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Even dating back to its earliest days, Princeton Theological Seminary’s history has been shaped by a number of influential women who served as faithful leaders in their churches and communities, and as champions of Christian education.
Learn more about three of the many Seminary women who broke barriers and left lasting impact.
Muriel Van Orden MDiv ’32, ThM ’32 was not only the first woman to earn a degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, but the first graduate to earn two degrees at the same time. In 1932, Van Orden graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology.
In order to gain admission into the Seminary, Van Orden secured special permission from the board of directors, but her acceptance came with a few specific stipulations, including the need for faculty to vote whether she should be awarded a degree once her studies were complete.
Though tuition was free, Van Orden needed to support her living expenses as there were no female dormitories on campus. She traveled the more than 40-mile roundtrip each weekend to work at a Presbyterian church in Newark, teaching religious education classes, leading youth ministry, and holding special services for unwed mothers, at the city jail, and at medical facilities — while taking a full course load.
Upon graduation, Van Orden married classmate Harvey Leonal Jennings ThM ’32 and began a lifelong journey in ministry.She and Jennings were deeply connected to the Montrose Bible Conference in Pennsylvania, where they were named codirectors of the organization’s youth conference, and Van Orden started a children’s camp.
As an alumna, Van Orden was personally invited by her teachers to join Princeton Seminary’s inaugural doctoral program — which she declined for personal reasons — and earned the 1983 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Dr. Freda Gardner, the first permanent female faculty member at Princeton Seminary, began her tenure in 1961 and went on to teach Christian education for more than 30 years. She retired in 1992 as the Thomas W. Synnott Professor of Christian Education.
Gardner fostered community and connection among the women at the Seminary. She lived in the only dormitory for female students at the time and arranged gatherings for female students entering the MDiv program. Gardner advocated for a physical space on campus for the Women’s Center in the early 70s and for the creation of a faculty committee on women in the church and ministry. She established the annual Women in Church and Lectureship and created the first Seminary course in women’s studies in 1976 with Princeton Seminary’s second female professor, Dr. Katharine Doob Sakenfeld.
An ordained Presbyterian ruling elder, Gardner held a number of leadership roles, including multiple terms on the board of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, moderator of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in 1999, and Educator of the Year by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators in 1981.
A. Jane Molden ’52was the first Black female graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. As a student working toward her Master of Religious Education, she was heavily involved — serving as the secretary of the Students Association, a member of senior report committee, a club social chairman, a song leader, and an athletic chairman. Outside the classroom, she was a supervisor of Saturday programs at YWCA and conducted two years of field work at Witherspoon Presbyterian Church.
A former state champion in her home state of Nebraska, Molden served as a pitcher on Princeton Seminary’s only women’s softball team. She even became an honorary member of one of the Seminary men’s eating club teams — the Benham Club — after handing them a devastating loss. Molden was the first woman to earn the commemorative title from the team.
Throughout her career, Molden served as a campus minister at Iowa State University; director of Christian education at First Congregational Church in Ames, Iowa; director of community outreach for congregational churches in Kansas City, Missouri; north central regional director for American Friends Service Committee; director of the nonprofit Willkie House in Des Moines, Iowa; and director of academic support counseling at Grand View College.
Molden was active in camp ministries, serving as a counselor and leader at camps in 40 states and served on numerous boards and commissions dealing with issues of health, housing, peace, disabilities, education, children, and racism.
The book “Faith of Our Mothers, Living Still: Princeton Seminary Women Redefining Ministry,” offers insight into other Seminary women in the past two centuries. The book was authored by Dr. Katharine Doob Sakenfeld, Eisenberger Professor Emerita of Old Testament, and Dr. Abigail Rian Evans, Charlotte Newcombe Professor Emerita of Practical Theology.
