Judy Fentress-Williams, ‘90 M.Div.

One of the finest traditions of YDS is the excellence of its faculty. Thus, the recipient of the award in Theological Education will be an individual whose scholarship, teaching or leadership and contributions to vocational formation for ministry reflect the best of YDS traditions.

Judy Fentress-Williams is Professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary. She is a widely published author, primarily exploring a literary approach that celebrates the multiple voices and intertextuality of scripture. She recently published a commentary on the book of Ruth for the Abingdon Old Testament Commentary Series and she is the Old Testament Editor for the CEB Women’s Bible.

Prior to her appointment at Virginia Seminary, Judy was a member of the faculty of Hartford Seminary from 1994-2002 as Professor of Hebrew Bible. She was also the director of the Black Ministries Program, a certificate program designed to meet the needs of African-American clergy and laity in the greater Hartford area.

Dr. Fentress-Williams received her Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Yale University in 1999, her M.Div. from Yale Divinity School in 1990, and her A.B. in English from Princeton University in 1984.

In 2012, Dr. Fentress-Williams became a part of the ministerial team of the Alfred Street Baptist Church a historical in Alexandria, VA. An ordained Baptist minister, she brings her passion for an equipped and informed laity to her work there.