May 1996, Vol. 2, No. 3

Dual Degree Program Allows SSA Students to Integrate Faith and Practice
By Emily Stahl, second-year social administration student pursuing a dual degree through SSA and the McCormick Theological Seminary.

Students come to SSA from many diverse backgrounds. Many form support groups to address their common concerns. One such group at SSA is for dual degree students pursuing an M.A. and a Master's of Divinity degree from one of the six seminaries in the Hyde Park neighborhood. All of the seminaries-Chicago Theological Seminary, Catholic Theological Union, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, Meadville-Lombard Theological School, and the Divinity School-have cooperative arrangements with the University of Chicago and SSA to offer dual degree programs.

Kent Burbank, a second year student at SSA, is also a student at Meadville- Lombard Theological School. He is completing his second year clinical placement in the AIDS clinic at Cook County Hospital, and introduces himself to clients as both chaplain and social worker. Burbank described the connection between social work and ministry, and his own role in both capacities.

"Historically, social work has its origins in the practice of ministry. Here in Chicago, one of the earliest settlements Chicago Commons-was founded by a Graham Taylor, a Christian minister. Jane Addams maintained her relationships with liberal Christians in Chicago through her work at Hull House. Although social work and ministry were closely related in the early years, a split developed as Social Work became more professionalized, and used psychiatry and medicine as models for practice.

Burbank asserted that social work needs ministry and ministry needs social work. "At the same time that human needs for support through life difficulties have increased-job loss, homelessness, AIDS, divorce- social work has become more privatized. Ministry has moved away from involvement in communities and is more concerned with 'taking care of our own.'"

"Social workers have traditionally shared a prophetic voice with ministers in working for social justice and change movements in the U.S. Social work needs ministry to help it return to its prophetic roots, and ministry needs social work to remind churches to care for their neighbors."

Herb Anderson, Professor of Pastoral Theology at Catholic Theological Union, facilitates group discussions. Anderson concurred with much of Burbank's observations.

The group, still seeking a name, has several goals. The first, and perhaps most important, is to provide networking and personal support of students who are currently enrolled in a dual degree program. Second, recent alumni of the program and students interested in exploring a dual degree in theology and social work are invited to participate in discussions. Third, the group can provide a forum for discussion about the ways that social work and ministry inform one another, or how social work may be understood as ministry. Integrating theoretical issues raised by the interplay of the two disciplines is also important. For instance, Anderson would like to promote faculty-led seminars that would pair an SSA professor with someone from one of the seminaries to address a common area of concern.

Emily Stahl is a second-year administration student pursuing a dual degree through SSA and the McCormick Theological Seminary.
Her field placement is at the Children's Home and Aid Society.

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