SC Connecticut News

Willie Jennings, a theologian known for his work in Christian thought, race theory, decolonial and environmental studies, has been appointed as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies. His new role became effective on July 1.

Jennings joined the Yale Divinity School faculty in 2015. He is recognized for his book "The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race," published by Yale University Press. This work earned him the 2010 American Academy of Religion Book of the Year award in the Constructive-Reflective Studies category. The book is considered a significant contribution to theology over the past 25 years and is widely read in academic institutions.

In addition to this achievement, Jennings received the 2015 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his research on race and Christianity. His commentary on the Book of Acts was honored with the Reference Book of the Year Award by The Academy of Parish Clergy. Another notable publication by Jennings is "After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging," which launched a new series titled “Theological Education between the Times.” This book won Publisher’s Weekly's 2020 Book of the Year award and was a finalist for another American Academy of Religion award in 2021. It also received recognition from the Lilly Fellows Program with their Book Award in 2023.

Jennings has delivered several distinguished lectures globally, including at Oxford University, Cambridge University (Fall 2024), Vanderbilt University, Yale University, Manchester University, and Melbourne University.

Currently, Jennings is working on a two-volume project about creation doctrine. The second volume titled "Jesus and the Displaced: The Redemption of Habitation" will be released before its predecessor "Unfolding the Word: Recasting a Christian Doctrine of Creation." Additionally, he is completing a poetry collection named "The Time of Possession."

An ordained Baptist minister, Jennings has served as an interim pastor at various churches in North Carolina. He graduated from Calvin College and holds an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary along with a Ph.D. in religion and ethics from Duke University.