Date: May 5, 2026
Tonight we will celebrate the remarkable service of Dr. David Charlton. His family’s connection with the Seminary stretches back a hundred years, with an uncle studying here in the 1920s. As a child, he even lived on this campus, making his story deeply interwoven with our own.
He returned in a professional capacity as Chief Financial Officer under Dean Reid and later served faithfully on the Board of Trustees for several decades. During his tenure, he was a clear and courageous voice advocating for the full inclusion of LGBT+ persons. He also became the first lay Board Chair after Bishop Shand, guiding the Seminary with wisdom and care.
Throughout his leadership, he balanced a deep commitment to fiscal responsibility with a bold vision for mission-related change. He was a key presence in the affiliation journey, helping to shape a significant chapter in our institutional life. This has been a major and consequential tenure, for which I am deeply grateful.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.