Shaffer Lectureship (Yale Divinity School)

On May 16, 1929, Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, established the Shaffer Lectureship in memory of Kent Shaffer, Ph.B., 1907. Rather than memorializing a name alone, the gift set apart a continuing platform devoted to “some phase of the life, character and teachings of Jesus.” In a scholarly environment where ideas can multiply faster than devotion, the lectureship called students and ministers back to the One who is always worthy of fresh attention.

Kent Shaffer, Ph.B., 1907

Little needs to be said to honor a life when the memorial itself points away from the honoree and toward Christ. The lectureship’s design suggests a quiet kind of Christian heroism: choosing the enduring over the fashionable, and investing in worshipful study that strengthens the church’s witness. It reflects the conviction that lasting legacy is not self-display, but faithful direction—helping others behold the Savior more clearly.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2)

Early Lecturers (1935–1940)

In the mid-1930s, the lectureship welcomed figures whose work shaped New Testament discussion across continents. C. H. Dodd (1935) urged serious hearing of Jesus’ message and the meaning of the kingdom of God. Ralph W. Sockman (1936), a noted preacher, modeled how learning can serve proclamation, pressing truth toward conscience and comfort. Martin Dibelius (1937) represented critical academic currents of his day, reminding students that careful historical inquiry can sharpen questions that ultimately must be answered at the feet of Christ. James Moffatt (1940), known for translation and scholarship, illustrated the importance of rendering Scripture clearly so that Christ’s voice is heard plainly by ordinary people.

Across differing emphases, the best fruit of such lectures is a renewed insistence that theology is not merely about religious ideas, but about the living Lord.

Enduring Significance

The Shaffer Lectureship stands as a steady invitation to unite learning with reverence—study that leads to obedience, and reflection that fuels faithful ministry. Its theme remains as direct as ever: Jesus Himself.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6)