Columbia Theological Seminary Vantage, 81, number 2, Fall 1989

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY

Vantage

Glenn R. Bucher
named academic dean

Glenn R. Bucher has been named dean
of the faculty/vice president of
academic affairs at Columbia Theo-
logical Seminary. President Douglas
W. Oldenburg made the announce-
ment after the seminary's Board of
Directors approved the nomination at
its spring meeting.

Dr. Bucher served as Dean of the
Faculty and Lincoln Professor of
Religious Studies at The College of
Wooster, a Presbyterian college in
Wooster, Ohio. He assumed his duties
at Columbia in August, succeeding
Oscar J. Hussel, who retired after 11
years as dean of the faculty and vice
president of academic affairs.

Dr. Bucher received the B.A.
degree from Elizabethtown College
and for the past 21 years has served on
its Board of Trustees. He earned the
M.Div. degree from Union Seminary
in New York and the Ph.D. from
Boston University, with emphasis on
sociology of religion and social ethics.

For two years after graduate
school, Dr. Bucher taught in the
Graduate School of Religion of How-
ard University in Washington, D.C. In
1970, he joined the faculty of The
College of Wooster and was named a
full professor of religious studies in
1982. The faculty elected him aca-
demic dean, a four-year term, in 1985.

President Oldenburg, comment-
ing on the appointment of Dr. Bucher,

said, "Glenn Bucher brings to us
superb academic credentials, experi-
ence as a dean, a gift for teaching, a
pastoral approach to administration,
and a deep love for the faith and the
church. He is well equipped to lead
Columbia Seminary into an exciting
future."

The Search Committee at Colum-
bia was impressed with the serious-
ness with which Dr. Bucher has
approached the issues of the church-
related college (Wooster) and the
liberal arts enterprise. He has become
a sought-after consultant on issues of
curriculum, faculty development, and
institutional organization.

Author of numerous articles and
papers, Dr. Bucher has been named a
fellow of the Society for Values in
Higher Education and received the
Outstanding Faculty Recognition
award from The College of Wooster.

Dr. Bucher was an elder of the
First Presbyterian Church in Wooster.
He is a member of the American
Academy of Religion, the Association
of American Colleges, Rotary Interna-
tional, and the Society for Values in
Higher Education.

His community interests have
been expressed in activities related to
church, local government, athletics,
and the public schools.

Dr. Bucher and his wife Mary are
the parents of two teen-age children. L

Glenn R. Bucher

Columbia begins year

First year students Walt Tennyson and Deborah Conner, both from California, are
greeted by Dean of Students Phil Gehman, Candler Dean Jim Waits, and Professor
George St roup after opening convocation. ^

Columbia Seminary's 162nd opening
convocation began with "Praise Ye,
Praise Ye the Lord," as administration,
faculty, emeriti faculty, students, and
support staff processed into Columbia
Presbyterian Church on September 13.
Convocation was highlighted this year
by the community's official welcome
of Glenn Bucher, vice president for
academic affairs and dean of the
faculty.

After greetings from Dean Jim L.
Waits of Candler School of Theology
and President James H. Costen of
Interdenominational Theological
Center, both of which are members,
along with Columbia, of the Atlanta
Theological Association, President
Douglas Oldenburg introduced Dean
Bucher, and the community stood in
his honor. Dean Bucher's sermon, "On
Enlarging the Place of the Tent,"
reminded the gathering that the way
we listen, how we think, and who we
are enables us to enlarge our view of
ourselves and the way we envision the
kingdom of God. His text was Isaiah
54: 1-10.

After the sermon, awards were
presented, scholarship recipients
recognized, and faculty achievements
noted. Four awards were given to
students for work during the last
academic year. Aaron Eickstaedt
received the Paul T. Fuhrmann Book
Prize in Church History for demon-

strating the most outstanding work in
church history. Karen Edwards was
the recipient of two awards the
Presbytery of St. Andrew Women of
the Church Preaching Award for the
best sermon preached during the
academic year and the C. Virginia
Harrison Memorial Fund Award
presented to a conscientious, respon-
sible rising senior. Tim Beal received
the Samuel A. Cartledge Biblical
Studies Award for preparing the best
New Testament exegesis during the
academic year.

