Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund

The Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund, an esteemed historian, author, educator, and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ died Monday, August 18 at the age of 87. To say her life and work in the church had an impact would be a gross understatement. UCC General Minister and President/CEO, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson offers the following statement, reflecting on the life and legacy of Rev. Zikmund, and how her work and dedication to the life of the church will be felt for generations to come.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” KJV Rom 8:38-39. 

Dear United Church of Christ family,  

It is with deep sadness that I reflect on the passing of the Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund. We offer condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones, and pray their peace and comfort during this time of loss.  As a church, we also grieve her absence from this world, with thanksgiving for the many ways she contributed to the life of the church, changed lives, and affected change. Hers was a life well-lived with commitment to her faith and to serving God. 

With a deep commitment to Christian ministry and preaching the gospel, Rev. Zikmund was one of the first women to be ordained by the UCC in 1964. She was a celebrated theologian and historian and a leader in the women’s movement that sought change in church and society. Widely known throughout the denomination as ‘BBZ,’ her trailblazing leadership included many firsts. Rev. Zikmund was the first woman to teach at Chicago Theological Seminary, the first woman to serve as dean of the faculty at The Pacific School of Religion, the first woman elected president of the Association of Theological Schools, and the first woman to become president of Hartford Theological Seminary.

Among the lesser-known firsts in her life, Rev. Zikmund was the first woman to be brought as a nominee for the position of General Minister and President, chosen by the search process. Her nomination was rejected by the General Synod in 1999. Yet her leadership was recognized in her nomination, as was her ability to serve. She was a bold witness to the Spirit of God at work in the world around her, a woman of courage and resilience, willing to challenge the status quo, willing to break down doors for others. 

Rev. Zikmund will be missed in the UCC. Her scholarship has contributed to Christian theology and ministry in the UCC. Her courageous witness was an example to women in the UCC and in ecumenical life who were called to serve in ministry and were yet denied a place at the leadership table. Hers was a life well-lived; a presence committed to justice in the world. Her life is to be celebrated, even as we mourn her death.

Rev. Zikmund’s work on UCC history has been widely impactful with publications such as Hidden Histories in the United Church of Christ (Volumes 1 and 2), and the seven-volume Living Theological Heritage of the United Church of Christ. Her influence has been credited toward the publishing of the book, The Afro-Christian Convention, and the official recognition of this as the fifth stream of the UCC. She has been an influential role model for many women leaders who have followed in her footsteps.  

We honor the life, legacy, and work of Rev. Zikmund, and the many lives and careers she shaped and influenced. We will miss her deeply but know that her legacy will continue to have deep roots in the denomination for generations to come.  

The UCC News Team invites you to share with us a brief story or note about the impact that BBZ has had in your ministry and life by emailing it to newsteam@ucc.org.

A larger tribute to Rev. Zikmund will be published in UCC News in the weeks ahead. Memorial plans will be shared when they become available.  

Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson 
General Minister and President/CEO 
United Church of Christ 

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