Dr. Mark Olson and his faculty and staff at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies offer programs designed to satisfy the educational needs for Baptist ministry and lay leadership positions. The nearly 20-year-old Arlington, Virginia, school honors Revolutionary War-era theologian John Leland, known to history for his vigorous advocacy of religious freedom. Dr. Mark Olson and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies focus on bringing this message of ecumenism forward in the modern world, in part by maintaining connections with leading scholars of divinity and religious history at other institutions.
For its 2017 graduation ceremonies, the school selected guest speaker Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, who serves as a professor of Old Testament studies at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in Alexandria. VTS is among the leading institutions of higher education in the Episcopal tradition.
Dr. Fentress-Williams has published widely in her field. Her list of credits includes a commentary on the Book of Ruth in the Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries series. In addition, she co-edited the CEB Women’s Bible and contributed an article on the Book of Esther to the Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Old Testament and Apocrypha.
A scholar in Hebrew Biblical studies, Dr. Fentress-Williams earned her doctorate at Yale University.
For its 2017 graduation ceremonies, the school selected guest speaker Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, who serves as a professor of Old Testament studies at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in Alexandria. VTS is among the leading institutions of higher education in the Episcopal tradition.
Dr. Fentress-Williams has published widely in her field. Her list of credits includes a commentary on the Book of Ruth in the Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries series. In addition, she co-edited the CEB Women’s Bible and contributed an article on the Book of Esther to the Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Old Testament and Apocrypha.
A scholar in Hebrew Biblical studies, Dr. Fentress-Williams earned her doctorate at Yale University.