Drew Theological School
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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
STORIES
The Forest is Waiting
We welcome you to determine if Drew is the right fit for you. Join us for a personal consultation with our admissions staff to learn more about our many graduate programs, our faculty, and the admissions process.
Upcoming Events
Draw the Circle Wide: A Panel Discussion on Racial Justice and Restorative Work
March 29, 6 p.m.
Draw the Circle Wide: The Service of Installation
The Installation of the Rev. Dr. Edwin David Aponte
March 30, noon
#DrewTheo MATM student Catey Miller is completing her internship with the United Methodist Church's United Women in Faith organization and she comes to us with a guest post:
"I'm Catey Miller, a second-year part-time student in the MATM program. As I continue to discern my calling while I'm at Drew, one thing that increasingly comes into focus is faith and theology in community; I'm drawn to the ways we work out our faith together, both intellectually and practically. Classes with my fellow Drewids have been a great gift to me as a built-in community in which to do theology academically.
I've also had great community theology experiences during my internship this year with the Transformative Education team at United Women in Faith. Working with the Mission u team, I've learned a lot about how they make faith-based education transformative and especially how they encourage that transformation in people's everyday lives. In a two-post series, I wanted to share some of what I'm absorbing there with you all to offer some ways we might take our classroom education and share it with our non-academic communities!"
Check back in a few weeks for Catey's next guest post.
#DrewU #UMC #UWF #UnitedWomenInFaith #UnitedMethodist #Methodist #TransformativeJustice
#DrewTheo held the Spring 2023 Matriculation on Wednesday, January 25 in Craig Chapel of Seminary Hall. Students entering this semester were joined by current students who had not yet signed their names in the Matriculation book. Dr. Chris Boesel gave the address, "Cone, Barth, Williams, and the Blackness of the Word of God: Defunkifying Barth's Jesus."
Students and faculty later enjoyed pictures with the life-sized cutout of Rev. Henry Appenzeller, a #DrewTheo graduate who first took Methodism to Korea which has led to a longstanding connection between Drew's campus and Korea.
We welcome our newest students, and we look forward to all that is to come in the spring semester!
#DrewTheo student Megan Hale T’23 is the Executive for Candidacy with the Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner which is a part of the UMC’s United Women in Faith (UWF) organization. She is studying in the Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry.
In Megan’s academic and religious work, she wanted to document an oral and visual history of United Methodists who are deaconesses or home missioners in order to educate and inspire future generations. Deaconesses and home missioners are lay people who have responded to a call to ministry with a full-time vocation in justice and service, performing profound work in their communities.
As a part of her Drew apprenticeship, Megan created a website containing dozens of her interviews to archive the unique and inspirational stories. “Drew Theological School utilizes creative approaches to enable students’ work in a variety of off-campus contexts to become part of their degree program by using vehicles like internships and apprenticeships,” said Associate Dean for Vocation and Formation Tanya Linn Bennett.
A deaconess herself, Megan said, “I hope the videos help other people who are discerning a call to vocational ministry to have a better understanding of what it looks like to be a deaconess / home missioner. I also hope that many years from now that these stories will be living archives - telling our stories and highlighting our ministries for future generations.”
She said her education at #DrewTheo is making her better at her current position at United Women in Faith. “The education I’m receiving from Drew informs my work,” she said. “It’s helpful for providing social justice and educational opportunities for the deaconess/home missioner community.”
Read more about Megan’s work and find the link to her website at the link in our bio. More information about the Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry and finding how it may be a good fit for you is also in our Linktree. The application for fall 2023 is now open, and we encourage you to apply soon.
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Siegelman T'20 for being added to the Foremost Under 40! This is the Pennsylvania Business Central's annual list for 2022 which showcases young professionals in central Pennsylvania who exemplify the vision and dedication needed to excel in an increasingly competitive market.
Dr. Siegelman, who earned a PhD in Bible and Cultures from #DrewTheo, is the program coordinator for Centre County Community Conferencing, a restorative justice program launched by the Center for Alternatives in Community Justice and CentrePeace.
She knows that education is a valuable tool for community building and personal transformation. She is currently an adjunct professor in the Doctor of Ministry program. While a student, she was the program coordinator for Drew’s Partnership for Religion and Education in Prisons program (PREP). PREP brings the Drew classroom into the prison setting with the goal of equally educating both incarcerated and theological students at the graduate level through the sharing of diverse experiences, identities, and belief systems.
