Seminary Granted $1M to Launch House of Black Church Studies

       (Image credit: The Christian Post)

Lilly Endowment has awarded a $1million grant to Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS), based in Tennessee, United States, to enable further studies on the African American church. By March, the seminary will flag-off a physical programming for the House of Black Church Studies. The program director is Pastor Karren Todd.

In an interview with The Christian Post, MTS President, Jody Hill said, “At Memphis Theological Seminary, we had already established a Cumberland Presbyterian House of Studies and a Methodist House of Studies.

“With the addition of the House of Black Church Studies, Memphis Theological Seminary can now celebrate that we have houses of study dedicated to equipping leaders in our student body’s three largest congregational settings: the African American Church; the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; and the Pan-Methodist Church.”

Hill added that the House of Black Church Studies will focus on “the formation of congregational and pastoral leadership by building pastoral community; supporting mental health wellness; planning future sustainability; fostering spiritual formation; and developing congregational lay leadership.

“The House of Black Church Studies will enhance Memphis Theological Seminary’s capacity to carry forward its efforts to prepare and support pastors and congregational lay ministers of African-American traditions to serve their local congregations."

The $1M was among the 84 grants approved through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. It’s aim is to “help theological schools strengthen and sustain their capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations.”