Perkins School of Theology
One of the thirteen United Methodist schools of theology.
Perkins is the South Central Jurisdiction's home seminary, and for most of Rio Texas it is the school people mean when they say seminary. It sits inside SMU in Dallas, which means a divinity school with a research university's library and departments around it. Its most useful feature for someone still serving a church is geographic: the in-person requirement can be met in Houston, Galveston, or wherever else enough students happen to live, rather than only in Dallas.
The Discipline's requirements, at this school.
¶324.4 asks for nine areas of basic graduate theological study, three semester hours each, with a minimum of six hours in United Methodist studies. Not pass/fail. ¶335.3(d) asks for them again at full connection, so they cannot be put off.
University Senate standing
Approved — a United Methodist school
One of the 13 United Methodist schools of theology.
As of July 2026 · source ↗
Do online classes count?
Yes — a fully online M.Div. here meets the requirement
GBHEM: all United Methodist schools of theology are approved to provide a fully online M.Div. that meets the educational requirements for UM ordination.
As of July 2026 · source ↗
Old Testament
OT 6300 in the core.
New Testament
NT 6300 in the core.
Theology
ST 6303 Systematic Theology in the core.
Church history
HX 6300 in the core.
Preaching
PR 6300 Preaching in the core.
Worship / liturgy
WO 6313 Worship in the core.
Mission of the church in the world
No core course is labelled this way. MT 6300 Christian Ethics in Social Context is required, and the Division II and IV core electives include World Christianity (WX) and Christianity and Society (XS) options that plausibly satisfy it. Which course your board accepts is a question for your registrar — don't assume.
Evangelism
Evangelism (EV) is one of roughly eleven options for the single Division IV practical core elective, and is otherwise unrestricted elective space. Choosable, but not automatic.
United Methodist studies (doctrine, polity, history)
Nothing in the required core covers United Methodist doctrine, polity, or history. The old degree plan states plainly that the 24 unrestricted elective hours “may include United Methodist Studies and Evangelism.” ¶324.4 asks for a minimum of 6 semester hours here.
As of August 2024 · source ↗
Six of the nine ¶324.4 areas are in the required core and take care of themselves. Three are not. United Methodist studies — the 6-hour one — sits in elective space, as does evangelism, and no core course is labelled “mission of the church in the world.”
This is the thing to notice about a Perkins M.Div.: it is a United Methodist seminary, but the United Methodist studies requirement is something you choose, not something the degree hands you. Plan the elective block around it in your first year rather than discovering the gap in year three.
Build the 24 unrestricted elective hours around ¶324.4 from the start. Six hours of United Methodist studies, three of evangelism, and a course your board will accept for mission of the church — that is half the elective block, and it still leaves twelve hours free.
Perkins also offers the ¶324.4 studies on their own, outside a degree. The nondegree “Basic Graduate Theological Studies” track exists for UMC deacons and for anyone closing a gap.
Ask the Perkins registrar for the current M.Div. degree-progress sheet, and ask your conference's Board of Ordained Ministry registrar which specific course numbers they accept for each ¶324.4 area. They make the call, not the catalogue and not us.
Confirm all of this with your conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry registrar before you enroll. They decide which courses satisfy which requirement — not the catalogue, and not us.
The faculty, by what they work on.
29 faculty, grouped by field rather than alphabetically — because the useful question is not who is here, it is who is here who works on the thing you care about.
Systematic theology
Frederick Aquino
Lehman Professor of Christian Doctrine
PhD, Southern Methodist University, 2000
Recent work (5)
- “Epistemology,” in William J. Abraham: A Theological Profile, edited by Michael J. Gehring and Andrew D. Kinsey. Baylor University Press, 2024.
- “Newman and Pope Benedict (Ratzinger) on Faith and Reason,” in John Henry Newman and Joseph Ratzinger: A Theological Encounter, edited by Matthew Levering. Catholic University of America Press, 2025.
- John Henry Newman and Contemporary Philosophy. Edited by Frederick D. Aquino and Joe Milburn. Routledge, 2025
- John Henry Newman's An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent: A Critical Guide, Edited by Frederick D. Aquino and Matthew Levering. Emmaus Academic, 2025.
- “Newman and Ecumenism: On the Importance of a Connected View.” Urbaniana University Journal - Euntes docete 78 no. 1 (2025): 13-26.
Karen Baker-Fletcher
Professor of Systematic Theology
PhD, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Theology and Literature), 1991
Recent work (5)
- Creating Women’s Theology: A Movement Engaging Process Thought. Wipf & Stock, 2011.
- Dancing with God: A Womanist Perspective on the Trinity. Chalice Press, 2007.
- Sisters of Dust, Sisters of Spirit: Womanist Wordings on God and Creation. Fortress Press, 1998.
- My Sister, My Brother: Womanist and Xodus God-Talk. Co-authored with Garth Kasimu Baker-Fletcher. Bishop Henry McNeal Turner/Sojourner Truth Series in Black Religion, No.12, Orbis Books, 1997.
- A Singing Something: Womanist Reflections on Anna Julia Cooper. Crossroad/Herder and Herder, 1994.
Dallas J. Gingles
Associate Professor of Practice in Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics
PhD, Southern Methodist University, 2016
Recent work (5)
- "In the Face of Barbarism:" Bonhoeffer’s Ethics of Everyday Life. Co-edited with Michael DeJonge. Bloomsbury, 2025.
- The Future of Christian Realism: International Conflict, Political Decay, and the Crisis of Democracy. Co-edited with Rebekah Miles and Joshua Mauldin. Lexington Books, 2023.
- “‘Dirty Hands’: Guilt and Regret in Moral Reasoning.” Studies in Christian Ethics 36, no. 1 (February 2023): 107-122.
- “Narrative.” In T&T Clark Handbook of Christian Ethics, edited by Tobias Winright. Bloomsbury, 2020.
- “Justifications and Judgments: Walzer and Bonhoeffer on Politics and the Limits of Ethics.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 37, no. 1 (2017): 83-99.
