Nashotah, Wisconsin (July 10, 2023) – Nashotah House Theological Seminary has received a $25,000 grant from the Association of Theological Schools that will strengthen the seminary’s partnerships with undergraduate institutions and bolster its recruitment initiatives.

The Moving Forward in Mission grant, awarded by the ATS and funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., will allow Nashotah House to build on its current recruitment efforts, which rely primarily on its partnerships with dioceses of the Episcopal Church and Anglican Church in North America. The seminary will focus on building relationships with colleges and universities that have faculty and students in the Anglican tradition.

Recognizing that many students begin theological education immediately following undergraduate studies, Nashotah House aims to increase awareness of its programs among that demographic.

In addition to sending representatives from Nashotah House to colleges and universities, the grant funding will allow the seminary to host gatherings on its campus for both undergraduate students and decision-makers from undergraduate institutions.

“Nashotah House’s uniqueness can only be understood through a direct encounter. We’re grateful for the generosity of the ATS that will facilitate that encounter with the future leadership of the Church,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House.

Feedback from current students and alumni indicates that having the opportunity to spend time on campus and experience the residential community is often a determining factor in the decision to attend Nashotah House.

“Participants will worship with us, eat with us, visit classes, and see the education we offer. We will listen and discover how we can better serve undergraduates discerning a call to ministry. We will invite participants to collaborate with us as we explore how to develop marketing and recruitment tools for undergraduate students. Participants will build relationships with Nashotah’s faculty and staff as they collaboratively explore ways to serve the Church by training the next generation of ministry leaders,” said Dr. Jim Watkins, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

The grant supports the seminary’s five-year strategic plan, which sets goals around enrollment growth. Following the near doubling of enrollment from 2016 to 2021, Nashotah House is working to increase student enrollment by another 50% by 2027.

“It has been a challenging season for theological schools, but also a time of intense innovation and adaptation. Schools are shifting educational models, adapting organizational models, seeking to better meet the needs of students, and increasing access to reach new constituents,” said the Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy, Director of Institutional Initiatives at The Association of Theological Schools. “The Moving Forward in Mission grants were designed to help schools move through this season of change with intentionality, supporting them as they develop and implement strategic plans that allow them to continue living out their missions. These grants are part of the larger vision of The Association of Theological Schools to promote the improvement and enhancement of theological schools in the United States and Canada to the benefit of communities of faith and the broader public. We are grateful to Lilly Endowment Inc. for funding the Organizational and Educational Models Project through which these grants were made possible.”

Undergraduate institutions interested in hosting Nashotah House on their campus or visiting our campus may contact the Rev. Ben Hankinson, Director of Admissions, at bhankinson@nashotah.edu.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (May 4, 2023) – Nashotah House Theological Seminary announces the launch of its Certificate in Anglian Ministry, a first-of-its-kind program that grounds ministers in the essentials of the Anglican tradition.

The 6-credit Certificate in Anglican Ministry (CAM) provides a foundation in areas of ministry and history from a classic Anglican context. Focus areas of the program include leading worship according to the 2019 Book of Common Prayer, Anglican history, Holy Orders, theology, ecclesiology, and applying an Anglican ethos in personal ministry.

The program is offered in the hybrid-distance format, which includes synchronous online class sessions and a one-week, on-campus liturgics intensive. The certificate can be completed in as few as 10 months.

Following a successful pilot year, Nashotah House is now accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year. Space in the program is limited. Students interested in beginning in Fall 2023 should apply at nashotah.edu/admissions by July 1, 2023.

The certificate is designed for students coming to Anglican ministry after a season of formation or ministry in a different tradition. CAM students will ordinarily hold a Master of Divinity or its equivalent; applicants without a graduate degree must have completed at least one year of graduate-level coursework.

“As an institution immersed deeply in the Anglican tradition for 180 years, Nashotah House is uniquely equipped to offer a distinctively Anglican formation,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “We are excited about this new program that is designed to meet the training needs of a growing number of persons drawn to the Anglican way, now called to sink down their roots for a lifetime of ministry.”

