Various fall events symbolize the world in which the GTU consortium is pushing ahead. At the opening convocation, Harvey Cox, as is his wont, addressed the opportunities that religious bodies have in a world that is increasingly pluralistic. The Surjit Singh lecture for the fall features Diana Eck, speaking on religious pluralism in America. Eck has brought to our attention the concrete, local pluralism that is so characteristic of much of the U.S., and particularly of the West Coast. Already in San Jose and the Silicon Valley, no ethnic or religious majority exists, and by the middle of the first decade of the new millennium, this will be true for California overall.

We have known that this would be the case for some time, and have taken steps to be prepared. The GTU enterprise, both at the M.Div. and doctoral levels, has made strides in programs that particularly touch Asian and Hispanic constituencies. But these beginnings will take on new forms, with increasing scale in the years ahead.

The preceding touches the constituency that defines California. The wider Pacific rim is also in our purview. For years there have been contacts with areas such as India, Japan and Korea. Now China is more than on the horizon. On one day, we had two faculty visiting from Shanghai and Beijing, and three from Japan. The accompanying photo shows President Daishub Ocyama of Ryukoku University at the conclusion of our meeting. What is important is that contacts of this kind have been made by the GTU in recent years and that they are accelerating. Moreover, all of these groups are seeking exchange of faculty and students, hoping that new formal connections can be created. For President Ocyama, the latter was very much on his mind. Locally, we have begun conversations that widen the role of the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Issues such as the above are part of the current consortial planning activities, some of which will be before the GTU Board at its late October meeting. More on that for the next issue of Currents.

Professor Reindert Falkenburg, his wife Johanna and their three children arrived from the Netherlands at the end of August as the Luce Professor in Western Art History, which after four years will become the Bertelsen chair. This professorship is jointly shared by JSTB and the GTU. Falkenburg is delighted by the students in his classes, for as he puts it, they bring so much to the discussion of issues.

This fall the GTU also welcomes Bonnie Hardwick as the new director of the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library. And Steve Argyris has joined us as Vice President for Financial Affairs, after 9 years at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.

Finally, I want to note, for those who may have forgotten, that Margaret Miles as President of the American Academy of Religion will give her presidential address on Saturday evening, November 20, at the annual meeting in Boston. We also look forward to meeting many of you at the GTU lunch at AAR on Sunday, November 21.

Best wishes for the fall,
John Dillenberger