Elsie Anne McKee, Ph.D. ’73, is professor of church history at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J., and an expert in the history and theology of the Reformation. She also has a strong interest in cross-cultural issues developed by experience in central Africa. In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Hendrix, McKee earned a diploma in Theology from the University of Cambridge in England in 1974 and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1982, graduating summa cum laude. She has also studied at Columbia University and at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
McKee is the author of nine books, currently at work on her 10th, and editor or translator of three others. Her focus has been on Calvin’s doctrine of the church and on the life and impact of 16th century reformer Katharina Schütz Zell. “Research leads to teaching,” she said, “the realm for inviting others to the game of historical ‘come dig with me; finding out is such fun.’ The more players the merrier; learning is for sharing.”
She shares what she learns through research in scholarly articles, presentations and as a guest professor or lecturer in institutions around the world, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Rome.