The Certificate in Anglican Ministry will be led by the Ven. Dr. Kelly O'Lear. O'Lear, who will transition this summer from his role as Director of Formation at Nashotah House to serve in parish ministry, will continue to serve on the Nashotah House team as leader of the Certificate in Anglican Ministry.

Nashotah House launched the program in response to the needs of the Anglican Church in North America bodies it serves, and it currently uses the 2019 Prayer Book for its liturgical formation. The seminary is seeking feedback from those in the Episcopal Church regarding the need for a similar program tailored to their context. Feedback may be submitted at nashotah.edu/programs/hybrid-distance/certificate-in-anglican-ministry.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (March 15, 2023) – Registration is now open for the Theology and Practice of Poetry, a special course and workshop pairing led by poets Malcolm Guite and Brad Davis at Nashotah House Theological Seminary this summer.

The Theology and Practice of Poetry allows students to audit Guite’s course Lifting the Veil: Imagination and the Kingdom of God in the mornings and hone their poetry-writing craft in Davis’s workshop Making Something of It during the afternoons of June 5-7.

In his course Lifting the Veil, Guite will explore the role of the imagination as a “truth-bearing faculty.” The focus throughout will be Christo-centric, including Christ and the poetic imagination, Christ and the moral imagination, and Christ and the prophetic imagination.

Davis’s Making Something of It workshop is open to novice and experienced poets; no prior experience is required.

The $525 bundle includes the course audit fee, workshop fee, breakfast and lunch in the refectory, and admission to a poetry reading with Guite on the evening of June 6. Registration is available at nashotah.edu/summer-2023.

Individuals are also welcome to register for the course or the workshop as a standalone experience. The audit fee for Lifting the Veil is $275; for-credit tuition is $1,650. The Making Something of It workshop costs $250.

Guite and Davis are among a group of world-class instructors scheduled to teach on Nashotah House’s campus this summer, including Becky Pippert, the Rev. Dr. Wesley Hill, and more.

Guite is a poet, priest, theologian, musician, and former college chaplain working at the intersection of Christianity and the arts. He is the author of several works of poetry and theology, including Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge Hodder, Parable and Paradox: Sonnets on the Sayings of Jesus and Other Poems, Waiting on the Word, The Word in the Wilderness, The Singing Bowl, Sounding the Seasons, David’s Crown, and Lifting the Veil: Imagination and the Kingdom of God. A singer and guitarist, Guite also fronts the Cambridgeshire-based blues, rhythm and blues, and rock band Mystery Train. He travels frequently around Great Britain and to North America to give lectures, concerts, and poetry readings.

Brad Davis is author of Opening King David: Poems in Conversation with the Psalms (2011) and Trespassing on the Mount of Olives: Poems in Conversation with the Gospels (2021), as well as a number of collections of poems. His work has appeared in a variety of journals, including Poetry, Paris Review, Image, LETTERS, Michigan Quarterly Review, JAMA, Brilliant Corners, Solum, and more. Davis served as an Episcopal priest for 25 years, including 15 years as the chaplain of Pomfret School, a New England boarding school. He has taught in high schools and as an adjunct at the College of Holy Cross and Eastern Connecticut State University.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (February 28, 2023) – The Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson, Jr., rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, and author of A Witness to Dignity, will serve as the speaker at Nashotah House’s 2023 Commencement.

The seminary’s 177th Commencement exercises will be held at St. John’s Northwestern Academies on May 18, 2023.

“St. Martin's in Houston has been a beacon of faithful and dynamic ministry, not least as a local parish generously committed to the flourishing of theological education for the good of the whole Church,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “We are honored to have Dr. Levenson as our distinguished Commencement speaker and as the presenter for our Alumni Day and look with anticipation for the wisdom he offers our graduates and alumni.”

An Episcopal priest for nearly 30 years, Levenson has spent the past 15 years as rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal. With nearly 10,000 members, St. Martin’s is the largest Episcopal Church in North America.

Last fall, Levenson published A Witness to Dignity: The Life and Faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush (Hachette Publishing), a memoir about his 11-year relationship with the late President and First Lady, who were longtime parishioners of St. Martin’s. In 2018, Dr. Levenson officiated and preached at the funeral at St. Martin’s for the First Lady, and later that same year co-officiated and preached at the State Funeral for the 41st President held at Washington National Cathedral and the Houston-based memorial service held at St. Martin’s.

