Harvard Divinity School

A Very Special (and Mysterious) Day A Q&A with Jon D. Levenson on his new book, Israel’s Day of Light and Joy: The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. By Faye Bodley-Dangelo

In his latest book, "Israel’s Day of Light and Joy: The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath,” HDS Professor Jon D. Levenson explores the Sabbath’s origins: bit.ly/4m0gGoR

On Religion and Human Flourishing: A Conversation with Akhil Gupta | Harvard Divinity School Akhil Gupta, a former fellow at Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative and a member of the Dean's Council at HDS, is leading efforts to promote interreligious dialogue, religious literacy, and human...

Akhil Gupta came to Harvard in 2015 as an Advanced Leadership Initiative fellow focused on impact investing—but a course on religion and world peace changed his path.

Now on the HDS Dean’s Council, he champions religious literacy to bridge divides and build peace.

Read more: bit.ly/41pkYOi

In Remembrance: Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, Esteemed Harvard Divinity School Theologian | Harvard Divinity School Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, a towering figure in theology and longtime faculty member at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), died recently at the age of 84.

Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, a prominent figure in theology and longtime faculty member at Harvard Divinity School, has died at 84.

He was the Charles Chauncey Stillman Research Professor and a devoted mentor to students and scholars across the globe.

Read more:

Colorful cover illustration for Harvard Divinity Bulletin featuring abstract figures in a vibrant, dynamic composition.

Familiar faces fill the latest Harvard Divinity Bulletin, featuring Dean Marla Frederick, HDS faculty, alums & more!

Cover by Diana Ejaita, a multihyphenate artist, illustrator, and contributor to the "The New Yorker" since 2019. Art direction by Point Five Design.

Read here!: bit.ly/4meizOB

Keeping the Faith A new course investigates the powerful connections between belief, spirituality, and leadership

What’s the link between spirituality and leadership in a results-driven world?

The Spiritual Lives of Leaders course at Harvard Business School brings together voices from across Harvard, including HDS, to explore how spirituality shapes purpose-driven leadership.

Read more: bit.ly/44RCxYp

Ahmad Greene-Hayes Named New Managing Editor of the Journal of Africana Religions | Harvard Divinity School Ahmad Greene-Hayes, Associate Professor of African American Religious Studies at HDS, has been named managing editor of the Journal of Africana Religions.

Dr. Ahmad Greene-Hayes (@ahmadgreene.com), Associate Professor of African American Religious Studies, is the new Managing Editor of the Journal of Africana Religions, a leading publication on African and African Diasporic religious traditions.

Read more: bit.ly/4lZG7qq

Terrence L. Johnson Begins Tenure as Director of Religion and Public Life | Harvard Divinity School Terrence L. Johnson, MDiv ’00, has assumed the role of director of Religion and Public Life (RPL) at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), a program that promotes the public understanding of religion.

As of July 1st, Terrence L. Johnson, MDiv ’00, has assumed the role of director of Religion and Public Life (RPL) at HDS!

A teacher, author, and public intellectual, he aims to broaden RPL's reach across faith traditions, political ideologies, and institutional sectors.

Read here: bit.ly/4kzOAiK

Visiting Hindu Monastic on the Divine Spark of Light Within Each of Us | Harvard Divinity School Brahma Kumaris monastic Sudarshan Sundar reflects on interfaith exploration, academic growth, and a year of spiritual connection at HDS.

“Meditation in motion” is a theme that guides Sudarshan Sundar, a 2024–25 Hindu monastic fellow at HDS. Through classes, weekly noon services, and meetings with the Interfaith Council, he leaves HDS eager to keep exploring how faith traditions influence each other.

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an artist lives here: jarrett hill on Queerness, the Black Church, and Coming Alive at Harvard Divinity School | Religion and Public Life

Meet jarrett hill (@jarretthill.bsky.social) , MRPL ’25, award-winning journalist, artist, and recent graduate of Master of Religion and Public Life program. His final project, “an artist lives here,” explores identity, liberation, and care through a thoughtfully curated art exhibit.

