Founded in 2019, the Center for Continuing Education at Yale Divinity School provides opportunities and resources for churches, clergy, and laity to foster the knowledge and love of God in their communities. Under the leadership of Joel Baden, director, and Kelly Morrissey, managing director, the center makes available the theological resources of YDS—events, lectures, programs, instructional resources, publications, and more—to enable and enrich ministry and lay learning. There are currently three primary programs offered through the center: Yale Bible Study, Yale Youth Ministry Institute, and Summer Study at Yale Divinity School. Additionally, Yale Divinity School offers introductory and public lectures online. Information about those lectures, as well as information on Yale University Open Courses and Coursera courses, can be found in the Learning Beyond the Walls section of the center’s website at https://divinity.yale.edu/continuing-education.

Yale Bible Study

The Yale Bible Study is a rich and comprehensive program that encourages biblical scholarship, engaged discussion, and theological reflection, tailored especially for small-group Bible study. Prominent Yale faculty help make the scriptures come alive, and detailed study guides provide in-depth content to spark and deepen discussion. Created in 2007 in partnership with the Congregational Church of New Canaan, the Yale Bible Study program has produced online resources for twenty-six Bible study groups and now offers live online studies with faculty. Launched in November 2021, our new podcast, Chapter, Verse, and Season: A Lectionary Podcast, features faculty discussing one of the appointed lectionary texts each week. It can be found on our website or on various podcast platforms.

Yale Youth Ministry Institute

The Yale Youth Ministry Institute’s mission is to promote adolescent faith and flourishing in a diverse and changing world by conducting scholarship, equipping leaders, and resourcing youth ministries in and beyond Christian churches. Created in 2013 as part of the Adolescent Faith and Flourishing program at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, YMI has undertaken numerous projects including a monthly lecture series; a weeklong summer symposium; development of over fifty essays, monographs, and companion curricula by YDS professors and scholars from around the world; and development of online training materials, curricula, and other resources for those working with youth.

Summer Study at Yale Divinity School

Each June, people from around the country and the globe come to New Haven or gather online to study at Yale Divinity School. Summer Study—a weeklong, online program—features distinguished faculty teaching laypersons and clergy in small classes on varied topics in religion, designed to enlighten and enrich. The new Learn, Lead, Inspire Summit is a weeklong, in-person educational offering in New Haven. Participants come to campus to live, learn, and work together, utilizing the resources of Yale and the wider New Haven community to explore a themed topic through biblical, theological, ethical, and pastoral lenses. While Summer Study and the Learn, Lead, Inspire Summit courses do not carry academic credit, work can be submitted by clergy participants for denominational continuing education credit.