Iliff School of Theology
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Iliff School of Theology is a graduate
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
theological Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the s ...
school in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
. Founded in 1892, the school's campus is adjacent to the
University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...
. Fewer than 200 students attend the school. Iliff is one of thirteen
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
seminaries A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
in the United States. It also has close connections with the
United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximatel ...
, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Episcopal Church, the
Presbyterian Church USA The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...
, the
Metropolitan Community Church The Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), also known as the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), is an international LGBT-affirming mainline Protestant Christian denomination. There are 222 member congregations in 3 ...
, and others. Iliff's student body represents more than thirty faith traditions, and Iliff aims to recruit, enroll, and retain a student body that is fifty percent Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) by the fall of 2024. The school library, called the Ira J. Taylor Library, contains the largest theological collection in the Rocky Mountain area with approximately 205,800 volumes, 60,600 microforms, and over 900 current periodical and serial subscriptions. Iliff School of Theology is accredited by
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. History It was founded in 1918. The assoc ...
and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.


History

Iliff was founded in 1889 as a seminary and school of religious studies of the
University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...
. In 1892, it was named the Iliff School of Theology after
John Wesley Iliff John Wesley Iliff Sr. (December 18, 1831 – February 9, 1878) was a Colorado cattle rancher who is the namesake of the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. Biography Iliff was born on December 18, 1831, in McLuney, Ohio to Salome Reed and Thoma ...
(1831–1878) who had wanted to establish a school for training ministers in the territory of Colorado. After he died, his wife Elizabeth Iliff Warren and her second husband, Bishop Henry White Warren, succeeded in starting the Iliff School of Theology. The cornerstone of Iliff Hall was laid on June 8, 1892 and construction was completed in 1893. While the construction was taking place, the first classes began on September 23, 1892. In the summer of 1900, Iliff closed for various financial and organizational reasons. On August 27, 1903, Iliff School of Theology was incorporated as an independent institution, separate from the University of Denver. It reopened on September 10, 1910 as a freestanding school of theology and Methodist seminary. "In 1893, Iliff School of Theology took into its library a book, given as a gift, written in Latin that is a History of Christianity. It was covered by the skin of a murdered Indian man. It was treasured by the institution and displayed for 80 years in a case outside of the Library. In 1974, under pressure from students, the book was taken out of public view and in the presence of a representative of the American Indian Movement, the skin cover was removed and repatriated. Everyone present that day were sworn to secrecy and required to sign non-disclosure agreements." In September 1981, Iliff and the
University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...
inaugurated a joint
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
program leading to the
Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
in Religious and Theological Studies. Iliff has hosted a number of high-profile leaders for special events, including former Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbelová; May 15, 1937 – March 23, 2022) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 64th United States secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. A member of the Democratic ...
, the Little Rock Nine, and others. From February 24–27, 2008, Iliff honored the
Little Rock Nine The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Their enrollment was followed by the Little Rock Crisis, in which the students were initially prevented from entering ...
in a series of events called "A Celebration of Courage." In 2011, Iliff established "The Courage Award." Th
award
is given out as a means "to acknowledge and celebrate individuals or organizations whose courage, persistence, and determination has changed an unjust situation in the world." The first recipient of this award was Judy Shepard for her work in telling the story of her son,
Matthew Shepard Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 â€“ October 12, 1998) was a gay American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie on the night of October 6, 1998. He was taken by rescuers to Po ...
.


Presidents

Presidents of the Iliff School of Theology have included:Denver Post (May 23, 2012). *1910–1915 Harris Franklin Rall *1916–1920 James Albert Beebe *1921–1924 Edwin Wesley Dunlavy *1925–1932 Elmer Guy Cutshall *1934–1942 Charles Edwin Schofield *1942–1946 Harry T. Morris *1947–1952 Edward Randolph Bartlett *1953–1961 Harold Ford Carr *1962–1969 Lowell Benjamin Swan *1969–1981 Smith Jameson Jones, Jr. *1981–2000 Donald E. Messer *2000–2004 David Maldonado, Jr. *2004–2006
J. Philip Wogaman J. Philip Wogaman is former Senior Minister at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. (1992–2002), and former Professor of Christian Ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary Washington, D.C. (1966–92), serving as dean of that instit ...
*2006–2012 David G. Trickett *2012–2013 Albert Hernandez *2013â
2023
Thomas V. Wolfe


