Meet President Stephen G. Ray, Jr.

On February 1st, 2018, Chicago Theological Seminary welcomed Rev. Dr. Stephen G. Ray, Jr. as the 13th president in the Seminary’s 162-year history. All week, President Ray has immersed himself in the culture of CTS; participating in his first meeting of the Board of Trustees, taking time to meet with staff, and faculty, and even had to make the call to close the seminary for a day due to last week’s’ winter weather.

“After a week and a few days the most fitting words are simply, my heart is full. The warmth and generosity that I and Susan have experienced are beyond what we could imagined,” said Dr. Ray.  “What touches me the most is the dawning realization that I stand in the midst of a gathered people of God—Christian, Muslim, Jewish of differing persuasions, who are dedicated to shining the light of God’s love into the dark places of our broken world. I have so often felt a missionary of the gospel of inclusion and hope in other places in theological education, that being at CTS feels like God has brought me home.”

Here are some photos from his first week. Think of it as “A Week in Review.” (Click the image below to open full gallery.)