Tamara Lewis
Professor of the Practice of Historical Theology
PhD, Vanderbilt University, 2014
Recent work (5)
- “Ecclesial Justifications and Resistance to Slavery in British Colonial America.” In Churches and Moral Discernment: Learning from History, vol. 2, edited by Myriam Wijlens, Vladmir Shmaliy, and Simone Sinn. World Council of Churches, Faith and Order Paper, no. 229 (2021): 53-64.
- “Epiphany OT C2, Baptism of the Lord OT C2, Epiphany 2 OT C2.” In Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship, Year B, Vol. 1: Advent through Epiphany, edited by Joel B. Green, Thomas G. Long, Luke A. Powery, Cynthia L. Rigby, and Carolyn J. Sharp. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
- Review of George Whitefield: Life, Context, and Legacy. Methodist History 58 (2019), 99-101.
- “Unitarianism.” In Cambridge Companion to the Council of Nicaea, edited by Young Kim. Cambridge University Press, 2019.
- “Isaiah 60: 1-6”; “Genesis 1: 1-5”; “1 Samuel 3: 1-10 (11-20)”- Commentary 2. Connections: A Lectionary Commentary Series. Westminster John Knox Press, 2019.
D. Stephen Long
Cary M. Maguire University Professor of Ethics
PhD, Duke University, 1991
Recent work (5)
- “On Making a Living Teaching and Researching Christian Ethics,” presidential address. Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, Fall 2024.
- On Teaching and Learning Christian Ethics. Georgetown University Press, 2024.
- Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics. Edited with Rebekah Miles. Routledge, 2022.
- The Art of Cycling, Living, and Dying: Moral Theology from Ordinary Life. Cascade Books, 2021.
- Augustinian and Ecclesial Christian Ethics: On Loving Enemies. Fortress Academic, 2018.
Bryan P. Stone
Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean; Professor of Theology
PhD, Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University, 1992
Recent work (5)
- Christianity and Horror Cinema. Routledge, 2025.
- Finding Faith Today. Cascade Books, 2018.
- Evangelism after Pluralism: The Ethics of Christian Witness. Baker Academic, 2018.
- Evangelism after Christendom: The Theology and Practice of Christian Witness. Brazos Press, 2007.
- Faith and Film: Theological Themes at the Cinema. Chalice Press, 2000.
Practical theology
Farris Blount III
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
PhD, Practical Theology, Boston University School of Theology
April Johnson Bristow
Clinical Assistant Professor in the Intern Program
DMin, Pastoral Care, Houston Graduate School of Theology
Recent work (5)
- Contributed “Remember to Rest” to Leaves of Wisdom: A Book of Daily Meditations and Encouragement, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, 2024.
- Contributed “The Work of Peacemaking” to Our Favorite Sunday School Lesson, Market Square Books, 2023.
- S. E. L. F. I. E.: A Model for Cultural Intelligence for Faithful Leadership in the Church. Co-authored with Adam Young, North Texas Conference United Methodist Church, 2015.
- Becoming One Again: Intentional Steps Toward Healing for Divorced/Divorcing Persons. First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 2013.
- Strengths in Differences: Cultural Competency for Faith Leaders – A Closer Look at Acts 10, for LeadershipFirst, First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 2020.
Priscilla Pope-Levison
Research Professor of Practical Theology
PhD, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
Recent work (5)
- “Before Modern Feminism: Protestant Women in the Twentieth Century.” In Expanding Energy: The Dynamic Story of North American Christianity, edited by Christopher H. Evans and Mark Lamport. Cascade Books, 2024.
- “Are Perfect Love & Sanctification Synonymous? Iva Durham Vennard’s Reinterpretation of J.A. Wood’s Perfect Love.” Wesleyan Theological Journal 56, no. 2 (Fall 2021): 121-36.
- Models of Evangelism. Baker Academic, 2020.
- “Pentecost in the Churches: Women in the Pentecostal League of Prayer.” Wesley and Methodist Studies 10, no. 1 (2018): 46-65.
- Building the Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era. New York University Press, 2014.
Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner
Susanna Wesley Centennial Chair in Practical Theology; Professor of Pastoral Care and Pastoral Theology
AB, Vanderbilt University, 1970
Recent work (5)
- Physician of Souls: Ministry as Medicine. Fortress Press, 2024.
- “(De)colonizing the Image of Female Beauty and (De)commodifying Women: the Industry of Plastic Surgery in Brazil and Texas.” In (De)coloniality and Religious Practices: Liberating Hope, edited by Valburga Schmiedt Streck, Júlio Cézar Adam, and Cláudio Carvalhaes. International Academy of Practical Theology Conference Series, 2021.
- Women with 2020 Vision: American Theologians on the Vote, Voice, and Vision of Women. Edited by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner, Fortress Press, 2020.
- “Quilting at the Society for Pastoral Theology: Lessons Learned.” The Journal of Pastoral Theology 30 (January 14, 2020): 35-47.
- “‘She Knew She Could Spell’: Katie Geneva Cannon.” The Journal of Pastoral Theology 29, no. 3 (November 8, 2019): 180-185.
Pam White
Clinical Assistant Professor in the Intern Program
DMin, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
Church history
Ashley Boggan
Affiliate Assistant Research Professor of Methodist Studies
PhD, Drew Theological School, 2017
Recent work (5)
- Calling on Fire: Reclaiming the Method of Methodism. Abingdon Press, 2025.
- Wesleyan Vile-tality: Reclaiming the Heart of Methodist Identity. Abingdon Press, 2025.
- American Methodism: A Compact History: Revised and Updated. Abingdon Press, 2022.
- Nevertheless: American Methodists and Women’s Rights. Wesley’s Foundery Books, 2020.
- Entangled: A History of American Methodism, Politics, and Sexuality. New Room Books, 2018.
Anthony Elia
Director of Bridwell Library; J.S. Bridwell Foundation Endowed Librarian
BA, Religious Studies, St. Lawrence University, 1997
Recent work (5)
- Christ Our Passover (Pascha Nostrum), for organ and mixed choir. Based on texts from 1 Corinthians and Romans. SMU Scholar, Spring 2023.