“Given my own experiences of watching formerly incarcerated family members struggle to reintegrate, I understand how difficult the transition back into the community can be,” said Dr. Siegelman. “As a community conferencing facilitator, I am dedicated to making that transition smoother.”
Congratulations to Elizabeth on this great achievement!
#DrewTheo shares in the mourning of Rev. Dr. Thomas Warren Ogletree on January 4 at 89 years old.
Dr. Ogletree served as Dean of #DrewTheo from 1981 to 1990. He then served as Dean of Yale Divinity School until 1996. As an ordained United Methodist minister, he previously served as pastor of congregations in Alabama, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.
His passion for social justice started as an adolescent, delivering newspapers in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama, where he encountered “the evils and cruelties of racism.”
Soon after he completed his PhD at Vanderbilt University, Ogletree was involved in the sit-in movement of activist James Lawson, known as the “architect of the Civil Rights Movement.” As a dean, professor, father, and student, Dr. Ogletree’s commitment to activism and scholarship was lifelong.
“We in the Drew Theological School community are deeply saddened at the passing of Dr. Ogletree,” said Dean Edwin David Aponte. “As one of his successors as Dean of the Theological School, I can confidently say that we all still benefit from the accomplishments of his vision and faithful leadership in the church, theological education, and the work of social justice. We at Drew will continue to build upon Dr. Ogletree’s legacy.”
Read the full article about Dr. Ogletree's accomplishments and remembrance from Drew at the link in our bio.
As a part of our community, #DrewTheo needs you!
Students, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to share pictures and videos of our community taking action to share on our website's new social justice gallery.
Any submissions that are selected and added to the gallery must adhere to at least one of our four faculty shared values:
-Dismantling racism
-Interfaith and ecumenical solidarity
-Ecological sustainability
-Gender and sexuality justice
To start submitting to the gallery, send any pictures or videos with a short description in a direct message to us here on Instagram! More information about our gallery and shared values can be found at the link in our bio. We're excited to see you and your #DrewTheo community reflected in our new gallery.
Drew University cordially invites you to a historic event, "Draw the Circle Wide," which is the installation of Rev. Dr. Edwin David Aponte as the 14th Dean of Drew Theological School. The event will take place on March 29-30, 2023.
The installation will feature a panel discussion on Wednesday with Dean Edwin David Aponte, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Miguel A. De La Torre, and Grace Ji-Sun Kim, moderated by Rev. Dr. Althea Spencer-Miller. The service of installation will take place on Thursday.
RSVP today at the link in our bio to reserve your place at this historic event.
#DrewTheo #DrawTheCircleWide
As our spring semester began this week with classes and with yesterday’s opening chapel service, we welcome all to the #DrewTheo Spring Matriculation service on Wednesday, January 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET in Craig Chapel of Seminary Hall. Our new students and returning students who have not previously attended a Matriculation are invited to sign the Matriculation book.
Known as one of our great traditions and rituals, the signing of the Matriculation book dates back to the origins of Drew University when founded in 1867. If you are not joining us in person, a livestream option is available on Drew Worship’s Facebook and YouTube.
Dr. Chris Boesel, Associate Professor of Christian Theology, will deliver the address. Dr. Boesel has also recently published a new book this month entitled, “Reading Karl Barth: Theology that Cuts Both Ways.”
#DrewU #ChrisBoesel #KarlBarth #Theology #Seminary #GradSchool
As the United States commemorates Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday today, #DrewTheo reflects on when Dr. King visited #DrewU in 1964.
From the Drew archives: "On February 5, 1964, Drew University proudly hosted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a convocation speaker. Dr. King's connection with Drew University was through Dr. George D. Kelsey [pictured left], Professor of Christian Ethics. Prior to teaching at Drew, Kelsey taught at Morehouse College where he became a mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr., then a student, and who has credited Kelsey for his motivation to become a preacher. At the time of the event, Dr. King had been recently selected as Time magazine's 'Man of the Year' and shared his 'The American Dream' speech to over 5,000 attendees. A student reporter for the Drew Acorn noted, 'He is unimposing, seems quite ordinary, but, when he speaks, people listen. They tend to forget all else.'"
More about Dr. King's visit to Drew can be found in the link in our bio.
