Abigail Zang

 

Abigail Zang is a third-year M.Div. student in the dual degree program in the School of Social Service Administration and the Divinity School.

Abigail grew up in Houston, Texas, and earned her B.A. from Cornell University in 2002, with majors in Religious Studies and in Society and Ethics.

The Divinity School is a place to engage in the academic study of religion, and professors and students alike take that charge very seriously. The faculty are excellent and eager to share their knowledge and passion about their areas of interest. The students are equally eager to learn from the faculty. The classes are both challenging and fascinating. Even the survey courses delve into their topics with surprising depth. Most of the other classes are relatively small, allowing for plenty of discussion, often led by students themselves.

I am in the ministry program, working toward a dual degree (Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration). The University of Chicago is a fantastic place to prepare for ministry, both because of the ecumenical nature of the Divinity School, as well as because of the strong focus on public ministry. Public ministry is engaged in and with the world, focused well beyond the ministry that happens within the church. The two required field internships take us beyond the academy and into churches, jails, and hospitals, to name just a few places. The required courses for the ministry program offer solid introductions to many facets of ministry, and the electives offer opportunities to engage our particular areas of interest more deeply.

I do not yet have a topic for my Senior Ministry Project, which I will undertake during my last year of the dual degree program. The focus of my time at the University of Chicago in general, though, is to combine public ministry with social ministry. I am particularly interested in where the church meets the world. In order to effectively minister at that intersection, I need solid preparation in theology, ministry, and social work. The dual degree program between the Divinity School and SSA offers just that.

The University of Chicago is one of the few places that offers dual degree programs, and both the Divinity School and SSA are top-ranked schools. In addition, the focus of the M.Div. program here is public ministry, which is precisely the type of ministry I am preparing to do. I especially appreciate the bridge between the academy and the rest of the world available through the required field placement sites. I am frequently immersed in a real-life laboratory where I can apply the knowledge that I learn in the classroom.