Levenson will discuss his book during the Alumni Day Luncheon on May 17, 2023, at Nashotah House.

Under Levenson’s leadership, St. Martin’s has completed two significant building projects. In 2012, the parish opened the Hope and Healing Center and Institute, a nonprofit center that offers comprehensive mental health resources, free of charge, to the Houston community. The center serves more than 800 individuals weekly.

In 2022, St. Martin’s completed a $65 million building project to update its longtime facilities, add gardens and spaces for worship, Christian education, administration and outreach.

St. Martin’s commits on average 25% of its annual budget to ministries outside of St. Martin’s, giving over $40 million to dozens of ministries since 2007.

Earlier in his ministry, Levenson served as assistant university chaplain at the University of the South; associate rector at St. Luke’s in Birmingham, Alabama; rector of The Episcopal Church of The Ascension in Lafayette, Louisiana; and rector of Christ Church in Pensacola, Florida.

In 2015, he was admitted as a member of the United States Priory for the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. In 2020, he was appointed Sub-Prelate of the Order, and in 2021, by appointment of the late Her Majesty, Elizabeth, Queen of England, he was elevated as an Officer for the Priory. The Priory is a public charity that supports the humanitarian endeavors of St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group, the only provider of expert eye care in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. In the U.S., the group also assists disabled and disadvantaged veterans through the St. John Volunteer Corps.

Fr. Levenson and his wife, Laura, have three adult children.

Levenson will also receive an honorary degree from Nashotah House as part of the Commencement ceremonies. Other honorary degree recipients this year include the Rt. Rev. Brian K. Burgess, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, and the Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson (’00), Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.

Nashotah House’s Commencement ceremony will be livestreamed beginning at 10 a.m. (CST) on May 18 on its YouTube channel and social media outlets.

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Poet-priest Malcolm Guite, evangelist and best-selling author Becky Pippert, and New Testament scholar Wesley Hill are among the distinguished visiting faculty scheduled to teach courses at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in the summer of 2023.

The seminary’s summer term includes a variety of classes in biblical studies, ascetical theology, liturgics, church music, and more. Offered for credit or audit, the summer classes are designed for individuals who are looking to engage more deeply in these theological disciplines, including new students, current students, and returning students seeking continuing education.

Among the summer 2023 highlights, the Rev. Dr. Malcolm Guite will teach Lifting the Veil: Imagination and the Kingdom of God, a three-day course exploring the role of the imagination as a truth-bearing faculty. Author of several books of poetry and theology, Guite is also a singer-songwriter and former university chaplain. Lifting the Veil will be offered on Nashotah House’s campus June 5-7.

Becky Pippert will teach Evangelism for Challenging Times, a course designed to equip pastors and lay leaders in both personal and congregational evangelism. The class will meet July 24-28. Pippert is the author of 12 books, including her internationally best-selling first book, Out of the Saltshaker & Into the World.

The Rev. Dr. Wesley Hill, Associate Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, will teach a course on Galatians, exploring St. Paul’s defense of the gospel with a view to what it entails for today’s Church as it faces its own challenges of fidelity to the truth and the rejection of counterfeits. The Truth of the Gospel: Galatians and the Heart of the Christian Good News will also be held July 24-28.

The Spirituality of Minimalism, an experiential course taught by Nashotah House faculty the Rev. Dr. Thomas Holtzen and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Buchan, will return this upcoming summer. During the course, held June 12-16, professors Holtzen and Buchan will lead students on an ultralight backpacking trip on Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail as a tool for developing their own spirituality of minimalism.

Other highlights of the summer term include:

- Participation East and West with the Rev. Dr. Hans Boersma (of Nashotah House), July 24-28

- Cosmos as Liturgy: Angels, Temple, and Scripture with the Rev. Dr. Matthew S. C. Olver (of Nashotah House) and the Rev. Dr. Nathan Jennings (of Seminary of the Southwest), July 10-14

- Introduction to Church Music with Dr. Geoffrey Williams (of Nashotah House), July 17-21

- Practical Liturgics for the Parish Priest with the Rev. Dr. Matthew S. C. Olver (of Nashotah House), July 24-28

The full lineup of courses is available at nashotah.edu/summer-2023.

