Betsy Smith Ivey (2012-2013): What Attending General Meant to Me

When I decided to attend the General Theological Seminary in 2012 to complete my seminary study for an Anglican certificate I thought I knew why I chose General. I have always loved New York City, and being newly divorced, wanted to live there as a single woman. Even more, both my daughters were living there at the time, and I wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to live in the same city with them again. The day I moved into Dodge I received a diagnosis for breast cancer. My fourth grandchild was born the day before I had surgery, all within the first month of classes. Choosing to go to seminary in the same city where my daughters lived gave new meaning to my life, as well the support I needed to complete my seminary education. Matriculating at General in this one amazing year allowed me to learn about and experience our wonderful Church as a woman called to the priesthood.

I was richly fed by the theological academia offered by and through General. With an MDiv I was able to pursue a course of study under R. Bruce Mullin that enriched my knowledge of the history of the Episcopal Church's role in the development of American racism for which I was conferred an STM cum laude. I, also, studied Black Theology with the late eminent James Cone at Union; pursued an independent study of Rene Girard’s mimetic theory with Clair McPherson; and, continued learning Koine Greek with Deidre Good.

I learned to love our worship even more as a Sacristan in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, and relished my off-campus church adventures. Before I became the seminarian at St. Philip’s in Harlem (the second oldest Black Episcopal Church), Sundays would find me anywhere from St. Mark’s in the Bowery for Winnie Varghese’s outrageously good preaching to the liturgical drama of the mystery of the faith at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin (“Smokey Mary’s”). My field education work with the Rev. Chloe Breyer at the East Harlem Justice Center fed my pastoral compassion.

I met and studied with some of the most outstanding priests in TEC today. I work with many here in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, and encounter and hear about other classmates who are leading our Church in new directions.

General prepared me more fully than I could have imagined. It affirmed the divine feminine that called me to the priesthood as well affirmed the inner-strength needed to push through the glass ceiling the Church has yet fully broken. My General education helped me to become a well-rounded priest who has served as a Curate in a predominantly White church, an Interim in a historically Black church, and who now serves as a diocesan Canon leading church into a new relationship with Jesus Christ.

I was blessed as a woman to have decided to attend General.