- “Oil, Earth, Books, and Holy Spirit: Theological Institutions, Libraries, and the Role of Environmental Sustainability.” ATLA Proceedings, 2021.
- “The Millennium Project—Nature, Environment, and Time in the Future of Special Collections: Considering the Case of Bridwell Library.” In Preserving the Past & Engaging the Future: Theology and Religion in American Special Collections, edited by M. Patrick Graham, Atla Open Press, 2021.
- Easter Vigil (Introit): This is the Day, for organ and mixed chorus. Premiered at Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, Lewisville, Texas, 2021.
- “Ecologies of Space in the Paradoxes of Technology and Community: Adaptability and Resilience in Libraries, Churches, and Theological Schools in a COVID-19 World.” ATLA Proceedings, 2020.
James Kang Hoon Lee
Professor of the History of Early Christianity
PhD, University of Notre Dame
Recent work (5)
- Praise Without Ceasing: The Spirituality of St. Augustine. Cascade Books, forthcoming.
- “Holiness and Early Latin Christianity.” In T&T Clark Companion to Holiness. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, forthcoming.
- “Augustine’s Sermons on the Old Testament.” In The Cambridge Companion to Augustine’s Sermons, edited by Andrew Hofer, 81–97. Cambridge University Press, 2025.
- “‘One in the One Shepherd’: St. Augustine and Pastoral Ministry.” Heythrop Journal 63 (2022): 232–244.
- The Church in the Latin Fathers: Unity in Charity. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2020.
Tamara Lewis
Professor of the Practice of Historical Theology
PhD, Vanderbilt University, 2014
Recent work (5)
- “Ecclesial Justifications and Resistance to Slavery in British Colonial America.” In Churches and Moral Discernment: Learning from History, vol. 2, edited by Myriam Wijlens, Vladmir Shmaliy, and Simone Sinn. World Council of Churches, Faith and Order Paper, no. 229 (2021): 53-64.
- “Epiphany OT C2, Baptism of the Lord OT C2, Epiphany 2 OT C2.” In Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship, Year B, Vol. 1: Advent through Epiphany, edited by Joel B. Green, Thomas G. Long, Luke A. Powery, Cynthia L. Rigby, and Carolyn J. Sharp. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
- Review of George Whitefield: Life, Context, and Legacy. Methodist History 58 (2019), 99-101.
- “Unitarianism.” In Cambridge Companion to the Council of Nicaea, edited by Young Kim. Cambridge University Press, 2019.
- “Isaiah 60: 1-6”; “Genesis 1: 1-5”; “1 Samuel 3: 1-10 (11-20)”- Commentary 2. Connections: A Lectionary Commentary Series. Westminster John Knox Press, 2019.
Emily Nelms Chastain
Assistant Professor of Christian History & Methodist Studies
PhD, Boston University, 2025
Recent work (5)
- ‘Break[ing] the System’: How the Methodist Student Movement Motivated a Generation to Challenge Their Denomination’s Segregationist Polity. Wesley and Methodist Studies 17, no. 1 (2025): 62–90.
- “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. 8-part series on newly elected women bishops in the UMC, March 2023.
- “Parity Among Methodist Clergy." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, September 13, 2022.
- "Connexionalism Vital to Continued Ministry of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, June 9, 2022.
- "Sexual Ethics Remains Vital to the United Methodist Church." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, April 29, 2022.
Ethics & public theology
Dallas J. Gingles
Associate Professor of Practice in Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics
PhD, Southern Methodist University, 2016
Recent work (5)
- "In the Face of Barbarism:" Bonhoeffer’s Ethics of Everyday Life. Co-edited with Michael DeJonge. Bloomsbury, 2025.
- The Future of Christian Realism: International Conflict, Political Decay, and the Crisis of Democracy. Co-edited with Rebekah Miles and Joshua Mauldin. Lexington Books, 2023.
- “‘Dirty Hands’: Guilt and Regret in Moral Reasoning.” Studies in Christian Ethics 36, no. 1 (February 2023): 107-122.
- “Narrative.” In T&T Clark Handbook of Christian Ethics, edited by Tobias Winright. Bloomsbury, 2020.
- “Justifications and Judgments: Walzer and Bonhoeffer on Politics and the Limits of Ethics.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 37, no. 1 (2017): 83-99.
D. Stephen Long
Cary M. Maguire University Professor of Ethics
PhD, Duke University, 1991
Recent work (5)
- “On Making a Living Teaching and Researching Christian Ethics,” presidential address. Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, Fall 2024.
- On Teaching and Learning Christian Ethics. Georgetown University Press, 2024.
- Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics. Edited with Rebekah Miles. Routledge, 2022.
- The Art of Cycling, Living, and Dying: Moral Theology from Ordinary Life. Cascade Books, 2021.
- Augustinian and Ecclesial Christian Ethics: On Loving Enemies. Fortress Academic, 2018.
Rebekah Miles
Albert C. Outler Chair of Wesley Studies
PhD, The Divinity School, University of Chicago, 1995
Recent work (5)
- The Future of Christian Realism: International Conflict, Political Decay, and the Crisis of Democracy. Co-edited with Dallas Gingles and Josh Mauldin. Lexington Books, 2023.
- The Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics. Co-edited with Steve Long. Routledge Press, 2022
- When the One You Love is Gone. Abingdon Press, 2012.
- Georgia Harkness: The Remaking of a Liberal Theologian, Collected Essays from 1929-1942. Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.
- The Bonds of Freedom: Feminist Theology and Christian Realism. Oxford University Press, 2001.
Harold J. Recinos
Professor of Church and Society
PhD, American University, 1993
Recent work (5)
- On the Sight of Angels. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Words Chosen for the Wall. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Place Across the River. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Looking Glass: Far and Near. Wipf and Stock, 2023.
- Wading Through Many Voices: Toward a Theology of Public Conversation. Editor. Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.
Theodore Walker Jr.
Associate Professor of Theological Ethics and Society, Theology and the Sciences
PhD, University of Notre Dame, 1983
Recent work (5)
- “Viewing the World through a Microscope Lens (and Drama among Nazis): The Life of Ernest Everett Just.” In Leading Figures in the History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, edited by Judson L. Jeffries. University Press of Florida, 2025.
