Donald Rogan
From KCpedia
Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies
College Chaplain (1965-1972)
Contents |
Biography
Donald Rogan was born in Staunton, Virginia. He graduated magna cum laude from Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston) in West Virginia. For graduate school, he attended the General Theological Seminary in New York City and St.Augustine's College in England. Following his graduation from the General Theological Seminary he became vicar of All Saint's Church in South Charleston, rector of Trinity Church in Morgantown, and the Episcopal Chaplain at West Virginia University. He also served as the associate chaplain at Community of the Holy Spirit and head of the religion department at St.Hilda's School in New York.
He married Sally Rogan on August 25, 1954. The two were married at St. Stephen Episcopal Church in Beckley, West Virginia. They have four children, Edward, Peter, Lynn, and John (Class of 1983).
Life at Kenyon
Professor Rogan arrived at Kenyon College in 1965, the year the Religion Department was founded. He began teaching courses on Christianity and American religion that year. Professor Rogan also served as College Chaplain from 1965 to 1972, having been ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1954. During his time as chaplain, Professor Rogan served as a confidante and adviser to students struggling with the changes in American politics and society: he organized war protests, helped students avoid the draft, and served as an unofficial drug counselor. In 1969 he published the book Campus Apocalypse, which addressed counterculture and the need for salvation among American youth.
Professor Rogan resigned from the Chaplaincy in 1972 and subsequently applied for a full time position in the religion department. The administration urged the religion department to reject his application, but the religion majors (led by Myer Berlow) called an emergency meeting and passed a two-part resolution in support of Professor Rogan. They recommended that the Chaplaincy be removed from the Religion Department and urged the department to consider Professor Rogan's application. The students suggested that the administration was discriminating against Professor Rogan on the basis of religion and occupation, and they insisted on meeting with President Caples to discuss the matter. The administration acquiesced, and Professor Rogan was given a full time position with the religion department.
Professor Rogan served as chair of the religion department for a total of fifteen years. Professor Rogan was dedicated to the diversification of the Department of Religious Studies, and encouraged the department to hire professors who specialized in non-Western religions and design interdisciplinary courses. Professor Rogan retired in 1999, but he continues to teach part time.
In 2001, a new chair of the department of religious studies was christened the Donald L. Rogan Professorship. The chair was funded by a gift from Myer Berlow (Class of 1972) and Caroline Sidnam (Class of 1974).
Courses
- RELN 11: Introduction to the Study of Religion
- RELN 21: Jesus and the Gospels
- RELN 35: Religion in America
- RELN 37: Approaches to the Study of Religion
- RELN 61: Readings of Genesis
- RELN 72: Apocalyptic Beliefs
- RELN 73: Agnosticism and Unbelief
- RELN 74: Existential Religion
- RELN 83: Exile and Pilgrimage
- RELN 84: Readings of Job
Awards
1999: The Martin Luther King Jr. Award
1996: The Trustee Award for Distinguished Teaching
Resources in the Kenyon College Archives
- Donald Rogan -- collected materials
- The Kenyon Collegian -- December 10, 1998
- The Kenyon Observer--Volume X, Issue 3, December 1998
