Blended Faiths and a Common Purpose in Giving

Bill and Barbara Dahl know how to find common ground. Bill was raised Lutheran in Illinois; Barbara was raised Jewish in Tennessee. Their lives intertwined at Stanford University and remained that way.

After 25 years of practicing law, Bill attended a seminary in California. The couple moved to North Carolina in 2005 for Barbara’s clinical research. Bill took the position of hospital chaplain at Duke University, later becoming the Lutheran Campus Minister. In these roles, he connected with staff, administration, and students at Duke Divinity School.

“I saw an exciting opportunity to develop a Lutheran faith presence in a divinity school,” said Bill. He also realized he could make an impact by pairing service with resources.

Bill and Barbara have long been committed to a diverse giving portfolio. Half goes to community initiatives, while the other half is split between Zionist and Christian causes. Bill and Barbara’s charitable initiatives may vary, but their commitment to intentional giving is very much aligned.

Including Duke Divinity School within this giving plan means they’re able to support faith-based education changing the world for the better. Today, Bill serves on the Divinity School Board of Visitors, and Barbara sits on the Board of Governors at Technion in Haifa, Israel.

“We’re able to look to the heart of both of our faiths and see the commonalities, not the differences,” Bill said.

The question, “why wait?” motivates Bill and Barbara to give to Duke Divinity School today, while also including it in their estate planning.

“What we leave behind will be impactful,” Barbara said. “We also want to enjoy giving while we’re here.”