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When Wesley Rowell was living and working in New York City as a professional singer and luxury retail sales associate, attending seminary never crossed his mind. Yet this second-career graduating MDiv student says he began to see himself in a different light after singing at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan’s East Village.
“I’d find myself in the church when I wasn’t scheduled to be, and I became increasingly involved, starting a church group there for queer black men,” Rowell says. “At one point, the pastor, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (PTS MDiv 1992) said, ‘I think you’re going to seminary,’ and I know in hindsight it was meant to be.”
Having never been to Princeton before applying, Rowell wasn’t sure what to expect. While it was somewhat daunting to leave New York after 25 years, he found the diversity of people and of thought at Princeton Theological Seminary refreshing.
“I’m in conversation with people here who don’t believe in the same way I do – people who are younger than I with degrees in religion and philosophy – and learning from them has been massive in my life,” he says.
He also emphasizes that this learning process is a two-way street.
“I get so much from PTS academically, spiritually and theologically, but also my presence, my life experience, having lived through the AIDS crisis, has stretched the institution for the better,” he says. “God requires us to be our fullest selves, so it’s important to me as a student and pastor that people don’t leave out any part of themselves. It’s joyful for me to see and I believe that’s what we’re called to do. Psalm 139 says it better than I ever could, we are indeed wonderfully and fearfully made!”
Rowell speaks with admiration about how Princeton Seminary is “changing from the ground up” and becoming more diverse, particularly in welcoming LGBTQ+ students. “I didn’t expect PTS to be at the forefront of that when I first came here, but I think we are and am proud of the institution for doing so,” he says. “It is profound to have queer and transgender students study theology and go out into the world to do ministry, and it will change people’s lives.”
Working with teens during his second-year internship at Trinity Episcopal Church also drove home for Rowell the importance of being seen. “These young people want to talk about gender, sexuality and race, to be heard and taken seriously, and my job is to allow that. There is something holy about being paid attention to.”
Rowell is currently in the ordination process for priesthood in The Episcopal Church. Though he didn’t come to Princeton Seminary with that role in mind, his internship at Trinity led to an appreciation of the Episcopal liturgy and he began moving in that direction. In the interim between graduation and ordination, he hopes to secure a lay position at a church, possibly in either Princeton or New York City.
“I never thought I wanted to pastor a church, but I love to preach – it gives me life being in a pulpit,” he says. “Representation matters so much – it’s important for people to see someone who looks like them preaching.”
