounding for including children and teens with differences/disabilities in the programs and events of faith communities. She is currently finishing up a guide for faith communities on integrating kids with learning differences and their families into parish events and programs; the guide takes a holistic view and includes sections on welcoming families, creating an inclusive atmosphere, choosing curricula, understanding specific diagnoses, supporting staff, clergy leadership, and the theological underpinnings of difference and disability. Believing that inclusion can't be selective, Susan sees her work as an integral part of any inclusive vision of God and God's people. Susan is a member of the ECF Fellows Advisory Committee to help foster the network of past and present fellows and to make their work more available to each other and to the Episcopal Church. She also partners with the Rev. Tom Brackett, officer for church planting and ministry redevelopment, around worship that includes and encourages a range of traditional, global, and emergent resources.

Steven R. Smith focused his doctoral work at The General Theological Seminary, New York, NY, on understanding the history of mission in the Anglican tradition, particularly in Africa, its impact in the contemporary world, and developing effective ways of engaging American congregations in global mission. He recently left his post as mission consultant at Trinity Church Wall Street to become rector of The Church of the Ascension in Munich, Germany. One important aspect of Steven’s work was spending last summer teaching in Zomba, Malawi, at the Leonard Kamungu Anglican Theological College. A result of his work at Trinity Wall Street is the collection of mission relationships the parish now has in New Orleans, the Caribbean Basin, and Africa.

Joseph Hyvenson Joseph has pursued doctoral studies focused on ‘Mission and the Holy Spirit’ and the history of the Episcopal Church in Haiti. He plans to teach theology and continue his mission to “preach the Gospel of the love of Christ, and further, to prepare others to do so.” To that end, his plan is to help the Diocese of Haiti upgrade its seminary. In addition to providing essential spiritual and pastoral care throughout the Diocese of Haiti, churches are often the only source of important social services, and priests need training to become effective administrators of these ministries. At present, the seminary in Haiti is the only French-language theological institution in the Anglican Communion and provides important training and resources to the Diocese of Haiti. Hyvenson hopes that it will someday be able to serve the rest of the French-speaking Anglican world as well.