Honoring a Legacy
On April 16, 2026, Andover Newton Seminary welcomed more the 150 alumni/ae, friends, and supporters to campus for The Simpson-Hewett Lecture and S. Mark Heim Retirement Celebration. The event began with the Simpson-Hewett Lecture on Religious Pluralism.
Honoring Prof. Heim’s contributions to that field, the lecture was held in Marquand Chapel and featured a lecture from Francis X. Clooney (Harvard Divinity School), followed by responses from scholars Catherine Cornille (Boston College) and John Thatamanil (Union Seminary).
The celebration continued with a reception that featured tributes from Founding Dean, Sarah B. Drummond; Professor of Hebrew Bible and Congregational Studies, Gregory Mobley; Andover Newton Seminary Alumni/ae Board President, Laura Kisthardt; Andover Newton Seminary Fellow Susan Murtha; and the honoree, Prof. S. Mark Heim.
One special highlight from the evening was the formal announcement of the S. Mark Heim Endowed Scholarship. The fund honors the legacy and enduring impact of Prof. Heim, by helping to provide full tuition support for seminary students at Andover Newton Seminary with demonstrated financial need for generations to come.
We were so grateful to each and every one of you for helping to make the occasion so memorable! Here are a just a few photos that highlight the many laughs, tears, and memories that were shared from the event.