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Center for Swedenborgian Studies
2024-2025 Nunc Licet Fellows

The Nunc Licet Fellowship is a merit-based program intended to relieve the financial burden of tuition expenses for promising individuals who wish to serve the ministries of the Swedenborgian Church of North America.

The Latin phrase “Nunc Licet” is taken from a vision Swedenborg had of a temple with the words written over the doorway. In English, they translate to “Now it is permitted.” Swedenborg explains: “now it is permitted to enter with understanding into the mysteries of faith.” True Christianity 508.

Tirah Keal

My name is Tirah Keal, and I grew up in the General Church of the New Jerusalem as a pastor’s kid. I always felt called to ministry, but it took until I was 42 to decide it was time to let go of the hope to change the structure of the GCNJ to allow women and me to become pastors. I began attending church in Wilmington Delaware at The Church of the Holy City, in the fall of 2022 if my memory serves me correctly, and just prayed for guidance for how to make a path to ministry. Rev Shada forwarded me the email about the Nunc Licet Fellowship, and I cried at the answer to my prayer. Now I’m in my second year of Seminary at United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, and I could not have taken this step without the Fellowship to open the door. I feel so blessed by this fellowship and cannot express enough how much it means to me.

Paul Deming

Paul’s calling to become active in the church began in 1993 when he offered to provide music resources for the local Swedenborgian church in Creve Coeur (St Louis), Missouri. After the departure of two ordained ministers (Dave Rienstra and Kit Billings), Paul decided to become more active. In 2016, after completing the certification required for the Licensed Pastor Program, Paul was installed as Pastor of the Garden Chapel / Church of the Open Word. He is retired from teaching Elementary School music. In his spare time Paul writes music, gives guitar lessons, and practices Karate. Paul is married and has two grown sons with families of their own.

Michael Goos

I am so honored and humbled to receive the Nunc Licet scholarship. Through this acceptance I felt the trust and support of the Swedenborgian community, which encouraged me to deepen my theological explorations and develop a greater passion for ministry. Furthermore, it has freed me from the financial anxiety that proves to be an obstacle to so many aspiring ministers. I feel deeply blessed to be able to receive this gift, and I am so glad that several of my fellow students are able to as well. I hope that the Nunc Licet scholarship will continue into the future and be available for generations of ministers to come. Thank you!

Cortland Bell

I am a 55-year-old Black male living in Benton Hall at the Pacific School of Religion campus in Berkely. I am enrolled as a student in the Masters of Social Transformation program at PSR. I am currently employed as a social worker for the city of San Francisco providing the funding for in home care for the elderly and disabled. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I am the father of two sons, and grandfather of six. I am very grateful for the Nunc Licet Fellowship, The Center for Swedenborgian Studies, and The Swedenborgian Church of North America for the motivation, opportunity, and means to pursue the path of reformation and regeneration, by means of ordination which will ultimately provide truth that leads to good.

Ben Gunter

I am in the second year of seminary splitting my time between San Francisco Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union. Originally from Pennsylvania, I pursued an academic career in psychology at Columbia University and UCLA before leaving to start a business career in retail bookstores in the South Bay of Los Angeles, where I serendipitously found the works of Swedenborg and became an active lay leader at Wayfarers Chapel and friend of the Garden Church. My academic and vocational interests are in Hebrew Bible interpretation, chaplaincy, ecotheology, and the psychospiritual aspects of liturgy. I am proud to be able to pursue ordination with the Swedenborgian Church of North America and the Center for Swedenborgian Studies by the generous support of the Nunc Licet Fellowship.

Rebecca K. Esterson, Ph.D.

Rebecca K. Esterson, Ph.D.
Dean, Center for Swedenborgian Studies
Associate Professor of Sacred Texts and Traditions
Dorothea Harvey Professor of Swedenborgian Studies