Draw the Circle Wide
We are looking for believers, activists, seekers, thinkers, counselors, preachers, teachers, poets and dreamers who value thinking and action.
- Commit to courageous Christianity.
- Dive into ecological and social justice.
- Inspire the church, the neighborhood, the city, the world.
The next generation of faith leaders needs imagination and courage to constructively engage the challenges and opportunities of our age. This is built into how we do things. No matter your degree program, a Drew Theological School education includes interdisciplinary courses that demand out-of-the-box thinking, apprenticeship training that addresses real-world issues and modes of learning that promote adaptability and innovation.
Community News
The Rev. Donna Olivia Owusu-Ansah T’10
Chaplain, JFK Medical Center | Associate Minister, New Hope Baptist Church
The Rev. Dr. Kevin D. Miller T’03,’08
Executive Director of Graduate Admissions, Drew University
Teresita Matos-Post T’14
Executive Director, Beth-El Farmworker Ministry
The Rev. James Lee T’19
Lead Pastor, Wesley United Methodist Church
Olivia DiAgostino T’19
Transformation Program Coordinator, United Methodist Women
News Stories
The Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler Jr. G’92,’94 Named President of Iliff School of Theology
Drew congratulates the alum on the incredible achievement
Drew Theological School Welcomes Prospective Students
“It was an eye opener and fascinating”
Drew Theological School Hosts How Shall They Hear Conference
Founded by the Rev. Dr. Jerry M. Carter G’00, T’07
Drew Theological School is mourning the loss of Dr. Edward LeRoy Long, Jr., James W. Pearsall Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics and Theology of Culture. Dr. Long passed away on July 21, 2023. He was 99 years old.
Dr. Long arrived at Drew in 1976 as a Professor of Christian Ethics. In 1984, he was awarded the James W. Pearsall Professor of Christian Ethics and Theology of Culture. He retired the following year, although he continued to teach as a professor emeritus for several years. He taught a variety of courses, including Christian Ethics, Historical Figures in Christian Ethics, Religion and Law, Theological and Related Diagnoses of Culture, The Reformed Tradition, Personhood, Community and Institutions, and the Church’s Role in Peacemaking.
A Christian ethicist and longtime Presbyterian peace advocate, Dr. Long received the Will Herberg Distinguished Professor Award for his contributions to Drew in 1981.
“Dr. Edward LeRoy Long, Jr. served Drew University well in many roles, as teacher and scholar of Christian ethics, mentor, and colleague,” said Theological School Dean Edwin David Aponte. “I am tremendously grateful for Dr. Long’s steadfast commitment to the Theological School, not only during his years of service, but also during his long and active retirement."
Read more at the link in our bio.
#DrewU #DrewTheo
Drew Theological School is mourning the loss of Dr. Edward LeRoy Long, Jr., James W. Pearsall Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics and Theology of Culture. Dr. Long passed away on July 21, 2023. He was 99 years old.
Dr. Long arrived at Drew in 1976 as a Professor of Christian Ethics. In 1984, he was awarded the James W. Pearsall Professor of Christian Ethics and Theology of Culture. He retired the following year, although he continued to teach as a professor emeritus for several years. He taught a variety of courses, including Christian Ethics, Historical Figures in Christian Ethics, Religion and Law, Theological and Related Diagnoses of Culture, The Reformed Tradition, Personhood, Community and Institutions, and the Church’s Role in Peacemaking.
A Christian ethicist and longtime Presbyterian peace advocate, Dr. Long received the Will Herberg Distinguished Professor Award for his contributions to Drew in 1981.
“Dr. Edward LeRoy Long, Jr. served Drew University well in many roles, as teacher and scholar of Christian ethics, mentor, and colleague,” said Theological School Dean Edwin David Aponte. “I am tremendously grateful for Dr. Long’s steadfast commitment to the Theological School, not only during his years of service, but also during his long and active retirement."
Read more at the link in our bio.
#DrewU #DrewTheo
The end of the fall semester is coming soon, and #DrewTheo is ready to celebrate!
The Advent Lessons and Carols service will be on Tuesday, December 5 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Join us in Craig Chapel or on the livestream through Facebook or YouTube.
The Caspersen Graduate Student Association, Graduate Division of Religion, and Theological Student Association have teamed together for a fall semester celebration. Attend the party on Friday, December 8 at 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET in Seminary Hall.
Good luck to all of our students as they complete their work for this semester!
#DrewU #Advent #GradSchool #NJ #NewJersey
The end of the fall semester is coming soon, and #DrewTheo is ready to celebrate!
The Advent Lessons and Carols service will be on Tuesday, December 5 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Join us in Craig Chapel or on the livestream through Facebook or YouTube.
