October 1, 2017
Dear General Seminary Community:
We are writing to you as the Honorary Degree Committee of the General Seminary Board of Trustees.
We are delighted to ask for your assistance in identifying distinguished candidates for the General Theological Seminary degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa.
We welcome recommendations that reflect the vast and diverse experience of the Church. Recipients of this honor have historically come from a large range of gifted individuals, including those who have made outstanding contributions in these realms:
- Christian mission,
- theological discourse and scholarship,
- significant leadership in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, as well as leadership in ecumenical mission,
- as distinguished lay persons of diverse ministries,
- as leaders in parish ministry (lay and ordained), and
- as leaders in public, ethical and policy realms.
Also, we have had a tradition of awarding the degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa to recently consecrated bishops of the Church who are General Seminary graduates.
We want to encourage you to suggest candidates from the broadest possible range of experience, making sure to also pay attention to traditionally under-represented groups such as women and persons of color. Your assistance in the identification of diverse candidates will be very important to our success in truly reflecting the breadth of the Church. Please feel free to share this request with any members of our community who may wish to contribute a recommendation.
It has become our practice to award up to three such honorary degrees (plus new bishops) each year, usually at the May commencement. Given the professional responsibilities and schedules of those on whom the Board of Trustees has conferred these degrees, it has on occasion taken more than one commencement cycle to schedule the actual award. Therefore, it is good practice to have several candidates under consideration each year. Please understand that your candidates may be considered for an award in a future year.
We will consider every recommendation received and will make our report to the full Board of Trustees for their action on February 1, 2018. So please make your recommendations to us by December 31, 2017. We welcome your recommendations at this time and invite you to share them by email to the Rev. Tim Boggs at tboggs@stalbansmaine.org .
In Christ,
The Rev. Timothy A. Boggs, chair; Ms. Dianne Smith, The Right Rev. William Stokes