Winter 2008: Of Note

Religion corridor: Candler School of Theology, which has been in Bishops Hall since 1957, is getting a new home, along with the Center for Ethics.

Courtesy Collins Cooper Carusi Architects

Religion and ethics at the heart of campus

The ‘sheer beauty of the building will be impressive,’ says Candler Dean Jan Love

A new home for Candler School of Theology and the John and Susan Wieland Center for Ethics broke ground in March 2007 and is the latest addition to the center of campus. The new $34 million structure will be next to Bishops Hall—Candler’s current home—and was several years in the planning.

“The creation of a religion corridor on the Quad recognizes the central role of our strategic initiative on religions and the human spirit,” said Provost Earl Lewis. “This effort involves hundreds of faculty and students who are striving to provide unparalleled depth and breadth of engagement with the study of religion as a means to confront and transform some of the most profound, and profoundly divisive, issues of our time.”

The building will include approximately sixty-five-thousand square feet of space for classrooms, faculty offices, administrative space, and two large lecture halls. Consistent with the University’s master plan, its design will blend with Emory’s Italianate architecture through the use of marble and stucco exteriors and clay tile roof. “All of us at Candler are proud to be part of this,” said Pitts Library director and Margaret A. Pitts Associate Professor of Theological Bibliography Pat Graham 83G, building committee chair.

“This is the fulfillment of a long-term dream that faculty, staff, students, and alumni have for Candler,” said Candler Dean Jan Love. “Not only will it support our distinguished work with a state-of-the-art facility, it will provide a stunning space to unite our theological research, teaching, and community outreach programs.”

With its move into the new building, the Center for Ethics will triple its current space. “We are excited about the opportunity to deepen our work and make tangible the vital role that ethical engagement plays in the life of the University,” said Kathy Kinlaw, interim director of the Center for Ethics. “For the first time, the center will have an intentionally designed home at the heart of the campus.”

Ultimately, Bishops Hall will be demolished and a new structure built on its footprint will house Pitts Theology Library and a teaching chapel. Emory’s Graduate Division of Religion and the Department of Religion will move into the building that currently houses the Pitts Library. The new buildings will be connected via an atrium, which will open onto an expanded Rudolph Courtyard. The library will provide collaborative learning spaces, a computer lab integrated into the reference area, and a special collections reading room. Both buildings are expected to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.