Columbia Theological Seminary appoints Dr. Christine Roy Yoder as Vice President and Dean

Yoder will succeed Dr. Love Sechrest, who’s joined the Mount St. Mary’s University faculty in Maryland

by Columbia Theological Seminary | Special to Presbyterian News Service

Dr. Christine Roy Yoder

The Board of Trustees of Columbia Theological Seminary announces the appointment of Dr. Christine Roy Yoder as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. Yoder is currently the J. McDowell Richards Professor of Biblical Interpretation at the Decatur, Georgia, seminary.

The appointment begins on July 1 and extends for three years.

Yoder will succeed Dr. Love Sechrest, who has served the seminary since 2018 and has recently been appointed as the Associate Provost for Program Development and innovation and Professor of Theology at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland.

“The board is very grateful for Dr. Yoder’s willingness to serve in this way at this very critical juncture in our seminary’s history,” said Dr. Leanne Van Dyk, president of Columbia Theological Seminary. “We are starting a reaccreditation process; we are welcoming a new president [Dr. Victor Aloyo]; and we are dealing with other important academic issues like curriculum review, and Dr. Yoder will be able to step in and ensure a smooth and collegial transition.”

“I am grateful for the privilege of serving Columbia in this way,” Yoder said. “As we anticipate our third century, I look forward to working with our new president and with our remarkable faculty, staff, and students to further the seminary’s mission with determination and joy.”

Dr. Love Sechrest

Van Dyk said she knows Mount St. Mary Unversity students “will benefit greatly from [Sechrest’s] leadership just as our students have over the las four years. Dr. Sechrest has been key in strengthening our degree programs, leading numerous innovative initiatives and bringing outstanding scholars to join our faculty. I consider it a high honor to work so closely with her.”

“As I leave Columbia, I am truly grateful for my time here — the students, the exceptionally talented faculty, the dedicated staff and all that we have accomplished,” Sechrest said. “Together we have been able to build a strong foundation for Columbia’s third century.”

About Columbia Theological Seminary

Columbia Theological Seminary, an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), commits to educate, equip, and nurture students to become a new generation of pastoral leaders for the church and the world; to become a community that embodies welcome, hospitality, justice, and belonging; to build partnerships that bring vibrant spiritual, cultural, and academic exchanges; and to embrace boldness, enabling us to learn, teach, serve, and live joyfully.