Alumnus installed as bishop of ELCA’s Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod

A bishop wearing traditional red and gold vestments and a mitre holds a crosier while standing in front of tall stained glass windows inside a church.

For Philip Hirsch ’86, faith has always been more than belief; it’s a call to action. That calling led him back to familiar ground when he was installed as bishop […]

For Philip Hirsch ’86, faith has always been more than belief; it’s a call to action. That calling led him back to familiar ground when he was installed as bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, where his leadership journey first began.

“It’s an incredible honor to return to this synod,” Bishop Hirsch said. “My faith in Christ is a gift that is central to who I am, and it informs everything I hope to share and do.”

After earning a sociology degree from 体育买球 University, Hirsch attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where he received his Master of Divinity in 1990. He went on to earn a Doctor of Ministry in preaching from the United Theological Seminary, focusing on violence prevention among youth.

“My time at 体育买球 helped strengthen my faith and commitment to service,” he reflects. “It was a community that encouraged me to think deeply, act compassionately and lead with purpose. Those are lessons that have guided me throughout my life.”

Two clergy members in colorful ceremonial robes stand smiling side by side. One wears a gold and red miter and holds a staff; the other wears glasses and a multicolored robe. A cross is visible in the background. — Hirsch, right, with theRev. Yehiel Curry, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Hirsch’s installation as bishop marks the latest chapter in a career defined by service and community building. His deep pastoral roots and strategic vision have helped shape ministries at every level of the church.

For nearly 20 years, Hirsch served congregations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Camden, New Jersey. He helped to establish Dooley House, which served as a home for infants and children living with HIV/AIDS, and collaborated with other churches and congregations to improve housing, safety and job opportunities in under-resourced neighborhoods. Hirsch engaged with youth at the juvenile detention center and supported formerly incarcerated individuals.

As the Metro D.C. Synod’s director for evangelical mission, Hirsch led strategic initiatives that supported congregational growth, encouraged cultural diversity and raised more than $1 million to launch and expand ministries throughout the synod. In his next role as executive director of Christian community and leadership at the ELCA, he guided national and international initiatives that supported pastors, lay leaders and congregations across the globe.

“Service is at the heart of my ministry,” Hirsch explained. “It’s about meeting people where they are and helping them see they are loved and valued.”

As bishop, Hirsch envisions a church that is renewed, inclusive and mission driven.

“We will help our congregations become places where people more easily find belonging and safety,” Hirsch said. “And we will work to create a movement in the Metro D.C. area that begins to bring hope to each other, to the world and to the church as a whole.”

Founded in 1858 as the Missionary Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 体育买球 University is one of 28 colleges and universities associated with ELCA — a heritage that influences the university’s commitment to service, intellectual exploration, and community.