From Space to Sacred Stewardship: Creating a Theology of Property for Ministerial Formation

By Rev. Derrick McQueen, Ph.D., Founder, D-Petros Oikos Facilitation Services

Join Bricks and Mortals as we launch our newly developed curriculum, “Stewardship of Sacred Spaces: A Seminary Curriculum on Faith and Property.” Leading the discussion will be lead author Rev. Derrick W. McQueen, Ph. D., Pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church and past Board Chair at Auburn Theological Seminary.

Bricks and Mortals’ Sustainable Solutions for Sacred Sites program led to the creation of a seminary course exploring the theology of hospitality, property, and sustainability. The course invites future leaders to connect theology with the real decisions they will face in ministry.

This convening will bring together seminary and denominational leaders for a discussion and to provide feedback on this newly developed curriculum on property and community — which we hope can be adapted for use at your seminary!

You can find the full curriculum here, which includes versions for Doctor of Ministry, Continuing Education, and Graduate. You can find the full curriculum here, which includes versions for Doctor of Ministry, Continuing Education, and Graduate.

Please RSVP here to join us virtually for this exciting discussion on Tuesday, April 28th from 9:30am-11:30am. 

One of the most urgent and least explored questions in theological education today is this: What does it mean to hold sacred space faithfully in a changing world? Our congregations stand amid shifting demographics, rising costs, and evolving community needs. Yet each sanctuary, parish house, and churchyard remains a sign of God’s covenantal invitation to dwell, to welcome, and to serve. The challenge is not simply architectural or financial—it is profoundly theological.

When Bricks and Mortals invited me to help design a seminary course on sacred space, I received the challenge with deep gratitude. Their courage to ask how faith communities might sustain their buildings while remaining true to their spiritual call inspired the project from the beginning. What began as an invitation quickly grew into a deep exploration of how sacred property can serve as both theological witness and practical ministry resource.

The course now explores the theology of hospitality, property, and sustainability as lived expressions of divine stewardship—inviting seminarians to integrate theological reflection with the realities of ministry leadership. It draws from multifaith voices—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Indigenous traditions—each offering insight into what it means to receive land as both gift and responsibility.

From the Hebrew Scriptures’ vision of Jubilee to the Qur’anic call to balance human use with divine trust, from Indigenous reverence for land as ancestor to the Christian confession of the Word made flesh who “dwelt among us,” students discover that sacred space is not owned—it is held in covenant.

Seminarians will be asked to engage in discernment as a spiritual practice, reflecting on how their ministries might embody hospitality and justice through faithful property decisions. As part of the development process, I gathered feedback from more than fifty peer reviewers—pastors, theologians, architects, developers, and community leaders. Their collective insights shaped three expressions of this work: a foundational seminary syllabus, a Doctor of Ministry concentration for advanced study, and a continuing education course for working pastors seeking renewal in stewardship.

What began as a syllabus continues to evolve into a theology of practice—a living conversation about how the Church inhabits its spaces as signs of God’s liberating presence. This ongoing work seeks to serve any seminary training future religious leaders in New York City and across the country, forming ministers who understand that sacred space, when faithfully stewarded, becomes a visible act of worship and witness.

Rev. Dr. Derrick McQueen, Ph.D., is Pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church in Harlem, NYC, and founder of D-Petros Oikos Facilitation Services. He teaches and consults nationally on the intersections of faith, stewardship, justice, and sacred space, helping congregations discern how theology can inform practical decisions about property, mission, and community engagement, and congregational ministry.