Dr. Frank Rogers had the honor of joining KCAL News/CBS Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 to discuss the legacy of Pope Francis and the impact of his passing.

You can watch the full segment here: https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/video/remembering-pope-francis-with-professor-frank-rogers/

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. Wednesday, April 16, 2025/CST/ – Claremont School of Theology took part in an historic signing ceremony establishing The Bhagwan Chandraprabha Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies at CST. 

The ceremony was held at the Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) and attended by over a hundred people, including several prominent leaders in the Jain community. Dr. Nitin Shah, past president of JCSC and current Chair of the Academic Liaison Committee of the the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), kicked off this very auspicious ceremony by welcoming everyone and spoke about the history of the partnership between CST and the Jain community through the hiring of adjunct professor Sushama Parekh to start teaching Jain classes at CST in 2015. Other prominent leaders in attendance include Dr. Jasvant Modi, past president of JCSC and lead donor of the endowed professorship; Mr. Dilip Shah and Mr. Mahesh Wadher, past presidents of JAINA; Dr. Parveen Jain, CEO of the Arihanta Institute; and adjunct professor, Mrs. Sushama Parekh.

This landmark moment strengthens CST’s commitment to global interreligious dialogue and deepens its partnership with one of the world’s oldest religious traditions.

Rev. Patricia Farris, Chair of CST’s Board of Trustees, lauded the significance of this milestone. “This professorship will facilitate the exchange of ideas, create new knowledge, and train graduate students to ensure the continued study and relevance of the ancient Jain religion,” Farris said.

President Emeritus and Professor of Hebrew Bible, Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, also spoke, describing CST’s long standing partnership with the Jain community as “one of the greatest honors and joys of [his] academic career,” and celebrated the moment as “the culmination of a long friendship.”

“When established, Claremont School of Theology was the first ecumenical seminary of The United Methodist Church,” Rev. Farris reflected. “That early work across the Christian community soon evolved into our interfaith commitments—with Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Jain partners—across interreligious, intercultural, and global contexts.”

Dr. Kuan traced the origins of this collaboration to 2011, when Dr. Philip Clayton, then CST’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, initiated conversations with members of the Jain community including Dr. Sulekh Jain, Mr. Dilip Shah, and Dr. Nitin Shah, who now serves on CST’s Board of Trustees. He also acknowledged Dr. Brianne Donaldson—then a CST doctoral student—for her early and ongoing contributions to the relationship.

Since those early conversations, the Jain community has become an invaluable partner to CST, supporting scholarships for students to study Jainism in India through the International School of Jain Studies (ISJS), funding international conferences, and sponsoring annual courses in Jain studies.

Dr. Sulekh Jain, past president of JAINA, also addressed the gathering.  “On behalf of all my Jain friends, I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you—especially President Kuan and Hagiya ji—for believing in us and for your steadfast support. Your commitment to this journey has been unwavering,” Dr. Jain said.

CST President Grant Hagiya reflected on the broader significance of the partnership and the values the Jain tradition has added to our educational enterprise. “In our world and society of radical polarization and harm, the subject of forgiveness is critical for us to teach and live out in our daily lives. Dr. Venu Mehta and Dr. Jeffrey Kuan bring our two great religious traditions together to demonstrate that we have so much more in common than any minor differences. This is the greater vision that our coming together today represents: that we can join together under the values that our world so desperately needs: compassion, justice, and belonging,” CST President Hagiya said.

The endowment is made possible by the generous contributions of 20 families and foundations through the hard work of Dr. Nitin Shah and Dr. Jasvant Modi. CST’s President Emeritus Dr. Jeffrey Kuan and his wife Mrs. Valentine Toh also contributed to this endowment. 

Finally, CST would like to express its deep gratitude and thanks to JCSC for hosting and providing not only the space but also lunch to all gathered. 

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Congratulations to CST Professor Dr. Frank Rogers Jr. on receiving the 2024 “Best Book” Award in Religion from American Book Fest for his latest work, Cradled in the Arms of Compassion: A Spiritual Journey from Trauma to Recovery. This powerful book stood out among seven finalists in the “general: religion” category. Additionally, it was honored earlier this year as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2023 by Spirituality and Practice magazine. Please join us in celebrating Dr. Rogers and his inspiring contributions to the fields of trauma recovery, compassion, and contemplative spiritual formation.

To read the full press release from Lake Drive Books, click here: https://www.lakedrivebooks.com/2024/10/24/cradled-in-the-arms-of-compassion-wins-2024-best-book-award-in-religion/

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CST is deeply honored and grateful to receive a $100,000 gift from the West Los Angeles United Methodist Church for the Bishop Roy I. Sano and Kathy Thomas-Sano Endowed Chair in Asian American Theologies. This gift was presented to CST on Sunday, September 15, 2024 during West LA UMC’s Sunday morning worship service. Several CST faculty members and alums, as well as four UMC bishops were present for the service.

