Background
Potter, Ralph Benajah was born on May 19, 1931 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of Ralph Benajah and Vivian Irene MacNabb (Borden) Potter.
Theology and social ethics educator
Potter, Ralph Benajah was born on May 19, 1931 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of Ralph Benajah and Vivian Irene MacNabb (Borden) Potter.
Bachelor of Arts, Occidental College, 1952; postgraduate, Pacific School Religion, 1952-1953; Bachelor of Divinity, McCormick Theological Seminary, 1955; Doctor of Theology (Presbyterian Graduate fellow 1958-1963, Rockefeller fellow 1961-1962, Kent fellow 1963-1964), Harvard, 1965.
Ordained to ministry, Presbyterian Church, 1955;
director, pastor, Clay County Presbyterian Larger Parish, Manchester, Kentucky, 1955-1958;
secretary social education, Board Christian Education, United Presbyterian Church in United States of America, Philadelphia, 1963-1965;
assistant professor social ethics, Harvard Division School
member, Center for Population Studies, Harvard U, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1965-1969;
professor social ethics, Harvard Divinity School, since 1969. Member, professor, Center for Population Studies, Harvard University, 1969-1989. Theologian-in-residence American Church in Paris, 1975.
Senior research scholar Kennedy Institute for Bio-ethics Georgetown University, 1974. Associate Lowell House, HarvardU. Founding fellow Hastings Center.
Member Society Christian Ethics, Society for Values in Higher Education, Société Européene de Culture, American Academy Religion, Tocqueville Society.
Married Jean IshbelMacCormick, August 15, 1953. Children: Anne Elizabeth, Ralph Andrew, James David, Margaret Jean. Married Christine Iva Mitchell, August 25, 1985 (divorced 1995).
Children: Charles Benajah Mitchell Potter, Christopher Ralph Mitchell Potter.