Mission

Led by our Board of Trustees that represent our ten member schools, the BTI Consortium provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to foster interreligious cooperation. Since its founding in 1968, the BTI Consortium has become the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of theological schools and seminaries throughout the greater Boston area together with some of the world's most prestigious educational institutions.

Throughout its history and all its ongoing work, the BTI Consortium prioritizes the cultivation of a spirit of deep collaboration. By fostering authentic relationships we can bring into being what Rabbi Jonathan Sacks calls "the dignity of difference" in our diverse world. We hope to offer all our members opportunities to realize their role as responsible actors in local and global contexts, to form the next generation of visionary leaders, and create community for positive change exploring the role of religion in our pluralistic world.

To download the BTI Consortium Promotional Flyer, click here.

Our current member schools are:

Celebrating 55 years of the BTI Consortium

In 2024, the BTI Consortium celebrated its 55th Anniversary with a program at Boston University's Marsh Chapel featuring Julian Davis Reid's "Notes of Rest." You can watch the full program here:

We seek to achieve our goals by facilitating institutional collaboration, fostering a rich intellectual community, and honoring spiritual differences across religions and cultural backgrounds.

If you or your institution are interested in membership, or have any questions, please reach out to btioffice@bostontheological.org.

BTI Board and Executive Director at their Annual Retreat (October 2022)

BTI Consortium Staff

Stephanie C. Edwards, MSW, PhD
Executive Director

Stephanie (she/her) originally hails from near Portland, Oregon and now makes her home near Portland, Maine. After undergraduate studies at Santa Clara University (2007), Stephanie spent a formative year as a Jesuit Volunteer in post-Katrina New Orleans. She holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from Boston College (2019), where her interdisciplinary research focused on the ties between Christian theology and trauma. Her research can be found in the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics and Political Theology, and her upcoming book with Orbis Press (December 2024) titled Enfleshed Counter-Memory: A Christian Social Ethic of Trauma. Stephanie's interest in such work has its roots in her "other" career as a social worker (MTS/MSW, Boston University 2011), wherein she has practiced diverse service delivery, grant writing, and non-profit management for over a decade. She lives in Biddeford, Maine, with her husband, Pete, and rescue dog, EmmyLou, where you can most often find her in nature: canoe camping in summer, leaf-peeping in fall, and bombing down the slopes in winter.

email | edwards@bostontheological.org

Amy Jeong
Graduate Assistant

Amy (she/her) was born and raised in Korea until she and her family moved to the U.S. when she was 10. She grew up in Massachusetts the majority of her life and graduated with a BS in Psychology from Northeastern University. Throughout her college education, she dedicated her time to serve Korean American youth in the New England area and continues to serve the youth at her church today. Amy is a graduate student pursuing an MDiv at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. She is passionate about creating space for building community and connections among people from all different backgrounds. Outside of her studies, she enjoys pouring well-crafted cups of coffee as a local barista, breaking bread with friends, painting acrylic and gouache, and walking around the city and discovering different spots to capture on camera.

email | btinews@bostontheological.org

Jhozef Sheldia
Contextual Ministry Student

Jhozef (he/him) was born in Rome, Italy and grew up between Italy, Albania, and the UK. Having received a B.A in Philosophy and Jewish Studies from Dartmouth College, he is now pursuing a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School. Jhozef is interested in inter-religious dialogue, specifically ensuring that dialogue goes beyond building institutional relationships but also confronts the often-uncomfortable theological disagreements which make dialogue difficult and necessary. Additionally, he is interested in studying how secularism shapes the field of Religious Studies and how it is often perceived as a "neutral ground" on which different religions can meet to dialogue.

email | btistudentconference617@gmail.com

Jess Navarette and Noa Baron
Interreligious Leadership Coordinators

Noa and Jess will coordinate our interreligious events and student certificate gatherings for AY24-25.

Noa Baron (they/them) is a rabbinical student at Hebrew College. They spent the last few years working as the Social Justice Organizer at the Workers Circle, a Jewish organization that focuses on voting rights and democracy reform. In 2021 Noa was named one of Jewish Week's "36 Under 36 Leaders to Watch" in honor of their progressive organizing. They hold a B.A. in Hebrew and Judaic studies from New York University, with minors in Public Policy and Multi-faith and Spiritual Leadership. During their time at NYU, they also served on the Multifaith Advisory Council, a selective council of student leaders from different religious traditions. They live in Allston with their partner, Silas, who will soon be ordained as an Episcopal priest. In Noa’s free time, they love making art, playing board games, and watching cheesy rom-coms.

Jess Navarette (he/him) is a native of Los Angeles, where he served as a longtime educator, performing musician, community organizer and multi-religious scholar. Jess received his MA in Comparative Religion from Claremont School of Theology, focusing on Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Currently, Jess is a PhD student at Boston College, focused on Comparative Theology between the Hindu and Christian traditions. Jess is passionate about interfaith music and gatherings, interreligious dialogue, and issues of multi-religious belonging.

Mosaic Interfaith Youth Action Interns - for more on Mosaic, visit their website at mosaicaction.org
BTI-funded Graduate Student Positions - Pilot 2024-2025

Carter Brannon (they/them) is an intern with Mosaic: Interfaith Youth Action for the 2024-2025 school year and a Master of Theological Studies student at Boston College's Clough School of Theology and Ministry. They graduated cum laude from Saint Anselm College with an Honors Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, minoring in Philosophy, Theology, and Medieval Studies. Carter brings a wealth of experience in community service, having worked as a Franciscan Volunteer Minister at St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, where they coordinated and served alongside volunteers and supported social justice initiatives. They are passionate about fostering interfaith understanding and youth engagement, and have a background in research, writing, and organizing community events. Carter is excited to contribute to Mosaic's mission of empowering young people to create positive change.

Cynthia N. Perry (She/Her) is an aspiring womanist theologian who calls Washington, D.C. home, where she previously worked in health and fitness. She earned her Master's of Divinity degree with a Religion and Conflict Transformation certificate from Boston University School of Theology in 2023. She works full-time for a faith-based nonprofit in Boston, working toward racial and economic social justice. She has previously worked with high school and college students in different capacities and enjoys being a mentor to future generations of social change agents.