Yale divinity schoolMinisterial Studies at

Faith & Intellect

Faith & Intellect

Preparing Leaders for Church and World

Thank you for your interest in Ministerial Studies at Yale Divinity School.

In these pages you will find a quick, colorful guide to the school’s focused approach to readying students for a Christian calling.

Behind these words stand our dedicated staff. We are committed to helping each prospective student fully understand what Yale Divinity School offers.The YDS Office of Admissions

Yale divinity school

Yale Divinity Schoolis a remarkable place to prepare for a life of Christian ministry. A graduate theological school within a world-class research university, YDS is both a rigorous academic institution and an ecumenical community of faith, brought together in service to church and world.First and foremost, Yale Divinity School is committed to training women and men for lay and ordained minis-tries. That mission, coupled with the school’s ecumenical character and affiliation with a nonsectarian university, positions YDS uniquely in the landscape of theological institutions.

For over 300 years, Yale has trained many of the most effective ministers of the day, going back, for example, to 18th century theologian and preacher Jonathan Edwards, to fiery anti-Vietnam War activist William Sloane Coffin, Jr., to well-known figures in the contemporary pulpit such as Nancy Taylor of Old South Church (UCC) in Boston, Bishop John Chane of the Episcopal Diocese of Washing-ton, author Barbara Brown Taylor, Scott Black Johnston

My time at YDS was like a walk through the en-chanted forest...Nothing was as I expected, and nothing stayed the same. In this enchanted forest, learning was dynamic, challenging, soul-shaking, and blessed.”

Kaji Spellman ’06 M.Div.United Church of ChristAssociate Pastor, Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church, New York City

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of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in New York, Bishop William Willimon of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, Peter Marty of St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Davenport, IA, and Dwight Andrews of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Atlanta.

At Yale Divinity School, students have an opportunity to study with some of the world’s finest scholars in theology, sacred scripture, history of Christianity, and ethics, and also with outstanding practitioners in homiletics, pastoral care, Christian education and other ministerial arts. In most cases, students are able to fulfill polity requirements of their own denominations. Beyond campus life, New Haven boasts many vibrant faith communities, and students are encouraged to participate fully in these congregations during their years at YDS.

Divinity students are also encouraged to make use of the wider University’s rich academic resources by taking courses in the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, or in other Yale professional schools including Law, Forestry & Environmental Studies, Management, Public Health, and Nursing. In keeping with the University-wide focus on globalization, the Divinity School offers exchange programs with universities in Great Britain, Germany, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Yale Divinity School

The YDS ministry program supports a robust field edu-cation component that allows students to develop skills and understandings for professional ministry that cannot be learned in the classroom alone. Field education experi-ences are offered in a wide range of settings from urban, suburban and rural parishes to hospital and school chaplaincies and social service agencies where the focus is on the homeless, women and children, environmental issues, and interfaith dialogue. In addition to working on site, students meet in small theological reflection groups with a supervisor to discuss their ministry experi-ences. Greater New Haven is a challenging and rewarding location for the practice of ministry, with its rich tapestry of ethnicities, faith traditions, socio-economic backgrounds, and educational preparedness.

The ecumenical character of YDS—coupled with the growing range of racial, cultural and social associations on campus—nurtures students within their own tradi-tions and at the same time enhances their understanding of other traditions. Daily morning worship in Marquand Chapel—a time when no classes are scheduled—provides an ecumenical experience, while denominational wor-ship services such as Episcopal Eucharist and Morning Prayer, Lutheran Vespers, Roman Catholic Mass and a variety of worship opportunities in the Reformed tradi-tions provide the space for spiritual growth in one’s own faith. Whether in an ecumenical or denominational set-ting, numerous worship opportunities exist for students

Our task here at Divinity School is to be open, to allow ourselves to be challenged and surprised, to love God fiercely, but not blindly, and to walk together on sacred ground.”

Greta Getlein ’09 M.Div.Episcopal ChurchCurate, Christ Church, New Haven, CT

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to hone the preaching skills they have learned in YDS’s stimulating homiletics program or to carry out other liturgical functions.

In addition to the formal worship services, diverse spiritual programs are available to students—for example, individual spiritual direction, faith formation groups, Bible study, and lectio divina.

