The Newbigin Fellowship is for individuals who desire supportive peer relationships, tools for rekindling their theological imagination, and a more expansive vision of Christian spirituality and ministry.
The Newbigin Fellowship
A nine-month journey of theological formation for exploring the spiritual, public, and missional dimensions of the Christian life. The fellows program equips people to embody the way of Jesus, the call to peace, and the work of justice.
Overview of the Year
FALL / Spiritual Theology
The Way of Jesus
Develop spiritual and theological wisdom for life with God, focusing on all of life as time- and place-bound in order to shape the ways we approach telling our stories, reading Scripture, and building a life of prayer and contemplative practices.
KEY QUESTION: How do I love God?
TOPICS: Story, Enneagram, Bible, Vocation
WINTER / PUBLIC THEOLOGY
The Call to Peace
Explore Christianity as a public faith that prioritizes the common good – with an interdisciplinary approach drawing on history, politics, science, as well as religion – to understand and address common obstacles to human flourishing.
KEY QUESTION: How do I love the world?
TOPICS: Race, Non-Violence, Multi-Faith Society
SPRING / MISSIONAL THEOLOGY
The Work of Justice
Reimagine the work of Christian communities in a changing culture, focusing on the call to embrace the breathtaking diversity of lived experiences across the world – and in our local contexts – by bearing witness to a gospel of grace and justice.
KEY QUESTION: How do I love my neighbor?
TOPICS: Gender, Contextualization, World Christianities
Key Elements of the Program
The fellowship year consists of three seasons, each focusing on a key theme: faith, peace, and justice. Each season consists of four units, helping us delve deeper into a particular aspect of the theme. Each unit lasts three weeks. There are a variety of activities to support learning and conversation over the course of the year:
- monthly webinars*
- fireside chats*
- curated readings
- mini lectures
- spiritual practices
Everyone participates in a track-specific discussion forum throughout the year. Some fellows are part of a church or network cohort. If you are interested in leading a cohort from your church or network, please contact us.
*Activities marked with an asterisk are synchronous, and ideally participants would join at the scheduled time, though recordings will be available after the event as well. Please note that most other fellowship activities are asynchronous, meaning you can do them on your own at a flexible time that works best for you.
The Year at a GlanceSummer Reading
We have selected two books that provide an excellent introduction to the fellowship year.
- Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited
- Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne
Faith / Unit 1: The Long Journey
- Webinar: "Where We're Coming From, Where We're Headed," orientation with Peter Choi (9:00 am Pacific) and webinar with author Kristin Du Mez (9:30-11:00 am Pacific), Sep 19
- Fireside Chat: A Spiritual Topography: Mountaintops, Valleys, and Plains
- Texts: Wendell Berry, "The Way of Ignorance"; Dorothy Day, excerpts from On Pilgrimage; Thomas Pynchon, "Introduction," Slow Learner
- Academic Track: Additional Assignments
Faith / Unit 2: The Inward Journey
- Webinar: "The Bible and Christian Spirituality," with Pete Enns | 9:30–11:00 am Pacific, Oct 17
- Fireside Chat: A Life of Prayer
- Text: Pete Enns, The Bible Tells Me So
- Academic Track: Additional Assignments
Faith / Unit 3: The Outward Journey
- Webinar: "Christian Spirituality and the Gospel," with Lisa Sharon Harper | 9:30–11:00 am Pacific, Nov 14
- Fireside Chat: The Far Reach of God's Love
- Text: Lisa Sharon Harper, The Very Good Gospel
- Academic Track: Additional Assignments
Faith / Unit 4: The Cross-Cultural Journey
- Webinar: "Christian Spirituality and Vocation"
- Fireside Chat: A Spirituality for Crossing Boundaries
- Text: James Cone, God of the Oppressed
- Academic Track: Additional Assignments
Peace
- Unit 5: The Peace of the City
- Unit 6: Peace for a Racialized Society
- Unit 7: Peace toward a Non-Violent Society
- Unit 8: Peace in a Multi-Faith Society
Justice
- Unit 9: Race and Justice
- Unit 10: Gender, Sexuality, and Justice
- Unit 11: Theology, Contextualization, and Justice
- Unit 12: World Christianity and Justice
One Program, Three Tracks
1
Laity Track
For any regular person who desires a deeper immersion into Christian spirituality and theology as they walk with a community of peers.
2
Academic Track
For the individual discerning next steps in their call to service and ministry, who is seeking a year of study as well as academic credit.
3
Clergy Track
For the pastor/leader who is seeking vocational renewal and peer learning as a way to locate their local ministry in a bigger story and world.
A Year of Fresh Encounters
What You Can Expect
You‘ll meet new friends and mentors
Every participant will be part of a rich and diverse online community, and where possible local cohorts, as we together seek to forge relationships while simultaneously engaging in deep spiritual inquiry. In addition, cohort leaders and Newbigin faculty will walk alongside participants and be available as coaches and mentors to both individuals and groups in the fellowship.
