H. Shelton Smith

H. Shelton Smith received his B.A. from Elon College (now Elon University), was ordained as a minister by the United Church of Christ, and served in 1918–1919 as first lieutenant and chaplain with the American Expeditionary Force in France.[1] He received his graduate training at Yale University and went on to serve as Associate Professor of Religious Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and Associate Professor of Religious Education at Yale University. Three years later, he was named Professor of Religious Education at Duke Divinity School, where he served from 1931 to 1963. In 1953 he was named James B. Duke Professor at Duke Divinity School.[2] Smith was known as a critic of liberal Christian trends that engaged in "a little deification of humanity."[3] He was also known for his advocacy for civil rights for African-Americans.[1]

Smith was the founder of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Upon returning to the South in 1931, he initiated conversations with other religious leaders about his vision of an "interdenominational agency to deal with problems of social justice, racial relations . . . or problems that confront the churches." In 1935 he convened about 40 religious leaders from 13 denominations for what became the founding meeting of the North Carolina Council of Churches. He served as its first president and unpaid executive secretary. But his main ongoing contribution was through supportive relationships with the Council's leaders. In 1953, he was one of the three initial recipients, along with Bishop Penick and Moravian Bishop J. Kenneth Pfohl, of the Council's Distinguished Service Award.[4]