Graduate Entrance Essay

I've been hard at work applying to grad schools over the past few months. An exciting and scary process. Thought I'd share a little bit of my aspirations and calling. The following is my "Autobiographical statement" for entrance into the University of London. Any and all feedback is MUCH appreciated! :)

I have taken my studies of Worship and the Arts with me around the globe and back, stretching my understanding of how God forms and shapes Churches and their practices. Whether listening to the sounds of the Lenten removal sitting in Sydney’s St. James Church on Maundy Thursday, or feeling the wind across my face at the outdoor service of my home church near Chicago, I am awe-filled by the presence of God through gathered community. My experiences in any given community are deepened when, like a fine wine, I understand their histories, and choices—the heart. Yet, I can never be both the observer and participant without giving up partial rights to one. I seek only to combine them as seamlessly as possible. As a participant, I find myself amidst the story and body of Christ-a worshipper fascinated by the revelation of word, sacrament, and relationship. As an observer, I have understood rituals and symbols, and see how small things, as part of a larger framework, impact and shape communities. The role of a Liturgist, faithfully examining both positions, helps bridge this divide to inform and correlate our theology through words, speech, and action. As an undergraduate student studying worship, theology, and the arts, I have experienced the importance in providing such a bridge within our practicing communities. My experience as a worship director of an ethnically and culturally diverse church for four years has demonstrated how difficult inculturation is navigated without proper preparation.
Pope Paul VI once said, “Liturgy is like a strong tree whose beauty is derived from the continuous renewal of its leaves, but whose strength comes from the old trunk, with solid roots in the ground.” How do we transform a meal of memory into meaning, from congregant’s mere presence into experience or understanding? We cannot. We can only provide the solid pedigree from which congregants can draw the nutrition of their theology. In turn, they let God’s radiant light renew their lives down to its common roots. And just as a botanist desires to examine the interworking and intricacies of creation, so do I desire to examine and understand the meaning, role, and pattern of liturgy among the body of Christ in history and the contemporary.
Originally, I had a desire to enter the Master of Arts program in Pastoral Liturgy before its cancellation. But just as a vine cannot be separated from the branch, I embrace the incorporation of theological and pastoral emphasis as preparation to serve in a body of believers. Dr. Cameron-Mowat’s work is in theology and liturgy as it relates, impacts and is changed by the contemporary world. With my interest in liturgy, his study presents a unique opportunity to edify my education at the University of London. I propose to guide my dissertation and course preferences to highlight the liturgical aspects of the Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology degree as a full-time student over the course of one full year.