After a six-month national search, Richard Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament, was selected to serve as dean of the Duke Divinity School.
Hays was appointed to a full term as dean of the Divinity School after serving in that capacity for the past two years, the University announced Monday. Hays initially took on the role after former Dean Gregory Jones stepped down from the position in August 2010. Although Hays originally indicated that he did not want to be considered for the position, he said he recently changed his mind after discussing the future of the Divinity School with President Richard Brodhead.
“We’re going to be engaged in the deep, sympathetic, critical and imaginative study of scripture and tradition,” Hays said. “My saying that is not an innovation—it’s a carrying forward of something that has been characteristic of the school. This is a terrific school, and I hope to continue to provide strong leadership.”
Hays, who first came to the Divinity School as a professor in 1991, said he hopes the school will continue to thrive under his leadership while forging new interdisciplinary relationships with the University’s other graduate and professional schools.
“One of the things that makes this school distinctive even among major university divinity schools is the way in which we have a commitment to a theological interpretation of the Bible,” Hays said. “We’re not simply engaged in historical work, but we’re constantly engaged in a process of reflection.”
Andrew Barnhill, a second-year student who is pursuing dual degrees with the divinity and law schools at Duke, said he sees a distinct opportunity for the Divinity School to break down disciplinary boundaries.
“The Divinity School is in a position to force theological reflection to life into its public role in this country,” Barnhill wrote in an email Monday. “I hope Dean Hays is ready for the challenge.”
Hays’ interest in approaching theology from a multifaceted perspective stems in part from his own academic background, which he said has trained him to think analogically and to consider how society engages today. Hays’ research has explored Christian hermeneutics—the way in which early Christian writers interpreted Israel’s Scripture.
This academic experience, in addition to his credentials serving as dean of the Divinity School for two years, has uniquely prepared him for a full appointment to the position, Hays said.
“It is very important that the dean of the school be someone who has been very much engaged in scholarship and research,” he added. “It’s not simply an administrative job—[it] involves leadership in intellectual enterprise. I spent the great bulk of my career as an active scholar and writer.”
In addition to increasing interdisciplinary relations, Hays expects to be faced with more practical responsibilities, such as maintaining funding for scholarships and endowed faculty.
In an email Monday, Sanetta Ponton and Scott Himel, co-presidents of the Duke Divinity Student Council, said Hays’ experience during the past two years will also benefit the Divinity School as it faces challenges, such as how to address key faculty retirements.
“[Hays’ appointment] provides a sense of stability and familiarity,” Ponton and Himel said, adding that his consistent presence will be reassuring to potential donors to the school’s capital campaign.
Ellen Davis, Amos Ragan Kearns distinguished professor of Bible and practical theology and chair of the search committee responsible for selecting the new dean, also noted the unique combination of innovation and consistency that Hays offers.
“We came to the conclusion after much deliberation and prayer that the best choice for the Divinity School at this time is the person who has been serving as dean for the past two years,” she said.
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