“Our summer offerings in recent years have been nothing short of astounding, and the summer of 2023 will be no exception,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “But what I especially like about these courses and professors is the diversity of people, subject matter, and perspectives. It's a sign of the kind of contribution Nashotah House is making to the Church.”

First-time visiting students are encouraged to apply. While taking a course at Nashotah House, students are invited into the daily pattern of life at the 180-year-old seminary, including twice daily worship in St. Mary’s Chapel, community meals, and recreation opportunities on the lakeside campus.

Scholarships are available for church groups, alumni, and those who invite a friend to join them.

The annual James Lloyd Breck Conference on Monasticism and the Church will also return in the summer of 2023. This year’s conference, held June 21-23, will focus on Edward Bouverie Pusey and the monastic tradition. It will feature lectures from Dr. Serenhedd James, a writer and journalist specializing in religious affairs and a tutor in ecclesiastical history at St. Stephen’s House at the University of Oxford, and the Rev. Dr. Tobias Karlowicz, author of The Sacramental Vision of Edward Bouverie Pusey, the first comprehensive introduction to Pusey’s theology.

“There are many reasons people choose to study at Nashotah House in the summer,” said Dr. Jim Watkins, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for Nashotah House. “It is an opportunity to study with a well-known and respected scholar. It’s a way to connect with others serving in ministry and to continue one's own ministry formation. It’s a break from one's normal patterns of life and a chance to participate in a community shaped by Benedictine rhythms of study, work, and prayer. Nashotah House is a place where Christians are nourished and grow together. Whatever your reason, we invite you to come and take advantage of what we have to offer this summer.”

More information and registration for the summer term is available at nashotah.edu/summer-2023.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (September 20, 2022) – Nashotah House Theological Seminary announces the launch of its More Together campaign, targeting 20% growth in its annual fund to support the formation of more seminarians.

Since its founding in 1842, Nashotah House has maintained a singular mission to raise up leaders for the Church, training clergy and lay leaders for ministry in the breadth of the Catholic tradition for The Episcopal Church, the wider Anglican Communion, churches in the Anglican tradition, and ecumenical partners.

More Together comes during a period of sustained growth for the 180-year-old seminary. Between 2017 and 2021, full-time equivalent enrollment grew by 94%, the highest growth rate among Anglican seminaries nationally, according to a recent audit by the Association of Theological Schools.

“In their wisdom, our founders recognized that the education and formation of clergy was essential to the spread of the gospel and building up of the Church,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “The frontier may have changed, but we are convinced that this mission remains vitally important today. The long-term health of parishes and ministries depends on the formation of the men and women who will lead them. Amid division and decline, Nashotah House is committed to sending out well-formed priests, deacons, chaplains, and missionaries who are prepared to carry out the cause of Christ with both conviction and charity.”

More Together will focus on growing the seminary’s annual fund, the primary vehicle for funding academic programs, student scholarships, and seminary operations. Last year, donations to Nashotah House’s annual fund increased by nearly 25%, based on preliminary reports. More Together builds on that momentum by inviting greater participation in the seminary’s recent growth.

“We are acutely aware of the trends in theological education nationally,” said Anderson. “At a time of widespread consolidation and downsizing, we are not immune to the very same financial headwinds that our peers face. It is indeed a challenging day for seminaries.”

“In this environment – thanks be to God – we have experienced renewed vigor from a growing student body, the addition of several accomplished faculty, and substantial interest in our programs, all made possible by the essential support of our faithful partners,” Anderson added.

More Together will employ a two-pronged approach to fundraising, including outreach to new audiences and the cultivation of existing partnerships. The campaign invites existing donors to consider a 20% increase in giving and seeks to broaden its base of support by adding 200 new partners to its mission.

“It is our duty to steward the rich tradition we have inherited and ensure it continues to flourish,” Anderson said. “We are therefore inviting all of our supporters, alumni, and anyone with a vision for the future leadership of the Church to join us in this effort. We cannot do this important work without the generosity of our partners – and at this critical moment, we truly believe we can do more together.”

