Peter J. Gomes is one of my African
American heroes in theology. In the
spirit of Black History Month, below is Dr. Gomes’ profile.*
Peter John Gomes is an American
preacher and theologian at Harvard University's Divinity School.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1942, Gomes graduated from Bates College in 1965 and Harvard Divinity School in 1968. He also
spent time at the University of Cambridge and is now
an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, where The Gomes Lectureship is
established in his name. Gomes was ordained as an American Baptist minister by
the First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and is a leading expert on
early American religion. Since 1970, he has served in the Memorial Church of Harvard
University; and since 1974 as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey
Minister in the Memorial Church. Gomes currently
serves as a trustee of Bates College.
Widely regarded as one of America’s
most distinguished preachers, Professor Gomes has fulfilled preaching and
lecturing engagements throughout the United
States and Great Britain. He was named Clergy
of the Year in 1998 by Religion and American Life. His New York Times
and national best-selling books, The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind
and Heart and Sermons, the Book of Wisdom for Daily Living, were
published by William Morrow & Company. He has published in total ten
volumes of sermons, as well as numerous articles and papers.
His most recent work, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus, includes
extensive commentary and observation on the interrelations of Church and State
throughout history and particularly in recent US history.
Gomes surprised many when he revealed in 1991 that he is gay, and has since
become an advocate for wider acceptance of homosexuality in American society.
However, he has stated that he has remained celibate.
*above information taken from wikipedia.org
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