David Roozen
Professor
of Religion and Society;
Director, Hartford Institute for Religion Research
As
director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research I feel called
into a century long legacy. Hartford Seminary’s leadership in
developing the practical connection between mission and social
analysis traces to the Social Gospel and its hiring of Graham Taylor
as Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Sociology in 1882.
In 1894 the seminary created a school of sociology; in 1927 it became
the first seminary to hire a sociologist to its faculty. The
commitment to a sociologically informed theology continued through
several generations of faculty appointments, including the tenure of
Peter Berger on the faculty during the 1960s. The combination of
social analysis and the practice of ministry then provided the driving
force in the development of the Church and Ministry Program (CAMP),
one of the two educational initiatives resulting from the total
re-direction and re-structuring of the seminary in 1972. Visit our
website (HIRR.HARTSEM.EDU)
to catch the excitement of our current research on congregations,
clergy, denominations, social ministry and theological education.
Visit the seminary to experience for yourself our development and
teaching of research based resources for religious leaders – lay and
ordained.
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