Those interested in participating in the campaign may visit nashotah.edu/giving/more-together.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (August 15, 2022) – Nashotah House Theological Seminary has granted tenure to the Rev. Dr. Matthew S.C. Olver and promoted him to Associate Professor of Liturgics and Pastoral Theology.
Olver joined Nashotah House in 2014 and teaches courses in the history of Christian worship, practical liturgics, early Christian liturgy, ecclesiology and ecumenism, and pastoral theology.
“It has long been a feature of Nashotah House's heritage to be a repository of liturgical expertise and high standards,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “That tradition continues and advances as a result of Fr. Olver's scholarly dedication to the ongoing theological and the practical concerns of the Church at prayer. Fittingly, Nashotah House thus continues to serve as a resource to the whole church: 'May Thy Name be worshiped here in truth and purity to all generations.'”
Olver has also been granted a research sabbatical for the 2022-23 academic year, allowing him to work on several research projects.
He is co-authoring an introduction to the English and American Books of Common Prayer with the Rev. Dr. Nathan Jennings, J. Milton Richardson Professor of Liturgics and Anglican Studies and Director of Community Worship at Seminary of the Southwest. Olver and Jennings were awarded a 2022-23 Conant Grant from the Episcopal Church Foundation, which funds research projects undertaken by Episcopal seminary faculty.
In addition, the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University has named Olver as its Alan Richardson Fellow for the 2022-23 year. The fellowship, awarded annually, is endowed “to promote research into the exposition and defence of Christian doctrine within the context of contemporary thought and its challenges,” according to the university. Olver will be in residence at Durham for part of its Easter term.
While at Durham, he will give a public research-level presentation within the university on his research, which is on the origin of the Roman Canon Missae and its use of Scripture.
Olver began this research while writing his dissertation, which focused on the influence of the Letter to the Hebrews on the content and structure of the Roman Canon.
“The Roman Canon is the central eucharistic prayer in the western Church,” Olver explained. “There were others centered in places such as modern Spain and France, but they died out and the Roman Canon became the one prayer used everywhere Latin was in use. This means it is almost certainly the most prayed eucharistic prayer in Christian history and was Cranmer’s starting place for the first English prayer book of 1549.”
Since successfully defending his thesis in 2014, Olver has published 14 academic articles and book chapters on topics including the ways that liturgies appropriate Scripture in the composition of liturgical texts; a look at the trinitarian theology of various expansive and inclusive language prayers authorized by the Episcopal Church; connections between the Canon and an East Syrian eucharistic prayer called the Anaphora of Mar Theodore; the 1662 Prayer Book’s Theology of Sickness and Plague; the Jewish Roots of early Christian Worship, as well as entries in the fourth edition of the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church published in 2022.
Olver’s upcoming book examines the available evidence regarding the origin and editing of the Roman Canon, including its use of early Greek sources and the transition from Greek to Latin in early western Christianity; the second section explores the main ways that the prayer makes use of Scripture and is evidence of specific kinds of exegesis.
Olver aims to complete his book during his sabbatical, securing a publisher for an academic readership.
In addition to his book and project with the Rev. Dr. Jennings, Olver will focus on other writing projects, including a chapter on collects in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook to the Book of Common Prayer, an Anglican liturgical handbook, and a book on the Eucharist and Sacrifice for a popular audience.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (June 14, 2022) – Nashotah House has named the Rev. Benjamin Hankinson as its Director of Admissions.
An alumnus of Nashotah House, Hankinson brings a passion for its mission and a deep understanding of what it means to be a Nashotah student. He assumes his position July 11.
Hankinson succeeds Kristen Olver, who oversaw admissions during a period of significant growth at Nashotah House.
