Editing General Theological Seminary (section)

==== 2014 unionization ====
In September 2014, eight of the seminary's ten full-time faculty announced their intention to unionize<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/seminaries/a_gts_trustee_reflects_on_the.html |title=A GTS Trustee reflects on the crisis at the Seminary |last1=Gerns |first1=Andrew |date=September 29, 2014 |website=EpiscopalCafe.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005220001/http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/seminaries/a_gts_trustee_reflects_on_the.html |archive-date=2014-10-05 |access-date=2005-10-05 }}</ref> and their intention to absent themselves from teaching and worship, alleging harassment and bullying behavior from Dean Kurt Dunkle.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/nyregion/labor-dispute-leaves-professors-jobless.html |title=Seeking Dean's Firing, Seminary Professors End Up Jobless |last1=Otterman |first1=Sharon |date=October 1, 2014 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2005-10-05 }}</ref> In a letter to the Board of Trustees on September 17, the eight faculty alleged that Dunkle had repeatedly made racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks; made unprofessional comments about faculty members: compromised the confidentiality of student records; and responded to staff who complained of his behavior by threatening their jobs. 

The protesting faculty warned that unless the Board agreed to meet to discuss the allegations, the eight would be obliged to absent themselves from teaching, meetings, and worship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/seminaries/gts_faculty_respond_with_websi.html |title=Striking GTS faculty launch website concerning their actions |last1=Fontaine |first1=Ann |date=October 5, 2014 |website=EpiscopalCafe.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005221523/http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/seminaries/gts_faculty_respond_with_websi.html |archive-date=2014-10-05 |access-date=2005-10-05 }}</ref> In response, the Board of Trustees of the seminary treated the letter as a mass resignation, which it accepted on September 29.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/seminaries/general_seminary_trustees_rele.html |title=General Seminary trustees release first statement on conflict |last1=Fontaine |first1=Ann |date=September 30, 2014 |website=EpiscopalCafe.com |access-date=2005-10-05 }}</ref> The faculty contested this characterization, noting that no resignations were tendered, and published the details of their grievances online, including the original September 17 letter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.religionnews.com/2014/09/30/tensions-flare-between-the-episcopal-churchs-oldest-seminary-leadership-and-faculty/ |title=Tensions at Episcopal Church's oldest seminary reflect larger crisis in future of theology schools |last1=Bailey |first1=Sarah |date= September 30, 2014 |website=EpiscopalCafe.com  |publisher=Religion News Service |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005223349/http://www.religionnews.com/2014/09/30/tensions-flare-between-the-episcopal-churchs-oldest-seminary-leadership-and-faculty/ |archive-date=2014-10-05 |access-date=2005-10-05 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.safeseminary.org/how-we-got-here.html |title=How We Got Here |author=Professors Davis, DeChamplain, Good, Hurd, Irving, Kadel, Lamborn, and Malloy |website=SafeSeminary.org |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141005224046/http://www.safeseminary.org/how-we-got-here.html |archive-date=2014-10-05 |access-date=2005-10-05}}</ref>

Citing the controversy roiling the seminary, a previously arranged series of lectures by [[Stanley Hauerwas]] were canceled when he declined to attend. Around the same time an online petition was established supporting the faculty, with hundreds of co-signers including theologians from all over the country who pledged not to speak at GTS until the terminated faculty were reinstated.<ref name=Hauerwas-declines>{{cite web |url=http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/08/stanley-hauerwas-drops-general-theological-seminary-lecture-series-controversy/ |title=Stanley Hauerwas drops out of General Theological Seminary lecture series after controversy |last1=Bailey |first1=Pulliam |date=October 8, 2014 |website=Religion News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011094543/http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/08/stanley-hauerwas-drops-general-theological-seminary-lecture-series-controversy/ |archive-date=2014-10-11 |access-date=2014-10-11 |quote=Theologian Stanley Hauerwas has declined a series of lectures he was scheduled to give at New York's General Theological Seminary in November in the wake of the crisis roiling the school. ... Some 900 scholars from across the country have signed a letter of support for the eight faculty, saying they will not lecture or speak at the seminary. Noteworthy scholars who signed the letter include James H. Cone of Union Theological Seminary, Gary Dorrien of Union Theological Seminary and Francis Schüssler Fiorenza of Harvard Divinity School.}}</ref>