- “Interdisciplinary Convergences with Biology and Ethics … Ernest Everett Just and … Fred Hoyle.” In Panentheism and Panpsychism, edited by Godehard Brüntrup, Benedikt Paul Göcke, and Ludwig Jaskolla. Verlag Brill, 2019.
- The Big Bang and God: An Astro-Theology. Co-authored with Theodore Walker, Jr. and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015.
- Whiteheadian Ethics: Abstracts and Paper from the Ethics Section of the Philosophy Group at the 6th International Whitehead Conference at the University of Salzburg, July 2006. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008.
- Mothership Connections: A Black Atlantic Synthesis of Neoclassical Metaphysics and Black Theology. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004
Wesleyan & Methodist studies
Ashley Boggan
Affiliate Assistant Research Professor of Methodist Studies
PhD, Drew Theological School, 2017
Recent work (5)
- Calling on Fire: Reclaiming the Method of Methodism. Abingdon Press, 2025.
- Wesleyan Vile-tality: Reclaiming the Heart of Methodist Identity. Abingdon Press, 2025.
- American Methodism: A Compact History: Revised and Updated. Abingdon Press, 2022.
- Nevertheless: American Methodists and Women’s Rights. Wesley’s Foundery Books, 2020.
- Entangled: A History of American Methodism, Politics, and Sexuality. New Room Books, 2018.
Rebekah Miles
Albert C. Outler Chair of Wesley Studies
PhD, The Divinity School, University of Chicago, 1995
Recent work (5)
- The Future of Christian Realism: International Conflict, Political Decay, and the Crisis of Democracy. Co-edited with Dallas Gingles and Josh Mauldin. Lexington Books, 2023.
- The Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics. Co-edited with Steve Long. Routledge Press, 2022
- When the One You Love is Gone. Abingdon Press, 2012.
- Georgia Harkness: The Remaking of a Liberal Theologian, Collected Essays from 1929-1942. Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.
- The Bonds of Freedom: Feminist Theology and Christian Realism. Oxford University Press, 2001.
Emily Nelms Chastain
Assistant Professor of Christian History & Methodist Studies
PhD, Boston University, 2025
Recent work (5)
- ‘Break[ing] the System’: How the Methodist Student Movement Motivated a Generation to Challenge Their Denomination’s Segregationist Polity. Wesley and Methodist Studies 17, no. 1 (2025): 62–90.
- “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. 8-part series on newly elected women bishops in the UMC, March 2023.
- “Parity Among Methodist Clergy." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, September 13, 2022.
- "Connexionalism Vital to Continued Ministry of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, June 9, 2022.
- "Sexual Ethics Remains Vital to the United Methodist Church." General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, April 29, 2022.
New Testament
Jaime Clark-Soles
Professor of New Testament
PhD, Yale University, 2000
Recent work (5)
- Pasricha, Ishan Caroline Peacock, Roman Palitsky, Jaime Clark-Soles, Jessica L. Maples-Keller, George H. Grant, and Deanna M. Kaplan. “What Motivates Spiritual Health Practitioners in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy? A Qualitative Study and Implications for Facilitator Training Practices.” Psychedelics 1 no. 9: 1–9 (April 2025). https://doi.org/10.61373/pp025r.0008
- “Psychedelics, the Bible, and the Divine” Religions 15, no. 5 (May 2024). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15050582
- 1 Corinthians: Searching the Depths of God. Abingdon, 2021.
- "Women in the Bible," in Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church, edited by Samuel Balentine, Brent Strawn, and Susan Hylen. Westminster John Knox, 2020.
- "Disability in the Johannine Literature (Gospel of John, 1-3 John, Apocalypse),” in The Bible and Disability: A Commentary, edited by Sarah J. Melcher, Mikeal C. Parsons, and Amos Yong. Baylor University Press, 2017.
Abraham Smith
Professor of New Testament
PhD, Vanderbilt University
Recent work (5)
- “Epiphany 5C: Luke 5:1-11” and “Epiphany 4C: Luke 4:21-30.” Working Preacher’s Commentary, 2025.
- “The Gospel According to Mark: Introduction, Study Notes, and Excursuses.” In The Westminster Study Bible, edited by Emerson B. Powery, Brent A. Strawn, Mary F. Foskett, and Stacy Davis. Westminster John Knox, 2024.
- “Pecola’s People: Microhistories, the Politics of Respectability, and Interrogations of the Power of the Outside Gaze.” Biblical Theology Bulletin 54 (2024): 157-167.
- “Arrested Developments: Dismantling the Disciplinary Network of a Surveillance State.” Reading in These Times. Edited by Fernando F. Segovia and Tat-Siong Benny Liew. Society of Biblical Literature Press, 2024.
- Mark: An Introduction and Study Guide (Shaping the Life and Legacy of Jesus), Second Edition. T&T Clark Study Guides to the New Testament. Bloomsbury, 2017.
Sze-kar Wan
Professor of New Testament
ThD, Harvard University Divinity School, 1992
Recent work (5)
- “Two Pseudo-Philonic Works: A New Translation and Introduction.” In More Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, edited by James Davila. Eerdmans, 2024.
- “Mainstreaming the Minoritized: Galatians 3:28 as Ethnic Construction.” In Paul’s Gospel, Empire, Race, and Ethnicity: Through the Lens of Minoritized Scholarship, edited by Yung Suk Kim. Pickwick, 2024.
- “Reading Romans in Midst of Empires: Chinese Readers Grappling with Romans 13.1–7.” In Global Readings of the New Testament, edited by M. Kovalishyn. Baker, 2024.
- “‘I speak to you Gentiles’: Asian Americans as Liminal Gentiles.” In Preaching Romans from Here: Diverse Voices Engage Paul’s Most Famous Letter, edited by L. M. Bowens, et al. Cascade Books, 2024.
