Elaine Heath named dean of Duke Divinity School

Elaine A. Heath, a theologian and preacher, will be the next dean of the Duke Divinity School, beginning July 1.

 She is currently professor of evangelism at Southern Meth­odist University’s Per­kins School of The­ology in Dallas. She succeeds Ellen Davis, who has served as interim dean since the retirement of Richard Hays in August.

“Elaine Heath is a leading scholar of emergence, the process by which religious faith finds new life outside familiar institutional forms,” said Richard H. Brodhead, Duke’s president. Brodhead noted that Heath has also “reached out to establish new communities with people marginalized in many ways.”