“We were children when we got married,” said John Stoneburner, Professor of Religious Studies. “We grew up together.” John and Carol (Coordinator of Women’s Studies) Stoneburner do almost everything together. They have been professors at Guilford for 45 years. They often finish each other’s sentences. This weekend, April 7-8, a celebration will be held in the Stoneburners’ honor to celebrate their joined careers and John’s retirement.

“We see this as an opportunity for our alumni to honor them both, and also to reconnect with each other, (current) students, and the college,” said Karrie Opaleski, Assistant Director for Alumni Relations.

“This celebration is exactly the kind of thing we want to be doing here at Guilford,” said alumnus Blaine M. Lukkar. “(We are) bringing alumni who love this place back into contact with one another and introducing them to ways they can stay connected to Guilford and build strong relationships with students.” Lukkar is the Interdisciplinary Leadership for Social Change (ILSC) Coordinator and helped put the celebration together.

Carol earned her Baccalaureate of Arts in Religious Studies from Drew University, and has been a Guilford faculty member since 1970. In 1974, she became the Coordinator of Women’s Studies. “Carol basically founded ILSC,” Opaleski said.

E.F. Craven Professor of Religious Studies John Stoneburner has been a Guilford professor since 1968. He is a scholar of American religious history. He holds a Doctorate of Theology from Drew University and bachelor’s degrees from Earlham College and Drew Theological School.

“John Stoneburner is a very caring colleague who treats you like family,” said Shelini Harris, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies. “Over the years, he and Carol have been like family to so many students.”

Though hired separately at Guilford, the Stoneburners quickly found that teaching in tandem held many benefits for their students. The administration encouraged the Stoneburners’ co-teaching techniques.

“There were so many students from divorced families, they thought it would be good for (the students) to see a couple working together in a constructive way,” John said. “It’s been a great treat for us to be able to teach together.”

Some of their most popular classes have been “Feminist Theology,” “Contemporary Images of Self,” and “Women, Body and Voice,” which they co-taught for 12 years. Carol and John see their co-teaching as essential to the student’s overall understanding of feminist theology.

“‘Women, Body, and Voice’ studied misogynistic tradition throughout western culture,” Carol said. “I would have found the course really difficult – to teach thatmuch critique of the male-dominated system without John being there, it would have felt just like male bashing.”

“A lot of early feminist courses were really anti-male,” John said.

“It’s so great to have that many perspectives on such a complex, deep issue,” said senior Tremain Hatch, who experienced the Stoneburners’ co-teaching in “Feminist Theology.”

“Feminist theology sort of sounds tame,” John said, “but it is pretty radical, and we don’t look radical. In lots of ways we’re not.”

“They gave me incredible gifts that continue to impact the way I live my life,” said alumna Judy Harvey, Director of ILSC. “John’s courses on contemporary religious issues helped me see that my spiritual life didn’t have to be just like my father’s. Carol

has been a very important role model for me. She helped me examine my assumptions about women. I saw through her example that women could be thinkers and that being a feisty woman was not a bad thing.”

The celebration this weekend will focus on the many gifts the Stoneburners have given Guilford.

“Gift-giving is the best way I have to describe the process of teaching and learning at Guilford,” John said to The Guilfordian in March 2005. “Gifts multiply in some unexplainable manner. An old foggy word of advice: Thank (those who have helped you) for their gifts to you. Thank them for their help on your journey.”

On May 6, 2006, John Stoneburner will honor Guilford with another gift. John is to be the invited speaker at the college’s 169th Commencement.