- Romans: Empire and Resistance. Bloomsbury, 2021. FACULTY BOOKS
Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
Roy L. Heller
Professor of Old Testament
PhD, Yale University, 1998
Recent work (5)
- Distinguished Teaching Professor
- “Nathan’s Sixth Sense: Russian Formalism, Cinematic Technique, and the Character of a Prophet.” In A Sage in New Haven: Studies on the Prophets, the Writings, and the Ancient World in Honor of Robert R. Wilson, edited by Carolyn J. Sharp and Alison Gruseke. Zaphon, 2023.
- The Characters of Elijah and Elisha and the Deuteronomic Evaluation of Prophecy: Miracles and Manipulation. Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 671. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2018.
- Conversations with Scripture: The Book of Judges. Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars Study Series. Morehouse, 2011.
- The Character of Samuel and the Deuteronomistic Evaluation of Prophecy: Power, Politics, and Prophecy. Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2006.
John R. (Jack) Levison
W. J. A. Power Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Biblical Hebrew
PhD, Duke University, 1985
Recent work (5)
- “Before Modern Feminism: Protestant Women in the Twentieth Century.” In Expanding Energy: The Dynamic Story of North American Christianity, edited by Christopher H. Evans and Mark Lamport. Cascade Books, 2024.
- “Are Perfect Love & Sanctification Synonymous? Iva Durham Vennard’s Reinterpretation of J.A. Wood’s Perfect Love.” Wesleyan Theological Journal 56, no. 2 (Fall 2021): 121-36.
- Models of Evangelism. Baker Academic, 2020.
- “Pentecost in the Churches: Women in the Pentecostal League of Prayer.” Wesley and Methodist Studies 10, no. 1 (2018): 46-65.
- Building the Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era. New York University Press, 2014.
Susanne Scholz
Professor of Old Testament
PhD, Union Theological Seminary, New York
Recent work (5)
- 1 Samuel: A Conceptual Feminist Interpretation. Fortress, 2025.
- Contemporary Yoga and Sacred Texts. Co-editor. Routledge, 2025.
- Doing Biblical Masculinity Studies as Feminist Biblical Studies: Critical Interrogations. Editor. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2023.
- Handbook of Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible. Editor. Oxford University Press, 2021
- The Bible as Political Artifact: On the Feminist Study of the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2017.
Mission & social justice
Robert A. Hunt
Professor of Christian Mission and Interreligious Relations
PhD, University of Malaya, 1994
Recent work (5)
- All Brain and No Soul? Real Humanity in an AI Age. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Do No Harm. Edited by Ernest van Eck and George Hunsberger. Pickwick Publications, 2025. 81-92.
- Muslim Faith and Values: A Guide for Christians. Cascade Books, 2019.
- “Our Journey in Multifaith Education.” In Teaching in a Multifaith World, edited by Eleazar Fernandez. Wipf and Stock, 2016.
- “Public Missiology in an Age of Anxious Tribalism.” Missiology: An International Review. April 2016.
Hugo Magallanes
Associate Professor of Christianity and Cultures
PhD, Drew University, 2002
Recent work (5)
- “I Kings 19:9-18 and Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 and Genesis 45:1-15; Isaiah 51:1-6 and Exodus 1:8--2:10.” In Connections: Year A, Volume 3, Season after Pentecost, edited by Thomas G. Long, Cynthia L. Rigby, Carolyn J. Sharp, Luke A. Powery, and Joel B. Green. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
- “Methodist: Immigration in the U.S. and Wesleyan Methodology.” In Immigrant Neighbors Among Us: Immigration Across Theological Traditions, edited by M. Daniel Carroll R. and Leopoldo A. Sanchez, Pickwick Publications, 2015.
- Acción Social: El Pueblo Cristiano Testifica del Amor de Dios (Social Action: The Community of Believers Offers a Witness of God’s Love). Abingdon Press, 2012.
- “The Protestant Reformation from a Latino Methodist Perspective.” In Our 95 Theses: 500 years after the Reformation, edited by Justo L. González and Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016. Also published in Spanish as: “La Reforma Protestante desde una Perspectiva Metodista Hispana.” En Nuestras 95 Tesis: A 500 Años de la Reforma, editado por Justo L. González y Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016.
- Jesus in the Hispanic Community: Images of Christ from Theology to Popular Religion, edited by Harold J. Recinos and Hugo Magallanes. Westminster John Knox, 2009.
Harold J. Recinos
Professor of Church and Society
PhD, American University, 1993
Recent work (5)
- On the Sight of Angels. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Words Chosen for the Wall. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Place Across the River. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Looking Glass: Far and Near. Wipf and Stock, 2023.
- Wading Through Many Voices: Toward a Theology of Public Conversation. Editor. Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.
Womanist & feminist theology
Karen Baker-Fletcher
Professor of Systematic Theology
PhD, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Theology and Literature), 1991
Recent work (5)
- Creating Women’s Theology: A Movement Engaging Process Thought. Wipf & Stock, 2011.
- Dancing with God: A Womanist Perspective on the Trinity. Chalice Press, 2007.
- Sisters of Dust, Sisters of Spirit: Womanist Wordings on God and Creation. Fortress Press, 1998.
- My Sister, My Brother: Womanist and Xodus God-Talk. Co-authored with Garth Kasimu Baker-Fletcher. Bishop Henry McNeal Turner/Sojourner Truth Series in Black Religion, No.12, Orbis Books, 1997.
- A Singing Something: Womanist Reflections on Anna Julia Cooper. Crossroad/Herder and Herder, 1994.
Susanne Scholz
Professor of Old Testament
PhD, Union Theological Seminary, New York
Recent work (5)
- 1 Samuel: A Conceptual Feminist Interpretation. Fortress, 2025.
- Contemporary Yoga and Sacred Texts. Co-editor. Routledge, 2025.
- Doing Biblical Masculinity Studies as Feminist Biblical Studies: Critical Interrogations. Editor. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2023.
- Handbook of Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible. Editor. Oxford University Press, 2021
- The Bible as Political Artifact: On the Feminist Study of the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2017.
Black church studies
Farris Blount III
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
PhD, Practical Theology, Boston University School of Theology
Theodore Walker Jr.
Associate Professor of Theological Ethics and Society, Theology and the Sciences
PhD, University of Notre Dame, 1983
Recent work (5)
- “Viewing the World through a Microscope Lens (and Drama among Nazis): The Life of Ernest Everett Just.” In Leading Figures in the History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, edited by Judson L. Jeffries. University Press of Florida, 2025.
