A weekly blog series from inside Yale Divinity School — from orientation to finals, GI Bill tips, and what it's really like as a conservative at Yale.
In August 2019, I left my JAG Corps assignment and enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Yale Divinity School as a William F. Buckley Fellow. This series — "God and Man at Yale Divinity" — is a week-by-week chronicle of that experience, from orientation through graduation.
You'll get an unfiltered look at what Yale Divinity School is actually like: the classes, the culture, the ideological tensions, and the moments of genuine spiritual growth. I write as a conservative evangelical veteran navigating one of the most progressive academic environments in the country — and finding more common ground than you might expect. Topics range from the GI Bill and Ivy League grading to cancel culture, viewpoint diversity, scriptural inerrancy, and the work of James Cone.
If you're a veteran considering divinity school, a prospective Yale applicant, or just curious what happens when a JAG officer walks into a seminar on liberation theology, start with the personal statement from my application and follow the series from Week 1.
A firsthand account of the William F. Buckley Jr. Program at Yale—what it does, why it matters, and what it's like to be a conservative Fellow on a campus that would rather you weren't.
A personal reflection on William F. Buckley Jr.'s God and Man at Yale—what it got right and why its core argument is more relevant now than in 1951.
A Buckley Fellow reflects on God and Man at Yale, dinner with Rich Lowry, and why intellectual conservatism matters more than ever.
The case for engaging the strongest progressive arguments rather than caricaturing them—drawn from Buckley's example, Mill's logic, Aquinas's method, and three years at Yale Divinity School.
The wedding at Cana and the crucifixion share extraordinary parallels — drink, thirst, the hour, and the mother of Jesus. These connections are the key to understanding John's Gospel.
Jesus addresses Mary as 'woman' at Cana and from the cross — a choice that puzzles modern readers. Here's what the Greek actually means and why it matters for understanding John's Gospel.
Jesus bypassed his own brothers to commend his mother to the Beloved Disciple. This wasn't just filial care — it was a theological act that reshaped how we read John's Gospel.
From the mother of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, women play a more prominent role in John's Gospel than in any other. Here's a comprehensive analysis of every major female figure in the Fourth Gospel.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I share my reading...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I share my paper on...
How Joseph Ratzinger's writings on doubt cultivate Christian humility—and why the humble submission of doubt to faith is more honest than relativism.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I share my paper on...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I share my paper...
In this post, I discuss COVID-19, murder hornets, the joy that is 2020, and my optimism for the future.
In this post, I write about my journey toward understanding forgiveness.
The Council of Chalcedon (451) reshaped Christendom's power map. Explore how rivalry between Rome, Alexandria, and Constantinople set the stage for the Great Schism.
An analysis of John 19:26-27 arguing that Mary, the mother of Jesus, served as a named source for the Gospel of John. Based on a paper from Yale Divinity School.
What do Eastern Orthodox Christians believe? A guide to theosis, liturgical theology, sacraments, and how nationalism has shaped the Orthodox Church.
During this time of quarantine, I have had the opportunity to dialogue with some old-school anti-Catholic evangelicals, and it has left me wondering how...
In this post, I provide an overview of my theology as it stood in 2007. It serves as a good starting point for me as I reflect upon my faith journey over...
As life has hit the pause button amid this pandemic, I will choose to be grateful for what I have as we are all waiting to reopen.
This year, Ouachita Baptist University awarded the Garrett Ham Scholarship to Sara Patterson.
This post discusses the paper writing process without access to a library or even the ability to leave my house.
This post discusses the sudden implantation of pass/fail grading systems at Yale and the sense of entitlement surrounding it.
In this post, I discuss faux deference to the military and how it has warped the ability of military personnel and veterans to interact with society.
This post discusses the beginning of the Zoom era at Yale and how managing the COVID fallout has given birth to a new Ivy League experience.
In this post, I discuss why I think students on elite college campuses seem angry all the time.
In this post, I discuss COVID, its ramifications on Yale’s campus, and the new normal after the end of spring break.
The relationship between the military and the elite has evolved significantly over the years and not for the better.
In this post, I discuss the first week of spring break, the Buckley seminar, and the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.
As I begin to grow comfortable at Yale, I am becoming more aware of the Ivy League façade that masks much of the mundane and unpolished aspects of elite...
As the semester begins to progress, I have started making summer plans, largely settling on taking additional classes back home in Arkansas.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss the sixth...
I dined with National Review editor Rich Lowry after his Yale Buckley Program lecture on nationalism. Reflections on humility, plus his full lecture video.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss the fourth...
A Yale Divinity School student shares first-hand experiences with study abroad programs, interdepartmental courses, world-famous instructors, and more.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss the second...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss the...
In my final post of the Fall 2019 semester at Yale Divinity School, I reflect upon grades at Yale and the end of my first semester here. This content...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I wrap up the semester...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my thirteenth...
A Yale Divinity student's firsthand reaction to the 2019 Harvard-Yale football game protest---the climate demands, the virtue signaling, and what it reveals about elite campus culture.
A weekly update from Yale Divinity School---progress on final papers, preparing for exams, visiting the Yale Art Gallery's Dura-Europos exhibit, and thoughts on the curriculum.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my eleventh...
A conservative student's firsthand account of oppression culture at Yale Divinity School—the fetishization of victimhood, the woke scold minority, and the silent reasonable majority.
How both evangelical and progressive Christianity have absorbed Gnostic tendencies—rejecting the body in different ways while departing from historic Christian teaching.
A Yale Divinity School student reflects on PhD aspirations, academic grading, and the top doctoral programs in New Testament and religious studies worth pursuing.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss the social...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my first...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity School I discuss my...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my sixth...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my fifth...
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my fourth...
How I used the GI Bill to attend Yale Divinity School — costs, housing allowance, and what veterans should know about Ivy League graduate programs.
In this post in my series “God and Man at Yale Divinity I discuss my second week...
What the first week of Yale Divinity School is really like — classes, community, and culture shock. A veteran's firsthand account of the M.Div. program.
In this post, I describe BTFO Before the Fall Orientation at Yale Divinity School.
Below is the writing sample I submitted as part of my successful application to Yale Divinity School
In this post in my series God and Man at Yale Divinity I provide a copy of my...
A first-person guide to applying to Yale Divinity School's MDiv program—covering the personal statement, writing sample, acceptance, financial aid, the GI Bill, and moving to New Haven.
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