Duke Divinity School has assumed oversight of key offerings created by the Alban Institute, which for more than 40 years served American congregations through publishing, education, and consulting. 

The Alban Institute announced in March that it would grant its considerable assets to a number of established partners, including the Divinity School. The agreement between the Alban Institute and Duke University, signed in late June, transfers all of Alban’s intellectual properties to Duke and creates a new restricted endowment to support future programs.

The focus of Alban at Duke Divinity School will be on creating the capacity for those who care deeply about resourcing congregations to strengthen and form new networks and connections. 

The Divinity School will partner with publisher Rowman & Littlefield to produce helpful books under the Alban imprint. Rowman & Littlefield purchased and will sell previously published Alban books via their website and other online retailers.

Publication of Alban’s long-standing e-newsletter, Alban Weekly, will continue. Its 38,000 subscribers will be invited to participate in a survey that will help shape future offerings aimed at supporting the development of flourishing congregations in communities across the country. Over the coming months, readers will have access to decades of Alban resources, along with new stories of transformational ministry. 

Other institutions will take up additional aspects of the Alban Institute’s work.

For years, the Alban Institute has been known for the strength and quality of its consultants. Some of them are now working independently, while others are working together under a new banner, "Congregational Consulting." Alban Weekly will occasionally feature their work and wisdom.

These resources and more will be featured on a new version of the Alban website, Alban.org, set to launch this fall.