Hankinson has served as rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, since 2020. Previously, he served as rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Within the Diocese of Springfield, Hankinson has served in various capacities, including as President of the Standing Committee, Dean of the Eastern Deanery, a member of the Diocesan Council, Coordinator for Youth Ministry, Chair of the Department of Youth, St. Michael’s Youth Conference Director, an Episcopal Church Camp Board Member and Lead Spiritual Director, and a member of the Constitution and Canons Committee.
A native of Florence, South Carolina, Hankinson first came to Nashotah House in 2005 to visit his youth minister and family in their first year of seminary. He later returned for Experience Nashotah in 2011 and matriculated later that year. He received his Master of Divinity degree in 2014 and was ordained deacon and priest that same year.
Hankinson is excited to serve as the next Director of Admissions, immersing himself again in the life of the seminary; connecting with students, faculty, staff, and their families; and helping future ministry leaders – clergy and lay – find a home for their formation at Nashotah House just as he did.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (June 8, 2022) – The Rev. Paul Wheatley has been appointed Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek at Nashotah House, following the successful defense of his doctoral dissertation at the University of Notre Dame.
Wheatley joined Nashotah House in 2020 as Instructor of New Testament and teaches courses in New Testament, early Christianity, and Greek. His research and teaching interests center on the overlap of liturgy, preaching, and scriptural exegesis in early Judaism and Christianity.
His dissertation focused on the role of baptismal imagery in the Gospel of Mark.
“We're overjoyed with Fr. Wheatley's successful defense of his Notre Dame dissertation,” said Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House. “We have been looking forward to this day with great anticipation ever since we identified Paul as our new professor of New Testament. This is but the first of many distinctions he will enjoy as a leading younger scholar in the field of biblical studies.”
Wheatley’s dissertation, “Mark the Mystagogue: Ritual Narrative, Identity Formation, and Baptism in the Gospel According to Mark,” argues that the narration of the Gospel of Mark addresses its readers through repeated appeal to the rituals practiced in these reading communities. According to Wheatley, this discourse presents who Jesus is and Jesus’s call to discipleship in analogy to the earliest pre-Markan baptismal ritual, as shown in the undisputed Pauline epistles (esp. Gal 3:26–4:7; Rom 6:3–5; 8:11–17).
He successfully defended his dissertation June 3.
“After two years of teaching while writing a dissertation, I am thrilled to have defended my dissertation with my committee at Notre Dame, and I am looking forward to serving as Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek at Nashotah House,” said Wheatley. “I’m grateful for the support of the administration, faculty, and staff of Nashotah House, who made many accommodations to allow me to complete this monumental task while teaching. I am also so grateful for the students in my New Testament and Greek courses over the last two years who asked questions and offered their feedback on lectures related to my dissertation, improving my argument along the way. I’m also grateful for their patience, support, and encouragement as I tried to balance these many responsibilities with participation in the wonderful community life of Nashotah House.”
In addition to his PhD in Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity at the University of Notre Dame, Wheatley received his Master of Theological Studies from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and his Bachelor of Arts in History at the University of Texas at Austin.
Wheatley has presented lectures and papers at international conferences on Biblical Studies and early Christianity. He is a scheduled presenter for three conferences this summer, including the Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting in Austria; Catholic Biblical Association International Meeting in San Jose, California; and Colloquium Origenianum Tertium Decimum in Münster, Germany.
Wheatley previously served as founding vicar of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Dallas and as associate rector of young adults and traditional worship at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas. His vocation to ordained ministry came after almost ten years of work in evangelism and discipleship with college students, including two years serving as a missionary to students and refugees in Athens, Greece.

