The Paul E. McKeever Chair of Moral Theology, named after the late Reverend Paul E. McKeever, was established in 1988. The McKeever Chair serves the University through research, scholarship, and shared conversation.
Paul E. McKeever Chair of Moral Theology
Traci C. West is a Christian ethicist and Professor Emerit at Drew University Theological School whose work focuses on the intersections of religion, race, gender, and sexuality. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, her scholarship is deeply engaged with issues of racial justice, gender-based violence, and LGBTQ+ inclusion within religious communities. She is the author of several influential books, including Wounds of the Spirit (NYU Press, 1999), Disruptive Christian Ethics Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), and Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality (NYU Press, 2019) as well as numerous scholarly articles and book chapters. Her work bridges academic inquiry with activism, emphasizing ethical responsibility and social transformation in both church and society.
Dr. Traci C. West will deliver two public lectures and teach THE 599, History of Black Moral Thought, during the fall semester. More information is to follow.
Peter Ward, Ph.D., is a theologian who use ethnographic research as one entry point into understanding religious practice, Dr. Ward has extensively researched the intersection of religion and popular culture. A long-serving, well-published, and accomplished academic, Dr. Ward’s research has its origins in the practice of mission and ministry in the Christian Church.
Dr. Ward has written on all aspects of youth ministry, popular culture, and the Church, and the study of contemporary worship. His most recent book is Celebrity Worship (Routledge, 2019), which explores religion and popular culture. Dr. Ward delivered four public lectures during the Fall 2021 semester.