We teach, research, publish, and create experiences to nurture effective leaders for the church, the academy, and the world. We seek to enrich the work and witness of Duke Divinity School—with both theological and spiritual resources from Black Church contexts.
The Office of Black Church Studies Celebrates 50 Years
A Year of Celebration
During the 2022–2023 academic year, Duke Divinity School celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Office of Black Church Studies, with a year of events culminating in an evening celebration on April 17 featuring Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Yolanda Adams and the Martin Luther King Lecture Series on April 18 with the Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale.
The Sankofa Alumni Preaching Series, established in 2014 during Black History Month, is hosted by the Office of Black Church Studies to celebrate the distinct contributions of the school’s alumni of African descent.
The Certificate in Black Church Studies aims to help strengthen the body of Christ through critical reflection, dialogue, and practice for those who are interested in the intersection of race, faith, and Christian witness, particularly in the tradition of Black churches.
The Black Church Studies Fellowship program is designed for students pursuing the Certificate in Black Church Studies while enrolled in the residential Master of Divinity degree program. The program includes full-tuition scholarship and signature programming.
Learn about classes in Black Church studies that are intensely interdisciplinary, ecumenical, and intellectually inclusive.
Image
“Studying at Duke Divinity has helped me to foster a particular fortitude, as my convictions, formed out of the Black church tradition, are brought into the discussion of the broader theological conversation.”
About the Office of Black Church Studies
Learn about how we nurture effective leaders for the church, the academy, and the world.