The Caspersen Graduate Student Association, Graduate Division of Religion, and Theological Student Association have teamed together for a fall semester celebration. Attend the party on Friday, December 8 at 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET in Seminary Hall.
Good luck to all of our students as they complete their work for this semester!
#DrewU #Advent #GradSchool #NJ #NewJersey
#DrewTheo is proud to sponsor the Q Christian Fellowship Conference in January! The conference, with the theme of Renewal, will be held in person in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA and online in a hybrid format. Reach out with any questions, and we are excited to be Renewed at the start of the new year!
#DrewU #FaithfullyLGBTQ #QueerlyBeloved #LGBTQIA2Splus #QueerChristian #GayChristian #QCF
#DrewTheo is proud to sponsor the Q Christian Fellowship Conference in January! The conference, with the theme of Renewal, will be held in person in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA and online in a hybrid format. Reach out with any questions, and we are excited to be Renewed at the start of the new year!
#DrewU #FaithfullyLGBTQ #QueerlyBeloved #LGBTQIA2Splus #QueerChristian #GayChristian #QCF
#DrewTheo`s PREP program made history in October when eight inside students from East Jersey State Prison in Rahway earned graduate-level certificates. The Certificate in Religious Leadership in Social Transformation is the first graduate certification of any type held entirely inside a prison classroom in New Jersey history.
PREP, which stands for Partnership for Religion and Education in Prisons, demonstrates Drew`s commitment to restorative justice and reentry efforts. PREP has been offering classes in NJ prisons for more than a decade. The program brings the Drew classroom into the prison setting with the goal of equally educating both “inside” and “outside” students through the sharing of diverse experiences, identities, and belief systems.
PREP partners with the NJ Department of Corrections and the NJ Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) consortium, which provides associate and bachelor degree-level education to those incarcerated in NJ. Drew is a founding member of NJ-STEP.
At a ceremony at East Jersey State Prison, the eight graduating students were able to sign Drew’s 150-year-old Matriculation book, a rite of passage for all #DrewTheo students. Prior to this, the Matriculation book had not left the grounds of Drew University.
Theological School Dean Edwin David Aponte, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Robert Paul Seesengood, James W. Pearsall Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies Traci West, and Associate Professor of Christian Theology Chris Boesel, as well as the families of the students, were present at the ceremony.
“This is historic in the state of NJ,” Rev. Dr. Traci West said.
“But, more importantly, the East Jersey State Prison students who received this certificate worked extremely hard and excelled in graduate level religion courses. As their professors, we are enormously proud of their accomplishment.”
In addition, Drew faculty celebrated graduates at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility who attended Drew courses contributing to an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University.
More than half of #DrewTheo faculty and 100+ inside and outside students have learned together through PREP.
#DrewTheo`s PREP program made history in October when eight inside students from East Jersey State Prison in Rahway earned graduate-level certificates. The Certificate in Religious Leadership in Social Transformation is the first graduate certification of any type held entirely inside a prison classroom in New Jersey history.
PREP, which stands for Partnership for Religion and Education in Prisons, demonstrates Drew`s commitment to restorative justice and reentry efforts. PREP has been offering classes in NJ prisons for more than a decade. The program brings the Drew classroom into the prison setting with the goal of equally educating both “inside” and “outside” students through the sharing of diverse experiences, identities, and belief systems.
PREP partners with the NJ Department of Corrections and the NJ Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) consortium, which provides associate and bachelor degree-level education to those incarcerated in NJ. Drew is a founding member of NJ-STEP.
At a ceremony at East Jersey State Prison, the eight graduating students were able to sign Drew’s 150-year-old Matriculation book, a rite of passage for all #DrewTheo students. Prior to this, the Matriculation book had not left the grounds of Drew University.
Theological School Dean Edwin David Aponte, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Robert Paul Seesengood, James W. Pearsall Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies Traci West, and Associate Professor of Christian Theology Chris Boesel, as well as the families of the students, were present at the ceremony.
“This is historic in the state of NJ,” Rev. Dr. Traci West said.
“But, more importantly, the East Jersey State Prison students who received this certificate worked extremely hard and excelled in graduate level religion courses. As their professors, we are enormously proud of their accomplishment.”
In addition, Drew faculty celebrated graduates at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility who attended Drew courses contributing to an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University.
More than half of #DrewTheo faculty and 100+ inside and outside students have learned together through PREP.
The Hispanic Theological Initiative’s (HTI) mission is cultivating Latinx PhD students for leadership positions in the academy, the church, and the world.
