[Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth press release] Brite Divinity School, located at Texas Christian University, and the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth have announced the completion of a $2.5 million endowment for a faculty chair: The Right Reverend Sam B. Hulsey Chair in Episcopal Studies.

Hulsey is the retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas. He and his wife, Isabelle, live in Fort Worth. The completion of the endowment of the Hulsey Chair was accomplished through gifts and pledges from 150 donors and finalized with a gift from Sylvia and Tim Stevens, members of St. Christopher Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, Texas.

The organizing committee includes the Rev. Fred Barber, Anne Bass, Robert Crates, Adele Hart, the late Rev. Bert Honea, Jr., the Rev. Chris Jambor, the Rev. David Madison, the Rev. William Nix, Pat Schutts, and Shannon Worrell.

Hulsey has a long and distinguished career in The Episcopal Church, which culminated in his tenure as bishop of the Diocese of Northwest Texas from 1980-1997. Prior to his election to the episcopate, Hulsey headed parishes in Corsicana, Pampa and Midland, as well as in Nashville, Tennessee. A Fort Worth native, Hulsey graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary (1958). During his episcopacy, Hulsey chaired the planning committee of the House of Bishops and served on the boards of trustees of the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest and the University of the South. Since his return to Fort Worth upon his retirement, Hulsey has held leadership positions in numerous civic organizations, including Tarrant County Historical Society, Alzheimer’s Association of North Texas, Meals-on-Wheels, Fort Worth Symphony, and Fort Worth Opera.

Fort Worth Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., said, “Episcopalians all over this diocese – indeed, all over The Episcopal Church – rejoice at this news. The Episcopal Church always has supported theological education. The Right Reverend Sam B. Hulsey Chair in Episcopal Studies honors a great man who not only is a fine bishop but also a humble Christian grounded in the love of Jesus Christ. Bishop Sam is a good friend to me and so many in the Church who turn to him regularly for pastoral guidance and mentoring. His scholarly mind, his loving gentle spirit, and his pastoral gifts offer an example to us all. I am so grateful to Sylvia and Tim Stevens for their wonderful gift that completed the endowment. I thank all the many generous donors who have made this possible.”

The first faculty member to hold the chair is Ed Waggoner, who received his Ph.D. from Yale University. He also holds a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School and a B.A. from Willamette University. Waggoner comes to Brite as a highly regarded teacher and a gifted systematic and constructive theologian. His wife, the Rev. Canon Janet Waggoner, is the canon to the ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

For more information about Brite Divinity School and the Episcopal Studies program, contact Brite at 817-257-6646 or www.brite.edu.

The full press release is available here.