Lilly Grant Targets Pastoral Leadership

$10 million gift seeks to inspire new clergy

Friday, January 5, 2001

In an innovative effort to help develop a new generation of strong pastors, Duke University's Divinity School has received a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that will significantly transform the school's approach to theological education, Duke President Nannerl O. Keohane announced Tuesday. In announcing the unprecedented gift, Keohane said: "Duke is cognizant of the nationwide challenge to attract the best students to theological education and to connect professional education with congregational life. Through our strategic planning process, Duke Divinity School has developed an exciting vision to meet this challenge for theological education. We thank the Lilly Endowment for its commitment to support this vision through such a remarkable grant." It also calls for a series of sustained learning opportunities that will bring together clergy and lay leaders with faculty and divinity students to cultivate good habits of study, reflection and conversation. These interrelated projects will be local, regional and national in scope and focus on developing the moral and theological imagination required for strong congregational leadership. Relevant excerpts from the forums, along with concept papers, work plans and descriptions of new initiatives, will be shared with a broader audience through print and web-based publications. Jones said ordained ministers "must be prepared to provide sustained intellectual and spiritual engagement with the deep questions and issues being raised by people in their congregations. It is ironic that while lay people are expressing greater interest in the spiritual life, too many congregations are growing weaker because of unimaginative pastoral leadership." The Learned Clergy Initiative also will link Duke students, faculty and staff with 15 "teaching congregations" across the country, fund two new faculty positions, provide six five-year scholarships for Ph.D. students and expand teaching facilities. "Vital congregations require excellent pastoral leadership and the most effective pastors have a lifelong commitment to learning and growth," said Craig Dykstra, Lilly Endowment vice president for religion. "We are investing in Duke Divinity School because of its strong vision for transforming ministry by developing pastoral leaders who bring wisdom, passion and imagination to their vocation." The school will award the new Divinity Fellowships to master of divinity and master of church ministries students who show high potential for leadership and an interest in full-time study for pastoral leadership. Only students intending ordination will be considered for this program. Each of the merit-based fellowships will also provide an internship with a senior pastor who has a record of strong congregational leadership. In addition, Divinity Fellows will participate with faculty, graduate students, clergy and laity in one of the sustained learning experiences. The 15 teaching congregations will be selected to represent diverse geographical locations, denominations and ethnic and demographic makeup. The project is designed to provide mutually enriching relationships that will make each partner stronger. "Theological education needs to be bold in its commitment to the importance of faithful education and rigorous formation of people for ministry," Jones said. "We urgently need ministers who have a passion for lifelong learning and leadership." In 1999, the Lilly Endowment awarded a $3.5 million grant to the Duke Divinity School to study the pastoral leadership needs of churches. The Pastoral Leadership Project has engaged a group of 40 church leaders from 20 denominations and a smaller core seminar group of church-related academicians and denominational leaders to better understand the leadership needs of churches. Initial research reports underwritten by the project were released in October at a joint meeting of the Religious Research Association and the Society for Scientific Study of Religion. More information on that project is available at http://www.pastoralleadership.duke.edu. The Lilly Endowment is a private, Indianapolis-based foundation that supports community development, education and religion. Duke Divinity School is one of Duke's seven professional schools. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and enrolls approximately 460 students from 40 denominations.