Letter from the Dean

C News fromirca the University of Chicago Divinity School ON the morning Of July one, two thousand ten, I became the twelfth dean of the Divinity School. Over the cool tiles in the entryway of Swift I walked through the row of black and white portraits of the eleven prior deans on my way into the office for my first meeting with the staff. When we had taken our places I began, “Since my deanship was announced by the President and Provost in february I have been eager for this moment, eager to get down to work. But as much as I long to do that—to run University-related Divinity School set through that door and into the thick of smack in the middle of a premier research the deanly tasks ahead—I think we need University. This “graduate professional to pause at the threshold for a few minutes, School” represents a unique alchemy, con- and talk about what this transition means.” Letter sistent with its foundational values but It is reflexively natural at first to think also transformed over time. As a textual about the transition in personal terms, and scholar I stand in the company of faculty what it means to carry out my vocation colleagues who study the literatures of all as a research scholar and educator for the from the the world’s religions, from rabbinic aggadah next five years as the Dean of the Divinity to Tibetan Buddhist Terma literature to School. In one sense I know precisely what Norse and Hindu myth. As an historian of that decision means—a dramatic change Dean ancient Christianity I join colleagues who of course for me, which will require some focus on the history of all the Abrahamic significant realignments of my time com- religions, as well as those from the near and mitments and teaching and publication far east, from pre-Christian Europe, and schedules for two books in progress, a trans- beyond, whose approach to the tasks of lation volume and commentary. But in historiography embraces social, cultural, another it is a perfectly reasonable extension intellectual and theological perspectives. not only of my own wish to contribute As a student of religion I have colleagues to the fullest scholarly discussion about who explore it particularly from the point religion, but also of the place of my own of view of the human sciences and a host field of study—New Testament and early of theoretical vantage points, and others Christian studies—at this University. Two who ask how the world’s religions have and of the faces of former deans who peered at still might engage in constructive (as well me from the corridor wall that morning as destructive) tasks for human life, such were Shailer Mathews and Shirley Jackson as philosophy, ethics and theology. All of Case, eminent scholars who in their day these endeavors are housed in the single saw the work of a textual scholar as part unique institution that is the University of of something larger, contributing to big Chicago Divinity School; the profession questions of world and society. Since I that unites them all is the task of speaking was a student here in the 1980s, learning This “graduate professional about religion in a manner that is deeply Greek from William Rainey Harper’s text- informed, uncompromisingly rigorous, book, I have been acutely aware that this is School” represents a unique critical and engaged. a University founded by biblical scholars alchemy, consistent Two figures animating this transition who cared about their craft and saw it as for me and for the School are not depicted part of a University: a non-sectarian and with its foundational values in the hallway gallery of the eleven prior non-apologetic, philological, historical and Deans of the Divinity School, although both critical enterprise that demanded diligence, but also transformed served as Associate Dean. They are for me curiosity and unyielding honesty in the pur- exemplary embodiments of the vision, scope suit of knowledge on the basis of argument over time. and values of the School. Martin E. Marty and evidence, not dogmatism. (my advisor when I was a student in the But the transition this threshold marks M.A. program) remains one of the most is not so much about me as it is about an developed in the century-plus since in a influential scholars of religion in the world institution. Our Divinity School, fashioned way that remains distinct on the landscape today. He represents the marriage of keen by those biblical scholar visionaries back of the academic study of religion in this intellect and formidable knowledge with in the late 19th century, has organically country and abroad, a most uncommon Continued on page 16 A utumn 2 0 1 0 | N umber 3 4 Mitchell Named Dean Theological Seminary in Chicago. She rofessor Margaret M. Mitchell has been appointed the received her bachelor’s degree in 1978 from Manhattanville College before coming to next dean of the University of Chicago Divinity School. Her the Divinity School, where she received her A.M. in 1982 and her