You’ll learn from leading scholars
Over the course of the year, we will hear from a diverse range of guest teachers in online conference calls. Many leading scholars and thinkers have been teaching in our program for years: Chuck DeGroat, Mihee Kim-Kort, Liz Lin, Shirin Shafaie, Ben McBride, and Jeff Schloss. Our guest speakers in the past several years have also included Miroslav Volf, Lisa Sharon Harper, Soong-Chan Rah, Austin Channing Brown, and Willie James Jennings.
You’ll encounter life-changing works
We’ll read some classics as well as texts from a wide variety of perspectives and traditions, all critically important for understanding Christianity as a world religion, including authors like: James Cone, Lisa Sharon Harper, Pete Enns, Thomas Sugrue, Willie James Jennings, Jennifer McBride, Justo Gonzalez, Robert Allan Warrior, Frances Taylor Gench, Jay Emmerson Johnson, Chanequa Walker-Barnes, Ta-Nehisi Coates, R. S. Sugirtharajah, Shoki Coe…
Newbigin House prepared me both spiritually and academically to think through what it means to be a Christian seeking God’s peace on earth.
At Newbigin, I was for the first time exposed to people who were committed to seeking Jesus, but doing so from a multitude of radically different starting places. Because of this experience, I am able to understand that my faith is much broader, and much deeper, than I previously understood.
My experience at Newbigin House, which uses a hybrid online and intensive in-person format, was exactly what I needed to dip my toes into seminary.
Throughout the Newbigin Fellowship I have been challenged to examine beliefs that I’ve long accepted as “just the way Christianity is.” Challenging those beliefs has brought a freshness, vibrancy and authenticity to my faith that weren’t there before.
Newbigin House was a great way to get my feet wet with seminary studies … I discovered my inner theologian.
I am deeply grateful for my time spent learning at the Newbigin House of Studies, a truly invaluable platform for my seminary journey, personal transformation, and ongoing ministry.
Previous
Next
Innovative Pedagogy
Online Learning Modules
Virtual Small Groups
Large Group Webinars
Retreats & Immersions*
*as possible in light of COVID-19 restrictions
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Do I need to live in the San Francisco Bay Area?
You can do the fellowship from anywhere in the world.
For over ten years we have seen the fruits of face-to-face cohorts meeting regularly over the course of the year focused on pressing spiritual questions. We continue to be committed to a fellowship that flourishes through in-person learning community.
At the same time, since 2012 we have been involved in distance learning programs in partnership with a broad array of accredited educational institutions. Hundreds of students from over a dozen U.S. states have gone through our various distance learning programs. Thanks to our innovative use of online educational technology, you can do the fellowship from anywhere in the world.
What in-person gatherings are there?
Prior to COVID-19: Regional participants had six Saturday gatherings and three retreats throughout the year. Distance participants had three immersions over the course of the year.
In light of COVID-19: We are continuing to monitor the situation and will be announcing specific events, as feasible. As we move online, in order to maintain as much of the relational component as possible, we will focus on doing more frequent online, synchronous sessions, both small group and large group, including monthly webinars and chapel services. While there is no substitute for being together, we will continue to prioritize relational connection.
What is the time commitment?
Laity & Pastor Tracks | 2-4 hrs/wk
Fellows engage in a wide array of activities, from weekly (or bi-weekly) cohort meetings to monthly Saturday morning sessions with a guest speaker to 2-3 annual gatherings/retreats.
Academic Track | 8-12 hrs/wk
Students on the academic track should expect varying lengths of time for different individuals, depending on their learning styles. On average, participants should plan to spend 3-5 hours/wk reading + 1-2 hours in reflection/discussion each week + 4-5 hrs/wk on course assignments.
Can I get academic credit?
It is possible to do the work of the fellowship for advanced standing with credit at one of our partner seminaries:
- Austin Theological Seminary
- Fuller Theological Seminary
- Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
- Western Theological Seminary
Our students have gone on to study at each of the seminaries above as well as Luther Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary.
What is the cost?
Tuition for Laity and Clergy Tracks: $895; additional retreats, conferences, and immersion trips (if they happen) will have separate registration costs.
Tuition for Academic Track: $2,700 (9 credits); involves additional academic work under faculty supervision leading to advanced standing at one of our partner seminaries. Additional elective courses may be available over the course of the year.
Additional Costs: Fellows should also plan on book purchases ($200 over the course of the year). Optional retreats and other regional gatherings will have a separate registration fees.
Payment Plan: Participants make monthly payments of their remaining tuition balance after application fee and confirmation deposit.
Financial Aid: Scholarships are available; we encourage early application for full consideration.
Start Your Journey
When you participate in the fellows program, you are joining a broad community of spiritual formation and mutual support. We are excited to meet you and to share the journey with you.