Princeton Seminar Series

Paul Rorem

Professor Paul Rorem, the Benjamin B. Warfield Professor of Medieval Church History at Princeton Theological Seminary, is retiring on June 30 after 27 years of distinguished teaching and ministry, having earned his PhD from PTS in 1980. An ordained Lutheran minister, he integrated hymn texts and medieval church history into his pedagogy, especially highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of women leaders in the church. Beloved for his pastoral kindness and scholarly clarity, he deeply impacted students in courses like “St. Augustine: His Confessions and His Influence,” mentoring them both academically and spiritually.

Elan Babchuck

Rabbi Elan Babchuck is the Executive Vice President of Clal and Founding Director of Glean Network, where he advances compassionate, connected leadership for a changing world. Ordained in 2012 and holding an MBA from the same year, he is a sought-after speaker—delivering keynotes from TEDx to the U.S. Army—and a widely published thought leader with work in The Atlantic, The Guardian, and The Washington Post. A founding board member of Springtide Research Institute and partner of Starts With Us, he lives in Providence with his family and enjoys rock climbing and gardening in his free time.

Samuel Davidson

Samuel Davidson (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is the Postdoctoral Fellow for Digital Learning and Continuing Education at PTS. He is a systematic and constructive theologian whose eclectic interests come together especially through theological engagements with ecology and psychology. He has taught master’s level courses at PTS as well as Truett Seminary at Baylor University, and he is passionate about training church leaders to think deeply and critically about the content of faith and the vocation of the church. He currently lives in Waco, TX with his wife and two small children.

Melanie A. Howard

Dr. Howard is Associate Provost and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Simpson University. She holds a PhD in New Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary and has taught at several institutions. Her scholarship focuses on narrative, embodiment, and biblical characters—especially as they relate to contemporary interpretation and application.

Heather C. Ohaneson

Rev. Ohaneson (Ph.D., Columbia University; M.Div., PTS) is a full-time pastor and seasoned educator in philosophy, theology, and the Great Books tradition. She brings nearly 20 years of college-level teaching experience and a passion for public-facing theology to this seminar.

Elan Babchuck

Rabbi Elan Babchuck is the Executive Vice President of Clal and Founding Director of Glean Network, where he advances compassionate, connected leadership for a changing world. Ordained in 2012 and holding an MBA from the same year, he is a sought-after speaker—delivering keynotes from TEDx to the U.S. Army—and a widely published thought leader with work in The Atlantic, The Guardian, and The Washington Post. A founding board member of Springtide Research Institute and partner of Starts With Us, he lives in Providence with his family and enjoys rock climbing and gardening in his free time.

Casey Smith

Casey Smith is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton Theological Seminary. She holds a PhD in North American religious history, and her research explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, and religious identity in modern American Protestantism, with particular attention to the role of the ecumenical movement in shaping Christian thought and witness.

Dissertation

Responsible Protestants: The National Council of Churches, Family Planning, and the Endurance of Bureaucratic Ecumenism