Dean Stone's May Reflection

In May, we celebrated a remarkable class of graduates whose callings will carry them into congregations, hospitals, classrooms, nonprofit organizations, chaplaincies, community leadership, and countless other places where theology meets the world. Watching students cross the stage, I was struck again by the diversity of gifts represented among them and by the ways Perkins continues to prepare leaders for a rapidly changing world. Some graduates came to us already seasoned in ministry; others arrived uncertain about where their paths might lead. All leave having been shaped by friendships, worship, scholarship, and shared life together.

This season also offers an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary work of our faculty, students, and alumni as we draw a line under this past academic year. Throughout the year, Perkins faculty have continued to produce scholarship that serves both church and academy, while our students have engaged faithfully in ministry, internships, advocacy, worship leadership, and community service. Our alumni, meanwhile, continue to embody the Perkins mission in congregations and communities around the globe. Again and again, I am reminded that the influence of Perkins extends far beyond our campus in Dallas, beyond Texas, and beyond the Southwest region of the U.S. more generally. This past month, it was a delight to visit Korea with Christina Rhodes and Sammie Moles, to reconnect with Perkins alums there, and to meet prospective new students.
 
May also invites us to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. At Perkins, we are grateful for the many ways Asian American and Pacific Islander students, alumni, faculty, church leaders, and communities enrich both theological education and the broader life of the church. Their voices, histories, scholarship, and ministries deepen our understanding of the gospel and remind us that the Christian faith is always larger, more global, and more culturally diverse than any one tradition or perspective can fully express.
 
Even as one academic year concludes, another is already beginning to take shape. Summer programs are underway, new students are preparing to arrive, and plans for the coming year continue to unfold. That rhythm of ending and beginning is part of the vocation of theological education itself. We celebrate what has been accomplished, even as we look ahead with hope toward the work still to come.
 
Thank you for the many ways you support the mission and ministry of Perkins School of Theology. I remain deeply grateful to serve this community alongside you.

Bryan Stone
Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean