Hartford Theological Seminary appears in the account of Thomas Kelly’s education as both a place of theological preparation and the setting for his later doctoral work. Kelly’s time there marked a turn from a possible mission to Japan toward pastoral ministry, before he returned to pursue a PhD.

Kelly’s Theological Studies

Kelly entered the seminary in fall 1916, eager for the intellectual stimulation it offered. He studied Hebrew and the New Testament with the same energy he had once brought to chemistry. A visit with Rufus Jones helped redirect his plans: Kelly abandoned the proposed Japan mission and began preparing for pastoral ministry, resolving an inner conflict between missionary service and his attachment to American Quakerism in favor of the latter.

Return and Doctoral Work

After completing seminary, Kelly married Lael Macy in 1919 and taught at Wilmington College for two years. He then returned to Hartford Theological Seminary to work toward a PhD. At his dissertation defense, his mind went blank; he was granted a second opportunity and performed well. The episode makes the seminary a setting not only for his initial vocational formation but also for a difficult academic setback that he ultimately overcame.