Read here:

Every Experience Changes Us: A Vedantic Monastic on Her HDS Journey | Harvard Divinity School Brahmacharini Durga reflects on a transformative year of study, community, and interreligious insight at HDS.

Brahmacharini Durga is a Hindu monastic of the Ramakrishna Order. Her time at Harvard Divinity School as a Special Student built upon the pluralistic spirit of her order while engaging with faculty and students from other traditions.

Read more:

www.hds.harvard.edu/news/2025/06...

Harvard Banner surrounded by HDS campus greenery

Summer sights!☀️

#HarvardInSummer

The CSWR's Thinking with Plants and Fungi Conference was an immersive, in-depth exploration into the consciousness and agency of the more-than-human world: trees, plants, and fungi.

Read more:

cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2025/06...

@harvardcswr.bsky.social

From saints to serpents: HDS students win 2025 Buechner Prize As the academic year comes to a close, Harvard Divinity School (HDS) announces that Tess Dufrechou, M.Div. ’25, and Kat Woodard, M.Div. ’25, have received the 2025 Frederick Buechner Prize.…

Congratulations to 2025 Buechner Prize Winners, Tess Dufrechou, MDiv ’25, and Kat Woodard, MDiv ’25!

Each year, this award honors two graduating MDiv students whose senior papers reflect the literary and theological vision of the late writer-theologian Frederick Buechner.  

Read more here!⬇️

Applications for DivEx 2025 are now open!

The DivEx program is a three-day opportunity to learn more about Harvard Divinity School, our graduate programs, faculty members, and class offerings. The program is free to all participants. Learn more:

bit.ly/3ZPT5y8

Harvard Divinity School Expands Jewish Studies with New Appointment | Harvard Divinity School HDS announces the appointment of Shaul Magid as Professor of Modern Jewish Studies in Residence, effective July 1, 2025. Magid brings a blend of traditional Jewish learning and innovative critical sch...

We are thrilled to share that Shaul Magid has been named Professor of Modern Jewish Studies in Residence!

Magid brings a blend of traditional Jewish learning and innovative critical scholarship to HDS. Learn more here:

www.hds.harvard.edu/news/2025/06...

Celebrating 2025 HDS Commencement | Harvard Divinity School HDS's rich multireligious identity was on full display during the 2025 Commencement exercises.

The celebration isn’t over yet—there’s still so much joy to share for the Class of 2025!

From performances and moments of reflection to joyful expressions of community, relive the highlights of this year’s Commencement celebrations here 🎓🕊️✨

#Harvard #WeAreHarvardDivinity #Commencement #Harvard25

Yesterday, our students began graduation celebrations with one of our favorite events of the year, the Multireligious Commencement Service! 💛

Music, prayer, and poetry were offered from all faith traditions as we celebrated our pluralistic community.

#harvard #harvard25 #commencement

Michael Fuhrman, MDiv ’25, on Living a Philosophy of Presence | Harvard Divinity School Michael Fuhrman, MDiv '25, is graduating from HDS with a robust philosophy of presence and listening, one shaped by study and community.

For Michael Fuhrman, MDiv '25, education, storytelling, and care are intertwined. As he completes his HDS journey, he steps into teaching and embraces chaplaincy not just as a role, but as a way of listening and being present for his students. #Harvard25 #Commencement #WeAreHarvardDivinity

Joy Castro-Wehr, MDiv ’25, on Listening to Stories as Spiritual Care | Harvard Divinity School As she prepares to graduate from HDS, Joy Castro-Wehr, MDiv '25, leaves with a unique understanding of spiritual care, one informed by compassionate and creative listening.

During her three years at Harvard Divinity School, Joy Castro-Wehr, MDiv ’25, cultivated a calling shaped by creative listening, study, and ministry. As she prepares to graduate, she carries a refined sense of purpose rooted in compassionate spiritual care. #HDSGrad #Commencement #Harvard25 🎓

This spring, the HDS Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) hosted “Love Through a Multifaith Lens,” a grounding series exploring the ways love is understood and practiced across Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.