To support this mission, Drew Theological School is a member of the HTI consortium, a collaborative partnership to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latinx PhD students in the US by leveraging institutional resources.
With the help of Drew and other partners, HTI is now serving the largest cohort of Latinx PhD students. Cohorts are available to scholars to correspond with the various stages of earning a PhD. HTI has shepherded many Drew students as they earn their PhDs.
#DrewTheo Dean Edwin David Aponte was recently elected as Chair of the Member Council and Steering Committee at HTI, a full circle moment as Dean Aponte was a scholar in the first HTI cohort.
“I would not have completed my PhD without that support,” he said.
The program directly increases the presence of Latinx leaders and faculty scholars in seminaries, schools of theology, and universities.
Rev. Dr. Francisco J. Peláez-Diaz, Drew`s Assistant Teaching Professor in Latinx Studies and Ministries, is an alum of the program.
“Everything I received from HTI contributed significantly to my ability to cross the finish line of my PhD program,” he said.
“It was not only the substantial financial support, but also all the programming - designed to meet the needs of the participants throughout the various stages of the PhD program. Words cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for everything and everyone at HTI.”
PhD student Michael Anderson, Program Assistant at #DrewTheo is a current fellow in HTI’s dissertation cohort. Michael points to a writing retreat at HTI’s headquarters as impactful, not only in preparation for writing his dissertation, but also in building community surrounding the process.
“It gave me space to think about how I write and for whom; a sense of separation from my Drew life that allowed me the chance to think about my process as a writer-scholar,” he said.
#HTI #HispanicTheologicalInitiative #Latinx #DrewU
The Hispanic Theological Initiative’s (HTI) mission is cultivating Latinx PhD students for leadership positions in the academy, the church, and the world.
To support this mission, Drew Theological School is a member of the HTI consortium, a collaborative partnership to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latinx PhD students in the US by leveraging institutional resources.
With the help of Drew and other partners, HTI is now serving the largest cohort of Latinx PhD students. Cohorts are available to scholars to correspond with the various stages of earning a PhD. HTI has shepherded many Drew students as they earn their PhDs.
#DrewTheo Dean Edwin David Aponte was recently elected as Chair of the Member Council and Steering Committee at HTI, a full circle moment as Dean Aponte was a scholar in the first HTI cohort.
“I would not have completed my PhD without that support,” he said.
The program directly increases the presence of Latinx leaders and faculty scholars in seminaries, schools of theology, and universities.
Rev. Dr. Francisco J. Peláez-Diaz, Drew`s Assistant Teaching Professor in Latinx Studies and Ministries, is an alum of the program.
“Everything I received from HTI contributed significantly to my ability to cross the finish line of my PhD program,” he said.
“It was not only the substantial financial support, but also all the programming - designed to meet the needs of the participants throughout the various stages of the PhD program. Words cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for everything and everyone at HTI.”
PhD student Michael Anderson, Program Assistant at #DrewTheo is a current fellow in HTI’s dissertation cohort. Michael points to a writing retreat at HTI’s headquarters as impactful, not only in preparation for writing his dissertation, but also in building community surrounding the process.
“It gave me space to think about how I write and for whom; a sense of separation from my Drew life that allowed me the chance to think about my process as a writer-scholar,” he said.
#HTI #HispanicTheologicalInitiative #Latinx #DrewU
In a departure from traditional classroom learning, #DrewTheo Doctor of Ministry: Social Impact students embarked on a unique immersive learning experience that brought them closer to their spiritual journeys.
The immersive learning experience, organized by the Rev. Dr. Sidney S. Williams, Jr. - Drew Affiliate Professor; President and CEO of Crossing Capital Group; and Pastor of Bethel AME Church in Morristown, NJ - took students to the Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP), held annually in San Francisco.
The conference focuses on the intersection of money and meaning, with a specific emphasis on impact investing, social entrepreneurship, and social innovation. It brings together a diverse group of attendees - including investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and thought leaders - to discuss and collaborate on how to drive positive social impact and environmental change through business and investment. It’s a space for individuals and organizations interested in harnessing the power of social capital for both financial returns and community well-being.
The journey provided an opportunity for students to grapple with questions of how faith can be a force for social impact. Students were encouraged to engage in theological and ethical reflection about the role of their respective faith communities and the moral imperative of developing a deeper understanding of their faith’s call to social justice.
“Such a unique and transformative experience is an imperative for grounding the gospel ministry of justice, righteousness, and compassion in praxis,” said Kendrick Curry T’26.
Kendrick continued, “If we truly want to employ our Christian faith to address the conditions of existence in extant society, those in the academy must engage some other thought partners who have the means and resources to radically alter the way ministry is conceived and carried out. SOCAP is just the place to encounter thoughtful leaders who desire to solve problems for the soulful and societal good.”
