M. William Howard Jr. was Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, NJ. Howard was Pastor from 2000 to 2015 of the renowned church, one of the nation’s largest black Baptist congregations.
Previously, Howard was President of the New York Theological Seminary from 1992 to 2000. Under his leadership, the school was reaccredited, the board of trustees reorganized, and the endowment doubled. In partnership with two NYC universities, the Seminary instituted joint Master of Divinity degrees.
During the prior 20 years, Howard was a member of the national staff of The Reformed Church in America. He was Moderator of the World Council of Churches Programme to Combat Racism, President of the National Council of Churches, and President of the American Committee on Africa.
Howard is a graduate of Morehouse College and Princeton Theological Seminary and holds several honorary degrees.
