We were honored that this year’s guest preacher for the Three Hours Devotion was the Very Reverend Steven A. Peay. Father Peay, very generously, recorded his meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ so that we could offer them on our website. You can listen to this online service.
Our Guest Preacher: The Very Rev. Steven A. Peay, PhD, FBS
Fr. Peay is currently Interim Canon to the Ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee and Associate Dean of All Saints’ Cathedral, Milwaukee. Steven joined the Cathedral staff in 2018 after serving as Professor of Homiletics and Church History and Dean-President at Nashotah House Theological Seminary. A Church historian, with a specialization in the history of preaching and the American Church, his work at All Saints’ focuses on spiritual formation. He remains Dean-President Emeritus of the Seminary.
Fr. Peay’s undergraduate study of Church history led him toward Benedictine monastic life at St. Vincent Archabbey at Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in 1977. After his first profession of vows he studied for the priesthood. He was ordained deacon in 1981 and priest in 1982.
He was assistant professor of homiletics and historical theology at St. Vincent’s. During his tenure at the seminary he also served as academic dean for five years. Leaving monastic life in 1994, he devoted himself to parish work for the next 15 years in Congregational churches in Wisconsin, while continuing to research, write, and teach in various venues.
Fr. Peay came to Nashotah House as adjunct professor of Church history in 2008 and was elected to the faculty in 2010. His orders were received in August 2010, and he is a priest of the Diocese of Milwaukee. In 2014, he was made Dean-President. During his tenure as dean and president, Peay worked closely with the corporate leadership of Nashotah on a new institutional governance structure. He also led a successful effort to preserve the seminary’s accreditation, and laid the foundation for the next evaluation by the Association of Theological Schools. Fr. Peay raised more than $7 million for the seminary’s endowment, the largest fundraising effort in the history of Nashotah, and moved the institution closer to its goal of ensuring long-term financial viability.
He is married to Julie and has two adult stepsons. All things historical interest him, especially academic dress (he is a fellow of the Burgon Society, which studies academic dress), liturgics, and music. He enjoys a good meal, especially if he’s had a hand in it.
