Harvard’s religious past

To understand where the University is, lecturer teaches, it’s important to see where it’s been



Harvard's Stephen Shoemaker said it is common for his students to be surprised by the significance of religion in the evolution of Harvard, and he believes part of his mission is to raise that awareness. Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

October 20, 2016 | By Anthony Chiorazzi, Harvard Correspondent

“It all began when I wrote my dissertation on the history of religion at Harvard in the 19th century,” said Stephen Shoemaker, a lecturer on the study of religion at Harvard. “But specializing in the details of Harvard’s history is a career-limiting move. It prepares you to teach at one university,” he said with a laugh. “Yale doesn’t usually return my calls.”

The winner of the 2016 Shattuck Excellence in Teaching Award, Shoemaker holds a master’s in theology from Harvard Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Harvard. A noted lecturer on campus, his signature class is “Harvard’s History and Evolving Religious Identity,” which he created and co-taught with the Rev. Peter J. Gomes for many years before Gomes’ death in 2011. In spring, the course had a record 90 students.

“The class was held in Holden Chapel in the Yard, and it was packed,” said Michael Ledecky ’16, a government concentrator. Ledecky said the class was eye-opening. “I had no idea what a large role religion played in the origins and development of Harvard.”

Shoemaker said it is common for his students to be surprised by the significance of religion in the evolution of Harvard, and he believes part of his mission is to raise that awareness.

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/10/harvards-religious-past/