Yale Divinity School
Encyclopedia
Yale Divinity School is a professional school at Yale University
, in New Haven, Connecticut
, U.S.
preparing students for ordained or lay ministry, or for the academy. The nonsectarian school's mission is “To foster the knowledge and love of God
through critical engagement with the traditions of the Christian
churches in the context of the contemporary world.” The school grants the Master of Divinity
(M.DIV.), Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.), and Master of Sacred Theology
(S.T.M.) degrees. Both the M.Div. and the S.T.M. - being terminal degrees - earn the graduate the right to wear the Yale blue doctoral gown.
The Berkeley Divinity School
affiliated with Yale Divinity School in 1971. While Berkeley retains its Episcopal Church connection, its students are admitted by and fully enrolled as members of Yale Divinity School. The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University
, a division of the divinity school, maintains a large collection of primary source materials about Jonathan Edwards, a 1720 Yale alumnus.
Recent years have seen the Divinity School develop a specialty in various aspects of narrative theology
, or postliberalism. Many if not most leaders of this movement are YDS graduates.
style campus, The Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, designed by Delano & Aldrich, was built in 1932, modeled, in part, on the University of Virginia
. It was named after Yale Law alumnus and benefactor John William Sterling
, name partner at the New York law firm Shearman & Sterling
. The school formerly occupied East and West Divinity Hall (1870–1931) designed by Richard Morris Hunt
. Since razed, this site is now occupied by Calhoun College
.
. The initiative hosts philosophical debates via e-mail.
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, in New Haven, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
preparing students for ordained or lay ministry, or for the academy. The nonsectarian school's mission is “To foster the knowledge and love of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
through critical engagement with the traditions of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches in the context of the contemporary world.” The school grants the Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
(M.DIV.), Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.), and Master of Sacred Theology
Master of Sacred Theology
The Master of Sacred Theology is a second-level graduate degree for those who wish to pursue a year of more advanced coursework focusing on a particular discipline....
(S.T.M.) degrees. Both the M.Div. and the S.T.M. - being terminal degrees - earn the graduate the right to wear the Yale blue doctoral gown.
History
The main mission of Yale College at its founding in 1701 was religious training, serving the Congregationalist churches of Connecticut. In its charter, it was designed as a school "wherein Youth may be instructed in the Arts & Sciences who through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Publick employment both in Church & Civil State." A professorship of divinity was established in 1746 and in 1822, a separate department developed, later known as the Yale Divinity School.The Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School, founded in 1854, is an official seminary of the Episcopal Church, based in New Haven, Connecticut. The seminary was originally founded as a middle-way between the Anglo-Catholic leaning General Theological Seminary in New York, and the Evangelical-leaning Virginia...
affiliated with Yale Divinity School in 1971. While Berkeley retains its Episcopal Church connection, its students are admitted by and fully enrolled as members of Yale Divinity School. The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University
The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University
The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University is a department of the Yale University Divinity School that is responsible for publishing and providing scholarly information about the works of Jonathan Edwards , a 1720 Yale graduate, Christian theologian, and philosopher who played a significant...
, a division of the divinity school, maintains a large collection of primary source materials about Jonathan Edwards, a 1720 Yale alumnus.
Recent years have seen the Divinity School develop a specialty in various aspects of narrative theology
Narrative theology
Postliberal theology began as a late 20th-century development in Christian Theology. It proposes that the Church's use of the Bible should focus on a narrative presentation of the faith as regulative for the development of a coherent systematic theology...
, or postliberalism. Many if not most leaders of this movement are YDS graduates.
Campus
The GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style campus, The Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, designed by Delano & Aldrich, was built in 1932, modeled, in part, on the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. It was named after Yale Law alumnus and benefactor John William Sterling
John William Sterling
John William Sterling was a corporate attorney and major benefactor to Yale University.-Biography:John William Sterling was born in Stratford, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1864 and was a member of Skull and Bones. He was admitted to the bar three years later. He...
, name partner at the New York law firm Shearman & Sterling
Shearman & Sterling
Shearman & Sterling LLP is a law firm headquartered in New York City with 20 offices located in major financial centers around the world founded in 1873. It is well known for both its litigation and transactional capabilities, especially in International Arbitration, Capital Markets, Finance, and...
. The school formerly occupied East and West Divinity Hall (1870–1931) designed by Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...
. Since razed, this site is now occupied by Calhoun College
Calhoun College
Calhoun College is a residential college of Yale University.-Early history:In 1641, John Brockston established a farm on the plot of land that is now Calhoun College...
.
Notable alumni
- Diogenes AllenDiogenes AllenThe Diogenes Allen is Professor Emeritus and former Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is ordained by the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and currently serves as Priest Associate at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Princeton, New Jersey...
