Newhall Fellows established
Trustee Jane Newhall establishes the Newhall Fellows, an endowment enabling doctoral students to teach or conduct research with faculty mentors. Since 1995, more than 330 doctoral students have been Newhall Fellows and more than $1 million has been awarded. The students benefitting from this professional development opportunity have become some of GTU’s most academically influential […]
Library completed and named Flora Lamson Hewlett Library
After decades of planning, collaboration, and construction, the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library dedication ceremony celebrated the completion of a centralized library that would serve the entire Graduate Theological Union consortium. Acknowledging with gratitude a substantial contribution from the Hewlett Foundation, the GTU Common Library was named the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library in May 1987.
Judith A. Berling, Dean 1987-96
Judith A.Berling was the GTU’s first female administrator. She is internationally recognized as a scholar and teacher, intentionally cultivating interdisciplinary and interreligious encounters in her classroom and encouraging those throughout the GTU. Among her projects, Berling convened a working group of faculty to enrich the curriculum with Asian and Pacific Rim topics and perspectives — […]
Center for the Arts, Religion and Education founded
Doug Adams, Professor of Christianity and the Arts at the Pacific School of Religion, founded CARE (now CARe) in 1987 as an affiliate of the GTU. The Center promotes scholarship, reflection, and practice in the arts and religion to serve the GTU and to benefit the community. Its gallery shows, events, grants and fellowships have […]
Buddhism & Christian conference held
Buddhism & Christianity: Toward the Human Future conference was held August 10-14, 1987. More than 700 attended the conference, held to promote religious pluralism, producing a short video, a list of papers for purchase, and a book. Nicholas Grove commented in Mystics Quarterly, March 1988, on the exceptional speakers and that there “was a particular […]
Robert M. Barr, President 1988-92
Art Exhibits: Christo and Jean Claude
Douglas G. Adams introduced Christo at the opening of an art exhibit on April 15. Entitled “Christo and Peter Setz, The Running Fence Project Revisited,” the exhibit featured Christo’s plans for the “Umbrella Project,” as well as images from “The Running Fence.” The event combined a display of Christo’s projects with the retirement of Peter […]
Chan Prize begins
The Chan Essay Prize is an annual award ($2,500) funded by Lionel Chan Family Endowment. In even-numbered years, the topic is “Religion and Economics.” In odd-numbered years, the topic is: “Identity and Practice across Religious Boundaries: exploring a particular concept, theme, or practice in two or more religions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, etc.).”
10th anniversary celebrated
GTU’s 10th anniversary was recognized by a special edition of The Catholic Voice, Diocese of Oakland, November 2. The school held its anniversary celebration at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, January 1973.
Increased partnership with UC Berkeley
GTU students could cross-register at UC Berkeley at no additional charge. Up to this point, university faculty regularly sat on students’ doctoral committees and prospective Ph.D. students also had to be admitted into the university’s graduate division.