Popular Searches
The PhD Studies Program at Princeton Theological Seminary stands among the Seminary’s most significant contributions to theological education, preparing scholars who go on to serve the academy, the church, and the world.
This summer, the PhD Studies Program will enter a new chapter of leadership, as Dr. Heath W. Carter, associate professor of American Christianity, concludes his service as director and Dr. Eric D. Barreto, Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament, steps into the role.
Dr. John R. Bowlin, dean and vice president of academic affairs and Robert L. Stuart Professor of Philosophy and Christian Ethics, expressed deep gratitude for Carter’s leadership. “Heath has given steady, thoughtful leadership to the program and has strengthened it in ways that will endure,” Bowlin said. “He has led the program with care, integrity, and a deep commitment to our doctoral students and their work, and we are deeply grateful.”
Princeton Seminary has the highest number of PhD graduates serving on faculties at ATS (Association of Theological Schools) institutions, underscoring the program’s national leadership and lasting impact. At its core, the program combines rigorous scholarship with a sustained commitment to teaching, mentorship, and the formation of scholars as whole persons.
Carter chaired a task force that led a stem-to-stern review of the program in the 2021-22 academic year, and since becoming director in 2023 has overseen the implementation of the faculty’s sweeping recommendations for ways to strengthen the intellectual life and structural basis of the program. His work included the development of the 5+1 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, which enables PhD students who complete the degree in five years to move directly into leadership roles in organizations across the country and internationally, alongside continued investment in the systems that support students throughout their academic and vocational formation.
To strengthen the program’s administrative coordination and the holistic support of doctoral students, the PhD Studies Program also created a dedicated position within the PhD Studies Office. Rev. Denise Carrell, MDiv ’23, recently promoted to assistant director of the PhD Studies Program, serves in this capacity. Carrell oversees key aspects of the program’s administration, student support, and communication across faculty and staff. She brings a combination of institutional knowledge, creativity, and pastoral care to the role while helping sustain the daily life of the program and the work of its students.
It has been a privilege to serve in this role, and especially to work so closely with faculty colleagues on a comprehensive review and ambitious revisioning of a program, which contributes significantly not only to the Seminary’s overarching mission but also to the ongoing vitality of the Christian tradition in the contemporary world.
Barreto steps into this role with a sustained commitment to theological education and to the formation of students for teaching, research, and leadership. A Princeton Seminary alumnus, he serves as the Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament. Barreto earned a BA in Religion from Oklahoma Baptist University, an MDiv from Princeton Seminary, and a PhD in New Testament from Emory University.
An ordained Baptist minister, Barreto approaches scholarship in service to the church and regularly writes and teaches in faith communities. He has also been a leader in the Hispanic Theological Initiative, a national consortium supporting Latinx scholars in theological education, and is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Society for New Testament Studies.
Doctoral education is at the heart of the Seminary’s mission, and so I am excited to serve the Seminary, its students, and the churches we serve through this work. Our alums are already leading in their fields, and I’m looking forward to working with faculty colleagues to ensure future graduates continue to be characterized by their excellent scholarship, intentional teaching, and capacious leadership.
Bowlin also expressed enthusiasm for Barreto’s leadership. “Eric is a respected scholar, a trusted colleague, and a committed teacher who understands the work of doctoral formation at Princeton Seminary,” he said. “He is well suited to lead the program and to continue strengthening its work and broadening its impact across the academy and the church.”