- “Interdisciplinary Convergences with Biology and Ethics … Ernest Everett Just and … Fred Hoyle.” In Panentheism and Panpsychism, edited by Godehard Brüntrup, Benedikt Paul Göcke, and Ludwig Jaskolla. Verlag Brill, 2019.
- The Big Bang and God: An Astro-Theology. Co-authored with Theodore Walker, Jr. and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015.
- Whiteheadian Ethics: Abstracts and Paper from the Ethics Section of the Philosophy Group at the 6th International Whitehead Conference at the University of Salzburg, July 2006. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008.
- Mothership Connections: A Black Atlantic Synthesis of Neoclassical Metaphysics and Black Theology. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004
Congregational leadership
April Johnson Bristow
Clinical Assistant Professor in the Intern Program
DMin, Pastoral Care, Houston Graduate School of Theology
Recent work (5)
- Contributed “Remember to Rest” to Leaves of Wisdom: A Book of Daily Meditations and Encouragement, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, 2024.
- Contributed “The Work of Peacemaking” to Our Favorite Sunday School Lesson, Market Square Books, 2023.
- S. E. L. F. I. E.: A Model for Cultural Intelligence for Faithful Leadership in the Church. Co-authored with Adam Young, North Texas Conference United Methodist Church, 2015.
- Becoming One Again: Intentional Steps Toward Healing for Divorced/Divorcing Persons. First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 2013.
- Strengths in Differences: Cultural Competency for Faith Leaders – A Closer Look at Acts 10, for LeadershipFirst, First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 2020.
Pam White
Clinical Assistant Professor in the Intern Program
DMin, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
World Christianity
Robert A. Hunt
Professor of Christian Mission and Interreligious Relations
PhD, University of Malaya, 1994
Recent work (5)
- All Brain and No Soul? Real Humanity in an AI Age. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Do No Harm. Edited by Ernest van Eck and George Hunsberger. Pickwick Publications, 2025. 81-92.
- Muslim Faith and Values: A Guide for Christians. Cascade Books, 2019.
- “Our Journey in Multifaith Education.” In Teaching in a Multifaith World, edited by Eleazar Fernandez. Wipf and Stock, 2016.
- “Public Missiology in an Age of Anxious Tribalism.” Missiology: An International Review. April 2016.
Hugo Magallanes
Associate Professor of Christianity and Cultures
PhD, Drew University, 2002
Recent work (5)
- “I Kings 19:9-18 and Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 and Genesis 45:1-15; Isaiah 51:1-6 and Exodus 1:8--2:10.” In Connections: Year A, Volume 3, Season after Pentecost, edited by Thomas G. Long, Cynthia L. Rigby, Carolyn J. Sharp, Luke A. Powery, and Joel B. Green. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
- “Methodist: Immigration in the U.S. and Wesleyan Methodology.” In Immigrant Neighbors Among Us: Immigration Across Theological Traditions, edited by M. Daniel Carroll R. and Leopoldo A. Sanchez, Pickwick Publications, 2015.
- Acción Social: El Pueblo Cristiano Testifica del Amor de Dios (Social Action: The Community of Believers Offers a Witness of God’s Love). Abingdon Press, 2012.
- “The Protestant Reformation from a Latino Methodist Perspective.” In Our 95 Theses: 500 years after the Reformation, edited by Justo L. González and Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016. Also published in Spanish as: “La Reforma Protestante desde una Perspectiva Metodista Hispana.” En Nuestras 95 Tesis: A 500 Años de la Reforma, editado por Justo L. González y Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016.
- Jesus in the Hispanic Community: Images of Christ from Theology to Popular Religion, edited by Harold J. Recinos and Hugo Magallanes. Westminster John Knox, 2009.
Latino/Hispanic ministry
Hugo Magallanes
Associate Professor of Christianity and Cultures
PhD, Drew University, 2002
Recent work (5)
- “I Kings 19:9-18 and Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 and Genesis 45:1-15; Isaiah 51:1-6 and Exodus 1:8--2:10.” In Connections: Year A, Volume 3, Season after Pentecost, edited by Thomas G. Long, Cynthia L. Rigby, Carolyn J. Sharp, Luke A. Powery, and Joel B. Green. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
- “Methodist: Immigration in the U.S. and Wesleyan Methodology.” In Immigrant Neighbors Among Us: Immigration Across Theological Traditions, edited by M. Daniel Carroll R. and Leopoldo A. Sanchez, Pickwick Publications, 2015.
- Acción Social: El Pueblo Cristiano Testifica del Amor de Dios (Social Action: The Community of Believers Offers a Witness of God’s Love). Abingdon Press, 2012.
- “The Protestant Reformation from a Latino Methodist Perspective.” In Our 95 Theses: 500 years after the Reformation, edited by Justo L. González and Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016. Also published in Spanish as: “La Reforma Protestante desde una Perspectiva Metodista Hispana.” En Nuestras 95 Tesis: A 500 Años de la Reforma, editado por Justo L. González y Alberto L. García. AETH, 2016.
- Jesus in the Hispanic Community: Images of Christ from Theology to Popular Religion, edited by Harold J. Recinos and Hugo Magallanes. Westminster John Knox, 2009.
Harold J. Recinos
Professor of Church and Society
PhD, American University, 1993
Recent work (5)
- On the Sight of Angels. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Words Chosen for the Wall. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Place Across the River. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
- The Looking Glass: Far and Near. Wipf and Stock, 2023.
- Wading Through Many Voices: Toward a Theology of Public Conversation. Editor. Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.
Evangelism & church planting
Priscilla Pope-Levison
Research Professor of Practical Theology
PhD, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
Recent work (5)
- “Before Modern Feminism: Protestant Women in the Twentieth Century.” In Expanding Energy: The Dynamic Story of North American Christianity, edited by Christopher H. Evans and Mark Lamport. Cascade Books, 2024.
