Berkeley School of Theology appoints Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans to the J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Endowed Chair of Theology in the Public Square
BERKELEY, CA - December 16, 2022 - Berkeley School of Theology (BST) announces the appointment of Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans to the J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Endowed Chair of Theology in the Public Square. Dr. Evans will serve as the inaugural director of the new Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Restorative Justice. The endowed chair and the center was made possible by means of a lead gift from First Baptist Church of Palo Alto and other donors of nearly $3 million toward an overall goal of $5 million.
“We are so pleased to have Dr. Evans join the BST community,” said President James Brenneman of Berkeley School of Theology. “Dr. Evans wonderfully embodies the spirit of his mentor, Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. as scholar, pastor, prophet and leader.”
Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans currently serves as Dean of the Morehouse School of Religion (Atlanta, GA), serving since 2016, significantly increasing the school’s enrollment and raising funds to strengthen its mission. He is also Interim Senior pastor of the historic Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. He regularly teaches courses at the Interdenominational Theological Center, and previously, the Divinity School at Howard University and Wesley Theological Seminary. He served as Senior Pastor for 16 years at the historic Mount Carmel Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.), overseeing a thriving congregation known for its community engagement and public service.