The growing range of racial, social, and cultural associa-tions on campus has also greatly enriched the learning and spiritual experience. This diversity has spawned such student groups as the Yale Black Seminarians, The Coalition (Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Bisexual, and Transgendered), the Yale Divinity Korean Association, the Yale Divinity Latino/a Association, and the Evangelical Fellowship.

YDS has done a powerful job of shaking up my beliefs, of opening my heart, of chal-lenging my mind, of inspir-ing me to step out onto a new stage to perform the work of ministry.”

Katherine Stanford ’08 M.Div.Presbyterian Church, USAYouth Minister, Presbyterian Church of Mt. Kisco, NY

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Although many students arrive at YDS with a defini-tive vocational path, others come in search of clarity and to explore the myriad possibilities of ordained and lay ministry. To assist in the vocational discernment process, all Master of Divinity degree candidates are mentored by a faculty advisor and by an assistant dean for assessment and ministerial studies.

YDS students prepare for ministry in a globalized world, where ongoing conversation with those beyond one’s own faith communities is ever more important. YDS stu-dents have the opportunity to encounter Christian tradi-tions that may be new to them, as well as non-Christian religions. This exposure to diverse intellectual and faith perspectives is one of the greatest gifts of a Yale Divinity School education.

Come join us on the journey! We welcome your inquiries and invite you to visit our unique community.

YDS has opened many unexpected opportunities for service through-out my life. I am deeply grateful for the privilege to fulfill a dream and prepare for service in God’s world.”

Frederick H. Talbot ’57 M.Div.African Methodist EpiscopalRetired Bishop

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baptistYale Divinity School’s Baptist students, in all their geographic and denominational diversity, thrive on the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle. Many Baptist groups are represented at YDS, including American Baptist Churches USA, United Free Will Baptist Church, The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Academically, a course in Baptist polity and history is offered each fall semester. The course, appropriate for all Baptist students, is designed for ordination-bound Master of Divinity students in their third year and is taught by a representative of the American Baptist Churches. Several members of the faculty and administration who are Baptists offer guidance for students in the processes of ordination and vocational discernment. The Baptist Student Fellowship is a social, educational, and support group for students. Churches in the greater New Haven area represent the diversity of Baptist denominations present among Yale Divinity School students. These churches provide opportunities for worship, service, fellowship, and training.

historic black churchesAt any given time, there is significant representation by Black students at Yale Divinity School, some of whom come from the historic African American churches such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the National Baptist Con-ventions, and United Free Will Baptist. The Black student presence, along with a strong core group of African American faculty members, contributes greatly to the diverse faith traditions at YDS and to the mutual sharing of worship styles and theological insight that contribute to the rich fabric of spiritual life on Sterling Divinity Quadrangle. The Yale Black Seminarians, a standing “constituency group” recognized by YDS’s Community Life Committee, has a particularly vital presence on campus as it seeks to support sound theological education that includes a relationship to the Black experience. Activities have included the Martin Luther King Day Memorial Worship Service, the Angel Tree Project at Christmas, and the Parks-King Lecture in the spring.

episcopalBerkeley Divinity School (www.yale.edu/berkeleydivinity) is a seminary of the Episcopal Church affiliated with Yale Divinity School. It offers Episcopal students the focus of a denominational seminary within the breadth of a university divinity school. As members of the largest single

Worshiping in Marquand was enriching and fulfilling at YDS. I did not know then how forma-tive it would be. It has forced me to be creative and exposed me to other sensitivities in planning liturgy.”

Angela Batie ’07 M.Div. Roman CatholicCampus Minister,Saint Louis University

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Denominations

denominational group at YDS, Episcopalians enjoy a rich offering of academic, spiritual and worship resources across the whole spectrum of the Anglican tradition, with Episcopal faculty in each of the curricular areas. In addition to the Yale M.Div. degree, students may pursue a Diploma in Anglican Studies, which certifies their readiness upon grad-uation to serve in the Episcopal Church or wider Anglican Communion. The diploma requires specific foundational courses in Anglican history, theology, spirituality and worship, as well as enrollment in the leader-ship colloquium, daily attendance in chapel, and active participation in the Annand Program for Spiritual Formation (including an annual class retreat). Morning Prayer and Eucharist are celebrated daily in St. Luke’s Chapel, located in the Berkeley Center one block from Sterling Divinity Quadrangle. A weekly Community Eucharist forms the focus of the school’s life. In addition, Berkeley sponsors the Educational Leadership and Ministry Program, which prepares students of all denominations for vocations in schools and colleges.