- “Are Perfect Love & Sanctification Synonymous? Iva Durham Vennard’s Reinterpretation of J.A. Wood’s Perfect Love.” Wesleyan Theological Journal 56, no. 2 (Fall 2021): 121-36.
- Models of Evangelism. Baker Academic, 2020.
- “Pentecost in the Churches: Women in the Pentecostal League of Prayer.” Wesley and Methodist Studies 10, no. 1 (2018): 46-65.
- Building the Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era. New York University Press, 2014.
Bryan P. Stone
Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean; Professor of Theology
PhD, Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University, 1992
Recent work (5)
- Christianity and Horror Cinema. Routledge, 2025.
- Finding Faith Today. Cascade Books, 2018.
- Evangelism after Pluralism: The Ethics of Christian Witness. Baker Academic, 2018.
- Evangelism after Christendom: The Theology and Practice of Christian Witness. Brazos Press, 2007.
- Faith and Film: Theological Themes at the Cinema. Chalice Press, 2000.
Pastoral care & counseling
Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner
Susanna Wesley Centennial Chair in Practical Theology; Professor of Pastoral Care and Pastoral Theology
AB, Vanderbilt University, 1970
Recent work (5)
- Physician of Souls: Ministry as Medicine. Fortress Press, 2024.
- “(De)colonizing the Image of Female Beauty and (De)commodifying Women: the Industry of Plastic Surgery in Brazil and Texas.” In (De)coloniality and Religious Practices: Liberating Hope, edited by Valburga Schmiedt Streck, Júlio Cézar Adam, and Cláudio Carvalhaes. International Academy of Practical Theology Conference Series, 2021.
- Women with 2020 Vision: American Theologians on the Vote, Voice, and Vision of Women. Edited by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner, Fortress Press, 2020.
- “Quilting at the Society for Pastoral Theology: Lessons Learned.” The Journal of Pastoral Theology 30 (January 14, 2020): 35-47.
- “‘She Knew She Could Spell’: Katie Geneva Cannon.” The Journal of Pastoral Theology 29, no. 3 (November 8, 2019): 180-185.
Hannah Sutton-Adams
Visiting Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care
PhD, Theology and Education, Boston College, 2025
Preaching
O. Wesley Allen Jr.
Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics
PhD, Emory Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1996
Recent work (5)
- Preaching and the Thirty Second Commercial. Co-authored with Carrie La Ferle. Westminster John Knox, 2021.
- Protestant Worship: A Multisensory Introduction for Students and Practitioners. Abingdon Press, 2019. www.cokesbury.com/9781501842665-Protestant-Worship-eBook-ePub
- The Preacher’s Bible Handbook. Edited by O. Wesley Allen. Westminster John Knox, 2019.
- Preaching and the Human Condition: Loving God, Self, and Others. Abingdon Press, 2016.
- The Sermon without End: A Conversational Approach to Preaching. Co-authored with Ronald J. Allen. Abingdon Press, 2015.
Interreligious engagement
Robert A. Hunt
Professor of Christian Mission and Interreligious Relations
PhD, University of Malaya, 1994
Recent work (5)
- All Brain and No Soul? Real Humanity in an AI Age. Wipf and Stock, 2025.
- Do No Harm. Edited by Ernest van Eck and George Hunsberger. Pickwick Publications, 2025. 81-92.
- Muslim Faith and Values: A Guide for Christians. Cascade Books, 2019.
- “Our Journey in Multifaith Education.” In Teaching in a Multifaith World, edited by Eleazar Fernandez. Wipf and Stock, 2016.
- “Public Missiology in an Age of Anxious Tribalism.” Missiology: An International Review. April 2016.
Church music
Marcell Silva Steuernagel
Associate Professor of Church Music
PhD, Church Music, Baylor University
Recent work (5)
- The Other Lutherans: Voices from the Global South. Edited by Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. Fortress Academic-Bloomsbury, forthcoming.
- “The Work of Diversity: Ethnoraciality, Identity, and Music in Christian Worship." Liturgy 40, no. 1, (2025): 35-61, DOI: 10.1080/0458063X.2025.2473245
- The Spirit and the Song: Pneumatological Reflections on Popular Music: Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture. Kimberly Ervin Alexander, Fortress Academic-Bloomsbury, 2024.
- Church Music Through the Lens of Performance. Fortress Press, 2024.
- “Performing Race and Place Through Hymn-Singing: A Brazilian Perspective.” In Hymns and Constructions of Race: Mobility, Agency, De/Coloniality, edited by Philip Burnett, Philip Johnson- Williams, and Erin Johnson-Williams. Routledge, 2024.
Liturgy & worship
Marcell Silva Steuernagel
Associate Professor of Church Music
PhD, Church Music, Baylor University
Recent work (5)
- The Other Lutherans: Voices from the Global South. Edited by Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. Fortress Academic-Bloomsbury, forthcoming.
- “The Work of Diversity: Ethnoraciality, Identity, and Music in Christian Worship." Liturgy 40, no. 1, (2025): 35-61, DOI: 10.1080/0458063X.2025.2473245
- The Spirit and the Song: Pneumatological Reflections on Popular Music: Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture. Kimberly Ervin Alexander, Fortress Academic-Bloomsbury, 2024.
- Church Music Through the Lens of Performance. Fortress Press, 2024.
- “Performing Race and Place Through Hymn-Singing: A Brazilian Perspective.” In Hymns and Constructions of Race: Mobility, Agency, De/Coloniality, edited by Philip Burnett, Philip Johnson- Williams, and Erin Johnson-Williams. Routledge, 2024.
Religion & science
Theodore Walker Jr.
Associate Professor of Theological Ethics and Society, Theology and the Sciences
PhD, University of Notre Dame, 1983
Recent work (5)
- “Viewing the World through a Microscope Lens (and Drama among Nazis): The Life of Ernest Everett Just.” In Leading Figures in the History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, edited by Judson L. Jeffries. University Press of Florida, 2025.
- “Interdisciplinary Convergences with Biology and Ethics … Ernest Everett Just and … Fred Hoyle.” In Panentheism and Panpsychism, edited by Godehard Brüntrup, Benedikt Paul Göcke, and Ludwig Jaskolla. Verlag Brill, 2019.
