Three students from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific talk about their experience at the GTU.

Jason Alexander
Well, I met my wife here, so that’s the greatest thing about the GTU! Also, the GTU reminds me that the Episcopal Church is not the center of the universe. The range of classes allows me to delve into different meanings, find more depth. Coming from rural Alaska, I’m grateful for the chance to do urban ministry here and encounter a different set of cultural issues. The GTU gives me a base point to deal with them and be challenged in a different way.

Sabeth Fitzgibbons
The classroom here is a place where we do not necessarily agree but all remain in dialogue—that’s encouraged. I’ve heard people speaking on the same scripture passage and their interpretations were vastly different depending on culture and denomination. While I didn’t agree with everybody, it was amazing to hear different readings. The GTU has really helped me learn to sit with my discomfort and disagreement in situations where my beliefs are not the dominant ones.

Michael Reid
While offering a grounding in history and tradition, there is a spirit of innovation and responsibility here that points you toward the future─a future in which each one of us is encouraged to make a difference. My experience has not been about passive receptivity, but revelation and empowerment. At the GTU, you can bring all that you are and become all that God intends. It is a blessing for me to be here, particularly at a time when our church is in such turmoil─struggling to find a common understanding of God's truth.

Top of Page ^