Columbia Scholars in the first year
class are Kelly Allen, Rob Campbell,
Kyle Fedler, Sally Foster, Scott
Lawson, Neal Neuenschwander, Lori
Pistor, and Linda Sherer. Honor
Scholars are Marybeth Asher, Clover
Beal, Tim Beal, Carol Boggs, Polly
Deppen, Karen Edwards, Aaron
Eickstaedt, Glenn Gilstrap, Jane
Huffstetler, Raye Jones, Tod Linafelt,
Beecher Mathes, Susan Newton,
Margaret Northen, Lynette Solomon,
Catherine Taylor, Betty Tourville,
Rindy Trouteaud, and Lucy Turner.

Rebecca Parker, director of
admissions and financial aid, intro-
duced the incoming students. Sixty-
four percent of the first year students
are male, 36 percent female, and they
range in age from 21 to 52, with a
median age of 29. More than half of
Continued on page 2

From the President

Douglas W. Oldenburg

Editor's note Vhe following is Presi
dent Oldenburg's statement before the
General Assembly regarding theological
education given June 12 Dr. ( Hdenburg
is a member o) the General Assembly's
Committee mi Theological Education.

I am grateful for the opportunity to
address the General Assembly and to
represent your 10 theological semi-
naries and the Presbyterian School of
Christian Education. ( >n their behalf,
I want to express our deep apprecia-
tion for your reaffirmation of support
for theological education.

There is a new spirit oi coopera-
tion among our theological institu-
tions and a new sensitivity to the
needs and concerns of our church. At
the General Assembly level, we have
organized ourselves in the Commit-
tee on Theological Education to be
more responsive to concerns we all
share: concerns for evangelism and
church growth, concerns for spiritual
renewal and enrichment, > on< ei ns for
the needs of new Mid ( hanging con-
stituencies, and concei ns to pr< ivide
theological education for those an
of our church that do not have access
to a seminary.

Needless to say, for the past few
years, the new Theological Education
Fund has been the central focus of our
concern because of its paramount
importance to us. We arc genuinely
grateful for your implicit reaffirma-
tion of that method of funding our
institutions. We are aware, of course,
that some people have honest reser-
vations about whether it is the best
way to fund our theological schools,
and we respect that. But since the
new funding plan is so important to
us and endorsed by all 1 1 institutions,
we want to be sure you understand
what it is and why we encourage you
to support it.

Before our reunion in 1 983, our
theological institutions were funded

m two different ways The seminaries
of the former I'C US were supported
through synod budgets, w hile the
seminaries ol the former UPC were
supported through the budget of the
< leneral Assemblj I he Plan ol

Reunion established ,i committee I"

resolve those differences and to
recommend a unified funding plan.
I hat committee arefully examined
the advantages and disadvantages ol
,i w hole variet) ol patterns/ including
I >la< ing it in the per-capita assessment
or funding it through the General
Vssembl) mission budget Thev
consulted With sister denominations
to learn from their experiences
Alter careful and prayerful
i onsideration of all the options, the)
iv, ommended, and the 1986 General
Assembly adopted, what is now
called, "The Theological Education
Fund." Whatisit? Very simply, it is a
plan whereby each congregation is
asked on a voluntary basis to contrib-
ute one percent of its local church
operating budget (or current expense
budget) to a common Theologk al
Education Fund. Please note that this
is one percent o\ the current expense
budget only, not one percent of your
total budget. The money given to that
common Theological Education Fund
will then be distributed to the 1 1
theological institutions on the basis of
a pre-established formula which has
now been worked out by the Commit-
tee on Theological Education and

This unified way of
funding our theological
institutions is another
evidence of that new
spirit of cooperation
among us.

endorsed by all 1 1 presidents of our
schools.