Happy holidays from #DrewTheo! As those of us in Christian traditions celebrate Advent as we await the hope, peace, love, and joy of the Christmas season, we wish you the best. We recognize that this can be a difficult season for many, and you are in our prayers.
Drew University will be closed from December 23 - January 2. If you are in need of assistance, please email the Office of Graduate Admissions at gradm@drew.edu, and the team will respond when we reopen.
Have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to all that is to come in 2023.
“I cannot believe the trees on Drew’s campus still stand there and bless me as they did for my family in the 1990’s,” said Jene Christopher Lee T’23 as he works toward finishing his Master of Divinity at #DrewTheo in the spring semester. Jene’s father, Jeha Lee T’95, also attended #DrewTheo for his Master of Sacred Theology when Jene was a small child.
“Drew Theological School is well known for its inclusiveness to others,” said Jene, who is known as a “Drew baby” by many South Korean pastors and professors.
Jene has worked toward furthering inclusiveness on campus as a leader in the Korean Caucus and as a member of the chapel team. “Seminary is the place of the academy. It is where students study. When I question how seminarians study, Drew is the place that answers my expectations,” he reflected. “It is the place of formation through meaningful conversations with colleagues and professors, of information through professional academic seminars, and of transformation through our spiritual solidarity and care.”
In following his call to academia and ministry, Jene made the transformative decision to apply to Drew and continue his familial legacy. “I mentioned Drew as my first home in my application essay. It was not only the decision to continue my legacy but also to remember my hometown. Drew is now more well-known for its progressive and radical commitment to marginalized people. It could be different from my father’s interest at the time. However, legacy is not only continued by simple acceptance but also by transformation. It was my decision, and I am grateful for Drew Theological School’s continued history that depends on my story.”
Jene’s story plays an important role in the livelihood of the #DrewTheo community, and we are grateful for the legacy he sets as a student.
#DrewTheo shares in the worldwide mourning of the renowned and innovative theologian Dr. Delores S. Williams, who died on November 17, 2022 at age 88.
A founder of womanist theology, her groundbreaking book, “Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God-Talk,” remains essential reading in theology.
Dr. Williams earned a PhD in systematic theology from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where she later joined the faculty as Associate Professor of Theology and Culture. Later, Williams was named the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology and Culture, becoming the first Black woman to hold a named chair at Union.
Prior to joining the Union faculty and while completing her doctoral studies, Dr. Williams served for several years at Drew University as Assistant Professor. In her scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and service in church and society, Williams was widely influential on many others—certainly Black womanist theologians—but also the late Dr. Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Professor of Ethics and Theology at Drew Theological School.
“We here at Drew send our condolences to the family of Dr. Williams and all those who mourn her passing,” said Theological School Dean Edwin David Aponte. “While this is a tremendous and deeply-felt loss for theological education and the church, the legacy of Delores Williams is significant and is felt around the world.”
Congratulations to #DrewTheo's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Robert Paul Seesengood, and Jennifer Koosed on their newest publication, Wisdom Commentary: Judith!
#DrewTheo's Jewish Studies Department led a TheoTREC to the Hasidic Jewish community within Williamsburg, Brooklyn in November.
The department, led by Dr. Eli Rosenlatt as the Wallerstein Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies, organized the tour. The group consisted of the course Judaism: Tradition and Community, as well as students from across various degree programs.
The tour was led by renowned tour guide, journalist, and scholar Frieda Vizel, who grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg. Vizel introduced the group to the history of the community—its roots in Eastern Europe, and the rebuilding of a community in Brooklyn that had been destroyed during the Holocaust.
“I joined the walking tour because I am deeply intrigued by communities of faith,” said Thurselle Crisholm-Williams T’23. “As one who has been raised in New Jersey, I am familiar with the Hasidic community. However, the tour showed me how much I didn’t know. Architectural design, schools for boys, government allowances, dress, and food were all well described and shared.”
Dr. Rosenblatt reflected on the TheoTREC and the Jewish Studies Department. “In addition to a wide variety of introductory and advanced courses on Jewish life from the ancient to contemporary periods, Drew’s Jewish Studies program is newly-designed to immerse our students in the diversity, vibrancy, and complexity of contemporary Jewish culture in the New York metropolitan area and across the world,” he said. “Hasidic Brooklyn is only the beginning.”
