NBTS announces the retirement of Dr. Virginia Wiles
October 16, 2019
Update: Open House Reception scheduled December 6 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey –President Micah L. McCreary of New Brunswick Theological Seminary today announced the retirement of Dr. Virginia Wiles, Professor of New Testament, effective December 31, 2019. Dr. McCreary said, “Dr. Wiles has served NBTS for over twenty years and we are grateful for her transformative teaching and indefatigable service to the NBTS community.
We will celebrate this great woman and her amazing accomplishments at a retirement event to be announced early next month. Please join me in wishing this distinguished professor an amazing NBTS farewell.”
Dr. Wiles spoke to the students of NBTS in the letter below:
Dear Ones,
I’m sure by now you’ve seen President McCreary’s email regarding my Retirement at the end of this semester. It’s a good thing to follow where the Divine leads. As I’ve watched you and all those before you these past 20+ years you’ve taught me this: It is, indeed, a very good thing to follow where the Divine leads.
I have LOVED being teacher as I have watched you learn! Indeed, I have learned how to teach because of your learning. You have taught me how to teach, and I am forever grateful for the strong and lovely influence you have been in my life, spiritually, intellectually, professionally, and for the wider Kindom of God.
Everywhere I go, I tell folks that NBTS has the best students of any ATS seminary. And it’s true! Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Your passion, your experience, your creative and integrative thinking, your desire that so beautifully reflects Divine desire, your oops! and your ughs!, your willingness to experiment, to make big mistakes (!), to do the work and keep on moving, ever faithful—you’re fantastic! Keep on!
I will carry you in my heart as I move on to this new future. I hope you’ll be in touch now and then. In the days ahead, I’ll communicate more of what my future looks like. For now I’m counting on it being true: The only way to get this (retirement thing) wrong, is not to do it. 🙃 So, with humility and eagerness and the hope for continued connection … I’m doing it.Thanks for all the love and inspiration!
Peace, Beauty, and above all, Love,
Virginia (Dr. Wiles)
Professor of New Testament
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
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About New Brunswick Theological Seminary:
Founded in 1784, NBTS is the oldest seminary in the United States. It is one of two seminaries affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA), and offers an exceptional seminary education, a flexible academic schedule, and a spiritually rich community for students of many Christian denominations and backgrounds. The NBTS mission is to educate persons and strengthen communities for transformational, public ministries in church and society. We fulfill this mission through creative, contextual, and critical engagement with texts, traditions, and practices.
The Seminary offers Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees, as well as Professional Certificates to enhance the work and training of special ministers, church officers, and other Christian leaders.
The seminary is located in New Brunswick, NJ, and operates a satellite campus at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. To learn more about New Brunswick Theological Seminary, please visit nbts.edu.