Notable people


Alumni

*
Daniel A. Arnold Daniel A. Arnold (born 1965) is an American scholar and philosopher. He is Associate Professor of the Philosophy of Religions at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. His work focuses on Indian Buddhist philosophy, which he engages ...
, Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at the
Divinity School A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
of the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
. *
Nadia Bolz-Weber Nadia Bolz-Weber (born April 22, 1969) is an American author, Lutheran minister and public theologian. She served as the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Denver, ...
, Founder and Pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in
Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
*
Terrance Carroll Terrance D. Carroll (born January 16, 1969) is an American lawyer, minister, former Colorado legislator and former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, the first African American ever to hold that office in Colorado. Carroll was elec ...
,
Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...
, Colorado House of Representatives. * Rodger McDaniel, former member of the
Wyoming House of Representatives The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of ...
and
Wyoming Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 30 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyom ...
*
Otis Moss III Otis Moss III (born 16 September 1970) is the pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. He espouses black theology and speaks about reaching inner-city black youth. Early life and education His father Otis Moss Jr. was an affiliate ...
,
Pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
's
Trinity United Church of Christ Trinity United Church of Christ is a predominantly African-American church with more than 8,500 members. It is located in the Washington Heights community on the South Side of Chicago. It is the largest church affiliated with the United Church ...
. *
Andrew S. Park Andrew Sung Park is a Korean American Methodist theologian. Park teaches at United Theological Seminary in Trotwood, Ohio. He specializes in systematic theology, global theology, cross-cultural theology, Asian American liberation theology, Chri ...
,
Korean American Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian American ...
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
theologian who teaches at
United Theological Seminary United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio. Founded in 1871 by Milton Wright (father of the Wright brothers), it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1946, members ...
in
Trotwood, Ohio Trotwood is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States and is a suburb of Dayton. The population was 24,431 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is served by the Trotwood-Madison City Sc ...
. * Mary Ann Swenson, American
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of the
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
, elected in 1992. * Carol Voisin, member of the faculty at
Southern Oregon University Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a public university in Ashland, Oregon. It was founded in 1872 as the Ashland Academy, has been in its current location since 1926, and was known by nine other names before assuming its current name in 1997.Kre ...
* Carrie Ann Lucas, lawyer, disability rights advocate, and activist


Faculty

*
Miguel A. De La Torre Miguel A. De La Torre (born 6 October 1958) is a professor of Social Ethics and Latino Studies at Iliff School of Theology, author, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. Biography Born in Cuba months before the Castro Revolution, De La ...
, Professor of Social Ethics *
George Tinker George E. "Tink" Tinker ( Osage Nation) is an American Indian scholar who taught for more than three decades in a Christian school of theology (United Methodist) but focused his scholarship on the decolonization of American Indian Peoples. Tinker ...
, Clifford Baldridge Professor of American Indian Cultures and Religious Traditions


Former faculty

*
Wallace Clift Wallace Bruce Clift, Jr. (March 27, 1926 – February 5, 2018) was an American priest and academic. He was the author of several books and articles in the field of the psychology of religion and a professor emeritus at the University of Denver, wh ...
, Head of Anglican Studies, 1992–2002 *
Vincent Harding Vincent Gordon Harding (July 25, 1931 – May 19, 2014) was an African-American pastor, historian, and scholar of various topics with a focus on American religion and society. A social activist, he was perhaps best known for his work with and wr ...
, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Social Transformation, 1981–2004 * Dennis MacDonald, Theology and Biblical Studies, 1980-1998. * Donald E. Messer, Henry White Warren Professor of Practical Theology, 1981–2000


References


External links

* {{authority control Universities and colleges in Denver United Methodist seminaries Seminaries and theological colleges in Colorado Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Methodist Church Educational institutions established in 1892 1892 establishments in Colorado