Duke University has received a $5 million award from The Duke Endowment to bolster the work of the Office of Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School, one of the oldest offices of its kind among all U.S. theological schools.

The grant will be used to recruit and support a senior faculty member specializing in Black church studies to foster research and field-defining work in an academic, theological context.

“The Black church knows social justice; it knows music; it knows preaching,” said Edgardo Colon-Emeric, dean of Duke Divinity School. “This award from The Duke Endowment will allow the Office of Black Church Studies to elevate its nationally prominent role as a leader in the study of Black church theological and spiritual study.”

The Office of Black Church Studies (OBCS) was established in 1972 and led until 1977 by founding director Joseph B. Bethea, who later became the first Black bishop elected to the episcopacy by the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. In its more than 50 years, the office has served as a “house of study” for Duke Divinity School students exploring Christian ministry in Black church contexts and has served as a home for their spiritual and theological formation. Duke Divinity School, where the office is housed, was founded in 1926 as one of 13 theological schools associated with the United Methodist Church, an affiliation it maintains today.

The Office of Black Church Studies has a role in expanding thought and scholarship across Duke Divinity School, where coursework is required for all students pursuing the school’s three-year Master of Divinity degree.

Funding from The Duke Endowment to establish the Bishop Joseph B. Bethea Professorship will enrich the university in myriad ways, particularly by demonstrating how Duke can continue to uphold its commitment to truth, reflection, belonging and learning from diverse experiences and formations.

“The Office of Black Church studies has played a significant role in Duke’s proud history of nurturing spiritual leaders,” said Duke President Vincent E. Price. “This award from The Duke Endowment is an affirmation of the importance of scholarship and other academic engagement related to the Black church, and will further solidify Duke Divinity School’s leadership in the field of Black church studies.”

The professorship will widen Duke’s scholarly ecosystem by allowing for intellectual growth and research that starts with the Office of Black Church Studies and stretches out across other disciplines. This has been demonstrated, for example, through the intersections of theology and the arts. The office has hosted the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, founded in 1958 by choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey to support the African-American experience through modern dance.

“This Duke Endowment award reminds our campus community—and by extension, our alumni and donor community—of what we mean by the ‘Duke difference,’ said Dave Kennedy, vice president for Duke Alumni Engagement and Development. “I hope this award will inspire more donors to support Duke’s efforts to recruit and support top faculty who can shape and inspire our students.”

Charles C. Lucas III, chair of The Duke Endowment Board of Trustees, said the Endowment couldn’t be more encouraged by the work of the OBCS and the opportunity to further bolster its national reputation as a leader in Black church scholarship.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand the scope and influence of the Office of Black Church Studies as it explores academic intersections across the university,” Lucas said. “We anticipate that the university’s intellectual culture will continue to grow and inspire the Durham community and the Carolinas through many new partnerships across the arts, medicine, nonprofit sector, and beyond.”

Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $4.8 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.