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Dean Garwood Anderson recently sat down with Kirk Petersen, Associate Editor of The Living Church magazine, to discuss Nashotah House's recent enrollment growth, the seminary's development goals, formation in the context of community, and building bridges across jurisdictional differences.

Check out the full article at the link below.

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Nashotah, Wisconsin (May 18, 2022) – The alumni of Nashotah House recognized the seminary’s two longest-serving faculty members during its 2022 Alumni Day.
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Holtzen, Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, and Dr. David Sherwood, Director of the Frances Donaldson Library, were honored for their many years of service, academic contributions, and pastoral leadership. Current and former students have benefited from Holtzen and Sherwood’s commitment to nurturing the intellectual, professional, and personal growth of their advisees.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Holtzen
Holtzen has served as Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Nashotah House since 2004.
Holtzen has a passion for teaching classical theology as practical learning for life and ministry. His professional interests include Christian doctrine, especially the Trinity, the incarnation, soteriology, grace, justification, sacramental theology, Anglican theology, and the theologies of Saints Augustine and John Henry Newman. He teaches elective courses on such topics as Augustine, Newman’s Lectures on Justification, and the theology of Richard Hooker. He has published many academic articles, given numerous papers at academic conferences, and written a number of pieces for popular publications. Holtzen is currently writing a book on Newman and justification with Oxford University Press.
Holtzen holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Marquette University, an MA in Theology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a BA in Theology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He also did further training in preparation for Holy Orders at Nashotah House.
Since his ordination in 2003, Holtzen has served as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Milwaukee. He is priest-in-charge at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ashippun, Wisconsin, which is one of the area churches founded as an early mission by Nashotah House nearly 180 years ago. Some of Holtzen’s personal interests include ultralight backpacking, farming, fishing, camping, woodworking, and poetry.
“Fr. Holtzen has had a tremendous effect on me over the past three years. Every class I have had with him has been a lesson in self-confidence and humility,” said the Rev. Dante Anglin, a 2022 graduate of Nashotah House. “When I was feeling like I wasn’t doing my best, Fr. Holtzen would always be there to remind me – to remind all of us – that God has called us here. Whatever we are going through, it is for God’s honor and glory. And, on the other hand, whenever I thought I had learned everything on a subject, I was always brought down to earth when I would ask arrogant questions. A good teacher has the ability to know when to lift you up and when to humble you. Fr. Holtzen has done just that. To be a priest is to be a teacher. If there is any teacher I wish to emulate in all aspects of my pastoral life, Fr. Holtzen is that teacher.”

Dr. David Sherwood
Sherwood has served as Director of the Frances Donaldson Library at Nashotah House since 2004.
Sherwood graduated with a Master’s in Theological Studies from Nashotah House in 2005 and later received his Doctor of Ministry from the House in 2012. Sherwood also holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin, an MA in English from Baylor University, and a BA in Psychology, also from Baylor.
Sherwood began his career in librarianship at Baylor in 1986. After receiving a library degree from UT-Austin, he held various roles at Creighton University’s Library in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1996, he was the first librarian to be selected as a Fellow of Creighton University’s Academic Development and Technology Center. In 2000, he was named the Nebraska Library Association’s Mentor of the Year. He has also served on various American Library Association committees, in particular with the Library Instruction Round Table.
Under Sherwood’s leadership, operations of the Frances Donaldson Library at Nashotah House have undergone considerable changes, including the implementation of a state-of-the-art automated library system, the consolidation of the library’s collections from two classification systems into one, and the addition of many electronic resources and services.
In addition to his library work, Sherwood serves as Associate Professor of Ascetical Theology, teaching courses in both the residential and hybrid-distance programs. His research interests include the spiritual writings of the 12th-century English Cistercians, the 14th-century English mystics, and the Caroline Divines. He also maintains an active ministry of spiritual direction with seminarians. An avocational musician, he has served several local congregations over the years as an organist.
“If Nashotah had a gatekeeper, it would be Dr. Sherwood,” said the Rev. Micah Hogan, a 2022 graduate of Nashotah House. “Dr. Sherwood and his classes stand at Nashotah’s entry and exit, figuratively and literally, as a sign of a life so vastly different from the one peddled by our fast-paced society. In a place and ministry that can tempt to vanity and workaholism, Dr. Sherwood continually calls his students to remember their humanity and to value the person over the project. I know that Dr. Sherwood’s example has helped me become a humbler and more human person and, I hope one day, a better priest.”