By establishing the Bishop Roy I. Sano and Kathleen A. Thomas-Sano Endowed Chair in Pacific and Asian Theology, CST hopes to achieve the following outcomes:

• Enable future, clergy, chaplains, and academics to fully understand the unique contribution of Asian Americans to the study of theology.
• Raise awareness regarding the significant role that AAPI churches play in their communities, even for people who are not Christians.
• Position Claremont School of Theology at the leading edge for the study of AAPI theology and establish it as a permanent home in the West – where 47% of America’s AAPI people reside — for scholarship and innovation in AAPI Theology.
• Enhance the synergy that has already existed for 50+ years between Claremont School of Theology and Christian communities, leaders, and scholars all along the Pacific Rim.
• Formally recognize Bishop Sano’s legacy as a highly respected and admired figure in The United Methodist Church and beyond, enshrine his significant contribution to AAPI Theology, and honor Bishop Sano and Mrs. Thomas-Sano’s unfailing work for the full participation of all people in the life of The United Methodist Church.

To make a gift towards the Sano Chair Endowment Fund, please visit https://cst.edu/give-to-claremont/.

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CST is proud to share the selection of Rev. Dr. Aizaiah Yong as a recipient of this year’s Reflective Leadership Grant, awarded by Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. Yong notes that this grant “will help us to harvest the work of the Center for Engaged Compassion over the past 15 years and cast vision for the future of our work to promote compassion in the world.”

Leadership Education has asked us to share the following about the organization and grant program: 

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Yong on this exciting opportunity.

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We are pleased to announce that the Rev. Dr. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook, Professor of Practical Theology and Christian History, was recently confirmed as 14th Historiographer of The Episcopal Church by the 81st General Convention meeting in June 2024. 

Kujawa-Holbrook, who is a priest of the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, also serves as Editor of the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church’s peer-reviewed journal, Anglican and Episcopal History.

Please join us in celebrating this remarkable achievement by Rev. Dr. Kujawa-Holbrook.

To read the full press release from the Episcopal News Service, please click here: https://episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/kujawa-holbrook-appointed-historiographer-of-the-episcopal-church/

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It is with a mix of sadness and immense gratitude, that CST announces the retirement of Dr. Philip Clayton from his position of Ingraham Professor of Theology at CST, which he held for more than 20 years. Between 2011 and 2013, Clayton also served as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at CST, as well as Provost (later Executive Vice President) at Claremont Lincoln University.

“During his many years as our faculty colleague and friend Philip enhanced CST’s strong legacy of Process Studies across the globe, brought new understandings to the intersection of science and religion, and developed fresh approaches to ecological activism from the perspectives of religious traditions,” said Dr. Andrew Dreitcer, VP of Academics and Dean of the Faculty. “I am so very grateful to have worked alongside Philip, and I know he will continue to be an influential presence internationally within conversations about the role of religion in public life.”

In addition to his service at CST, Clayton was a Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School; Visiting Fellow and Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge; Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair at Sonoma State University; Fulbright Senior Research Fellow at the University of Munich; Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Williams College; and Visiting Assistant Professor at Haverford College. A prolific author and editor, Clayton has also been the recipient of dozens of awards, fellowships, and lectureships, including being named CST Teacher of the Year in 2014.

Please join us in thanking Dr. Clayton for his many years of service to the CST community and beyond.

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CST is excited to announce the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Conklin-Miller to the position of Associate Professor of United Methodist Studies, Evangelism, and Mission, and Senior Consultant for Ministry Formation Initiatives.

Dr. Conklin-Miller has been serving as the Vice Principal for Mission and the Learning Lead and Tutor in Evangelism and Missiology at Cliff College in the United Kingdom. Prior to joining Cliff, he served at Duke Divinity School as Associate Dean for Academic Programs (Chief Academic Officer), Associate Dean for Admissions, and the E. Stanley Jones Assistant Professor of the Practice of Evangelism and Christian Formation.

“We are overjoyed to welcome Rev. Dr. Conklin-Miller to our faculty at CST,” noted President Grant Hagiya. “He brings a tremendous wealth of academic expertise and pastoral experience, as well as a heart for CST’s core values of compassion, justice, and belonging. We look forward to all of the ways in which he will enrich the CST learning community,” said Dr. Hagiya.  

Conklin-Miller’s position at Claremont will include continuing to work with Cliff College in ministry formation within the Methodist Church in Britain, and developing collaborative projects between the institutions to offer innovative programs to The United Methodist Church.

“As a clergy member of the California-Pacific Annual Conference, I’m delighted to play a part in Claremont’s work with The United Methodist Church and with United Methodist initiatives in the Western Jurisdiction,” said Conklin-Miller.

Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Resident Bishop of the California-Pacific Annual Conference has given her official approval and blessing of this key appointment.

An Ordained Elder in the California-Pacific Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Conklin-Miller served for eleven years as a youth minister, co-pastor, and senior pastor in congregations throughout Southern California. 