- Lyman BeecherLyman BeecherLyman Beecher was a Presbyterian minister, American Temperance Society co-founder and leader, and the father of 13 children, many of whom were noted leaders, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella Beecher Hooker, Catharine Beecher, and Thomas...
- Gregory A. BoydGregory A. BoydGregory A. "Greg" Boyd is an evangelical pastor, Christian theologian and author. He is Senior Pastor of the Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States and is President of Christus Victor Ministries.-Biography:...
- Frederick BuechnerFrederick BuechnerFrederick Buechner is an American writer and theologian. Born July 11, 1926 in New York City, he is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the author of more than thirty published books thus far. His work encompasses different genres, including fiction, autobiography, essays and sermons, and his...
- Will D. CampbellWill D. CampbellWill Davis Campbell is a Baptist minister, activist, author, and lecturer. Throughout his life, he has been a notable white supporter of civil rights in the Southern United States...
- William Ragsdale CannonWilliam Ragsdale CannonWilliam Ragsdale Cannon was an American Bishop of the United Methodist Church, elected in 1968.-Birth and Family:...
(Bachelor of DivinityBachelor of DivinityIn Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
, 1940; Ph.D.Ph.D.A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, 1942), ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and DeanDean (education)In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
, Candler School of TheologyCandler School of TheologyCandler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
, Emory UniversityEmory UniversityEmory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
; BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the United Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
- Donald Eric CappsDonald Eric CappsDonald Eric Capps is an American theologian and former William Harte Felmeth Professor of Pastoral Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary.-Biography:...
, (B.D.Bachelor of DivinityIn Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
, 1963; S.T.M.Master of Sacred TheologyThe Master of Sacred Theology is a second-level graduate degree for those who wish to pursue a year of more advanced coursework focusing on a particular discipline....
, 1965), scholar of Pastoral Theology - Roy Clyde ClarkRoy Clyde ClarkRoy Clyde Clark is a retired American Bishop of the United Methodist Church, elected in 1980.-Biography/Family:...
, a BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the United Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley... - William Sloane CoffinWilliam Sloane CoffinWilliam Sloane Coffin, Jr. was an American liberal Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. He was ordained in the Presbyterian church and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ....
- Christopher Coons, US Senator from Delaware
- John DanforthJohn DanforthJohn Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
- Walter Fauntroy, Founding Member - Congressional Black CaucusCongressional Black CaucusThe Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
- David F. FordDavid F. FordDavid Frank Ford is an academic and public theologian. He has been the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge since 1991...
, Regius Professor of DivinityRegius Professor of DivinityThe Regius Professorship of Divinity is one of the oldest and most prestigious of the professorships at the University of Oxford and at the University of Cambridge.Both chairs were founded by Henry VIII...
at the University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
since 1991 - Hans Wilhelm FreiHans Wilhelm FreiHans Wilhelm Frei is best known for work on biblical hermeneutics, especially on the interpretation of narrative...
- Paul Vernon GallowayPaul Vernon GallowayPaul Vernon Galloway was an American Bishop of The Methodist Church, elected in 1960.He died 5 August 1990 at the St. John Medical Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 86 and living in Tulsa when he died of cancer. He was survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth Boney of Tulsa, his son, Paul...
, a Bishop of The Methodist Church - Leroy GilbertLeroy GilbertLeroy Gilbert is a former officer in the United States Navy and Chaplain of the United States Coast Guard.-Biography:A native of Albany, Georgia, Gilbert is an ordained Baptist pastor. Gilbert holds a B.A. from American Baptist College, an M.Div. from Howard University, an S.T.M. from Yale Divinity...
- Gary HartGary HartGary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
- Stanley HauerwasStanley HauerwasStanley Hauerwas is a Christian theologian and ethicist. He has taught at the University of Notre Dame and is currently the Gilbert T...
- Richard B. HaysRichard B. HaysRichard B. Hays is Dean and George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina. His service as dean is for an intentional interim period while a national search is conducted. Hays received his B.A in English literature from Yale College and Master...
- Sen KatayamaSen KatayamaSen Katayama , born Yabuki Sugataro , was an early member of the American Communist Party and co-founder, in 1922, of the Japan Communist Party....
- Ernest W. LefeverErnest W. LefeverErnest Warren Lefever was an American political theorist and foreign affairs expert who founded the Ethics and Public Policy Center in 1976 and was nominated for a State Department post by President Ronald Reagan, but withdrew after his nomination was rejected by the Senate Foreign Relations...