lutheranThe comprehensive and vibrant Lutheran Studies Program at Yale Divinity School assures Lutheran Master of Divinity students a nurtur-ing and highly relevant experience over the course of their stay in New Haven. On the academic side, aside from specific courses covering Lu-theran subjects, the school offers a series of colloquia on call, vocation, ordination and the practice of ministry in the Lutheran tradition. Each spring a visiting professor of Lutheran studies holds a colloquium on practical dimensions of the ordained ministry. The visiting professor is usually a professor at a Lutheran seminary or a retired bishop, some-one familiar with ordination requirements in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The formation program also includes regular worship leadership. Lutherans lead Evening Prayer weekly and assist with other services, especially regular Eucharistic services. To fulfill the ELCA requirement of a year’s residence at a Lutheran seminary, YDS has established a partnership with the Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Semi-naries permitting Yale students to take up to two terms at one of the Cluster seminaries as part of their Yale program. The Lutheran Student Organization coordinates service and social events. Both ELCA students and those from the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod take part in academic, worship and social events.

methodistYale Divinity School offers United Methodist students all of the aca-demic resources required to achieve ordination, as well as the liturgical and social support needed to blossom from student to pastor. A constel-lation of courses in history, doctrine, evangelism and polity are available on a regular basis, with the aim of satisfying the Book of Discipline requirements for ordination. United Methodist students also take part fully in the life of Marquand Chapel, the daily liturgical hub of Sterling Divinity Quadrangle. Opportunities abound for preaching, fashioning services and implementing new dimensions of worship firmly rooted in the Methodist tradition. Outside the classroom and the walls of Mar-quand Chapel, Methodist students and faculty meet regularly through the school’s Methodist Society, which provides a forum for discussion, support, fellowship and worship.

presbyterian, reformedStudents preparing for ordained ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA) can complete all of their ordination requirements during the course of M.Div. study at YDS and graduate fully prepared for ordi-nation and for service within the church and beyond. Presbyterian students can sit for all ordination exams at YDS. Those preparing for ordination in the Reformed Church in America and the Christian Reformed Church normally register for a course of summer study at a Reformed Church seminary, which combined with a Yale M.Div. degree serves to complete the ordination requirements. In addition to providing all of the necessary academic preparation, YDS offers a Reformed Stud-ies certificate program that recognizes a course of study in the theologi-cal and historical traditions as well as the acquisition of skills for leading worship and preaching. The Reformed Studies program offers the opportunity, beyond classroom work, for students to discuss and debate issues facing Christians in the modern world. The program is entirely voluntary, open to all YDS students, and not for credit. Members of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fellowship also gather over regular lun-cheon meetings, building strong connections with one another.

roman catholicRoman Catholic students at Yale Divinity School represent the second-largest concentration of any single denomination on Sterling Divinity Quadrangle. Although no formal programs for priestly formation cur-rently exist at YDS, many Catholic students are enrolled in the Master of Divinity program, preparing for lay ministry and leadership positions in the Catholic Church. Course offerings at YDS, ranging from “Catholic Liturgy, Dogma and Devotion” to “Roman Catholic Ecclesiology,” give Catholic students a solid grounding in their church’s history and a sense of its current challenges. YDS professors and visiting faculty who are active Roman Catholics provide a rich intellectual resource as well. Out-side the classroom, Catholic students and faculty gather weekly for Mass on the YDS campus, followed by refreshments and socializing. Once a month, the liturgy is followed by a dinner and a lecture offered by a Catholic individual involved in academic, ecclesial, or ministerial work. Opportunities for supervised ministry and formation experience are also available through the St. Thomas More Catholic Chaplaincy.

united church of christ, disciples of christ Preparation for ministry in the Congregational tradition goes back to the very origins of Yale University. Today, Yale Divinity School dili-gently upholds that proud legacy, providing comprehensive academic, pastoral and social resources for students preparing for ordination in the UCC or DOC. Students in these traditions can complete all of their ordination requirements during the course of M.Div. study at YDS and graduate fully prepared for ordination and for service within the church and beyond. Alongside Presbyterian and Reformed students, UCC and Disciples students can participate in the voluntary Reformed Studies certificate program that validates student preparedness in the Reformed theological and historical traditions, as well as skills in preaching and leading worship. Beyond the classroom experience, participants in the Reformed Studies colloquia have opportunities to informally examine together issues facing Christians in the 21st century. Members of the United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ Student Fellowship also gather over regular luncheon meetings, dinner socials, and weekly wor-ship, building strong connections with one another.

