Faculty position:         

Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship, Lexington Theological Seminary Lexington, Ky.; August 2016 - present

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Education:                  

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP); thesis title: Preaching and Ecofeminist Theology at the  Crossroads:  Homiletic Theory and Praxis in Dialogue with a Lutheran Ecofeminist Christology; 2014.     

PhD fields of study:  Theology for Ministry and Mission (emphasis on Homiletics); Contemporary Theology (emphasis on Ecological Theology)

 

M.Div., The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), 2000 (Honors)

B.S., Mass Communication (Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA), 1993 (summa cum laude)

High School Diploma (William Penn Senior High School, York, PA), 1989

 

Publications:   

Book:  Creation-Crisis Preaching:  Ecological Theology and Homiletics, Chalice Press, St. Louis, MI, 2015

 

Book sections: 

Feasting on the Gospels, a Feasting on the Word Project; Volume 2, Luke; Passages:  Luke 16:14-18, Luke 16:19-34; Theological Perspective; Westminster John Knox Press; 2013

Feasting on the Gospels, a Feasting on the Word Project; Volume 1, Matthew; Passages:  Matthew 6:24-34, Matthew 7:1-6, Matthew 7:7-11; Theological Perspective; Westminster John Knox Press; 2013

 

Journals: 

“Into—and Out of—the Fiery Furnace: The Role of Religion in the Grassroots Effort to Stop a Tire Burner,” New Life Theological Journal, New Life Biblical Seminary, Kerala, India; Vol. 4, No. 1, January-June 2014

“Preaching and Ecofeminist Theology at the Crossroads:  Homiletic Theory and Praxis in Dialogue with a Lutheran Ecofeminist Christology,” Eco-Lutheranism: Lutheran Perspectives on the Ecology; Bohmbach, Karla, and Hannen, Shauna, eds., Lutheran University Press, Association of Teaching Theologians – ELCA/ELCIC, 2013

“Essentialism within Ecofeminist Theology: A Critical Appraisal,” New Life Theological Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, July-December, 2012, New Life Biblical Seminary, Kerala, India

Book reviews: Published in Currents in Theology and Mission; Homiletic (full list available upon request)

 

Current research project:       

“Preaching in the Purple Zone”:  Challenges and Strategies for the Intersection of Pulpit and Public Square  (Designing a research project, including questionnaire, to gather data to ascertain if, why, and how theologically-trained ordained preachers in mainline Protestant traditions choose to address controversial issues in their sermons.  The project also draws on the concept of conversational preaching and suggests using this approach in tandem with a process known as “deliberative dialogue” in order to enter the Purple Zone within the perceived red-state-blue-state divide.  The goal is to emerge with new insights and healthier relationships not only within the church, but for civic and public discourse in our communities and country.)

 

Teaching interests:      

Homiletics and Worship/Liturgics; Environmental Theology/Ecological Theology/Religion and the Environment; Practical Theology (congregational ministry); Public Speaking; Ethics

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Other teaching experience:   

Faculty instructor for Lilly Endowment-funded summer program Theological Education with Youth (TEY) at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (PA), July 2016

Adjunct Instructor in Religion and Philosophy, Lebanon Valley College (PA); Fall 2014 – Spring 2016

Adjunct Instructor in Religion and Philosophy, Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove, PA), Fall 2015 – Spring 2016

Courses taught: Ethics; Religion, Gender and Ecology; Introduction to Religious Studies; Environmental Ethics

                   

Links: 

Website for Creation-Crisis Preaching:  www.creationcrisispreaching.com

Blog:  www.ecopreacher.blogspot.com (sermons, essays, movie and book reviews and ecotheological reflections); 2012-present; over 100,000 hits as of January 2017; averaging 3000 hits/month in 2016.  

Featured in The Lutheran Magazine, “Restoring Creation with Faith,” Mary Birdsong, April 2015 http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=12519

Featured faith leader in 20-minute short film, Faith Against Fracking:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R716qzQU8g

Lutherans Restoring Creation profile:  http://www.lutheransrestoringcreation.org/about-us/profiles-archive/leah-schade

Climate Stew podcast profile and interview:  http://climatestew.com/portfolio/rev-dr-leah-d-schade-phd/

            http://climatestew.com/podcast/episode-eighteen-whats-faith-got-to-do-with-it/

 

Academic institutional service: 

• Lexington Theological Seminary: Chair of Masters Committee, 2016 – present

• The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia: Environmental Stewardship Committee, 2010-11

 

Professional academic societies:

Academy of Homiletics, 2009 – present                    Society of Biblical Literature, 2009 – present

American Academy of Religion, 2010 – present        Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2011 – present

Parliament of World Religions, 2015 - present

 

Papers presented:

Eighteen papers presented at the above guilds and other conferences. Full list available upon request. Most recent:

“Preaching in the Purple Zone: Challenges and Strategies for the Intersection of Pulpit and Public Square.”  2016 Meeting of the Academy of Homiletics, San Antonio, Tx.

