Homepage Feature

Nathanael Homewood

Yang Scholar Nathanael Homewood Explores ‘Worlds Thought Impossible’ in World Christianity

March 7, 2024

Nathanael J. Homewood is a Yang Visiting Scholar in World Christianity at Harvard Divinity School for the 2023-24 academic year. His research focuses on Christianity in Africa, especially Ghanaian Pentecostalism, and the large-scale connections between Western and non-Western Christianity in America.... Read more about Yang Scholar Nathanael Homewood Explores ‘Worlds Thought Impossible’ in World Christianity

Rachel Mallett is a first-year master of divinity student

Student Explores People, Traditions, and 'Ultimate Concern' at Harvard Divinity

March 1, 2024

“I resonate with Paul Tillich’s conception of religion as dealing with the ‘ultimate concern.’ Religion, for me, is a way of harnessing that which we are all ultimately concerned with, in both a tangible sense and a metaphysical one. In other words, we all have an inclination toward fulfillment, and it is necessary for us to feel meaningfully connected with our own life and community, whether or not we believe one thing over another.”... Read more about Student Explores People, Traditions, and 'Ultimate Concern' at Harvard Divinity

Swami Chidekananda, who joined the Hindu Monastic Fellowship Program sponsored by Harvard Divinity School, stands in front of Swartz Hall. Photo by Swami Sachidananda Saraswati

Hindu Monastic at Harvard Divinity School Lives to Learn

February 14, 2024

In many ways, Swami Chidekananda grew up as an “all-American kid.” Raised in Los Angeles, California, his father was a UCLA microbiology professor for more than 40 years, and Chidekananda made the all-star team as a shortstop in baseball. On the inside, though, he felt tension as a first-generation Indian American still very much immersed in the rich Hindu spirituality with which his mother bestowed him.... Read more about Hindu Monastic at Harvard Divinity School Lives to Learn

William Graham, David Holland, Marla Frederick, Preston Williams, and David Hempton

Harvard Divinity School Community Welcomes, Celebrates New Dean Marla Frederick

January 23, 2024

Hundreds gather on campus to mark a new chapter in the School's history as Marla F. Frederick begins her tenure as HDS’s eighteenth Dean.

The Harvard Divinity School community was in a celebratory mood on January 22. The day marked the official start of classes for the 2024 spring semester, and it was punctuated with a festive celebration to welcome the School’s new Dean Marla F. Frederick.... Read more about Harvard Divinity School Community Welcomes, Celebrates New Dean Marla Frederick

Suan Sonna

Former Friar Reflects on Zomi Culture and His Path to Harvard Divinity School

January 22, 2024

“I never thought that I would get into Harvard Divinity School. I still remember the morning I received my online acceptance letter. I had just woken up, unlocked my phone in spite of my blurry vision, and saw that I had an update on my application status. Thinking I had surely been rejected, I quickly checked my application only to see virtual confetti sprinkle across my screen and over my acceptance letter. I immediately told my parents the good news, and we were all thrilled.”

Suan Sonna is a first-year master of theological studies student in New Testament and Early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School.... Read more about Former Friar Reflects on Zomi Culture and His Path to Harvard Divinity School

Taylon Lancaster, MDiv '25

Student and Pastor Taylon Lancaster Creates Pathways for 'Holistic Ministry'

January 2, 2024

“I think that what the Black Church should model and what it is that I'm trying to implement at Third Baptist Church is what Dr. King coined ‘the beloved community’.”

Taylon Lancaster is senior pastor at Third Baptist Church, in Springfield, Massachusetts, and a second-year master of divinity degree candidate at Harvard Divinity School. Lancaster is in the unique position of pairing his studies at HDS with lived community. He has been an interlocutor between theory and practice throughout his time at Clark Atlanta University. Currently, he seeks to expand his congregation’s vision of the gospel to include a holistic sense of ministry and inclusivity. ... Read more about Student and Pastor Taylon Lancaster Creates Pathways for 'Holistic Ministry'

Students point at multiple pieces of artwork on display on a ledge

Exploring the Divine through Abstract Art: HDS Course Bridges Spirituality and Expressionism

December 14, 2023

This interview is one in an ongoing series exploring the intersection of art and religion in HDS courses.

The Harvard Divinity School course, “Spiritual Paths to Abstract Art,” is more than just an academic exploration. Led by Ann Braude, Senior Lecturer on American Religious History at HDS, the course is a journey of generational spirituality, connection with the divine, and art-sharing as a profound experience of connection.... Read more about Exploring the Divine through Abstract Art: HDS Course Bridges Spirituality and Expressionism

Pages