Duke Divinity School welcomed new students at its 99th Opening Convocation service on Friday, August 29, in Duke University Chapel.
The Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric, dean of Duke Divinity School and Ruth and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, preached. The Rev. Dr. Sangwoo Kim, associate dean for vocational formation and senior director of the Methodist House, presided over communion.
The Opening Convocation service marks the beginning of the new academic year and serves as a welcome to entering students, who this year included 219 students from states across the country and several international locations.
The Master of Divinity program gained 120 new students, both residential and hybrid. The Master of Arts in Christian Practice enrolled six new students; the Doctor of Ministry, 34; Master of Theology, seven; Master of Theological Studies, 32; and the Doctor of Theology welcomed five new students to campus. The Certificate in Theology and Health Care welcomed three residential students to campus and 11 in the hybrid program.
In keeping with Duke Divinity’s ecumenical tradition, the incoming student class represents a number of denominations and church traditions, with 25 denominations represented in the M.Div. entering class.
In addition to welcoming new students, Dean Colón-Emeric's sermon marked the beginning of the Nicene Creed Preaching Series at Duke Divinity School this year.
In celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, faculty will preach each week in Goodson Chapel on sections of the Nicene Creed.
During his sermon, Colón-Emeric preached, "Perhaps this is the season for untangling the Nicene Creed from state theology and church theology. Perhaps this is a task for a divinity school whose mission claims to 'engage in spiritually disciplined and academically rigorous education, in service and witness to the Triune God in the midst of the church, the academy, and the world.' It may sound like mission impossible, but the Pentecost God is full of surprises."
The sermon highlighted an important aspect of the Nicene Creed—belief. In doing so, Colón-Emeric emphasized that the Nicene Creed is a Pentecostal profession, but also a peace proclamation.
He said, "Christ did not preach peace looking for recognition or awards. His life is a single extended sermon on peace."
"We believe in the Pentecost God who delights in diversity and calls nothing he has made unclean—and in Jesus Christ our peace."
Christianity is a peace movement, said Colón-Emeric. "Peace in believing that our lowest point does not limit our highest hope, because we acknowledge the power of baptism, the possibility of repentance, and the forgiveness of sin. We believe. We believe. This is a Pentecost profession, a peace proclamation, and also a praise pronouncement."
