Stephen Bauman ’79 M.Div.

In 1987, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Bauman became Senior Minister of Christ Church, United Methodist, in New York City, an iconic urban church near internal collapse. In the spirit of the founding motto of the Institute of Sacred Music at which he studied while pursuing his YDS M.Div. —phoenix resurgens—Dr. Bauman gathered a young, vital, urban-diverse congregation with flourishing worship, learning and outreach ministries that have extended into the city, nation, Ghana, and Colombia. His book, Simple Truths: on Values, Civility and Our Common Good was a featured selection of Abingdon Press. Dr. Bauman was a popular commentator on WCBS News Radio for over a decade and hosted television programming featuring inter-religious conversation. Active within the wider New York City environs, he is a founding member and current co-chair of A Partnership of Faith, a consortium of senior leaders from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions. Over his years of service at Christ Church he received a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and accumulated decades of service on the boards of Outward Bound, The Town School, the Foundation for Community Encouragement (an international educational foundation), the Yale Divinity School Dean’s Advisory Council, and Mohonk Mountain House. In January 2023, Dr. Bauman retired after 35 years of ministry.

In 2014, Dr. Bauman was the recipient of Yale Divinity School’s Distinction in Congregational Ministry.