Donald Eric Capps facts for kids

Donald Eric Capps (born January 30, 1939 – died August 26, 2015) was an American theologian. He was a special professor of Pastoral Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Early Life and Education

Donald Eric Capps was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He went to college at Lewis & Clark College, where he earned his first degree in 1960.

He continued his studies at Yale Divinity School, getting two more degrees in 1963 and 1965. Later, he went to the University of Chicago for his master's degree in 1966.

In 1970, he earned his highest degree, a Ph.D., also from the University of Chicago. For his Ph.D., he studied the life and personality of an English theologian named John Henry Newman. He looked closely at Newman's career choices and challenges.

Teaching Career

Donald Capps started his teaching career in 1969 at Oregon State University. After that, he taught at the University of Chicago from 1969 to 1974.

He then became a professor at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, teaching there from 1974 to 1976. From 1976 to 1981, he taught at the Graduate Seminary of Phillips University.

Princeton Theological Seminary

In 1981, Professor Capps joined the team at Princeton Theological Seminary. There, he became the William Harte Felmeth Professor of Pastoral Theology.

Pastoral Theology is a field that combines religious studies with understanding people's spiritual and emotional needs. He taught students how to help others through their faith.

He retired in May 2009 and became a Professor emeritus. This means he was still honored as a professor even after retiring. He continued to teach part-time until he passed away.

Awards and Recognition

Donald Capps received many honors for his important work. In 1989, Uppsala University in Sweden gave him an honorary doctorate in Theology. This was to recognize his valuable contributions to the field of Psychology of Religion.

The Psychology of Religion looks at how religious beliefs and practices affect people's minds and behaviors.

He also received several other awards:

• In 1995, he won the William F. Bier Award from the American Psychological Association. This award recognized his work in the Psychology of Religion.
• In 2002, he received the Helen Flanders Dunbar Centennial Award from the Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital.
• In 2003, he was given the Joseph A. Sittler Award for Theological Leadership. This award came from Trinity Lutheran Seminary.

Other Contributions

Beyond teaching, Donald Capps was also involved in important academic journals. He was an editor for the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion from 1983 to 1988. Before that, he was the book review editor for the same journal.

From 1990 to 1992, he served as the president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. This is a group that studies how religion affects society and individuals.

He was also an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America starting in 1972.

Later Life

Donald Capps passed away on August 26, 2015, in Trenton, New Jersey. He died after being in a car accident in Princeton.