Gerald Shenk

“I am intrigued with the ways that Christians move beyond the private expressions of faith into the marketplace of ideas and relationships that surround this small planet. The public weight of our convictions is measured against many competing claims and loyalties. My passion is to help equip Christians to follow Jesus in ways that bring us into true encounters with others, bearing the imprint of his way of the cross as a witness to truth in love and faithful obedience.”

Gerald Shenk studied in California, Chicago and Eastern Europe, with a focus on religion and conflict in society. Since moving to Virginia in 1989, he has frequently returned to the Balkans for peace and theological education efforts. In a cover article for “Christianity Today” (December 2000), he reviewed 100 years of Nobel Peace Prizes, finding much unsung work by Christian activists often remaining behind the scenes. His research includes generosity, social transformation, Christian peacemaking and the dramas of religious pluralism. His 2003 sabbatical in Jerusalem focused on civic dimensions of inter-faith encounters. A recent journey to Iran brought him into contact with top theological and political leaders there. Gerald was the founding board president of the Roberta Webb Child Care Center in Harrisonburg (est. 1994). Now he chairs the board for People Helping People, a downtown crisis ministry of churches in Harrisonburg. He is also involved with a team guiding the emerging congregation called “The Table” in Harrisonburg.

Ph.D., Northwestern University, joint program with Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 1987
University of Zagreb, Croatia, 1977-79, 1981-83
University of Sarajevo, Bosnia, 1979-81
M.A., Fuller Theological Seminary, 1977
B.S., Eastern Mennonite University, 1975

• Hope Indeed! Remarkable Stories of Peacemakers, Good Books, 2008.
• CAREE carries subversive memories: recent reflections on ministry in former Yugoslavia , Religion in Eastern Europe, XXVII, 4 (November 2007) pp. 39-45;
• Cracking the Code with Iran, The Presbyterian Outlook, March 19, 2007.
• What Went Right: Two best cases of Islam in Europe—Cordoba, Spain and Sarajevo, Bosnia, Religion in Eastern Europe, XXVI, 4 (November 2006) pp. 1-14.
• “Real Families” column in The Mennonite:
  A family is a story (March 2008);
  A river runs through it (November 2007);
  A gift from the past (July 2007);
  Retrieve, rehab, recover (March 2007);
  “Families divided by politics” (November 2006);
  “Grieving Divorce” (July 2006; en español p. 2-4)
  “A Father Reflects” (March 2006).
• series on generosity, in Mennonite Weekly Review, 2003:
  “What if we tithed?” (May 19);
  “Why do you give? How do you give?” (May 5);
  “Is there Good News in a land of plenty?” (April 28).
• Anonymous are the Peacemakers, Christianity Today, December 2000.
• Ten Years Later: Reflections on Revisiting Ex-Yugoslavia, June 1999,
  Religion in Eastern Europe, December 1999.
• “Bosnia: A case study in religion and ethnic conflict,” Religion and the War in Bosnia, Scholars Press, 1998.
• Meditations for New Parents, co-author with Sara Wenger Shenk, Herald Press, 1996.
• God With Us? The Roles of Religion in Conflicts in the Former Yugoslavia, Life & Peace Institute, 1993.
• “Into Sarajevo: Where Ambiguity Meets Responsibility,” The Limits of Perfection: Conversations with J. Lawrence Burkholder, Conrad Grebel College, 1993.
• The Social Role of Religion in Contemporary Yugoslavia, University Microfilms (dissertation), 1987.

• 2008, May. lecture series in sociology of religion, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Osijek, Croatia.
• 2006, Nov. 17. “Theology and pedagogy in post-communist Serbia,” to annual conference of Christians Associated for Relations with Eastern Europe, at American Academy of Religion, Washington D.C.
• 2006, Oct. 5. “Muslim-Mennonite conversations,” a forum for the Anabaptist Center on Religion and Society, with Nancy Heisey (at Eastern Mennonite Seminary).
• 2006, Sept 1-8. “Movements of Messianic expectation in Christian history from a sociological perspective,” paper submitted for Tehran conference (Second International Conference on Mahdism Doctrine) and publication with Bright Future Institute, of Qom, Iran.
• 2006, May. Lecture series, “Cultural anthropology” for Novi Sad Theological School, Serbia.
• 2005, Mar. 7-8. Pearl Toon Smith Lectures, Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Co-presenter with Sara Wenger Shenk.
• 2004, Nov. 20-25. “Tools for Peace” consultation: workshop animator and keynote respondent, with Life & Peace institute & Swedish Council of Churches, Sweden.
• 2004, Nov. 6. “Just Peacemaking” workshop with Virginia United Methodist Federation for Social Action, annual meeting at Peace United Methodist Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
• 2004, May 3-24. Biennial lectures in sociology of religion, Evangelical Theological Seminary (Osijek, Croatia).
• 2003, Nov. 28. “Religious Separation and Intolerance: The Case of Bosnia,” public lecture for Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem, Israel.
• 2003, Oct. 16. “Of Rome and Babylon: Spiritual Resources for Engaging the New Powers,” doctoral colloquium at Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem, Israel.
• 2003, Oct. 8-12. plenary response and workshop on spiritual resources for peacebuilding, in 20-year evaluation conference for Life & Peace Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.
• 2002, May 10-14. participant and facilitator, International Trialogue of Jewish, Christian and Muslim Leaders for Peace, Skopje, Macedonia.
• 2002, May. Biennial lectures in sociology of religion, Evangelical Theological Seminary (Osijek, Croatia)

