Date: January 5, 2026
For the next two months, the Dean’s commentary will feature text by VTS & GTS faculty members writing about what they are currently teaching, reading, or writing about..
I’m so very happy to welcome doctoral students to campus to participate in the thesis writing week, along with most of the current GTS students who will come to the VTS campus this January for week-long intensive courses. The list of these courses is long and impressive, with Robert Heaney teaching Advanced Seminar on Theology of Culture, Kate Sonderegger teaching Doctrine of the Church, Lisa Kimball teaching Camps, Conferences, and Retreats, Mary Kostel teaching Canon Law, and Kyle Lambelet leading a Justice Praxis Seminar in Richmond.
In addition to these electives, two groups of 15 GTS students will also take Introduction to Preaching taught by Kevin Vandiver this week and Ruthanna Hooke next week.
Woven throughout these weeks is robust chapel programming. During many of these services, GTS students will lead worship and preach the sermon. I’m very grateful for the work of Michael DeLashmutt who shaped this programming and sorted out the rota with faithfulness and creativity.
The January term is a unique time in the academic year when the masters and doctoral students of both seminaries can join together on a single campus. As all of the details come together, I’m excited to see the affiliation enacted in our educational programming in real and visible ways. Thank you for all of the many people who worked so hard to make this week come together, and please join in praying that the students and faculty will complete their intensive weeks with a sense of accomplishment and a job well done.
Melody D. Knowles, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer
Associate Professor of Old Testament
Virginia Theological Seminary and The General Theological Seminary