A new bishop-in-residence has been appointed to serve at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, and he will begin working for the school later this year.

Bishop D. Max Whitfield has accepted an invitation to fill the position at SMU and will start on Sept. 1.

Whitfield’s background includes having served for 12 years as bishop of the New Mexico and Northwest Texas Conferences of The United Methodist Church. Also, he spent more than 30 years serving as a senior pastor for congregations of The United Methodist Church in Arkansas.

“Bishop Whitfield’s considerable experience and longstanding interest in leadership will enhance the work of the recently established Center for Religious Leadership here at Perkins,” said William B. Lawrence, the dean of the Perkins School of Theology, according to a news release.

Having been ordained deacon and elder in the North Arkansas Conference in 1967 and 1970 respectively, Whitfield received his D. Min. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1983.