Peter J. Gomes

Rev. Peter John Gomes is an American preacher and theologian at Harvard University's Divinity School.

Born May 22, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, Gomes graduated from Bates College in 1965 and Harvard Divinity School in 1968. He also spent time at the University of Cambridge and is now an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, where The Gomes Lectureship is established in his name. Gomes was ordained as an American Baptist minister by the First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1968. Gomes remains a member of First Baptist and occasionally preaches there. [cite news |first= John C. |last= Drake |title='Conscience of Harvard' marks 40 years of ministry |url=http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/06/02/conscience_of_harvard_marks_40_years_of_ministry/ |work=The Boston Globe |publisher=The Boston Globe |location=Plymouth, MA |date=2008-06-02 |accessdate=2008-06-02] Since 1970, he has served in the Memorial Church of Harvard University; and since 1974 as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church. Gomes is a leading expert on early American religion. He currently serves as a trustee of Bates College and has been a visiting professor at Duke as well as UNC-Chapel Hill.

Widely regarded as one of America’s most distinguished preachers, Professor Gomes has fulfilled preaching and lecturing engagements throughout the United States and Great Britain. He was named Clergy of the Year in 1998 by "Religion and American Life." His "New York Times" and national best-selling books, "The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart" and "Sermons, the Book of Wisdom for Daily Living," were published by William Morrow & Company. He has published in total ten volumes of sermons, as well as numerous articles and papers.

His most recent work, "The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus," includes extensive commentary and observation on the interrelations of Church and State throughout history and particularly in recent US history. On September 15, 2008 he appeared on The Colbert Report to promote his book. During this interview, he also states that he was baptized Catholic and claims gospels are "a dime a dozen."

Gomes surprised many when he revealed in 1991 that he is gay, [Lively, Kit. [http://chronicle.com/che-data/articles.dir/art-43.dir/issue-18.dir/18a00901.htm Reading "The Good Book": Harvard's Powerful Preacher Provides Spiritual Guidance] , The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 10, 2007). Retrieved May 15, 2007.] and has since become an advocate for wider acceptance of homosexuality in American society. However, he has stated that he has remained celibate.

A lifelong Republican, Gomes offered prayers at the inaugurals of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. However, in August 2006 he moved his registration to Democrat, supporting the gubernatorial candidacy of Deval Patrick, who would later become the first African-American elected governor of Massachusetts. (Gomes, 2006) In 2008 Henry Louis Gates featured Gomes and his family on the PBS documentary "African American Lives 2". A DNA test showed that Gomes is related to the Fulani, Tikar, and Hausa peoples of West Africa. Gomes is also descended from Portuguese Jews through his paternal grandfather who was born in the Cape Verde Islands. att

Publications

*"The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What's so good about the Good News?" (2007)
*"Strength for the Journey: Biblical wisdom for daily living" (2004)
*"The Good Book: Reading the Bible with mind and heart" (2002)

Video

* [http://www.charlierose.com/guests/peter-gomes Interview of Peter Gomes on Charlie Rose]

Footnotes

References

External links

* http://www.memorialchurch.harvard.edu/preachers/pjg.shtml