Read the full article at the link in our bio.
#JewishStudies #WilliamsburgBrooklyn #Brooklyn #GradSchool #TheologicalSchool
#DrewTheo is proud to sponsor the Q Christian Fellowship Conference next month. The conference will be conducted both in person in Washington, D.C. and online in a hybrid format. Reach out with any questions, and we look forward to seeing you there in January!
#FaithfullyLGBTQ #QueerlyBeloved #LGBTQIA2Splus #QueerChristian #GayChristian #QCF
We're two weeks from the deadline for PhD applications with fall 2023 entry!
This cycle, we are accepting applicants in our cohorts for Bible and Cultures, as well as Theology and Philosophy. Reach out today to schedule a visit, ask questions, or complete an application. Apply by December 15, 2022.
Admissions.Drew.edu/Apply
#DrewTheo Master of Divinity alum Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez T’10 made history this month when he was elected as the first Latinx bishop of the United Methodist Church’s Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference.
Burgos-Núñez will also be the first bishop of Puerto Rican descent in the denomination. He will be assigned to the Upper New York Conference.
As the outgoing superintendent of the Central District in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, Burgos-Núñez is one of 13 new U.S. bishops who will take office on January 1, 2023.
“I am deeply humbled by the discernment of the body and will serve in this role with integrity, grace, and equity,” he said. “I am eternally thankful to all who have been part of this journey and nurture me as a disciple and a servant leader throughout the years.”
Congratulations to Bishop Burgos-Núñez from the #DrewTheo community!
Join us for #DrewTheo’s Advent lessons and carols service on Tuesday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m. ET in Craig Chapel or online.
The Drew community will gather and celebrate Advent with the topic, “How long?” We will share in communion, and boxed dinners are provided for those who are attending in person. Check out Drew Worship on Facebook Live and YouTube.
#DrewTheo PhD candidate, rev. abby mohaupt, is a recipient of a Women of Faith Award, sponsored by Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries and Presbyterian Women, Inc.
abby is the Director of Education and Training at Greenfaith. She was nominated for her leadership as moderator of Fossil Free PCUSA, an advocacy group which works to end the Presbyterian Church's relationships with fossil fuels.
“It’s a humbling honor to receive this award on behalf of the hundreds of people who have been organizing in the FFPCUSA for divestment from fossil fuels over the last 10 years,” abby said. “Our work is built on the shoulders of so many climate justice activists who have called us to be faithful. My research, activism, and faith leadership is indebted to so many.”
Congratulations to abby on this award!
#FossilFree #PhD #TheologicalSchool #PCUSA
Dr. Stephen Moore is the Edmund S. Janes Professor of New Testament Studies at #DrewTheo. A native of Ireland, he found his Drew home in 1999, having previously taught in Ireland, England, and elsewhere in the U.S.
Dr. Moore is the author, editor, co-author, or co-editor of approximately 30 books. Selections include “Gospel Jesuses and Other Nonhumans: Biblical Criticism Post-poststructuralism; Revealing the New Testament” (the first interactive courseware introduction to the New Testament); “Religion, Emotion, Sensation: Affect Theories and Theologies” (co-edited with Drew PhD alum, Dr. Karen Bray T’16); “Biblical Interpretations in Queer Time(s);” and “Revelation: Book of Torment, Book of Bliss.”
He has a new book forthcoming in December 2022, “The Bible after Deleuze: Affects, Assemblages, Bodies without Organs.” He is currently working on a short book titled, “Decolonial Theory and Biblical Unreading: Delinking Biblical Criticism from Coloniality.”
This current work in progress, as Dr. Moore says, “emerged directly out of a course on coloniality, decoloniality, and the Bible I taught in fall 2021.”
“Two-thirds of the students enrolled in the course were international students from almost 10 different countries, nearly all of them former colonies,” he continued. “To engage the themes of such a course with such a group of students was an extraordinary learning experience - at least for the professor! As our international student body at the Theological School has continued to grow, our classrooms have become immensely rich intercultural spaces. Teaching at Drew has never been as exciting - or as challenging - as it currently is, and it is wonderful to be part of a faculty that is so determined to rise to these challenges.”
Read the full article about Dr. Stephen Moore in our Linktree. #InternationalStudent #DecolonialTheory #BiblicalCriticism #TheologicalSchool #PhD