Adams, Doug, 1945-

Doug Adams, 1945-2007, was a professor in worship and the arts at the Pacific School of Religion and the Graduate Theological Union both in Berkeley, California from 1976 to his death from cancer in 2007. Adams was an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He taught courses, lectured and conducted workshops nationally and internationally in worship, art, dance, and humor as well as authoring books on these subjects, articles for journals and newspapers, and encouraging, collaborating with, and editing books by other authors. He was a leading member of the Sacred Dance Guild in the United States and Canada. In 1987, Adams founded the Center for the Arts, Religion and Education (CARE) which became an affiliated member of the Graduate Theological Union. Through his interest in the arts, Adams worked with such people as Stephen De Staebler, Jane Dillenberger, John Dillenberger, and George Segal, sculptor. In sacred dance Adams worked with such people as Carla De Sola, Judith Rock, and Margaret Taylor. Academics brought strong ties with Harland Hogue and Michael Polanyi. Doug Adams was a man of lively humor, unstoppable energy, and expansive enthusiasm affecting students, colleagues, and all who knew and learned from him.

Biography / Administrative History

Harland E. Hogue, 1908-1999, was Carl Patton Professor of Homiletics at the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA, from 1954 to 1975 and served as chair of the doctoral faculty at Graduate Theological Union in the fields of History and Worship, Preaching and the Arts. He was a highly respected scholar in American church history and well known as an outstanding preacher.

Hogue received a BS from Monmouth College, a BD from San Francisco Theological Seminary, a PhD from Columbia University and a DD from Monmouth College. He served as pastor of First United Presbyterian Church in San Diego (1933-37) and First Presbyterian Church in Pomona (1937-42.He taught for 12 years at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate School (1942-54) before coming to PSR.

After retiring, Hogue served as interim pastor at Skyline Community Church, was pastor emeritus at Orinda Community Church, and taught at Patten College in Oakland.

Hogue wrote two volumes on the history of PSR. His successor in the Carl Patton chair, Doug Adams, was a former student and became a very close friend. Adams interviewed Hogue for the oral history, creating a dynamic interchange between the two. His oral history interviews discuss his life, career, experiences, people, and general observations there beginning 1954. The interviews also include his experiences at the San Francisco Theological Seminary where he had earlier been a student, and the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA after its incorporation in 1962.