Profiles

M. Craig Barnes was raised on Long Island, New York. After graduating from Princeton Theological Seminary, he received a doctorate in the history of Christianity from the University of Chicago.

He served as the pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin, until 1992, when he became the pastor of National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. In 2002, Barnes became a chaired professor at Pittsburgh Seminary while also serving as the pastor of Shadyside Presbyterian Church. In 2012, he was elected president of Princeton Theological Seminary and became president emeritus in January 2023.

Since 2024, Barnes has managed the Theologies for Pastoral Ministry project, funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc., for the Association of Theological Schools. He has nine published books, including When God Interrupts, The Pastor as Minor Poet, and Diary of a Pastor’s Soul. 

He is married to Dawne Hess Barnes, an interior designer. They have three fabulous children, four delightful grandchildren, and a Bearded Collie named Deacon.