McCormick announces Bishop Yehiel Curry, MDiv as 2023 Commencement Speaker

04-03-2023

The Bishop of Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will deliver the 189th address.

McCormick Theological Seminary has announced that pastor, author, and educator Bishop Yehiel Curry, MDiv will deliver the Commencement address at its 189th Commencement exercises on May 13, 2023.

Bishop Curry is the Bishop of Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Secondary Education from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois in 1995, and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2013.

McCormick Theological Seminary President David Crawford said Bishop Curry’s invitation as Commencement speaker will encourage graduates with a local example of public ministry focused within grassroots organizing and youth mentorship. 

“We are absolutely delighted that Bishop Curry will be our Commencement speaker this year. His leadership has inspired communities throughout Chicago and beyond. As a graduate and board member of our long-time neighbor and partner, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Bishop Curry understands the importance of our shared histories and our shared hopes for the future. ”

Bishop Curry is the founder and advisor of Riverdale Organized for Change (ROC), in Chicago’s south suburbs. The organization is devoted to addressing issues concerning the quality of life in Riverdale.

A mentoring advocate, Bishop Curry is an active board member for Rescue, Release and Restore, Inc. NFP (RRR) – a mentoring organization with programs in six cities. RRR focuses on conflict resolution, rites of passage and cultural expression and houses the Safe in My Brother’s Arms (SIMBA)/ Safe in My Sisters’ Arms (SIMSA) camps for African-American youth and the MYLA Camp – a multicultural leadership camp in partnership with Living Water Ministries in Michigan. He also ministers to youth globally in Liberia & Rwanda, Africa as well as synods throughout the U.S.

From 2013-2019, Bishop Curry served as pastor of Shekinah Chapel Lutheran Church, where he also served as mission developer from 2007 to 2012. He also served on the Policy and Organizing board for the Community Renewal Society in Chicago.

A recognized organizer and leader in the Chicago-area, Bishop Curry is the recipient of  The Ark of St. Sabina – Dream Maker Award, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL) – Leader of the Year,and Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago’s Distinguish Alumni Award.

McCormick Theological Seminary is one of 11 theological schools related to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the Higher Learning Commission. The seminary is affiliated with the Association of Chicago Theological Schools. A progressive leader in the Reformed tradition, McCormick provides a transformative educational experience, ignited by the call for justice, that: expands prophetic imagination grounded in real-world practice; inspires passionate advocates who accompany those on the margins; and empowers generations of leaders to serve the church and society with integrity, love, and hope.

Bishop Yehiel Curry