The Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Committee on the Episcopacy has announced new assignments for bishops, and Duke Divinity School is pleased to welcome Bishop Kenneth H. Carter Jr. as bishop in residence with the Divinity School on July 1, 2020. He will teach on a limited basis as a consulting faculty member alongside his service as bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

“We are delighted to have Bishop Ken Carter joining the Duke Divinity School community in addition to his leadership as an active bishop,” said L. Gregory Jones, dean and Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams Jr. Distinguished Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry. “Ken is a distinguished alumnus and long-time friend and supporter of Duke, and he exemplifies Wesleyan leadership. He has regularly offered wise guidance to our students, faculty, and staff over the years and forged connections between the Divinity School and the broader United Methodist Church. We are thrilled to be able to formalize this relationship and strengthen our ongoing engagements together.”

Bishop Carter concluded a term as president of the (global) Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church in May. He previously served as one of three moderators of the church’s Commission on a Way Forward. Prior to his election as a bishop, he served 28 years as a pastor and district superintendent in the Western North Carolina Conference. His published books include Fresh Expressions:  A New Kind of Methodist Church (with the Rev. Audrey Warren D’08); Embracing the Wideness of God’s Mercy; and A Beginner’s Guide to Practicing A Scriptural Imagination. He earned his B.S. degree from Columbus College, M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, M.A. from the University of Virginia, and his D.Min. from Princeton Theological Seminary.  
 
“I am excited to contribute to the life of Duke Divinity School and the formation of leaders in ministry,” Carter said. “Over the last few years I have been heavily invested in denominational leadership, but at the same time I have been engaged in new forms of church and the relationship of mission and innovation. I look forward in this role to strengthening connections between pastoral leaders, the church and the Divinity School."