Read more at the link in our bio.
In a departure from traditional classroom learning, #DrewTheo Doctor of Ministry: Social Impact students embarked on a unique immersive learning experience that brought them closer to their spiritual journeys.
The immersive learning experience, organized by the Rev. Dr. Sidney S. Williams, Jr. - Drew Affiliate Professor; President and CEO of Crossing Capital Group; and Pastor of Bethel AME Church in Morristown, NJ - took students to the Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP), held annually in San Francisco.
The conference focuses on the intersection of money and meaning, with a specific emphasis on impact investing, social entrepreneurship, and social innovation. It brings together a diverse group of attendees - including investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and thought leaders - to discuss and collaborate on how to drive positive social impact and environmental change through business and investment. It’s a space for individuals and organizations interested in harnessing the power of social capital for both financial returns and community well-being.
The journey provided an opportunity for students to grapple with questions of how faith can be a force for social impact. Students were encouraged to engage in theological and ethical reflection about the role of their respective faith communities and the moral imperative of developing a deeper understanding of their faith’s call to social justice.
“Such a unique and transformative experience is an imperative for grounding the gospel ministry of justice, righteousness, and compassion in praxis,” said Kendrick Curry T’26.
Kendrick continued, “If we truly want to employ our Christian faith to address the conditions of existence in extant society, those in the academy must engage some other thought partners who have the means and resources to radically alter the way ministry is conceived and carried out. SOCAP is just the place to encounter thoughtful leaders who desire to solve problems for the soulful and societal good.”
Read more at the link in our bio.
Congratulations to Dr. Laurel Kearns - #DrewTheo Professor of Ecology, Religion, and Society - on her articles published in Grounding Religion: A Field Guide to the Study of Religion and Ecology, 3rd edition by Routledge.
In this edition, Dr. Kearns authored a chapter on climate change and co-authored a chapter with Dr. Kate Rigby entitled, "Grounding Religion in the Environmental Humanities."
Dr. Kearns` chapters are joined by the work of several #DrewTheo alum including Terra Schwerin Rowe, Nicole Hoskins, and Richard Bohannon, the last of whom served as a co-editor.
Congratulations to Dr. Laurel Kearns - #DrewTheo Professor of Ecology, Religion, and Society - on her articles published in Grounding Religion: A Field Guide to the Study of Religion and Ecology, 3rd edition by Routledge.
In this edition, Dr. Kearns authored a chapter on climate change and co-authored a chapter with Dr. Kate Rigby entitled, "Grounding Religion in the Environmental Humanities."
Dr. Kearns` chapters are joined by the work of several #DrewTheo alum including Terra Schwerin Rowe, Nicole Hoskins, and Richard Bohannon, the last of whom served as a co-editor.
#DrewTheo welcomed Bishop Karen Oliveto C’80, G’91, G’02 of the Mountain Sky Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church as preacher for a special chapel service, held in Craig Chapel and offered online, and leading an evening forum to explore opportunities in Mountain Sky.
Bishop Oliveto is a progressive voice in the UMC and the first openly gay bishop in the UMC. She earned three degrees at Drew: a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Philosophy, and a PhD in Sociology of Religion.
Bishop Oliveto shared a sermon asking, “Why Are You Here?” based on Psalm 103, with the hybrid audience of students, faculty, and alums. She reminded the community that love is the simple answer.
Associate Dean Tanya Linn Bennett welcomed the bishop back to Drew. “Bishop Karen is a pioneer in the United Methodist Church. She and her partner, Robin, have ventured where no one had gone before. I welcome her as a person who has shown me what it means to be faithful.”
During her sermon, “Why Are You Here?” Bishop Oliveto shared stories of loss of those gone too soon. “It is what we do with the time we have that will be of consequence when we are gone,” she said.
She asked the group, “Why are you here?”
“We are here to do one thing, and we are here to do it as best we can - to love,” she answered. “You’re here because the one that made you and loves you with a love that will never let you go, called you. And that call is inescapable. This love that we generously share with others is the biggest and boldest evangelistic witness we can ever make for Jesus Christ.”
The three-time alum reflected on her own time at Drew. “I give thanks to God for this school,” she said. “The kind of education that’s being offered here, that empowers creative thought and courageous action, to advance justice, peace, and love of God, neighbor, and the earth. I, too, was once a seminarian, and I know that education, this ministerial formation, isn’t easy.”
And yet, she reminded all, "Why are you here if not to love? What are you waiting for? It starts right now.”
Thank you for your return to Drew Theological School and your courageous Christian love, Bishop Karen Oliveto!