Read here: bit.ly/4jNbN1o

Yang Visiting Scholar Jennifer Scheper-Hughes, MDiv ’96, on ‘Proximate History’ | Harvard Divinity School We recently caught up with Yang Visiting Scholar Jennifer Scheper-Hughes, MDiv '96, to discuss her scholarship, her experience at HDS, and advise to future Yang Scholars.

As a 2024–25 Yang Visiting Scholar in World Christianity and a resident at the CSWR, Jennifer Scheper Hughes, MDiv '96 researches Latin American Catholicism, with a focus on the religious lives of Mexican and Mexican American Catholics.

Read more about her journey here: bit.ly/44uOK6Q

Professor Francis Clooney Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences | Harvard Divinity School Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology at Harvard Divinity School, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nati...

Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences—marking another milestone in a career shaping comparative theology and Hindu studies.

Read more: bit.ly/44disgq

People of Faith in Times of Crisis: Apeirogon by Colum McCann Concludes HDS Community Book Read | Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School hosted the third and final session of Dean Frederick's three-part series, “People of Faith in Times of Crisis,” with a powerful conclusion featuring award-winning novelist Colu...

New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, Colum McCann, joined HDS for a meaningful discussion of his novel, "Apeirogon," closing out Dean Marla F. Frederick’s People of Faith in Times of Crisis series. ➡️ bit.ly/4jVBEUA

Join us this summer for "Insight Into Mindfulness," a 3-day in-person workshop for clinical #mentalhealth and #wellness professionals focused on how to use resources derived from Buddhist ideas, techniques, and traditions to address mental health issues.

Application Deadline: May 7 bit.ly/3YMexDx

Faith in Focus: HDS Film Fest Explores the Transformative Power of Storytelling | Harvard Divinity School At the 2025 HDS Film Fest, the power of storytelling through the lens of faith was on full display.

“I think the job of an actor is to be a dispenser of the truth,” said actor and HDS student André Holland, MRPL ’25. Holland and director, Titus Kaphar spoke on art, healing, and storytelling after "Exhibiting Forgiveness" (2024) premiered at the HDS Film Fest.
bit.ly/3G5557S

The late Pope Francis waving at congregation

As the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, two Harvard Divinity School professors, Francis X. Clooney, S.J., and Raúl Zegarra, reflect on his reform-driven papacy and lasting impact on the Catholic Church.

Read their reflections here: bit.ly/4jqouPm

Finalists stand in the Williams Chapel with their flowers

Let's give Hannah Desouza, MDiv ’25, this year’s Billings Preaching Prize winner, her flowers, along with finalists, Caleigh Grogan, MDiv ’25, and Sara Zemelman, MTS ’26, whose voices moved the room! Powerful readings were also given by Michael Fuhrman, MDiv ’25, and Sabbi Lall, MDiv ’26🤩💐

Harmonizing with History: A Journey Through Vancouver Island’s Indigenous Heritage | Center for the Study of World Religions “We come into this world to share and give of ourselves to the all.” – Elder Bill Jones

How can we maintain a mutually nourishing relationship with land?

Fourteen members of the HDS and @harvardcswr.bsky.social communities visited Vancouver Island, joining the Awi’nakola Foundation to explore advocacy for Indigenous land and sovereignty.

Read more: bit.ly/42FQ4RM

#EarthDay

Photo of HDS Professor Annette Yoshiko Reed, Krister Stendahl Professor of Divinity and Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity

Congratulations are in order! HDS Professor Annette Yoshiko Reed, MTS ’99, has been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship for significant contributions to the study of ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and Jewish-Christian relations.

Read more about her scholarship here: bit.ly/44t4FST

Swartz Hall during golden hour with a rainbow in sky

Hello! #WeAreHarvardDivinity

Follow along for stories from our students and faculty, events on campus, and reflections at the intersections of faith, justice, and scholarship.

Whether you're a practitioner, scholar, or somewhere in between, we're glad you're here!🌈🕊️✨