(1919–2009), foreign affairs expert and founder of the Ethics and Public Policy CenterEthics and Public Policy CenterThe Ethics and Public Policy Center is a Washington, D.C.-based conservative advocacy group. Formed in 1976 by Ernest W. Lefever, who was its president until 1989, the group describes itself as "dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy."Since...
. - Otis Moss IIIOtis Moss IIIOtis Moss III is an African American pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ who espouses black liberation theology and emphasizes reaching inner city black youth. He is married and has two children.-Youth and Education:...
Pastor of Trinity Church, Chicago - Helmut Richard Niebuhr
- Reinhold NiebuhrReinhold NiebuhrKarl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr was an American theologian and commentator on public affairs. Starting as a leftist minister in the 1920s indebted to theological liberalism, he shifted to the new Neo-Orthodox theology in the 1930s, explaining how the sin of pride created evil in the world...
- Richard T. Nolan
- Edward S. Parsons, President of Marietta College; father to sociologist Talcott ParsonsTalcott ParsonsTalcott Parsons was an American sociologist who served on the faculty of Harvard University from 1927 to 1973....
. - William C. Placher, author and professor at Wabash CollegeWabash CollegeWabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
. - Clark V. PolingClark V. PolingClark V. Poling was a minister in the Reformed Church in America and a lieutenant in the United States Army. He was one of the Four Chaplains who gave their lives to save other soldiers during the sinking of the USAT Dorchester during World War II.-Life:Poling was born in Columbus, Ohio to Daniel A...
- Peter L. PondPeter L. PondThe Reverend Peter Lawrence Pond was a New England clergyman, activist and philanthropist who worked with Cambodian orphans on the Thai-Cambodian border...
(1933–2000), human rights activist and philanthropist who adopted 16 Cambodian orphans. - Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.Adam Clayton Powell, Sr.Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. was a pastor who developed Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York as the largest Protestant congregation in the country, with 10,000 members; a community activist, author, and the father of Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr....
- George Rupp
- Father V.C. Samuel, PhD (Yale U), Post Doctoral Research Fellow (U Chicago)- Indian Orthodox Church, Professor and Dean Haili Salasi University, Addis Ababa, Serampore College, Serampore India, United Theological College, Bangalore, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, India
- Ron SiderRon SiderRonald James Sider is a Canadian-born American theologian and Christian activist. He is often identified by others with the Christian left, though he personally disclaims any political inclination. He is the founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, a think-tank which seeks to develop biblical...
- John SilberJohn SilberJohn Robert Silber is an American academician and former candidate for public office. From 1971 to 1996 he was President of Boston University and from 1996 to 2003 Chancellor of the University. Since 2003 he has been its President Emeritus. In 1990, Silber took a leave of absence from the...
- Amos Alonzo StaggAmos Alonzo StaggAmos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
- Anne Stanback
- Barbara Brown TaylorBarbara Brown TaylorBarbara Brown Taylor is an American Episcopal priest, professor, and theologian and is one of the United States' best known preachers....
- Roy M. TerryRoy M. Terry-Biography:Born in Brooklyn, New York, Terry later moved to Danbury, Connecticut and was an ordained Methodist pastor. He was a graduate of Syracuse University and Yale Divinity School. Terry passed away on May 12, 1988.-Career:...
- Krista TippettKrista TippettKrista Tippett is a broadcaster, journalist, and author. She is best known for creating and hosting the public radio program Being , distributed and produced by American Public Media...
- R. A. Torrey
- John W. Traphagan, professor of Religious Studies and Anthropology, University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
- Chester WickwireChester WickwireChester "Chet" L. Wickwire was chaplain emeritus of the Johns Hopkins University. He was a prominent fighter for civil rights and an international peace activist...
- Parker T. WilliamsonParker T. WilliamsonParker T. Williamson is editor emeritus of the Presbyterian Layman newspaper. He earned the Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA . While there, he joined two classmates in marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to Selma, AL in order to encourage Civil Rights legislation...
- William Willimon
IRST
Initiative in Religion, Science & Technology (IRST) is an ongoing Yale Divinity School interdisciplinary program begun in 2005 to explore how religion and spirituality encounters and interacts with science and technology. It was co-founded by current dean of Yale Divinity school Harold Attridge along with former dean Rebecca Chopp and professor of communication Wes Avram. It is funded by Dean Attridge, the Metanexus Institute, and the Yale Institute of Sacred MusicYale Institute of Sacred Music
The Yale Institute of Sacred Music traces its roots to the School of Sacred Music founded at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. The seminary's department of church music was brought to Yale in 1972, entering into partnership with the Yale School of Music and the Yale Divinity School...
. The initiative hosts philosophical debates via e-mail.