08/13/2026
The Candler community holds grief and gratitude in equal measure today as we mourn the death of former Candler dean and Emory President Emeritus James T. Laney at the age of 98. Laney came to Emory University as dean of Candler in 1969. His transformational leadership lifted Candler to national prominence, and the legacy of his service is still widely felt among us.
Laney increased the faculty by 50 percent in his first four years as dean, recruiting numerous renowned scholars who went on to have long and fruitful careers at Candler. He guided the formation of an innovative supervised ministry program, the nation’s first to combine hands-on ministry with intentional faculty-led reflection. And he worked strategically with then-librarian Channing Jeschke to build the collections of Pitts Theology Library, laying a foundation that has helped it become the premier theological library in North America.
“Dr. James Laney was one of the nation’s premier public theologians and moral leaders,” says James T. and Berta R. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership Robert M. Franklin, Jr., who has held the professorship named in Laney’s honor since it was established in 2014. “He worked tirelessly for peace, reconciliation, and justice. And he understood that a university is one of democracy’s rare treasures—a place where new ideas and bold visions can be debated, challenged, and ultimately put into practice.”
After eight years at Candler, Laney went on to serve as president of Emory University and later as U.S. ambassador to South Korea under President Bill Clinton. Throughout his esteemed career and active retirement, Laney continued to be a valued leader, mentor, and friend to the Candler community.
Dean Terrence L. (Kojo) Johnson reflected on Laney’s lasting impact at Candler: “James Laney taught us that a theological school must hold intellectual vitality, deep spiritual formation, and ethical reflection together in service to justice and the common good. As we look to Candler’s future, we are walking along the path he forged. I am grateful for his steadfast and skillful stewardship, moral witness, and the quiet dignity of his example.”
Read Emory's tribute to Laney: news.emory.edu/features/2026/08/remembering-emory-president-emeritus-james-t-laney
