Duke Divinity School

Who will serve the small churches that shape so many local communities?

Duke Divinity student pastor Libba McCluskey is passionate about doing just that.

While many seminary graduates are called to large churches, hospitals, non-profits, or urban ministries, McCluskey is passionate about serving rural congregations and her time at Duke has only strengthened that calling.

"A lot of students graduate seminary or divinity school and go to major cities or large churches, but small towns deserve that kind of leadership, too."

Read more about how McCluskey is learning while leading—and why she's committed to bringing thoughtful, well-formed pastoral leadership to rural North Carolina ↙️

https://divinity.duke.edu/news/student-pastor-learns-while-leading

What if the good life isn't found in becoming more independent but in recognizing how much we need one another?

In a recent episode of No Small Endeavor, Duke Divinity School professor Norman Wirzba reflects on how his upbringing on a family farm shaped his understanding of community and what it means to flourish.

"Our life is a gift, our world is a gift, the creatures we live with are all gifts."

From the myth of self-sufficiency to the practice of Sabbath and care for creation, Wirzba offers a thoughtful conversation about gratitude, responsibility, and living well in an interconnected world.

Norman Wirzba: The Myth of Self-Sufficiency and the Good Life How does the pursuit of independence distort our understanding of the good life? Before Norman Wirzba became a theologian, philosopher, and public intellectual, he was a farm boy in Southern Alberta, waking before sunrise to tend to the land and animals in his care, and he says that these early expe...

What is the ministry of presence all about?

For Duke Divinity student Shirlye Grandy, field education at Jubilee Home in Durham has offered a place to practice ministry in small, everyday moments.

At Jubilee, Grandy accompanies individuals navigating reentry and recovery, learning that ministry often takes shape through the daily work of showing up for others.

"This placement is teaching me how to practice embodied presence, to show up with compassion, humility, and steadiness as residents navigate the fragile work of rebuilding their lives," she said. "I am learning that ministry in this context is less about offering solutions and more about accompaniment."

For Grandy, whose own experiences have shaped her understanding of faith and vocation, field education has become a space where theology and lived experience meet.

Read more about Grandy's journey at the link in the comments 🔗