THE FOUNDING GENERATION

The Center of Theological Inquiry was founded in 1978 by a visionary group of leaders in theological education, the university, business and philanthropy, led by the Rev. Dr. James Iley McCord, then President of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Dr. James McCord was an innovative theological educator and a world ecumenical statesman. He came to the Seminary in 1959, the year after the great American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr had been in residence as a member of the famous Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Inspired by this place for pure research, McCord wanted to found a similar institution for theologians, where they could engage in sustained theological inquiry and discussion with fellow scholars in other disciplines. His dream was realized in 1978 when the ecumenical Center of Theological Inquiry was established as an independent, not-for-profit corporation in New Jersey, responsible and reporting solely to its Board of Trustees, and funded by its own endowment and donor support.

On his retirement from the Seminary in 1983, Dr. McCord became Chancellor of the Center as it prepared to occupy its new facilities. In 1984, the Board of Trustees achieved their first funding goal, opening a purpose-built home for the Center in the historic heart of Princeton. Luce Hall is named in memory of Henry R. Luce, founder of Time magazine. It provides the Center’s visiting scholars with spacious studies and easy access to Princeton’s world-class research libraries. This landmark event was followed in 1985 by the opening of the Vella Handly Templeton Townhouses for scholars and their families, a gift of Sir John Templeton in memory of his mother.

Since 1978, over three hundred scholars have been in residence as members of the Center. After Dr. McCord’s retirement in 1989, each of the Directors appointed to lead the Center, Dr. Daniel Hardy (1990-1995), Dr. Wallace Alston (1995-2005), and now Dr. William Storrar, has sought to be a faithful steward of the founding generation’ s vision. It is a mission and legacy that the Center’s Board of Trustees holds in trust, for the service of God and the advancement of interdisciplinary theological research.