A Lasting Legacy: Rev. Bradley Longfield Retires from Full-Time Teaching

DUBUQUE, Iowa - An extraordinary era for the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary will come to an end this month as Rev. Bradley Longfield, PhD, the longest-serving faculty member currently on staff at the Seminary and the University, retires from full-time teaching.

A respected professor, scholar, and minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Longfield is a cornerstone of UDTS who has impacted the lives of a thousand or more alumni. His over three decades of service to UDTS began in 1992 when he was called to teach church history. He served as dean of the Seminary and vice president of the University from 1998 to 2016, before returning to the classroom.

"We have been and are an academy of the church, centered in worship and prayer, called to make disciples and teach the faith with joy and gratitude. This, in 21st century America, is not to be taken for granted," Longfield said. "I have been blessed by the saints of the church. I hesitate to start naming names but Henry and VeNita Fawcett, Joel Samuels, and Howard Wallace have been inspirations. I have been humbled by the stories of our students who have sacrificed more than I can say to pursue their callings in service to their Lord and Savior."

Rev. Beth McCaw, DMin, dean of the Seminary and vice president of the University, described Longfield's tenure as one that has included seasons of tremendous challenge leading to the University of Dubuque's transformation and seasons of great innovation resulting in UDTS' leadership in quality online education.

"Through the seasons, UDTS has exercised a consistent commitment to the historic Christian faith and excellence in theological education," McCaw said. "The University of Dubuque owes the steady integrity and flourishing vitality of the Seminary's programs in the last generation in large part to the contributions and leadership of Dr. Longfield in his roles as both professor of church history and dean of the seminary. Dr. Longfield has modeled earnest dedication to excellence in scholarship and faithfulness in ministry - that is in service of the real church, and to the gladness and glory of his Lord. Upon his retirement, we count ourselves abundantly blessed by Dr. Longfield's faithful witness and labors, thankful that these will continue to bear fruit in the years to come. We wish Dr. Longfield and his wife and his family blessings in this new chapter!"

Longfield, a distinguished Presbyterian historian, has always found wrestling with questions of faith important and exciting. Over time, he was especially drawn to asking how church in the United States developed and how people can most faithfully live and proclaim the faith they received. Studying the history of Christianity allowed him to pursue those questions.

Longfield earned a bachelor of arts from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, a master of a divinity from Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, and a doctor of philosophy in history of Christianity from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. After receiving his doctorate, Longfield taught at Duke Divinity School in Durham for four years. When a position opened at UDTS, the lifelong Presbyterian felt it was an important opportunity to explore teaching at a Presbyterian seminary.

"The Seminary's commitment to nurturing faithful pastors made it a good fit for me," he said.

Those early years as a junior UDTS faculty member were spent creating new classes, attending meetings, writing, and lecturing and preaching around the country. With the encouragement of a Lilly Endowment grant and under the leadership of then President Jeffrey Bullock, PhD, UDTS started a distance program for commissioned lay pastors, now known as the congregational equipping program, and then launched the first accredited distance master of divinity program in a Presbyterian seminary.

"This grew out of our mission to serve the church by embedding theological education more closely in the life of congregations ... We moved almost overnight from a regional to a national school," Longfield said.

The transition was not easy. There were few models to follow, faculty members had no experience in online teaching and learning, many in the church were skeptical, and there were concerns about how to maintain community life.

"But God sent us staff who were technologically savvy and committed to the Christian and educational mission of UDTS," Longfield said. "Faculty members rolled up their sleeves, learned new programs and methods, and translated their exceptional and rigorous classroom teaching onto new platforms. Staff exercised tremendous energy and imagination in exploring new ways to build Christian community across the miles. In all of this, we found ourselves opening doors to many who thought they would never be able to pursue theological education. For this, we continue to give thanks."

When Longfield first began his service to UDTS, all seminary students, many of whom had families, were residential. Now, almost 85 percent of UDTS students are in programs solely or primarily online.

"One thing that has remained constant is the Seminary's commitment to the apostolic faith, particularly as manifest in the Reformed tradition, and to nurturing leaders who are committed to the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind," Longfield said. "We seek to nurture faith, hope, and love."

Longfield is a passionate writer. He received the Makemie Award of the Presbyterian Historical Society for his book The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates. He also wrote Presbyterians and American Culture: A History and co-edited The Secularization of the Academy. In addition, Longfield has authored numerous chapters of books and articles, and he served for decades on the editorial board of the Journal of Presbyterian History.

In 1998, Longfield was honored with the William L. Lomax Award during UD's annual Faculty Hall of Fame for Excellence in Teaching and Advising.

"The main honor has been the gift of working year in and year out with faculty, staff, and students who seek first God's kingdom," Longfield said. "All institutions have their challenges, but at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary these are kept in perspective by the common calling to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbors as ourselves."

Longfield will continue his service to UDTS in retirement as an adjunct instructor co-teaching a doctor of ministry group for at least a couple more years. He plans to complete a book on theological friendship in the colonial Great Awakening, work on other writing projects, and preach and lecture occasionally. The greatest gift in retirement, however, will be family togetherness.

"Mostly, I look forward to spending more time with my wife, Linda, our children, and our grandchildren," Longfield said. "Coaching five-year-old girls soccer starts in May."

A model of what it means to lead with integrity and a heart for the Church, Longfield would end some of his class lectures with a simple statement that many alumni remember today, "That's enough for today. Go in peace, serve the Lord."