With fewer ordinations, seminaries find ways to serve young professionals in other fields
In this photo provided by Religion News Service, participants of the Polaris Leadership Summit for young Christian leaders work on projects together at Princeton Theological Seminary in early April 2025, in Princeton, N.J. Credit: AP/Kathryn Post
PRINCETON, N.J. (RNS) — On a Tuesday evening in early April, an audience sat enraptured in Princeton Theological Seminary’s dining hall as, one by one, adults in their 20s walked up to a platform, took the microphone and shared a story.
“I realized that if God made our bodies this intricate, shouldn’t the care we give others be just as intricate?” Jewel Koshy asked.
“I allowed Jesus to look at me, and I looked at him, and my life was completely transformed,” Betty Freymann said.
“How can we stay inquisitive in a world where excellence is expected and assimilation is often rewarded?” Ray’Chel Wilson asked. “For me, I take my questions to God.”
Despite the setting, the young adults speaking weren’t seminarians: They were entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, health care workers and other professionals at a summit as part of the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network, a new initiative from Princeton Theological Seminary that aims to equip young Christian leaders to find their calling beyond parish ministry.
___
This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.
In this photo provided by Religion News Service, Kennedy Maye at the Polaris Leadership Summit in early April 2025, in Princeton, N.J. Credit: AP/Kathryn Post
