Readings

June 19: [Adelaide Teague Case, Educator, 1948]

The Collect of the Day

Adelaide Teague Case

Almighty and everlasting God, who raises up educators and teachers of the faith in every generation of your church: Grant that following the example of your servant Adelaide Teague Case, we might be bold to proclaim the reconciling power of Christ’s love in our own generation. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Adelaide Teague Case

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost raise up educators and teachers of the faith in every generation of thy church: Grant that following the example of thy servant Adelaide Teague Case, we might be bold to proclaim the reconciling power of Christ’s love in our own generation. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Adelaide Teague Case was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 10th, 1887, but her family soon moved to New York City. She received her undergraduate education at Bryn Mawr College and her graduate degrees from Columbia University. By the time she had completed her doctorate, a position had been created for her on the faculty of the Teachers’ College at Columbia, where she rose to the status of full professor and head of the department of religious education. She is remembered for advocating a child-centered rather than teacher-centered approach to education.

In 1941, when her professional accomplishments were at their height, the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusettswas able to convince her to leave her distinguished and comfortable position at Columbia, and she was appointed Professor of Christian Education. Although other women had taught occasional courses in the seminaries of the church, Case was the first to take her place as a full-time faculty member at the rank of Professor.

Case identified with the liberal Catholic tradition in Anglicanism. This is reflected in her first book, Liberal Christianity and Religious Education, in which she emphasized teaching children to engagein reasonable inquiry into their faith. Case was also active in the Religious Education Association, the Episcopal Pacifist Fellowship, and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Episcopal Church. From 1946 to 1948, she served on the National Council of the Episcopal Church. Case was a proponent of women’s ordination and a frequent preacher in the chapel at ETS. She continued to teach at ETS until her death on June 19th, 1948 in Boston.

Students and faculty colleagues remember her contagious faith in Christ, her deep sense of humanity, and her seemingly boundless compassion. Although she carried herself with style and grace, Case had struggled with health problems her entire life, but those who knew her testify to the fact that in spite of those challenges she was spirited, energetic, and fully devoted to her work. It was often said of her that she was a true believer in Christ, and that one saw Christ living in and through her.

Case believed that the point of practicing the Christian faith wasto make a difference in the world. As an advocate for peace, she believed that Christianity had a special vocation to call people into transformed, reconciled relationships for the sake of the wholeness of the human family. She is said to have discovered these things not in theology or educational theory, but in a life of common prayer and faithful eucharistic practice.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

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Psalm

33Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, *and I shall keep it to the end.

34Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; *I shall keep it with all my heart.

35Make me go in the path of your commandments, *for that is my desire.

36Incline my heart to your decrees *and not to unjust gain.

37Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *give me life in your ways.

38Fulfill your promise to your servant, *which you make to those who fear you.

39Turn away the reproach which I dread, *because your judgments are good.

40Behold, I long for your commandments; *in your righteousness preserve my life.

Gospel

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Hebrews 5:11–6:1

11 About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; 13 for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. 1 Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,

Mark 4:21–25

21 He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”