“Climate Change as Unforgivable Sin, Blaspheming the Holy Spirit:  An Ecohermeneutical Reading of Matthew 12:31-32.”  2016 Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Eco-Hermeneutics workgroup), San Antonio, Tx.  

Creation-Crisis Preaching: A Workshop for Engaging Scripture, Ecological Context and Homiletical Creativity – presentation at the Parliament of World Religions, Salt Lake City, UT, October, 2015

 

Honors/Awards:

• Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania Service Award, 2016

• The Mark McCollough Religious Leadership Award, presented by The Central Susquehanna Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 2013

• Krych/LaPella PhD Fellowship for full tuition and housing, LTSP, 2009-2011

 

Pastoral experience:

         July 2011 – July 2016      Pastor, United in Christ Lutheran Church, West Milton, PA (3/4 time, 225-member rural/small town congregation near Lewisburg. Implemented three-year strategic plan, “Strive for Five” for increasing worship attendance, Christian education, service, prayer, stewardship and evangelism. Increased worship attendance by 25%; received 40 new members in five years, initiated leadership training program; initiated and secured grants for new monthly community senior center; expanded youth ministry)

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         June 2009 – May 2011     Bridge Pastor, Spirit and Truth Worship Center, Yeadon, PA (part-time temporary pastor for small African American Lutheran congregation; oversight of mold remediation project; rebuilding of congregational infrastructure)

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         2000-2009           Associate Pastor, Reformation Lutheran Church, Media, PA  (full-time pastor for program-size suburban congregation; preaching; leading worship; education of adults, youth, Confirmation, children; pastoral care; office administration; oversight of Christian Education, Catechetical program, Ecological Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Youth)

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Church affiliations:      Ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 2000 – present

                                    Milton Ministerium, 2011 – 2015; Interfaith women’s clergy group in the Susquehanna Valley, 2011- 2015

                                    African American Lutheran Association in Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, 2010 – 2011 (moved from area in 2011)

                                    Media Ministerium and Women’s clergy subgroup, 2001 – 2009 (moved from area in 2009)

 

Environmental Activism: 

* Community organizer and spokesperson for the Tire Burner Team, a group of community activists and grassroots citizens who successfully defeated a proposed tire incinerator in White Deer Township, Union County, PA; May 2013 – January 2014

Involvement with several different interfaith groups on environmental issues: Prayer vigils, press conferences, government testimonies and protests regarding shale gas drilling (fracking)

* Clean Air Advocacy Conference participant and representative for the National Council of Churches in coalition with the US Climate Action Network; meetings with four congressional representatives in support of the Clean Air Act; Washington, DC, July 18-19, 2011

* Testimony given at the US Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing on Mercury and Air Toxics Rule, May 24, 2011; http://www.ministrylink.org/article/lutheran-testifies-for-mercury-limits/; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9bi_AQEm0E; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82lZMaMyf_0

 

Keynotes, speeches, panels, and other presentations: 

* 2016 Festival of Prophetic Ministry, Wake Forest University School of Divinity (panelist, guest lecture, preaching)

* 2014 Krost Symposium Speaker at Texas Lutheran University, focusing on the theme “Environmental Justice: Texan Responses to Global Crises,” September, 2014. 

Full list available upon request

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Service to the larger Church: 

* Author or co-author of memorials and resolutions for divestment from fossil fuels, calling for moratorium on fracking (all motions passed).

* Bishop-appointed task group on fracking and justice issues, USS, January 2013 – June 2014. 

* Trained workshop leader for Lutherans Restoring Creation, training congregations for starting care-of-creation teams and programs; 2011 – present.

* Teaching at numerous workshops, retreats and educational events: Workshop leader for over twenty different congregational, community, interfaith, and synodical events.  Topics include: leadership, environmental issues, women’s issues, Bible studies, vocational discernment, and adult and youth education.  Full list available upon request 

 

Additional Professional Experience: 

Professional harpist (freelance and orchestral) and private teacher of harp and piano; 1993 – present. Audio Recording:  Shall We Gather – Audio CD, solo harp, 2007 (available on cdbaby.com. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ldschade)