Nancy Elizabeth Bedford, PHD

Augsburger Lecture Series | March 29-30, 2022

Tuesday, March 29

11:00 am: Lecture: “Why Does Theology Matter? Malleability”

12:00 pm: Lunch sponsored by the Missional Partnership
(Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Park View Mennonite Church, & Virginia Mennonite Conference)
Location: Foyer of Martin Chapel, right after the chapel service in the same location

4:00-7:00pm: Reflection and respite for pastors: COVID’s impact on leaders, congregations and their theology

Pastors, chaplains and leaders of faith-based organizations: You are warmly invited to Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, VA for an evening of fellowship, imaginative scriptural engagement and reflection on your experiences leading during the COVID pandemic. Share with pastoral colleagues about how the pandemic has impacted your wellbeing, your theology and how you use your gifts in leading your community. Enjoy a catered meal (indoors or outdoors, as weather permits) and stay for a lecture by Argentinian Mennonite theologian Dr. Nancy Bedford entitled “What’s the Matter with Theology? Materiality.”

This event is hosted by Eastern Mennonite Seminary in partnership with the VMC Leadership Enrichment Committee at the Eastern Mennonite University Discipleship Center, 1300 Hillcrest Dr, Harrisonburg, VA 22802. Cost: $10 per person for dinner (REGISTER HERE)
COVID Protocol: Face masks will be required indoors unless EMU lifts its mask mandate by March 29.

7:00 pm: Lecture: “What’s the Matter with Theology? Materiality”

Wednesday, March 30

10:10 am: Lecture: “How Might Theology Become Materialized? Mission”

All lectures held in Eastern Mennonite University’s Martin Chapel, livestreamed via Facebook, and recorded.

Dr. Nancy E. Bedford’s latest book is Who Was Jesus and What Does It Mean to Follow Him? (Herald Press, 2021). Dr. Bedford helps us consider the identity and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. Learn about the incarnation, how Christians have understood Jesus to be both human and divine, and what his radical teachings and ministry can mean for us today. Find out how Christians through the centuries have understood who Jesus is and explore communal and individual practices for following him.

About Dr. Nancy E. Bedford

Nancy Elizabeth Bedford, Dr. theol. (Universität Tübingen, 1994), was born in Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina. She has been Georgia Harkness Professor of Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston) since 2003. Previously (1995-2002) she taught theology at Instituto Universitario ISEDET and Seminario Internacional Teológico Bautista (both in Buenos Aires).

She has written or edited ten books and written over 90 book chapters and journal articles, which have appeared in five languages. Among her publications are Galatians, A Theological Commentary (WJK, 2016) and Teología feminista a tres voces (with Virginia Azcuy and Mercedes García Bachmann; Ediciones Universidad Alberto Hurtado, 2016). Her latest book is Who Was Jesus and What Does It Mean to Follow Him? (Herald Press, 2021).

Her research interests focus on global feminist and decolonial theories and theologies; Latin American theologies; Latinx theologies in North America; theological hermeneutics; whiteness, violence, and racism; theology and food; liberating readings of Scripture and of the theological tradition; and the rearticulation of classical doctrinal loci from the perspective of critical, artistic and poetic reason.

She is a member of Reba Place Church (Mennonite) in Evanston, where she is on the preaching team and the racial justice group. She is married to Daniel Stutz, with whom she has three adult daughters, Valeria, Sofía and Carolina.