Ph.D. in 1989. appointment was effective July 1, 2010. Mitchell, an alumna Among her institutional activities, Mitchell has served since 2008 on the University of Pof the Divinity School, joined the faculty in 1998. Her scholarship has Chicago Women’s Leadership Council. covered a wide range of topics in the New Testament and early “What makes the Divinity School unique is the wide range of traditions, methodolo- Christian literature, including the cultural context and religious legacy gies, dispositions and commitments that all come together here in a spirit of rea- of those early texts. soned, critical debate,” Mitchell said. “We believe serious inquiry into the The announcement was made by President subject of religion requires a university Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Thomas f. context where all ideas are subject to Rosenbaum. “The University of Chicago rigorous standards of evidence. The Divinity School occupies a special place among Divinity School is a tough-minded, its peers as a preeminent and unique place sprawling, lively, engaging and on- for the rigorous study of religion, past and going conversation about what reli- present,” Zimmer and Rosenbaum wrote in gion is and why understanding it is a joint e-mail. “Professor Mitchell’s interna- so vitally important.” tional scholarly profile, dedication to teaching An advisory committee elected and record of University-wide service make by faculty of the Divinity School her a perfect choice to carry the Divinity recommended Mitchell to Zimmer School’s hallmark tradition forward.” and Rosenbaum. W. Clark Gilpin, Mitchell is the author of four books, the Margaret E. Burton Distinguished including Paul and the Rhetoric of Reconcilia- Service Professor and a former Div- tion and the forthcoming Paul, the Corinthians, inity School dean, chaired the five- and the Birth Christian Hermeneutics, based member committee. Gilpin said that on her 2008 Speaker’s Lectures in Biblical “Professor Mitchell has established an Interpretation at Oxford University. She is international reputation for outstand- also coeditor of The Cambridge History of ing scholarship and understands the Christianity, Volume 1. Some of her most academic study of religion in its wider recent work involved the exhaustive exami- and medieval bookmaking, Mitchell’s team humanistic context. She is well-informed about nation of the Archaic Mark, a 44-page codex definitively proved the work to be a forgery. the full range of scholarly questions pursued once believed to date to the 14th century. Before coming to the University of in the Divinity School, and she is passionate Working with experts in chemical analysis Chicago, Mitchell taught at McCormick about the school’s distinctive character.” ❑ faculty News and Notes (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007). This book Doniger Honored engages the conflicting iterations of divinely revealed law in the Torah and seeks to dem- In January 2010, Wendy Doniger’s 2009 onstrate the nature of and motivation for book The Hindus: An Alternative History was interpretive revision in these differing corpo- named a finalist in the nonfiction category ra and argues that the competition between for the National Book Critics Circle book pentateuchal authors paradoxically motivates awards. Doniger is the Mircea Eliade Distin- both their radical religious innovation and guished Service Professor of the History of their fundamental conservatism. Religions. The book was a #1 bestseller in Stackert’s current research focuses upon the nonfiction category in India in 2009. the composition of the Torah and especially Doniger is also being honored with the literary interactions with Israelite and non- publication of a festschrift by her colleagues Israelite sources in the book of Deuterono- and former students. Notes from a Mandala: my. One outgrowth of this research Essays in the History is a new book tentatively titled After of Indian Religions Revision: The Wake of Inner-biblical in Honor of Wendy Exegesis in the Composition of the Doniger was pub- Torah. This book will address what lished in January 2010 happened to textual sources after under the imprint Jeffrey Stackert Receives biblical authors employed and of the University of Templeton Award revised them for their own composi- Delaware Press. This tions. He is also working on several book was edited by article-length studies on various Jeffrey Stackert, Assistant Professor of Laurie L. Patton and issues in pentateuchal criticism, and Hebrew Bible, has been granted a Templeton David L. Haberman. is coauthoring a new handbook on Award for Theological Promise for his publi- Deuteronomy for the Anchor yale cation Rewriting the Torah: Literary Revision Bible Reference Library. in Deuteronomy and the Holiness Legislation 2 C irca Peters Named Alumnus of the year he Board of Trustees of the Baptist Theological Union has named Theodoref .

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