• The Table, an emerging Mennonite congregation in Harrisonburg (design and core leadership team, 2005-)
• Community Mennonite Church, Pastor/Congregation Relations Committee (2002-05, chair ‘04-05)
• Immanuel Mennonite Church, founding member of leadership team (1992-99)
• four terms of mission and service in former Yugoslavia, with support from Eastern Mennonite Missions and the Mennonite Central Committee (1977-83, 1986-89)
  Community service: Boards
• People Helping People (2006-; board chair 2007-)
• Ted & Lee TheaterWorks, advisory board (2006-)
• Nurturing & Encouraging Women (NGO for Ethiopia; 2004-)
• Our Faith journal: advisory board (2001-)
• Eastern Mennonite Missions, consultant for Eastern Europe (2000-06)
• Roberta Webb Child Care Center, founding board chair (1994-99)
  also:
• sermons for The Table, an emerging Mennonite congregation (Dec. 2006- )
• ”’And for all who are far away’: Peter and the Promise,” sermon at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church (Perkasie, PA), and Sunday school presentation on encounter with other religions, April 13, 2008.
• workshop, “With Gentleness and Respect: Mission in the presence of religious pluralism,” Church of the Brethren annual Mission Alive conference, Bridgewater CoB, April 5, 2008.
• “Emerging churches: The Table,” presentation to conference on “Leading a Changing Church in a Changing World,” with Virginia Mennonite Missions and EMS Coffman Center, October 27, 2007.
• “Family Practices for Red Letter Christians,” and “The House was Filled With Fragrance,” at Ridgeview (PA) Mennonite Church, with Sara Wenger Shenk (March 2007)
• “Apocalyptic Faith: Muslim and Christian variations,” Altruists class at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren (Feb. 4 & 11, 2007)
• “Christian Peace Witness,” School for Christian Living at Springdale Mennonite Church (Waynesboro VA; Nov. 1, 2006)
• “Encounter with Mahdism theological conference,” to Sunday Bunch adult class, Community Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg VA; Oct. 1, 2006)
• “Fire of Love in our Flesh and Our Bone,” installation sermon for Harry & Beth Jarrett, Neffsville (PA) Mennonite Church, with Sara Wenger Shenk (Sept. 24, 2006)
• member, religious delegation to New York City, meeting with Iranian President M. Ahmadinejad, led by Mennonite Central Committee (Sept. 20, 2006)
• participant, official dialogue of Mennonite Church USA with the Church of God (Cleveland), in Evanston, IL (Sept. 8-10, 2006)
• “Young Adults and the Future Church,” adult Sunday School discussion at Akron (PA) Mennonite Church (Aug. 27, 2006)
• participant, Interchurch consultation with Mennonite Church USA (Indiana; July 18-21, 2006)
• “Anguish of spirit, and life renewed,” sermon at Charlottesville (VA) Mennonite Church (Apr. 2, 2006)
• “Young Adults & the Future Church—Thank You for Asking,” two workshops at Lancaster (PA) Mennonite Conference annual meeting, with Sara Wenger Shenk (Mar. 19, 2006)
• “Stones for bread? Bombs for peace?” Peace Sunday sermon, Grantham (PA) Brethren in Christ Church (Feb. 13, 2005)
• “Biblical basis for peacemaking,” Justice & Peace Academy (Martinsburg WV; July 10, 2004)
• invited participant and contributor, annual meeting of Academy of Religious Leadership, Pittsburgh, PA (Apr. 30-May 2, 2004)
• “Growing at the Broken Edges: retrieving the capacity for reconciliation,” annual peace forum at Shepherdstown (WV) Presbyterian Church (Mar. 26-27, 2004)
• led Mennonite Central Committee East and West Europe staff on summer retreat (with Sara Wenger Shenk), Crikvenica, Croatia (June 2003)
• “Mennonite peace witness after 9/11,” eight sessions for Ridgeway Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg VA; Feb-Mar. 2002)
• “Understanding Islam,” clergy training event, Harrisonburg District Council on Ministries, Asbury United Methodist Church (Harrisonburg VA; Jan. 27, 2002)
• Research in Culture of Call Scholarship Practice 2006-07

• American Academy of Religion
• Christians Associated for Relations with Eastern Europe
• Evangelical Theological Faculty, Osijek, Croatia (adjunct faculty)

• Central Virginia Scriptural Reasoning group, EMU/UVA/JMU; monthly gatherings 2007-08; participant and one of several organizers.
• Lexington Seminar Final Consultation, Bar Harbor, Maine, October 2007.

• EMU Center for Studies in Abrahamic Traditions, task force (2006-)
• Allelon missional seminaries project team member (2006-08)
• Seminary Community Council (2007-08)
• Fall faculty/staff conference planning committee (2006-07)
• New faculty mentor program (2005-07)
• EMS chapel address, “Peace be with you” (Apr. 10, 2007)
• respondent for Anabaptist Center for Religion and Society conference on John H. Yoder’s Jewish-Christian Schism Revisited (Mar. 16, 2007)
• School for Leadership Training workshop, Habits of Generous Christians (Jan. 23-24, 2007)
• Director, seminary development, with initial Lilly grant for Eastern Mennonite Seminary (1999-2001)