Conklin-Miller completed his doctoral studies at Duke in the areas of theology and ethics, evangelism and mission, and Wesleyan and Methodist studies. While there, he also served as the Director of the Methodist House of Studies and as a Fellow in the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition. He has been a member of the Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies since 2007 and has co-chaired the Theological Education study group since 2018. He also currently serves on the executive committee of the Methodist-Related Schools of Theology in Europe (MTSE). 

“Dr. Conklin-Miller is both an accomplished scholar and practitioner and we are grateful for the gifts he brings to his CST students and colleagues alike,” said  Andrew Dreitcer, VP of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty.

In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Conklin-Miller has served in several roles connecting theological education to the mission and ministry of the Church: with young people as the Director of the Duke Youth Academy for Christian Formation, with students preparing for ordination as the Director of the Methodist House of Studies, and with licensed local (lay) pastors as the Faculty Advisor to the United Methodist Course of Study Program.

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Claremont School of Theology, one of 13 United Methodist seminaries, is located in Los Angeles, California. CST.edu

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This article originally appeared in the National Council of Churches Newsletter on June 7, 2024

The National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches, Hsi Lai Temple, University of the West, Claremont School of Theology, and The Guibord Center, met on May 29 in Los Angeles, CA. This session of the dialogue, which generally meets twice per year, was hosted by the University of the West. The dialogue, which began meeting in 2018, is one of five national dialogues co-convened by the NCC and its interfaith partners, including the National Hindu-Christian Dialogue, the National Jewish-Christian Dialogue, the National Muslim-Christian Dialogue, and the National Sikh-Christian Dialogue.

One main topic of the session was “Learning from each other: A conversation between elders and youth, on how we practice our respective faiths.”  Moderated by University of the West professor Dr. Jane Iwamura, the discussion included “elders” Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kuan (Claremont School of Theology), Ven. Walpola Piyananda (Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara), and Dr. Lewis Lancaster (University of California Berkeley), as well as youth representatives Mr. Vincent Liu and Ms. Cassandra Garcia (Hsi Lai youth group), and Mr. Ryland Fernandez and Mr. William Morris (United Methodist Church).

The discussion also included a presentation by Dr. Tammy Ho (University of California-Riverside) on The Transformative Hope Project, for which she serves as director, and a presentation by Ven. Xiandong Shih (a current doctoral candidate), who shared the preliminary findings from her dissertation on “Youth Engaging Buddhism.” Among the points of discussion were anti-Asian hate and violence, faith and forgiveness, and making way for younger generations to start leading in various communities.

Another central topic of the session was “Peacemaking rooted in our faiths: A roundtable discussion during a time of global conflict and domestic turmoil.” Moderated by University of the West professor Dr. Victor Gabriel, the discussion opened with presentations by Dr. Lo Sprague (The Guibord Center), Rev. Dr. Paul Tche (Christian Church/Disciples of Christ), and Ven. Dr. Kongala Pannaloka (a recent doctorate recipient). The participants shared their concerns and hopes, as well as sources of strength and calls to action as our communities of faith confront the crises in our world today. Prominent themes in the general discussion that followed were the call to empathy and the need to stand together to help the vulnerable in our midst.

The next session of the dialogue will likely meet in late fall.

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Saudaçōes, Companheires,

My name is Yohana A. Junker, and I currently serve CST as Assistant Professor of Art, Spirituality, and Culture, as well as Associate Dean for Spiritual Life and Social Transformation. 

My research and publications probe the intersections of art, spirituality, and decolonial/interreligious/and eco-critical praxes, paying particular attention to contemporary art in the Américas. As a visual artist myself, my art embodies a poetics of resistance, healing, and the centering of QTBIPOC communities. 

CST has been critical in my trajectory as an artist-scholar-educator. It has encouraged me to investigate how artists, spiritual seekers, and healers create sacred spaces that allow us all to reclaim our sense of agency and wholeness even in the face of impossibility. CST has emboldened me to seek a creative life that places compassion, justice, transformation, liberation, and belonging at the heart of everything I do. It has allowed me to show up in my fullness and complexity, whether I am teaching, developing strategic initiatives, writing, speaking, or leading arts-based facilitation.

This video you are about to watch (below) is a case in point. Here, I was able to combine my many interests for art, religion, history, culture, filmmaking, and creative expression to tell you a story of how our Global South siblings found ways to activate creative change to both face the past and co-create a present and future that is purposeful, fearless, transformative, and intentional. 

It is my hope you can continue to support CST’s  interreligious, intercultural, and collective becoming.

Com carinho e mutualidade,

Yohana

To show your support for professors like Dr. Junker, and her many colleagues who care for and form our students, please consider giving by clicking here: GIVE NOW

As always, thank you for your continuing support of CST students and of CST’s world-changing, interfaith, and intercultural mission.

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