FOR RELEASE - Nashotah, Wisconsin (April 29, 2022) – The Nashotah House Theological Seminary Board of Directors has renewed the contract of Dean Dr. Garwood Anderson for a five-year term.
“The Board of Directors is pleased to reaffirm our support for Dr. Anderson’s leadership. His commitment to the mission of Nashotah House and clear vision for its future give us full confidence in the direction he is taking the seminary,” said the Rev. Canon Ed Monk, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Despite the challenges known to many higher education institutions in recent years, Nashotah House has experienced remarkable growth, a credit to Dr. Anderson’s leadership. We are delighted he has agreed to remain as our Dean for another five years.”
Dr. Anderson has served as Dean since 2017. He joined the Nashotah House faculty in 2007 as Professor of New Testament and Greek and served as Academic Dean from 2009 to 2012.
Under Anderson’s leadership as Dean, the number of enrolled students has nearly doubled since the Fall of 2017.
“The past five years have only reinforced my commitment to the work of the House and its unique role in equipping future priests and lay leaders,” said Anderson. “There is much to celebrate and yet so much more work remains to be done as we continue our mission in service to the Church. I appreciate the support and confidence from the Board of Directors as we enter this next chapter while continuing to steward the rich tradition we have inherited.”
Growth at Nashotah House under Anderson’s leadership has included:
• A 94% increase in full-time equivalent enrollment from 2017 to 2021, a growth rate that outpaces all of its peers nationally, according to a recent audit by the Association of Theological Schools.
• The appointment of several new distinguished faculty members, including the Rev. Dr. Hans Boersma, Chair of the Order of St. Benedict Servants of Christ Endowed Professorship in Ascetical Theology; the Rev. Dr. Greg Peters, Servants of Christ Research Professor of Monastic Studies and Ascetical Theology; Dr. Elisabeth Kincaid, Assistant Professor of Ethics and Moral Theology; Dr. Geoffrey Williams, Assistant Professor of Church Music and Director of Chapel Music; and the Rev. Paul Wheatley, PhD (cand.), Associate Professor (elect) of New Testament and Greek.
• The expansion of the seminary’s summer and winter term course array and collaboration with world-renowned visiting professors, including the Rev. Dr. John Behr, the Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley, the Rev. Dr. Amy Peeler, the Rev. Dr. Trevor Hart, and Dr. Lewis Ayres.
• The completion of classroom renovations and improvements to the campus’s technological infrastructure, greatly expanding capabilities for remote and hybrid instruction.
To support its growing programs and advance its strategic goals, Nashotah House also announces the restructuring of its leadership team.
The recent appointments to several key leadership positions set a foundation for the seminary to serve more students, nurture relationships with existing and prospective donors, and sustain the rigorous formation of its seminarians.
• Dr. Jim Watkins has been appointed Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. In this role, he will provide administrative leadership to the seminary’s academic programs, in assistance to the Dean and faculty. Watkins joined Nashotah House’s advancement department in 2020 and later transitioned to become Director of Distributed Education. Under his leadership, the seminary’s hybrid-distance and advanced degree programs have grown significantly in breadth and participation.
• The Ven. Dr. Kelly O'Lear has been appointed Associate Dean for Formation. A priest with extensive experience as an Army chaplain, O’Lear joined Nashotah House in 2021 as Director of Formation and Leadership Development. As Associate Dean, he will tend to all aspects of the formation of seminarians, including pastoral care, chapel worship, field education, and community life.
• Robin Little has been named Senior Director of Advancement, overseeing all aspects of donor relations, alumni relations, and communications and marketing. Little joined Nashotah House in 2021 as its Director of Development after serving for several years as Assistant Director of Development at the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, Texas. Little recently added two positions to the advancement department: Lauren Cripps was hired as Communications & Marketing Manager, and Rebecca Terhune (MTS, ’15) was hired as Alumni Associate.
• The Rev. Jason Terhune (M.Div., ’15) will continue to serve as Senior Director of Operations. Terhune returned to Nashotah House to join its advancement department in 2019 and later transitioned to his current role, which includes oversight of accounting, student accounts, IT, maintenance, housekeeping, compliance, refectory, and human resources.
• The Rev. Dr. Travis Bott, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, has been elected Chair of the Faculty, a new position designed to strengthen the critical connection between the faculty and administrative leadership.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with this group of leaders serving in these critical roles,” Anderson said. “Individually, each brings formidable talents and has made significant contributions since joining our team. Collectively, their enthusiasm, robust networks within the Church, and, most importantly, dedication to the students we serve have strengthened our seminary. During a time of tremendous opportunity for the House, we are well-positioned to flourish with this team in place.”
These appointments will also allow Anderson to dedicate more of his time to external relations, including advancement initiatives, partnerships with parishes, and engagement with alumni.
“It’s always encouraging to reconnect with Sons and Daughters of the House. I look forward to visiting with more of our alumni and supporters in the months to come. Good things are happening on this campus, and I’m eager to share that story with our friends, both old and new,” Anderson said.