Yale Divinity does more than lead you in good paths. The place also fosters initiative. I learned at Yale Divinity School what leadership in the Church means.”

Peter Marty ’85 M.Div.Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Senior Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA

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Like just about every other day at Yale Divinity School, Thursday, March 26, 2009 was filled with engaging activities, each representing in its own way the convergence of faith and intellect that lies at the heart of ministerial formation at the Divinity School. For any YDS student pursuing a career in Christian ministry, this day, like countless others, was a blessing.

The day starts at 7:30 am with Episcopal Morning Prayer and Eucharist at Berkeley Center. At 10:30 am community wor-ship begins, as it does every weekday, in Marquand Chapel, which is filled with worshipers celebrating the life of martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero. Then, at noon, Cardinal Walter Kasper, chair of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promot-ing Christian Unity, engages in a lively conversation with stu-dents in the Common Room.

Fast forward to 12:30 pm. United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ students gather for a lunchtime conver-sation with the Rev. Robert Welsh, the top Disciples of Christ ecumenical official. Meanwhile, ecologically mind-ed students meet to talk about sustainability on the YDS

Yale divinity school

A Day in the Life

campus and the upcoming visit by Fletcher Harper, ex-ecutive director of Greenfaith. Elsewhere on Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, two other sessions are going on simultaneously: Anne Howard, executive direc-tor of the Beatitudes Society, hosts a brown bag lunch to talk about the challenges of peace and justice work, and the Evangelical Fellowship is meeting to hear how the

differences between John Wesley and George Whitefield shaped evangelicalism.

At 4:30 pm, novelist Marilynne Robinson, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Gilead, is giving a talk on Yale’s central campus on the topic, “The Strange History of Altruism,” under auspices of the famed Terry Lecture series, which YDS helps organize every year.

At 5:30 pm a Beatitudes Society dinner begins just before the Disciples of Christ/United Church of Christ Student Fellowship reconvenes for wor-ship in Nouwen Chapel.

But there is much more. Woven into this rich fabric of fellowship and discourse are the academic courses that fuel the intellectual engagement that spills out of classrooms into every nook and cranny of Sterling Divinity Quadrangle.

Willis Jenkins is teaching a course in environmental ethics. Moral philosopher Gene Outka is discoursing on “Theories of Love.” Tom Troeger is holding forth on the “New Homi-letic,” while Marvin McMickle teaches “Preaching in the Black Tradition.” Kristen Leslie of-fers “Introduction to Pastoral Care,” and future preachers with a literary bent are in with Peter Hawkins as he rhapso-dizes on “Dante’s Journey to God.” Susan Olson is holding a classroom session for students doing field work in churches and non-profits involved in social change. A course with the intriguing title “The Wor-ship Mall” is taught by Bryan Spinks, and Christopher Beeley discourses on “History and Anglican Theology.” Adela

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Collins is unpacking the hermeneutics of the historical Jesus, and Sallama Shaker is exploring “Religious Dimen-sions of the Peace Process.”

For those with energy left, 7:30 pm is the time for a lecture and reception at the university’s St. Thomas More Catholic center, featuring an address by Cardinal Kasper on “The Timeliness of Speaking

of God: Freedom and Com-munion as Basic Concepts of Theology.” No one has done everything on this day. But the process of ministerial forma-tion, in its various manifes-tations, has been moving forward, just as it does every day at Yale Divinity School.

A Day in the Life

Contact UsYale Divinity SchoolAdmissions Office409 Prospect StreetNew Haven, CT 06511-2167

Admissions Office Phone: (203) 432-5360 Financial Aid Office Phone: (203) 432-5026Email: ydsadmsn@yale.eduwww.yale.edu/divinity

Yale Divinity SchoolAdmissions Office409 Prospect StreetNew Haven, CT 06511-2167

(203) 432-5360www.yale.edu/divinity