The Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, vicar of St. David’s Church, Pepperell, Mass., was named president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School by unanimous vote of the board of trustees.
Brett Donham, chairman of the EDS board of trustees, made the announcement March 30. She will assume her new responsibilities effective July 1.
“Katherine’s gifts, skills, and experience are an excellent match with the criteria established by the search committee, both in terms of the current challenges and opportunities at EDS, and the personal attributes we are looking for in a new leader,” Mr. Donham said.
Dr. Ragsdale has served as vicar of St. David’s since 1996. Since 2005, she has also served as president and executive director of Political Research Associates, a progressive think tank dedicated to building a more just and inclusive democratic society by exposing movements, institutions, and ideologies on the political and Christian Right “that undermine human rights,” according to information published on the organization’s website. During her tenure at Political Research Associates, Dr. Ragsdale helped the organization successfully broaden its donor base as part of a transition from a founder-led institution.
She has also been a passionate advocate and author on abortion from a Christian perspective. She served for 17 years (eight as chairwoman) on the national board for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). As chairwoman, she oversaw a sweeping reorganization that included a change of name and mission. During her tenure, the RCRC doubled the size of both its staff and budget. She also serves on the board of NARAL: Pro-Choice America, The White House Project, the Progressive Religious Partnership, and the advisory board of The Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence. She is a widely sought speaker on public policy issues affecting women, professional ethics as well as lesbian and gay rights.
She was ordained deacon in the Diocese of Newark in 1993 and priest the following year. She earned degrees from EDS and Virginia Theological Seminary.
Angela Bauer-Levesque, acting academic dean at EDS, praised Dr. Ragsdale as a person of stature both in the church and the world.
“Her commitments, energy and clarity, combined with her astute analysis, her collaborative style, and her experience in fund raising will make EDS more boldly live out its purpose of educating lay and ordained leaders for the church and the world, dedicated to work for justice, foster diversity and seek constructive change,” she said.
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4 Comments
What, George Tiller wasn't available? Is this church TRYING to turn itself into a radical leftist cartoon?
Odd to see this woman referred to as discussing abortion "from a Christian perspective". Her views are nothing of the sort. The Christian Church has always considered abortion a form of homicide and has treated it accordingly. Ms. Ragsdale's cheerleading of a purported "right" to kill the innocent resembles no Christian perspective that I've ever seen. Rather, it not only directly contradicts virtually the totality of Christian thinking across both the continents and the centuries, but definitively parts company with the stated position of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which of late has hardly been a bastion of Christian catholicity. In short, her views are barbaric, despicable, inhuman, and unchristian. Shame on Ms. Ragsdale for espousing such vile opinions, shame on her diocese for tolerating them, and shame on EDS for promoting such incivility.
- Daniel W. Muth
It is remarkable (well perhaps not in these times of social waywardness) that an arm of the denomination would elect a person so lacking in integrity that the traditional position of the Church, biblically based, through the ages would be turned upside down so that innocent human beings can be destroyed without blush in the name of choice. That this woman was a vicar as well ought to give pause - this is where feminism in the church has dragged us. I shudder at the thought of the great day when we stand in front of the Righteous Judge to give account as to why we stood by to allow such a travesty of justice. Christians of all persuasions should weep to see where such toxic diversity has led us.
Our Lord told us in Mathew 18 (and important enough to be stated in Mark and Luke as well):
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!" Whenever He refers to millstones and woes, He is warning us of eternal condemnation.
Advocacy is taking action, providing active support toward the clearly Biblicaly-defined sins of abortion and gay relationships; for examples:
- joining and/or donating to abortion and/or gay organizations
- voting for abortion "rights" and/or gay marriage or civil unions, or against measures that do not support them
- bringing elementary classes (His little ones) to a gay marriage or providing to them books/teachings supporting gay relationships, just because "gay marriage" has been deemed legal in a state.
Truly woe to that person if suddenly called before our Lord in judgment if he or she has not ceased to advocate and, instead, repents.