Welcome Letter from the President

Thank you for visiting our website. I am confident that it will convey some of the excitement, vibrancy, and rich interaction of theory and practice, of head and heart, that go on at the Iliff School of Theology. But I believe even more deeply that it can only scratch the surface of filling you in on the wonderful work being done here-a very special place we invite you to join.

I am new to Iliff as its President, and what I’ve noticed very early on is that all the scholarly work and teaching being undertaken, all the buildings we use for many purposes, all the books and periodicals we make available, all the programs outside the degree curricula we produce-all of these things work because of the people who have decided to come here. We are called to be a community of students, staff, faculty, administrators, trustees, alums, as well as public leaders from near and far who will provide safe space to all who find an inner pull to explore service to others-whether by seeking ordination in one of the several dozen traditions we proudly serve (it’s part of our Wesleyan heritage to be boldly ecumenical and interfaith in our horizons), or by pursuing what it takes to find a suitable place within a teaching faculty in the United States or overseas, or by striving to give your life to peace and justice issues in the wider nonprofit world or even the realm of public policy and politics, or whether you are called to be a layperson who sees professional life-as a business executive, a lawyer, a teacher, or a community organizer, for example-as a place for deep, spiritually fulfilling service in the world.

We are an institution embarked on an adventure to be faithful to our heritage of speaking and acting in the best progressive manner, to be welcoming to “otherness” in the many forms it comes to us in life, and are deeply committed to bedrock values and practices that help develop people to be academically first-rate and spiritually mature-all the better to engage a world sorely in need of transformation.

The Iliff School of Theology is one of thirteen graduate theological schools of The United Methodist Church. Founded in 1892 with a spirit of entrepreneurial boldness and deeply thoughtful discernment of the critical spiritual needs faced by dynamic populations living in uncertain circumstances (how better to describe the frontier?), we remains true to our founding identity and now serve more than 38 different faith traditions. We provide a variety of academic and practical masters degree programs, and have a joint Ph.D. program with the University of Denver. We offer public outreach opportunities that go beyond our degree programs.

I welcome your visits, your telephone and e-mail contacts, your exploration of our website, and strongly encourage your active involvement with us along the way. We want to be the graduate school you choose because you want to help change the world, and know that, while there are many different kinds of giftedness required for us to succeed at that task, some of the fundamentals can be gained right here. Come and help us grow stronger by your presence among us; come join the Iliff community!

David G. Trickett
President and Henry White Warren Professor Of Ethics And Leadership