Karin Heller
(2003-present)
Associate Professor of Theology

A year is over, and the time has come again for us to give you some news. This has been my "senior" year, and I am now tenured. So, here I am, glad to be fixed at Whitworth. This event gives me the opportunity to reflect on my first four years at Whitworth. My highlight so far is certainly how faculty, staff and students connect with me. While I was travelling in France with Whitworth students during Jan Term, my surprise was great to discover that the senior class had designated me "Most Influential Female Professor 2006-07." I'd never have dreamed of receiving such an honor.

What I've found most challenging during these four years was to learn how I as a Catholic would fit into a Reformed Church context. How could I live out my Catholic faith without losing my identity? How would I live out my faith in a way that would help faculty, staff and students to discover Catholicism in a positive manner? This challenge led me to dive deeper into the mystery of the Church. Since I ponder theological issues, I know that the Church is beyond what daily church life reflects. However, the Church is also made up of concrete people called by the Father to be one in Christ.

My call to Whitworth and my life here have taught me that there is a real hope for Christians to live in the unity of the Father and the Son that Christ prayed for on his last evening on Earth. This unity depends on God's gracious gift, the Spirit of life and love, but it also depends on our readiness to commit to personal and communal transformation, to willingness to forgive, and to receiving God's very challenging gifts.