Kelly Brown Douglas facts for kids

Kelly Brown Douglas (born 1952) is an African-American Episcopal priest and a special kind of theologian called a womanist theologian. She is currently the interim president of the Episcopal Divinity School. Before this, she was the first Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary. She also serves as the Canon Theologian at the famous Washington National Cathedral. She has written seven books, including The Black Christ (1994) and Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter (2021).

About Kelly Brown Douglas

Her Early Life and Education

Kelly Brown grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Her family was middle-class; her father worked, and her mother took care of the children at home. She went to Denison University in Granville, Ohio. There, she studied psychology and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1979. She was a strong student leader and graduated with high honors.

Becoming a Priest

After college, Douglas moved to New York City to attend Union Theological Seminary. She earned her Master of Divinity degree in 1982. On September 1, 1983, she became an Episcopal priest. This was a big step because the Episcopal Church USA had only started allowing women to be ordained in 1976.

Kelly Brown Douglas was the first black woman to become a priest in her diocese (a church district). She was also one of the first ten black women ordained in the entire Episcopal Church USA. After becoming a priest, she continued her studies at Union Theological Seminary. She earned her PhD in theology in 1988. She studied with James Cone, who created black liberation theology.

Her Work as a Professor

Kelly Brown Douglas started her teaching career at Edward Waters College in Florida. Soon after, she began teaching at Howard University School of Divinity. She was a professor there from 1987 to 2001. During this time, she wrote her first two books: Black Christ (1993) and ... and the Black Church (1998). Her book ... and the Black Church was important because it was one of the first to discuss social issues within the Black Church from a womanist viewpoint.

In 2001, she moved to Goucher College in Baltimore. She taught religion there for six years and wrote three more books. One of her books, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God, was written after the death of Trayvon Martin. It looked at how society often fails to hold people accountable for racist actions. In 2018, she became the first Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary. She was also the first African-American woman to lead a seminary linked to the Episcopal Church.

Writing Important Books

Kelly Brown Douglas has written several important books. These books explore ideas about faith, justice, and the experiences of Black people. Her writings help people understand how religion can connect with real-world issues.

Her Church Leadership Role

For twenty years, Douglas was a priest at the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. In 2017, she joined the staff of the Washington National Cathedral as the Canon Theologian. In this role, she helps lead discussions on important topics for the church community. She provides theological insights and helps people understand complex issues.

Working at Washington National Cathedral

At the Washington National Cathedral, Kelly Brown Douglas was part of a group that looked at two stained glass windows. These windows honored historical figures who were controversial. After two years of discussions, the cathedral decided to remove the windows in 2017. This showed the cathedral's commitment to reflecting its values. In 2019, Douglas also preached at the special ceremony for Kimberly Lucas. Lucas became the first woman and first African-American bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado.

Awards and Honors

Kelly Brown Douglas has received many awards for her work. In 2023, she won the Grawemeyer Award for Religion for her book Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter. This award is given for important ideas in religion.

She also received awards from her alma mater, Denison University, in 1995 and 2000. While teaching at Goucher College, she earned the Caroline Doebler Bruckerl Award. She is also a recipient of the Anna Julia Haywood Cooper Award from the Union of Black Episcopians. Several universities have given her honorary doctorates, including Denison University (2021) and Ithaca College (2021).