People
John Victor Samuel, Pakistani ecumenical leader, dies at age 87
Samuel was also the first Pakistani bishop in the Methodist Church.
Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib to be first Muslim American women in Congress
Both women are seasoned organizers who emphasized economic justice among their priorities.
Steed Vernyl Davidson named VP of academic affairs and dean at McCormick Theological Seminary
The faculty voted unanimously to make him dean.
Anya Krugovoy Silver, poet, dies at age 49
“Making meaning out of suffering and loss,” Silver wrote, is “one of poetry’s most fundamental aims.”
Aretha Franklin influenced sacred and secular music
Franklin, who died at 76, embodied “the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R & B, rock and roll.”
Coptic world mourns death of Anba Epiphanius, Egyptian bishop and scholar
Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church said Epiphanius was "a true monk whose life was steeped in meekness and humbleness."
David H. Crawford becomes president of McCormick Theological Seminary
Crawford came to the seminary from a career in law and business.
Katie Geneva Cannon, groundbreaking womanist ethicist and theologian, dies at age 68
Teaching was her ministry.
Elaine Heath steps down as Duke Divinity dean; Greg Jones steps in
During Heath’s tenure the school faced conflict with some students and faculty related to racial diversity and sexuality.
Nadia Bolz-Weber embarks upon being a full-time public theologian
Her last Sunday with the church she founded was earlier this summer.
Raymond Hunthausen, Catholic archbishop who advocated for progressive causes, dies at age 96
The Vatican investigated his pastoral and administrative practices in the 1980s.
Jean-Louis Tauran, Vatican interfaith leader, dies at age 75
In a decade in the post, he built relationships of respect with leaders of many religious groups.
Fred W. Meuser, Lutheran theologian and leader, dies at age 94
Meuser, a scholar of Martin Luther and American Lutheran history, also served on a multidenominational council and as a seminary president.
Daniel Lehmann to be first Jewish president of Graduate Theological Union
The consortium in Berkeley, California, includes research centers and seminaries of multiple faith traditions—but has been previously led by Christians.
Beth LaNeel Tanner becomes dean at New Brunswick Theological Seminary
She will continue as professor of Old Testament at the school, one of two Reformed Church in America seminaries.
Fidon Mwombeki to lead All Africa Conference of Churches
Mwombeki, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, will head the largest association of Protestant, Orthodox, and indigenous churches in Africa.
After a fire destroyed his life’s work, an artist renews quest to paint Torah
Yoram Raanan lost hundreds of paintings. But from high-quality prints that remained, Meira Raanan created a book, Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible.
Since before #MeToo, Boz Tchividjian has held abusers in church accountable
Tchividjian, a grandson of Billy Graham, founded GRACE as the Catholic abuse scandal was emerging in the early 2000s—alerting Protestants to the issue in their churches.
King of Jordan wins Templeton Prize for fostering Muslim, interfaith cooperation
The Templeton foundation praised Abdullah II for building on "the power of principled pluralism."
Theodore McCarrick charged with sexual abuse
Catholic officials required the retired archbishop to stop ministry activities. McCarrick maintained his innocence.