Ted A. Smith
Professor, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
The Rev. Dr. Ted A. Smith is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Divinity at the Candler School of Theology, where he teaches especially in the areas of preaching and ethics. He also serves as director of Theological Education between the Times, a project that gathers diverse groups of people to think together about the meanings and purposes of theological education. With Dr. Joanne Solis-Walker, he is co-principal investigator of Candler’s innovative Pathways for Tomorrow initiatives.
Beyond Candler, Smith teaches in the ethics and practical theology courses of study in Emory’s Ph.D. program in religion and serves as affiliated faculty with Emory Law School’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion. He served as a senior fellow with the University of Virginia’s project on Religion and Its Publics. Smith is an author and editor who also serves on the editorial boards for Political Theology, the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, and Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and pastored two churches in New York prior to his doctoral studies.
Lilly Endowment Inc. announces Exploring Christian Practices Initiative
The Exploring Christian Practices Initiative aims to multiply opportunities and increase access to settings that help individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds explore and engage in Christian practices to address their spiritual interests and questions, find and build community with others, nourish their religious lives and grow in faith.
In this open and competitive initiative, the Endowment invites charitable organizations to submit proposals for grants of up to $2.5 million each that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies for advancing the aim of the initiative and provide compelling and thoughtful responses to its guiding questions. The Endowment anticipates awarding approximately 60 grants and announcing grant awards in December 2026.
The Endowment will host four virtual information sessions (February 17, 19, 24, and 25) to discuss the Exploring Christian Practices guidelines for submitting a proposal. An Interest Form and Letter of Interest are due March 25, 2026. Complete proposals are due May 18, 2026.
Learn More and register for information sessions