User:ArthurOgawa/Rebecca Ann Parker

The Reverend Rebecca Ann Parker
7th President of the Starr King School for the Ministry
In office 1990–2014
Preceded by	Rev. Til Evans
Succeeded by	Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt
Personal details
Born	1953
Education	University of Puget Sound BA 1975, Claremont School of Theology D.Min. 1979, Northwest Theological Seminary DD
Occupation	Theologian, Minister

Rebecca Ann Parker (born 1953) is an ordained United Methodist minister in dual fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association. She served as President of Starr King School for the Ministry from 1990 to 2014, the first woman to serve as the permanent head of an accredited theological school, and is emerita Professor of Theology at Starr King.

Career

Parker's theological roots are in the liberal Protestant traditions of the Social Gospel, Boston personalism, process- and feminist theology. Her family heritage includes four generations of liberal Christian ministers and progressive churchwomen.

She served as a parish minister for ten years in the Pacific Northwest and taught part-time at Northwest Theological Seminary in Seattle.

Her doctoral studies focused on Alfred North Whitehead’s theory of consciousness as a basis for a spirituality that integrates aesthetics and social engagement.

The focus of her work has been in critical analysis of the links between Christianity and violence, especially sexual abuse, and in the constructive creation of a post-patriarchal theology, using the methodologies of feminist theology and philosophical theology. Her wider concern is not just in theology: it is in progressive faith as a way of life, a way of community, and a way of social engagement.

Her current research interests include the gospel of John, the interpretation of the death of Jesus in early Christian art and ritual, and theologies of nonviolent resistance to oppression, injustice, and war.

As a religious activist, she has engaged with Central American issues, women’s issues, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender concerns. She serves on the board of an interfaith think tank focused on progressive religion and politics called Faith Voices for the Common Good. Parker is also an accomplished cellist.

Works

Parker's theological work, sermons, and poetry have been published in academic journals, essay collections, and anthologies.

Thesis

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (1993). The effect of social roles on sex-role identity development in early and middle adulthood (Ph.D.). University of California, Davis.

Books

• Brown, Joanne Carlson; Parker, Rebecca Ann (1989). "For god so loved the world?". In Brown, Joanne Carlson; Bohn, Carole R. (eds.). Christianity, patriarchy, and abuse: a feminist critique. New York: The Pilgrim Press. ISBN 0-8298-0808-6. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Brock, Rita Nakashima; Parker, Rebecca Ann (2002). Proverbs of ashes: violence, redemptive suffering, and the search for what saves us. Boston: The Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-6797-0. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Feminist critique of the Christian doctrine of the atonement, using memoir as a mode of theological reflection.
• Brock, Rita Nakashima; Parker, Rebecca Ann (2003). "Enemy and ally: contending with john's anti-judaism". In Matthews, Shelly; Kittredge, Cynthia Briggs; Johnson-Debaufre, Melanie (eds.). Walk in the ways of wisdom: essays in honor of elizabeth schüssler-fiorenza. Harrisburg: Trinity Press International. ISBN 1-56338-406-X. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2003). "Not somewhere else, but here". In Bowens-Wheatley, Marjorie; Jones, Nancy Palmer (eds.). Soul work: anti-racist theologies in dialogue. Boston: Skinner House Books. ISBN 978-1-5589-6445-7. Retrieved 2018-06-08. See article.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006). Hardies, Robert (ed.). Blessing the world: what can save us now. Boston: Skinner House Books. ISBN 978-1-5589-6515-7. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
• Brock, Rita Nakashima; Parker, Rebecca Ann (2009). Saving paradise: how christianity traded love of this world for crucifixion and empire. Boston: The Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-6754-3. Retrieved 2018-06-08. A novel lens on the history of Christianity, from its first centuries to the present day, asking how its early vision of beauty evolved into a vision of torture, and what changes in society and theology marked that evolution.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann; Buehrens, John A. (2010). A house for hope: the promise of progressive religion for the twenty-first century. Boston: The Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-0150-9. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2013). "Prologue". In Emerson, Dorothy May; Farber-Robertson, Anita (eds.). Called to community: new directions in unitarian universalist ministry. Boston: Unitarian Universalist Society. ISBN 978-1-4841-4983-6. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Originally titled "A Hand is Laid Upon Us: the Theological Challenge of Community Ministry" in Community ministry: an opportunity for renewal and change, Starr King Community Ministry Project, 1995.