- The Big Bang and God: An Astro-Theology. Co-authored with Theodore Walker, Jr. and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015.
- Whiteheadian Ethics: Abstracts and Paper from the Ethics Section of the Philosophy Group at the 6th International Whitehead Conference at the University of Salzburg, July 2006. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008.
- Mothership Connections: A Black Atlantic Synthesis of Neoclassical Metaphysics and Black Theology. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004
Perkins publishes no per-professor bio pages on the main facultyacademics/facultylistinga-z roster page itself (name, title, area, email only) — but a second-pass check (2026-08-07) found that each of the 28 non-dean faculty DOES have its own individual page at smu.edu/perkins/facultyacademics/facultylistinga-z/<surname-slug>, linked from the roster but not obvious from it, and every one of those 28 pages carries a degrees line (institution and, for most, year). Dean Bryan Stone's degrees come from his separate dean bio page. All 29 are checked, not sampled — the 'Perkins has no per-professor pages' assumption in the first pass was wrong; it only checked the roster page and the annual publications PDF, never the individual profile links. Publications remain sourced from Perkins' own annual Faculty Publications PDF (26/29), matched by name to the roster; email remains sourced from the same PDF's byline match (28/29). Degrees are not in that PDF and were pulled separately from the individual pages.
Titles and fields are the school’s own; the grouping is ours. Where Perkins School of Theologypublishes a page for someone, it’s linked above as “Profile.” Professors answer email from prospective students more often than you would guess. Publication lists come from the school’s own annual listing ↗, are a selection rather than a full CV, and are only shown for people currently on the directory.
The degrees.
Master of Divinity
75 hrsThe ordination degree. 75 credit hours including a supervised internship, with 24 credit hours of elective space.
3–7 years; all requirements within 7 calendar years of first registration
Maestría en Divinidad
New: first cohort begins fall 2026.
The M.Div. taught in Spanish — fully in Spanish for the first two years, with the option to move to a bilingual track after that.
Master of Arts in Ministry
36 hrs36 credit hours plus an internship, for ministerial leadership that doesn't require the full M.Div.
Master of Theological Studies
48 hrs48 credit hours plus a thesis or summative project. Not an ordination degree — lay leadership, personal study, or groundwork for a PhD.
Basic Graduate Theological Studies (nondegree)
The ¶324.4 studies taken on their own, without enrolling in a degree. Built for UMC deacons and for anyone closing a gap.
Money, plainly.
Tuition
$799 per credit hour (master's, Dallas or hybrid)
Academic year 2026–27. D.Min. is $928 and D.P.M. $906. Fees are charged on top — see below.
As of July 2026 · source ↗
Typical award
$17,200 average annual tuition scholarship
For full-time, degree-seeking students. An average, not a floor — awards vary.
As of August 2026 · source ↗
After graduation
97.1% of reporting M.Div. graduates were employed, in the military, in continuing education, or in volunteer service
Perkins reports this for academic year 2023–24, and it counts *reporting* graduates only.
As of June 2024 · source ↗
- General student fee — $338 per term credit hour, $4,040 maximum
- Distance learning fee (hybrid) — $100 per term credit hour
- Hybrid technology fee — $50 per term
- Community life fee — $25 per term, Dallas and hybrid students
The sticker figure most people quote is tuition alone. Perkins charges a general student fee per credit hour on top of it, and hybrid students add two more. Ask for a full cost-of-attendance sheet, not a per-credit number — and note that applying for admission is also the scholarship application, so applying early matters: Perkins says its funds go first-come, first-served.
Ask Christina Rhodes, Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management — csrhodes@smu.edu · 214-768-3411.
Place, and what else is within reach.
Southern Methodist University
Perkins is a school within SMU, on the Dallas campus at 5905 Bishop Blvd.
Houston–Galveston sites
Classes meet regularly in Houston at St. Paul's UMC, Houston Methodist Hospital, and St. John's UMC downtown; in Galveston at Moody Memorial First UMC. You can serve a Gulf Coast appointment and still take courses in person.
Immersion sites beyond Dallas
The in-person requirement for the M.Div. and M.A.M. can be met through week-long immersions held in Dallas, Houston–Galveston and elsewhere — recent ones in McAllen and Waco, Texas, and Memphis, Tennessee. Perkins says it adds locations based on where students actually live.
Bridwell Library
Perkins' own theological library, with special collections and the Center for World Methodism.
Perkins administers the United Methodist Regional Course of Study School — the five-year curriculum required of licensed local pastors who are not in a seminary degree program — in partnership with GBHEM. It runs in English and, as Curso de Estudio, in Spanish.
Who this fits, and what to weigh.
- People already serving an appointment in Texas who need in-person coursework to come to them.
- Spanish-speaking candidates, who now have a route that does not require studying in a second language.
- People who want a research university's resources next door and will actually use them.
- The elective block is the whole game. Six of the nine ¶324.4 areas are handled by the core; United Methodist studies and evangelism are not. Nobody stops you from spending twenty-four hours elsewhere and arriving at your board short.
- Tuition is quoted per credit hour, and the general student fee is charged per credit hour on top of it. The number you first see is not the number you pay.
- Perkins says its scholarship funds go first-come, first-served, and the admission application is the scholarship application. Applying late costs money in a way that isn't advertised.
- The M.Div. is now offered in Spanish — fully in Spanish for two years, then optionally bilingual, with the first cohort starting fall 2026.
- Perkins runs the regional Course of Study school for licensed local pastors, in English and in Spanish, so the licensed and ordained routes are administered under one roof.
- Twenty-four of the seventy-five M.Div. hours are unrestricted electives — an unusually large amount of room to shape, and an unusually large amount of room to waste.
- CASA and the Black/Africana Church Studies program are named centers with faculty attached, not just course labels.
Send one email this week.
Not an application — an email. Pick the professor above whose field is closest to what you cannot stop thinking about, and ask them what they are working on. Then ask admissions to sit in on one class. Both are free, and both tell you more than a brochure will.
Everything on this page was checked against the school’s own published material on August 7, 2026. Costs and curricula change every year — the source link beside each fact is the one that stays current.