The service celebrated the installation of two extraordinary scholars: Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien—historian, theologian, and leading interpreter of Christian democratic socialism—and Kelly Brown Douglas, whose groundbreaking scholarship has examined the enduring realities of racism and its shaping influence on Black life, the United States, and the Episcopal Church.
As Canon Theologians, Dorrien and Douglas will enrich the life of the Cathedral community and the wider public through lectures and sermons rooted in their respective areas of scholarly expertise. Their appointment reflects a shared commitment to rigorous theology, moral clarity, and faith-informed engagement with the most pressing issues of our time.
At Union, Dr. Dorrien’s scholarship has profoundly shaped generations of students and readers. A prolific author and public intellectual, he is widely recognized for his work in social ethics, liberal theology, and the history of American religious thought. His installation at the Cathedral marks a well-deserved recognition of a lifetime devoted to the pursuit of justice, democratic possibility, and theological imagination in public life.
You can watch the live service here.