The Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment has announced two tranches of religion and faith-based grants totaling nearly $649 million to 93 religious organizations.
Through its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, the endowment awarded 45 grants totaling more than $416.1 million to theological schools in the United States and Canada, with the aim of strengthening the pipeline for developing ordained and lay pastoral leaders for Christian churches. The awards will encourage collaboration between theological schools and colleges and universities, congregations, church agencies, and denominations. Recipients of $10 million awards include Bethany Theological Seminary (Richmond, Indiana), Howard University (Washington, D.C.), and the Wesley Biblical Seminary (Ridgeland, Mississippi).
“We believe that one of the most promising paths for theological schools to carry forward their important missions and enhance their impact is to work collaboratively with other schools, as well as congregations and other church-related organizations,” said Lilly Endowment vice president for religion Christopher L. Coble…