William F. May

William Francis May (October 25, 1927 – October 27, 2023) was an American ethicist, academic, theologian, and ordained Presbyterian minister. His work focused primarily on questions of medical and bioethics, professional ethics in general, and public responsibility and policy.

Early life and education May was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was the oldest of Harry S. May and Leontine Torczynski's four children. He was in the 5th grade, when his family moved to Houston, Texas where he graduated from San Jacinto High School. At San Jacinto he was a member of the 1944 UIL debate championship team. At sixteen, he was accepted to the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with an initial intent to pursue a career in law and politics, but the sudden death of his high school debate coach shortly before he left for Princeton had a profound effect on him, leading him to the study history and philosophy.

He graduated from Princeton, Phi Beta Kappa, at the age of 20. May served as the interim pastor of a small church in Oklahoma before enrolling at the Yale Divinity School where he earned a BD degree and ultimately a PhD in contemporary theology.

Academic career While simultaneously pursuing his doctorate at Yale, May began his teaching career in theology at Smith College. He served as Chair of the Department of Religion twice while at Smith College.

Four years after completing his doctorate, May joined Indiana University as founder and chair of a new Department of Religious Studies. In 2017, the directorship of the Maguire Center for Ethics was endowed in May's name.

Following his retirement from SMU, May served as a visiting professor at the Institution for Social and Policy studies, Yale University, 2000 and 2001.

He moved to Charlottesville, Virginia where he was a Fellow of the Institute for Practical Ethics and Public Life at the University of Virginia before eventually retiring entirely from writing, teaching and speaking professionally.

Other Professional Affiliations May is a former President of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics.

He was a founding fellow of The Hastings Center where he co-chaired its research group on death and dying.

He served on the Ethical Foundations subgroup for the Clinton Task Force on Health Care Reform 1993 and was a member of the President's Council on Bioethics from 2002 to 2004

In September 2007, James H. Billington named May the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics at the John W. Kluge Center. May retained the position for three months.

Recognition Fellowships:

The Danforth Foundation The Lilly Endowment The Guggenheim Foundation

Awards:

Indiana University Distinguished Teaching Award - 1970 Southern Methodist University Scholar/Teacher Award - 1989 American Academy of Religion Outstanding Teaching Award - 1993 Yale Divinity School Distinction in Theological Education/Scholarship award - 2000

Personal May was married to the Broadway and Obie Award winning actress, Beverly May for over 60 years. They raised four children together.

He served as the moderator of the seasonal Randolph Church, a historic church in Randolph, NH where he guest-preached nearly every summer for over 50 years.

He died on October 27, 2023, two days after his 96th birthday.

May, William F. (1967). A Catalogue of Sins: A Contemporary Examination of Christian Conscience. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.