David Daniels named Luce Professor of World Christianity

05-09-2010

McCormick Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rev. Dr. David D. Daniels III to the Henry Winters Luce Chair of World Christianity. Daniels succeeds the late Dr. Ogbu U. Kalu, who held this distinguished position until his death in December of 2008.

“The breadth and depth of David’s scholarship in the history of and current trends in global Christianity make him an excellent choice for this important role at McCormick,” said Dr. Luis Rivera, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

“David is also a leader in the life of faith. He brings serious commitments to social justice, ecumenical partnerships, and diversity in theological education. He has over many years developed important national and international relationships with key academic and ecclesial networks that continue to serve McCormick and its many constituencies.”

An ordained minister in the Church of God in Christ since 1980, Daniels earned his Master of Divinity from Yale University and his Ph.D. in Church History from Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1992. He joined McCormick’s faculty in 1987 and was inaugurated Professor of Church History in 2003.

Daniels has been a member of the American Academy of Religion since 1989, the Society for the Study of Black Religion since 1993, and the Society for Pentecostal Studies since 1979. He is a member of the steering committee of the Evangelical Theology Group and Afro-American History Group of the American Academy of Religion and has served as Co-Chair of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Pentecostal International Dialogue since 2001. In 2009, he was appointed to serve as Chair of the Global Board of Education for the Church of God in Christ.

He has published numerous articles on Pentecostal studies and the history of Christianity in scholarly journals and magazines including Pneuma, CrossCurrents, and The Christian Century, and in edited volumes including the Encyclopedia of African American Religions, A Sourcebook for the Community of Religions, African Immigrant Religions in America, The Future of Pentecostalism in the United States, and Shaping Beloved Community: Multicultural Theological Education. Daniels currently serves on several editorial boards and was as an advisor to Legacy of A Leader, a video documentary on Charles Harrison Mason.

A renowned preacher and lecturer, Daniels has traveled extensively, having been invited to speak at the Bossey Institute in Switzerland, the Spiritan International School of Theology in Attakwu, Enugu, Nigeria, the Cheikh A. Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal, and Emmanuel College of Victoria University at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

For more information on the faculty of McCormick Theological Seminary, visit .

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About McCormick Theological Seminary

An important part of Chicago’s religious life since its move to the city in 1859, McCormick Theological Seminary prepares women and men for Christian ministry, advancing a model of education that is urban, cross-cultural, ecumenical and Reformed. McCormick is one of 12 schools related to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) and is affiliated with the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools and the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS).

Visit McCormick’s Web site at www.mccormick.edu for more information on its programs, faculty, educational events and resources.