Vanderbilt Divinity School

A new co-edited volume by Vanderbilt researchers is a tribute to the late Katie Geneva Cannon, who in 1974 became the first African American woman ordained in the United Presbyterian Church. Cannon’s work lays the groundwork for continued discussions on moral thought among scholars today.   Read More

Terrance Dean, assistant professor at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, died Aug. 11 after an illness. He was 53. Read More

Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor and associate professor of ethics and society, has edited and published Religion, Race, and COVID-19: Confronting White Supremacy in the Pandemic, an anthology exploring the countless challenges, racially charged acts, setbacks, triumphs and newfound hope through the eyes of individuals living through one of the most pressing, perplexing social crises in recent memory—the global COVID-19 pandemic.  Read More

An upcoming virtual symposium featuring noted speakers and held in celebration of the civil rights accomplishments of Kelly Miller Smith Sr. will discuss voter access and civic participation in light of this year’s midterm elections. This year’s featured speaker is Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Barack Obama Foundation and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Read More

Joerg Rieger, Distinguished Professor of Theology, Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies and founding director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice, discusses why Labor Day is an opportunity to reflect on the past and future of labor while examining economic inequalities that are still prevalent. Read More

Alumna Prisca Mojica Rodriguez rebuilt the framework for understanding her identity after enrolling at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Now as a published author, she speaks at colleges and universities around the country and continues to monitor “Latina Rebels,” an Instagram account she started while at VDS, that now numbers more than 200,000 followers and functions as a place to question and explore the complexities of Latinidad. Read More

The research of New Testament scholar Richard Batey, BD'58, PhD'61, into the ancient city of Sepphoris in Galilee broadens ideas about Jesus and gives a new perspective for understanding the Gospels. Read More

Leaders at the forefront of systemic change make a difference by thinking about how to shift old patterns that have kept people marginalized. Thirteen students nominated by deans across Vanderbilt this year got the chance to engage in such big-picture thinking as participants in the Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership’s interprofessional student fellowship. Read More

Vanderbilt is a community where innovative students with a strong vision and drive are championed and encouraged to pursue their passions and forge their own paths. Meet some members of the Class of 2022 whose strong vision and enterprising spirit propelled them to learn, explore and thrive. Read More

Class of 2022: Becoming an ordained Presbyterian minister was not initially part of Adrian White’s future plans, but that path became clear during their time at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School is accepting registrations for summer enrollment in its Lifelong Learning program until April 24. Early bird pricing is available through April 3. Read More

The work of Nashville artists Joon Powell, Bill Steber, Dawn Majors and John Partipilo is featured in a new exhibit at Vanderbilt Divinity School titled “Nashville: A Pandemic Observed.” Students and community members will have the opportunity to attend a gallery talk featuring the artists and Vanderbilt scholars on Tuesday, March 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. Read More

Graham Reside, executive director of the Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership in the Professions and assistant professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School, discusses how the evolving pandemic has challenged views on illness as a moral issue. Read More

The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham discussed the complex intersection of religion and politics in American democracy on Jan. 13 as part of a virtual event hosted by the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy and Vanderbilt Divinity School. Read More

The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham will discuss the intersection of religion and politics in the U.S. during a Jan. 13 discussion hosted by the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy and Vanderbilt Divinity School. Read More

Nashville’s newest public high school will be named in honor of the Rev. James Lawson, a civil rights icon and Vanderbilt University Distinguished Professor, emeritus. Read More

Rather than allowing faith to fracture our politics, it should be used as a guiding force to help unify our communities, said former two-term Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam in a virtual discussion on May 25 with Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean Rev. Emilie Townes and author and political columnist Peter Wehner. Read More

With a heart for serving others and an interest in the intersection of theology and social justice, Erica Johnson was drawn to pursue a master’s degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School while working at a social services center for victims of domestic abuse. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School's Religion in the Arts and Contemporary Culture program will host "Liturgy of Art and Social Healing" on Tuesday, March 16, for the next installment of the Relevant Religion series. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School has received a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its renovation and addition project that was completed in 2020. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, offers a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. Read More