Category Archives: Wise Words

Articles from the Cherry Hill Seminary faculty

Courage for this Time

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Holli Emore Executive Director

By now nearly all of us will know, or know of, someone who has lost their job because of policies and directives coming out of Washington, DC. To paraphrase the old meme, if you are not disturbed, you are not paying attention.

Our patron ancestor, Hypatia of Alexandria, lived in similarly chaotic times, through political and religious turmoil, and ultimately her own grisly murder at the hands of a mob. Up to that time, she was one of the most highly respected teacher/philosophers of the ancient world. At Cherry Hill Seminary, we have always looked to her for inspiration to forge ahead, always promote learning, engage in free (and respectful) speech, and enjoy the journey of curiosity.

Our professors teach for us not because they can earn a living here, but because they share these values. Many, if not most, of them have a “day job” at some kind of higher education institution. This week the American Association of University Professors urged education leaders to remember our fundamental duty to protect academic freedom without constraint of political pressure. I and others of us are members of this brave coalition and are watching with interest the lawsuit they just filed (American Association of University Professors et al v. Trump et al) to oppose the defunding of the University of California.

Here at CHS we endeavor to teach and practice active listening, appreciation of diverse ideas and viewpoints, and nonviolent ways of speaking. This is not censorship, nor is it dumping out the contents of Pandora’s box and waiting to see what will emerge. It’s probably safe to say that CHS will not host an extremist influencer to address our virtual campus. But if we did, I am confident that the influencer would find us unwilling to be used as kindling for a conflagration.

If you are frightened – so am I. Courage at a time like this may consist in continuing to show up, persisting in our vocations, and nurturing our relationships. And some of us will go shout, chant and wave signs at rallies. With my privilege of white skin and birthright citizenship, I am not yet afraid of being arrested at a rally. But I’ve reached out to the several black and Hispanic neighbors here adjacent to my house to let them know my husband and I will be there in a heartbeat if they have a need. When that time comes I doubt I’ll have time to think about courage, I’ll just do what I need to do.

My words here don’t offer solutions. But I hope we can take comfort in the community we have built. It is a precious commodity that can give us courage when the noise gets closer. — Holli S. Emore, MDiv, Executive Director

A Threshold of Change

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Holli S. Emore, MDiv, Executive Director

Now, more than ever before, Paganism and the many forms of earth-centered spirituality have become the threshold over which increasing numbers step, seeking what is both within and without, both healing and celebration, profane and divine.

Some see the growth of Paganism as hope for the earth, itself.  Many look to the eclectic and diverse nature of Paganism as a positive model for the burgeoning globalization of society.

Whatever we seek as spiritual sojourners, we are all still human — we need solace during life’s painful transitions, community support when we answer the call to effect social change, assistance with crisis, companionship as we pursue the path of transformation.  And we are the most curious of creatures on the planet, ever and always wanting to know more, understand better, see further.

March 2025 marks the 18th anniversary of Cherry Hill Seminary as a public nonprofit educational institution (and nearly twenty years since our founding as a private teaching effort).   It has been my honor to serve as director since January 2008.  Like a garden, we have flourished in the fertile soil found among those who hunger for knowledge. Like most gardens, it is all that we can do to keep up with the rich and abundant harvest, as well as the weeds.

If we thought that recent years have been tough, 2025 seems to be getting tougher. But we have a community and resources here at CHS that you can trust to support each other, to keep improving each year, and to validate your sacred journey. Whatever jobs, freedoms, services or benefits may look shaky this year, your education can never be taken away from you. Learning at CHS is an investment that pays dividends the rest of your life.

Hypatia of Alexandria set an example for us of how to hold education as a linchpin to a healthy society. We honor her each year on International Hypatia Day, March 15, remembering how this remarkable person stood tall in front of all the authorities, insisting that education be tempered with wisdom and compassion.

You are invited to be part of this dynamic learning community, as a student, as a volunteer, as a member of Votaries Alumni Circle, or in a way we’ve not yet thought of.  In your own way, be part of Cherry Hill Seminary as we step across our own threshold of change.

Yours in changing times,
Holli S. Emore, M.Div.
Executive Director

Wishes for the Winter Solstice

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Social media recently surprised me with old photos of me in front of kindergartners at a local school, telling them about the winter solstice.

If you love to tell stories, as I do, you gotta love how transfixed five year olds are when you move into a bit of a singsong chant about how it gets dark when we go to sleep, and the sun goes to sleep too, every night, and then in the morning we wake up (happy hands shoot up here), just like the sun does every morning. In the winter, the sun needs more rest, so it rests in the dark for longer and longer nights.

And then comes the solstice!

Hooray, the sun is waking up and lighting the sky with longer days. Then we remember lots of stories that people have told for hundreds and hundreds of years, like the Oak King and the Holly King, and St. Nicholas’ visit, and other such. Turns out that this school has some kind of educational relationship with NASA (the U.S. National Aeronautic and Space Administration), so these children were all excited to talk to me about planets, the sun, the moon and their movement through the sky. One child raised his hand to ask in a mysterious voice, “But who made the sun?” Another little boy quickly replied, “No one!” Returning to the first child’s question, I replied, also in a mysterious voice, “Who can know these things? It is a Mystery.”

The Winter Solstice is a special time in our house for non-religious reasons, as well as the obvious Pagan traditions.

Both my husband and myself have birthdays the same week, and just the other day we celebrated our wedding anniversary. A bit of Christmas gathering with loved ones makes the season bright for us, even though there is more darkness outside. Like the seasons, however, it took many years for us to find our balance amidst the holiday expectations of others, especially when combined with our own less than happy family holiday pasts.

Looking back, I realize that we needed to rest ourselves in the long cycles of the cosmos, allowing the dark to absorb pain and nurture new roots. If you struggle with the season, as so many do and I have done, watch the skies as a model of patience, endurance and hope.

And if this is for you the “most wonderful time of the year,” I wish you many happy returns of this mysterious turn of the wheel.

Holli S. Emore, M.Div
Executive Director

Parting Words: Candace Kant, Ph.D.

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From Our Outgoing Academic Dean:

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Board Leadership,

I have genuinely enjoyed serving as Academic Dean for the past three years and have been honored to be able to work with the dedicated, committed, talented, and enthusiastic students, faculty, and administration of Cherry Hill Seminary.

In my three years as Academic Dean we have reviewed our curriculum and our degrees and have continued to prepare for eventual accreditation. We have provided both graduate and Insights courses that are needed by our community. I am very proud of what has been accomplished, the growth we have had and are having, and the progress we have made.

I have been Academic Dean since July 2018. Before becoming Academic Dean, I served as Dean of Students for Cherry Hill Seminary from 2012 to 2018, giving me a total of nine years serving the school.

As I progress through my “golden years,” I feel that at this time in my life I should step aside in favor of leadership that is more attuned to the changing nature of our community, the educational environment, and our world.

I remain committed to the mission and goals of Cherry Hill Seminary. I will be available to assist with a smooth transition and to be of any help that I can to whomever assumes the position of Academic Dean in the future

I anticipate remaining affiliated with Cherry Hill Seminary other ways, depending upon the needs of the school.

Sincerely,
Candace C. Kant, Ph.D.