William Jessup University

Multnomah Biblical Seminary of Jessup University will equip pastors to cultivate resilience in the face of suffering and trauma in their personal and ecclesial settings. We will be partnering with the scientific community, and will also be working with The Institute for Cultural Engagement: New Wine, New Wineskins and Science for the Church.

Two cohorts will work simultaneously during the project: one at Jessup University’s Rocklin, California campus and the other at Multnomah Biblical Seminary campus in Portland, Oregon. Eight to twelve pastoral leaders will comprise each cohort. The pastors in each cohort will meet in person a total of six times over two years and participate in webinars with guest instructors, conversations with science advisors, and sustained interaction with designated mental health colleagues assisting them in their ministry contexts. They will also have access to Science for the Church and AAAS DoSER resources. Each meeting will feature forefront science and how that knowledge can help address suffering, trauma, and resilience. During the six meetings, cohort participants will also share what each member has learned and applied through the grant. We will launch the two cohorts at a conference on holistic health in the autumn of 2025 and conclude the grant with an event reflecting on the findings. We hope to expand the model and its impact to other pastors and congregations through development of a graduate certificate program at the seminary and textbook.