The Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas Announced as 2015 Commencement Speaker
04-01-2015
The Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas will be the graduation speaker for McCormick
Theological Seminary’s 181st Commencement on May 9, 2015 at St. Thomas the
Apostle Catholic Church.
President Frank Yamada said, “I could not be more pleased that the students voted Dr. Thomas to deliver this year’s commencement address. He is one of the most celebrated preacher’s in the nation, and his leadership at McCormick has impacted generations of students and ministers in the church.” Dr. Thomas credits McCormick Seminary for his first academic teaching opportunity, and his class, “Preaching as Celebration,” which he offers every year at McCormick, is always one of the most popular and inspiring among students.
Dr. Thomas currently serves as the Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Homiletics and Director of the Academy of Preaching and Celebration at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is author and editor of several books. Recent notable publications include: They Like to Never Quit Praisin' God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching (revised in 2013); The Choice: Living Your Passion Inside Out (2013); and Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present (2010), co-edited with Martha Simmons.
Thomas received his Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Memphis. He holds Doctor of Ministry degrees from both Chicago Theological Seminary and United Theological Seminary, a Masters of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in African-Caribbean Studies from Northeastern Illinois University.
The 2015 commencement exercises will take place at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, located at 5472 S. Kimbark Avenue, Chicago, IL, on Saturday, May 9th at 1:00 p.m. A reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the McGaw Common Room on the first floor of McCormick Theological Seminary, 5460 S. University Avenue, Chicago, IL at 3:00 p.m.
