VDS Voices

Vanderbilt Divinity School is excited to host Rep. Harold Love Jr., (MTS ’98) as its Spring 2026 Practitioner-in-Residence (PIR). Each semester, the Divinity School invites a member of the clergy, a nonprofit leader, or a social justice activist to be “in residence” with its community. The PIR hosts sessions about… Read More

There’s no singular “personal statement” required in the Vanderbilt Divinity School application.   However, there is a series of short essays that gives you a space to answer the questions a traditional personal statement would ask of you.   The application questions concern subjects… Read More

A trailblazing educator whose vision has shaped generations of African American religious leadership and an eminent historian of Christianity are the 2025 Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion Distinguished Alumni/ae. Nominated by their peers, mentors and community members, the Rev. Forrest Harris, MDiv’83, DMin’91, is this year’s recipient… Read More

A folk musician is pursuing her doctorate in religion with a focus on American religious culture. A multimedia artist builds creative partnerships in Nashville and beyond. A United Methodist pastor uses leadership and marketing skills to grow her congregation. And a Christian hip-hop artist and life coach has published an… Read More

At this year’s Fall Faculty Assembly, Professor David Michelson received the Chancellor’s Award for Research,  recognizing his outstanding contributions to scholarship and creative expression. Dr. Michelson was one of ten faculty recognized for their significant impact in their field of study and for their advancement of human understanding of the… Read More

August 2025 Earlier this month, Dr. Kyung-dong Yoo, the President of Methodist Theological University in South Korea, along with Provost Hae-jeong Park and Dr. Hyung-jin Cho, Dean of External Affairs and Development, visited the Vanderbilt Divinity School campus to meet with Dean Yolanda Pierce, students, and faculty. This visit signals… Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School is pleased to announce two events that will bring award-winning director, writer, and producer Nicholas Ma to campus. The producer of Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the highest grossing biographical documentary ever, has released a new documentary called Leap of Faith. Twelve… Read More

What do events that featured the late Rev. James Lawson, entertainers George Clinton and Garth Brooks, poet Nikki Finney, author Jim Wallis and other distinguished individuals all have in common? They are among many community-centered programs at Vanderbilt Divinity School that Sha’Tika Brown has helped craft and elevate. As senior program manager, Brown is committed to building and strengthening the Divinity… Read More

Project Transformation (PT) National is beyond excited to announce our newest seminary partnership with Vanderbilt Divinity School! Following PT National’s exciting announcement about the Young Adult Faith and Service Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., Vanderbilt Divinity School and Project Transformation have come together to provide enriching opportunities for both current and future… Read More