Harvard Divinity School

Congratulations to the newly admitted students of Harvard Divinity School!

Admissions decision emails for the 2026–27 academic year have been released, and we are excited to welcome you to the HDS community.🎉

See you soon!

Meet four-time Paralympian Dan Cnossen, MPA ’16, MTS ’18!

Ahead of the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Italy, he reflects on his journey from the U.S. Navy to Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Divinity School—and to multiple Paralympic Games.

Cheer Dan on March 6-15 and read more here: https://bit.ly/4l8GyiC

Happy New Year! This is your post-holiday reminder that the Harvard Divinity application for admission is due in one week. We can't wait to meet you!
Application Information here: apply.hds.harvard.edu/apply

Deadline: January 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST

Before we say goodbye to 2025, we spent some time looking back at our favorite stats from the year.

Follow the link for more reflections on the impact the Harvard Divinity School community had on campus, in communities, and across the country.

https://bit.ly/4aJ0tSr

The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a $1.2 million grant to professor Swayam Bagaria (Harvard Divinity School) and Bhrigupati Singh (University of London) to create Ethnos-MH, a new global, research-based training program on the anthropology of mental health and religion for mental health practitioners around the world.

Mental health experts and associations worldwide have emphasized the need to develop religion and spirituality (R/S) training for mental health practitioners to better understand the many ways in which it matters for mental health outcomes. Most existing training programs rely on approaches that can miss the broader psycho-social and cultural contexts that shape patient experience and wellbeing.

Ethnos-MH aims to fill this gap. Read more: https://bit.ly/449XC0I

Templeton Foundation Awards $1.2 Million Grant for Global Training in Religion and Mental Health | Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School Professor Swayam Bagaria and University of London's Bhrigupati Singh will develop a new program to train mental health professionals to better understand the religious and spiritual lives of the communities they serve.

The 2025 Dean's Report is here! In its pages, find stories of our HDS community members who bring the School's mission and vision to life.

"As I reflect on my first full year as Dean here at Harvard Divinity School, I write with deep conviction and steadfast hope for all that HDS has to offer the world...I continue to be reminded why the world needs students, teachers, and supporters of HDS who protect the promise of education in service of advancing knowledge and honoring our shared humanity." —Dean Marla F. Frederick

Read more:
https://bit.ly/4i7OzTz

Did you hear the 2025 American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) Annual Gathering is in Boston this year?!

Fifteen members of the HDS faculty will share their scholarship across a wide range of academic disciplines through paper presentations, book panels, sessions dedicated to newly published works, and celebrations of their contributions to their respective fields.

For more on the faculty members presenting and their topic areas click here:

HDS Faculty to Showcase Expertise at 2025 AAR/SBL Annual Meeting | Harvard Divinity School Faculty presentations, panels, and publications underscore Harvard Divinity School's leadership in the study of religion.

Last fall, Harvard Divinity School began a strategic planning process with input from HDS faculty, students, staff, and alumni to outline School-wide priorities for the next five years and beyond. The priorities build on the School's strong foundation, while bringing the future of the study of religion—and the various intersections of this work—into even greater focus.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3L3RwrN

In September, Pope Leo XIV convened the Vatican’s third annual World Meeting on Human Fraternity, an international gathering of scientists, thought leaders, musicians, Nobel laureates, and religious scholars for a weekend of discussions addressing the urgent need to build solidarity and dialogue across global difference.

Dean Marla F. Frederick and Professor Raúl E. Zegarra were among the members of the delegation. Read reflections on their experiences, detailing what inspired them, the impact of the wide-ranging conversations, and where they found hope.

https://bit.ly/3IJKbx1

It’s official: Applications for Fall 2026 admission to Harvard Divinity School are now live! 🎉

As we savor the last moments of summer and look ahead to crisp autumn air and changing leaves, we also welcome a new season and a new admissions cycle at HDS.

The application deadline is January 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. 🗓️

Learn more about our programs and how to apply here: https://bit.ly/3ZLaszi

We are pleased to share that as of July 1, Terrence L. Johnson, MDiv ’00, has assumed the role of director of Religion and Public Life (RPL).

A teacher, author, and public intellectual, Johnson’s interdisciplinary scholarship weaves African American religious thought, political theory, and American history to reimagine justice, democracy, and the role of religion in public discourse. Johnson, who is the Charles G. Adams Professor of African American Religious Studies and Professor of African and African American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard, aims to broaden the program’s reach by convening conversations across faith traditions, political ideologies, and institutional sectors.

“I’m deeply honored to lead Religion and Public Life at this pivotal moment,” said Johnson. “This is a unique opportunity to bring rigorous scholarship, moral imagination, and difficult but necessary conversations from a range of perspectives to address the challenges of our time.”

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4kzOAiK

We are thrilled to share that Shaul Magid has been named Professor of Modern Jewish Studies in Residence!

Magid’s research bridges centuries and disciplines, exploring topics from sixteenth-century Kabbalistic mysticism and Hasidism, including its spiritual ties to Christianity, to contemporary American Judaism, Jewish identity, race, and critical theory. His groundbreaking work engages a broad spectrum of readers, combining deep textual analysis with theoretical sophistication.

Magid is the author of eight books, more than 75 scholarly articles, and written over 150 essays, offering insight into the cultural, political, and spiritual dimensions of modern Jewish life.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/43w5QQT