Articles

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (1988). "Making love as a means of grace: women's reflections" (PDF). Open Hands: Journal of the Reconciling Congregation Program. 3 (3): 9–12. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Brock, Rita Nakashima; Parker, Rebecca Ann; Blumenthal, David; West, Traci C.; Kim, Jung Ha; Fortune, Marie M. (2002). "A witness for/from life: writing feminist theology as an act of resisting violence–responses to proverbs of ashes: violence, redemptive suffering, and the search for what saves us". Journal of Religion and Abuse. 4 (2): 69. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2002-03-01). "Can violence save? Challenging the theology of redemptive suffering". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Excerpted from Proverbs of Ashes
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2002-09-01). "Against vengeance: witness for the things that make for peace". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Adapted from an address delivered in March 2002 to the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association Convocation in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006-07-10). "Love first: Love demands justice; it can't simply be an emergency strategy when everything has gone wrong". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Adapted from Blessing the World
• Brock, Rita Nakashima; Parker, Rebecca Ann (2008-07-14). "'This present paradise': For almost 1,000 years, the Christian church emphasized paradise, not Crucifixion. How Christianity took a disastrous turn, and how we can rediscover paradise today". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Adapted from Saving Paradise
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2010-06-28). "We are already in paradise. There is no land promised to any of us other than the land already given, the world already here". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Adapted from A House for Hope

Poetry and Music

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2002-03-03). "Choose to Bless the World". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Excerpt from Blessing the World.
• Norton, Elizabeth H. "Bless the world". UUA. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Sheet music and audio for a hymn, based on a poem by Rev. Parker, composed by Ms. Norton.
• Norton, Elizabeth H.; Parker, Rebecca Ann. "There is a love". UUA. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Sheet music and video for a hymn (a 4-part round), based on a meditation by Rev. Parker, composed by Ms. Norton.

Sermons

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2003-08-01). "The opening of paradise" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At Starr King School for the Ministry, Opening Convocation
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2004-04-25). "For all that is our life" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C., one day after participating in the March on Washington for Women’s Lives.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2005-09-06). "Love first" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At Starr King School for the Ministry, Opening Convocation
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006-04-29). "Keep the circle whole: the challenge of Unitarian Universalist theology" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At meeting of Pacific Central District, Unitarian Universalist Association.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2007-09-04). "Theological education in a time of war" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Opening Convocation Sermon at Starr King School for the Ministry.

Speeches

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2003-02-22). "Face to face: human presence and non-violent resistance" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At the Fourth Annual Boulder International Humanist Symposium in Boulder CO.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2004-09-23). "Starr King School for the Ministry, Centennial Convocation" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann; Hardies, Robert (2006-06-24). "Starr King President's Lecture". UUA. Retrieved 2018-06-19. A discussion upon the publication of Blessing the World.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006-08-16). "The stones will speak: building a house of spirit and hope" (PDF). Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-08. At the International United Methodist Clergywomen’s Consultation Multi-Ethnic Panel of Theologians.

Media

See the Starr King School for the Ministry's Video & Podcast page for links to media featuring Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, as well as:

• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006-04-29). "Keep the Circle Whole". Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-18. Sermon presented to a meeting of the UUA Pacific Central District, introduced by Rev. Dr. David Sammons, answering the question, "Is there a limit to Unitarian Universalist beliefs?"
• Parker, Rebecca Ann; Brock, Rita Nakashima (2001). "Proverbs of Ashes". Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-18. The authors of Proverbs of Ashes read excerpts.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2006-04-29). "Soul Music". Starr King School for the Ministry. Retrieved 2018-06-18. Excerpt from Blessing the World, read by Kathleen Young.
• Parker, Rebecca Ann (2009-02-22). "Saving Paradise, part 1 of 4". All Souls Unitarian Church channel on YouTube. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church (Tulsa, Oklahoma). Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
• Schumacher, Steve (2010-09-24). "Interview with Rebecca Ann Parker and John A. Buehrens". University of Illinois WILL. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Discussion of the book, A House for Hope by the authors, interviewed by Steve Schumacher.

External Links

• "#57 Did Jesus have to die?". The Naked Theologian:. 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2018-06-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
• Blosser, Andrew John (2015). Rita Nakashima Brock, Rebecca Ann Parker, and Governmental Atonement Theology. Digital Commons @ Andrews University (M. A.). Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Walton, Christopher L.; Greer, Jane (2002-03-03). "'Your maxims are proverbs of ashes' What to do when experience challenges tradition". UU World. Retrieved 2018-06-08. Interview with Rita Nakasshima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker
• Parker, Rebecca Ann; Evans, Til (2001-06-24). "UUA General Assembly, Starr King's President Lecture". UUA. Retrieved 2018-06-19. Speech (audio only)
• Brondos, David A. (2010-09-14). "Book Review: Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of this World for Crucifixion and Empire by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker". Dialog : A Journal of Theology. 49 (3): 249–252. ISSN 1540-6385. Retrieved 2018-06-20.