Reverend Dr. Gary David Comstock, the University’s Protestant chaplain, announced that he would retire this spring, after 17 years of service to the campus.

“[I will miss] the energy, passion, and warmth of the students I work with,” Comstock said.

An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), Comstock’s decision to retire was stirred by a recent change in administrative policies that increased the requisite amount of office hours for chaplains.

“After 17 years, the administrative requirements for my position have been changed to emphasize at-desk office time, diminishing significantly the amount of time to work with students off campus, out of the office, and outside of usual business hours,” Comstock said. “This shift toward routine and efficiency seems to me to sacrifice spontaneity and creativity, so it’s a good time for me to step into the next stage of life where I can continue to work on art, writing, and community service freely.”

The various events and programs that Comstock developed during his tenure reflect his creativity and community involvement, as well as spiritual openness. The Believing-in-Service program, for example, now in its fourth year, strives to connect spirituality to community service and activism. Student participants have volunteered at a local soup kitchen and written Valentine’s Day cards to senior citizens. Activities for the 2006-2007 school year have focused on habitat restoration in urbanized and suburbanized settings.

“The purpose is not to impose our beliefs on the people we serve, but to discuss and better understand our motivation for serving others,” reads the Believing-in-Service web page.

Comstock also led a three-part discussion series this semester on “Marx and Spirituality.” Each week, he leads a Protestant service and a Vespers meeting, the non-sectarian spiritual gathering.

“I found over the years that many of the students I work with don’t have a set religious identity, but do have strong and deep spirituality,” Comstock said. “I think that when you think of religion and spirituality both in and outside of organized religion, you open up a lot of opportunities for a larger range of people to become involved.”

With a B.A. from Bowdoin College and a Ph.D. in ethics from Union Theological Seminary, Comstock divided many of his years at the University between both the chaplaincy and teaching courses. During his first several years here, he taught one course per semester in the Department of Religion, including Social Ethics. He taught for 10 years in the Department of Sociology, from courses including Introductory Sociology; Sociological Analysis; Lesbian/Bisexual/Gay People in Society; Ethics, Politics, and the Triage Society; The Ethics of Leadership; and a Community Research Seminar. Comstock has also taught four courses in the Graduate Liberal Studies Program (GLSP).

Comstock’s background in teaching extends to his very first career experiences. Between his graduation at Bowdoin and his entrance into the Union Theological Seminary, he taught art at a high school. During two years of his studies at the seminary, he found time to teach at a preschool. Comstock then taught at Marist College while completing his doctorate dissertation.

In addition to teaching as a chaplain and as a professor, Comstock has published six books, including A Whosoever Church: Welcoming Lesbians and Gay Men into African American Congregations (2001); Gay Theology Without Apology (2001); Becoming Ourselves in the Company of Others (2001); Que(e)rying Religion (1997); Unrepentant, Practicing, Self-Affirming (1996); and Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men (1991).

Looking back on his tenure at the University, Comstock cited religious inclusiveness as his greatest contribution.

“[I aimed] to attract a wide range of students to services and programs that allow them to identify and develop their own spirituality.”

Looking forward to retirement, Comstock plans to continue projects that build inclusive community, social justice, and spiritual development, as well as to spend more time with his family.

“I’m optimistic that there are things in store for me that I don’t know about yet,” he said. “[I anticipate] the uncertainty and the possibilities—and, of course, spending more time with my partner Ted and our dog Gus.”

In his time at Wesleyan, Comstock filled one of four University chaplain positions. David Leipziger serves as Jewish Rabbi, Sohaib Nazeer Sultan serves as Muslim chaplain, and the University currently does not have a Catholic chaplain.