1. Paul de Vries, Ph.D.
Paul de Vries, PhD is a speaker, author and president of the New York Divinity School (NYDS).
NYDS is “Christ-centered, Bible-based, Spirit-led,” and it offers leadership and ministry training for
pastors and lay people. Dr. de Vries also serves as an at-large member of the governing Board of the
National Association of Evangelicals, actively representing about 40 million evangelical Americans.
Dr. de Vries earned the Ph.D. (in philosophy, 1978) from the University of
Virginia, also completing substantial graduate training in education and in
ministry —at Calvin Seminary, Fordham University, Grand Rapids Baptist
Seminary. For 30 years he has led in evangelical higher education
administration, designing innovative programs to help incarnate enduring
Biblical truth with people’s learning, loving, leading and living.
Dr. de Vries founded and directed (1983-1989) the Center for Applied Christian
Ethics (CACE) at Wheaton College (Illinois) where he was also an associate
dean and a tenured professor. CACE was the first ethics center at any
protestant college. He also earlier founded and directed the first Office of
Volunteer Community Service at the University of Virginia and led in establishing an affordable
housing information and advocacy network in Illinois—all of which remain thriving programs. He was
the lead American scholar in the Moscow-based “Ten Commandments Project” (1989-1995), and he is a
charter-member of both the Society for Business Ethics and of the Society of Christian Philosophers.
He is also the founder of the International Research Institute on Values Changes, with research
accomplished and published, mainly in Moscow, Beijing and New York. He is the Public Philosopher
of www.ChristianPost.com, the most visited religious website.
For six years, he held the endowed Chair in Marketplace Ethics at The King’s College (NY), and after
9/11 he was appointed director of the Counseling and Training Taskforce for NetworkNYC, a large
cluster of Churches and ministries. He was the only protestant addressing (or even invited to) the
bicentennial of Jesuit education in America, attended by 2,000 Catholic scholars (1989), and he and a
team of Jesuits won second place for the Catholic Book Award (1990). He is properly credited for
inventing (1982) the term “methodological naturalism,” a concept that clarifies a central issue in the
philosophy of science and in the continuing science-and-religion debates. Dr. de Vries is also honored
in Madison’s Who’s Who and in Swarthmore’s Who’s Who.
Dr. de Vries is the lead author of four books, The Taming of the Shrewd (1992, Thomas Nelson) Ethics
Applied (1999, Simon and Schuster), Business Ethics Applied (2000, Pierson Education),
Manufacturer’s Manual (2006, Friends of the Earth), and the author of several dozen published articles,
available upon request. He is also both an advisor and a contributor to the Green Bible (2008,
HarperOne), and he has consistently helped draw public attention to key Biblical issues—including
especially creation care, racial reconciliation, human life, and religious liberty.
Dr. de Vries founded the round-table discussions with the NY Board of Rabbis and NY Evangelicals.
He has started the Achievement Centers for Excellence, partnering with leading churches and
universities to address the education gap affecting many minority and inner city youth.
Dr. de Vries is the husband of Victoria de Vries, father of Tor and Chrissa, and father-in-law of
Bonnie—all of whom are devout Christians who have earned the highest degrees in their professions.
Dr. and Mrs. de Vries also have two grandchildren: Aiden Victor (2004) and Eleanora Jean (2008).
Most importantly, Paul de Vries loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and he seeks to honor, glorify, please and
enjoy the Lord God in and through everything he does and experiences.
Paul de Vries, PhD
Church Station, Box 3277, New York, NY 10008 646-395-0008 phdevries@nydivinityschool.org