Princeton Theological Seminary celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Farminary with a four-day gathering Sept 24–27. The event convened some of the brightest minds shaping the future of theological education and ecological imagination, including Willie James Jennings, Barbara Brown Taylor, Jeff Chu, Michael Twitty, Tiya Miles and Heber Brown. Together, they explored urgent questions at the intersections of theology, ecology, food justice, Sabbath, and community through keynote presentations, conversations, panel discussions, shared meals, workshops and more.
Established in 2015, the Farminary is a 21-acre sustainable farm where students and community members engage in regenerative agriculture as a context for theological reflection. Over the past decade, it has become a vital space for spiritual formation, communal healing and deep engagement with the ecological challenges of our time.
The Farminary is the heart of Princeton Seminary’s Master of Arts in Theology and Ecology (MTE), a visionary degree program launched in 2023 to prepare leaders for ministry in an era marked by ecological urgency, complexity and possibility.
Rooted in the conviction that theological education must respond to the realities of a changing planet, the program has already doubled in size and recently welcomed 14 students into its new cohort. While the Farminary is the foundational location for the MTE program, seminary students from all degree programs have an opportunity to learn not only from books and classrooms but also from compost piles, planting beds, livestock, and shared meals that reflect a theology of interdependence and care. “If the classroom is where we think about God, the garden is where we remember we belong to God, and to one another. The Farminary invites us to do both,” shared Barbara Brown Taylor, author of “An Altar in the World” and “Holy Envy,” preached at the celebration’s opening worship service.
Over the past decade, the Farminary has also become a gathering ground for neighbors, theologians, artists and seekers of all ages. The anniversary celebration was designed to reflect this expansive vision and nourish body, mind and spirit.
The celebration began on Princeton Seminary’s main campus with community worship and shared meals, featuring a sermon by Brown Taylor and an afternoon keynote at the Farminary from Willie James Jennings, joined by respondents Norman Wirzba, Tink Tinker and Hanna Reichel for a rich theological discussion on Creation. The evening concluded with Wine and the Bible, a unique wine tasting and spiritual reflection led by John Anthony Dunne.
Thursday, Sept. 25, was a day of hands-on learning and spiritual formation, including workshops on composting, native seed collection, poetry and ecological infrastructure. Crystal Oliver (EcoTheo Review) and Larry Rogers (Farminary farm manager) led sessions alongside partners from Princeton Open Space. The day culminated in a powerful evening conversation between Jeff Chu and Chef Michael Twitty, exploring food, land, identity and faith.
Friday, Sept. 26’s sessions included workshops on institutional ecology, social entrepreneurship, and congregational farming practices, led by practitioners including Nick Babladelis, Lissette Gonzalez Sosa, Werner Ramirez and Chef Gabby Aron. Alumni reflected on how the Farminary has shaped their ministry, and a Farm Chef Fest offered a curated tasting experience from local culinary leaders. The evening closed with a featured conversation between Tiya Miles and Nate Stucky, exploring Black environmental consciousness, storytelling and sacred ecology.
The celebration concluded on Saturday, Sept. 27, with a joyful, community-centered closing worship service at the Farminary. The sermon was delivered by Heber Brown III, a nationally recognized pastor and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network.
As the Farminary enters its second decade, it does so with deep roots and a wide vision for what comes next.
Continued growth will require thoughtful investment in the infrastructure necessary to support its expanding and diverse community, including students, First Thursday and event participants, and all who recognize the land as a vital context for theological formation, learning and connection.
The Farminary Project at Princeton Theological Seminary integrates theological education with regenerative farming practices and ecological attunement. It serves as a unique learning environment where students explore the rhythms of the land alongside their spiritual and academic formation. The Farminary emphasizes ecological stewardship, community engagement, and the cultivation of leaders equipped to respond to the urgent challenges of climate, justice and hope.
For more information about the Farminary and the 10th Anniversary Celebration, visit ptsem.edu/farminary10.
Princeton Theological Seminary
Let us join in prayer for:
Barbara Soete, Mission Specialist, Administrative Services Group
Teresa Sontarp, Controller, Finance, The Board of Pensions
Let us pray:
Thank you, God, for taking the gifts you have given us and multiplying them into more abundance than we could ever imagine so that your name and your love can be shared far and wide. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment