The TMC Initiative seeks the renewal of health care by bringing in-depth theological formation to the church’s health care practitioners. TMC creates opportunities for students, clergy, and health care practitioners to reimagine and to re-engage contemporary practices of health care in light of Christian tradition and the practices of Christian communities. We do this through formational programs, fellowship, public events and lectures, and a growing network of Christian health care workers. 

About TMC

Learn more about the heart behind the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative from our faculty, staff, and alumni.

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TMC Formational Programs

TMC offers both residential and hybrid online formational programs at Duke Divinity School. These programs are open to current and future students in any of the health professions, as well as practicing clinicians and health care administrators.
TMC Fellowship
Our residential fellowship program is aimed at current and future practitioners in any of the health professions, as well as those whose vocations involve full-time work in health-related contexts. The fellowship can be completed in 1 year (by completing the Certificate in Theology and Health Care (R-CTHC) or in 2 years (by completing the Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.).
Hybrid Online Certificate
Our hybrid online programs are aimed at clinicians and others whose vocations involve full-time work in health-related contexts (including public health workers, hospital administrators, therapists, and counselors). Our hybrid online program can be completed in 1 year, through the Certificate in Theology and Health Care (H-CTHC). In this flexible hybrid format, students come together for two separate weeks in person at Duke University and then join for eight months of online learning.
Dual Degrees & Programs
Our dual degrees and programs with the Duke School of Medicine include 1-year and 2-year options with the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program; and an option that integrates with the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (O.T.D.) 3-year program.
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Harrison Hines smiling wearing a grey blazer, white shirt, and yellow tie

“I have experienced the TMC fellowship as a precious and undeserved gift. Even as an undergraduate student, I longed to connect my interest in becoming a physician and my christian faith. I was thrilled to come to Duke as a TMC fellow between my second and third years of medical school. Before, I felt as if I was pursuing these questions alone. Now I have a community of friends pursuing them alongside me.”

Upcoming Events

Join us for lectures, workshops, conferences, and more.
Fri, Feb 21, 2025 | 12 - 1pm | Zoom

Longing for Shalom: Christian Healthcare as Outposts of Beauty and Goodness

This lecture will explore how Christian anthropology and interpersonal neurobiology helpfully form us into not only individual care providers but also institutions of shalom, all of which become outposts of goodness and beauty that serve our patients and our communities in the spirit and embodied presence of the kingdom of God.

Fri, Feb 21, 2025 | 12 - 1pm | Zoom

TMC Virtual Seminar Series Spring 2025

The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative's semi-monthly seminars are a regular gathering of faculty, students, clinicians, and others interested in the intersections of theology, medicine, and culture.

Thu, Mar 6, 2025 | 12:30 - 1:30pm | 0012 Westbrook

How Can Theological Education Be Trauma-Informed? Learning from Student Perspectives

In this seminar, Bass Connections faculty and students discuss principles of trauma-informed education and share preliminary themes from what Duke Divinity students and faculty have shared about their experiences in a focus group study.

News & Features

Dean of GW Law Receives 2024 Richard Payne Award in Faith, Justice, and Health Care
November 14, 2024
On Nov. 13, Dayna Bowen Matthew, J.D., Ph.D., dean of the George Washington University Law School, was recognized as the 2024 Richard Payne Awardee and Lecturer in Faith, Justice, and Health Care. This prestigious honor highlights academic, clinical, and lay leaders who embody the late Dr. Richard Payne’s spirit of caring for the whole person.
Wellness & Restoration: TMC Alumna Leads Effort to Extend Mental Health Care to Asheboro Community
August 20, 2024
First United Methodist Church of Asheboro has deeply integrated mental health care into its ministry, providing clinical mental health counseling through its Wellness & Restoration program, led by TMC alumna Dr. Robin Liles.
Kinghorn on the Moral / Medical Divide
August 5, 2024
Kinghorn responds to Pastor John MacArthur's controversial statements about mental health in a July 11 article published in Mere Orthodoxy.

Support Our Work

Your gift supports our work as we seek the renewal of health care by bringing in-depth theological formation to the church’s health care practitioners.