In June of 2005, Dr. James G. Emerson, Jr. retired from the Board of Trustees of the Graduate Theological Union. A man of strong faith, Dr. Emerson has dedicated much of his life to service, both as an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church and as an instructor at numerous theological schools in the United States and India. In the 1970s, he served as the general director of the Community Service Society for New York City, where he oversaw a major study of social service needs. He and his wife Margaret also served as Volunteers in Mission for the Presbyterian Church, teaching in China, India, Taiwan, Korea, and the U.S.

Dr. Emerson has shown the same dedication to service during his tenure on the GTU Board of Trustees. He served as interim president of San Francisco Theological Seminary from 2000 to 2002 and as the SFTS representative to the GTU board from 1988 to 2005.

“Jim Emerson is a man of enormous integrity, a pioneer in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue,” says GTU President James A. Donahue. “He has been steadfast in his support of the GTU’s mission to educate men and women for teaching, scholarship, leadership and service and to build bridges across religious differences. He is a thoughtful teacher and leader who understands how the academy and the church can work together for the greater good.”

In addition to his work on the board, Dr. and Mrs. Emerson established an important legacy at the GTU: the James and Margaret Emerson Scholarship Fund. Since the fund was established in 1991 with a gift in Dr. Emerson’s honor by the Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, the Emersons have continued to contribute to it, creating an endowed scholarship for the benefit of doctoral students from the Pacific Rim.

Top of Page ^