When this new funding plan was
originally adopted, the General As-
sembly agreed that the plan would
continue for a period of five years,
after which a review and evaluation
will be conducted. We are now in our
first year, and we believe it is abso-
lutely imperative that the funding
plan be allowed to continue for that
five-year period and then receive a
complete evaluation. In our judge-
ment, it would be tragic to rescind the
plan before we have even tried it.

In order to implement the plan,
we have mailed information to each
congregation, and we are now in the
I m.i, ess of recruiting and training
resource persons in each presbytery
to help us interpret the plan and
encourage local churches to adopt it.
Over 100 presbyteries are cooperating
with us, and we are confident that
others will soon join us.

This unified way of funding our
theological institutions is another
evidence of that new spirit of coopera-
1 1 'ii among US. It will keep us out of

our "i\ i >r) i> iwers" and will put us in
direct relationship with and depend-
ence upon the grass roots" of our
church the lo< al congregation

Please be assured that our con-
cern is not just tor theological educa-
tion, but for the whole mission of the
church. Indeed, that is the ultimate
purpose of all we do the training of
leaders for the mission of the < hurch.
Therefore, we are doing everything

hi to urge congregations to make
this one percent Theological Educa-
tion Fund "new money/' over and
above what thev give to benevolences,
rather than to divert it from the
mission side of their budget. From
preliminary evidence, we are encour-
aged that main churches are doing
just that

If your congregation has adopted
the one percent Theological Educa-
tion Fund, please convey to them our
deep appreciation. We are grateful
for your support. If your session has
considered it but, for whatever
reason, decided not to adopt it,
perhaps you could encourage them to
reconsider it for next year. Show
them how relatively small that one
percent of current expenses really is.
And if they simply cannot put it in
their budget, encourage them to con-
sider one-half or one-quarter of one
percent. If your session hasn't even
talked about it, we hope you will be a
committee of one to ask them to give it
their prayerful and careful thought.

We believe it's one very tangible
way you can say, "Yes, I care about
having good pastors and preachers
and C hristian educators for my
children and grandchildren! Yes, I
care about the future direction of the
Presbyterian Church, which will be
determined largely by our future
leaders! Yes, 1 care about nurturing
the very best leadership possible to
lead us intern new century of service
to Jesus Christ as we Continue Our
Journey!"

We believe nothing is more im-
portant than that! We believe you
agree. And we are deeply grateful for
your support.

Columbia begins year
Continued from page I

the class is single; of those married, 65
percent have children. They come
from 16 states; half of the class comes
from outside the seven states and two
synods which support Columbia.
The incoming students were
asked to pledge, as each class before
them has done, to be diligent students
and responsible members of the semi-
nary community as they prepare for
the service of God in the church and
the world. A service for the renewal
of baptism concluded the service as
an opportunity tor the community to
recommit and remember the meaning
of baptism in everyday life. The
faculty and faculty emeriti recessed to
form two lines in front of the sanctu-
ary to greet the incoming students. A
luncheon was held at the Richards
Center where faculty and interna-
tional students were introduced.

Sara Little

Little is visiting
professor

Coi umbia Seminary welcomes Sara Little,
recently retired Robert and Lucy
Reynolds Crit/ Professor of Christian
Education at Union Theological Semi-
nan in Virginia, to campus for the fall
term. Last spring, President Oldenburg
asked Dr. Little to help plan and partici-
pate in a consultation committee to

study educational ministry curriculum
and resources at Columbia. In addition,

Dr. Little agreed to teach the Christian

education course required of all M.Div

and M.A.Y.M. students

"After 38 years of teaching in
theological schools," Dr. Little said,

this kind of invitation appeals to me
because I do have convictions about
educational ministry." One of her
convictions is that the church has a great
demand for help in educational minis-
trv. "The denomination has not re-
sponded significantly to this demand
for two reasons: it did not listen, and
funding for many programs has been
cut/' Dr. Little said. "It is encouraging
that Columbia's administration is
seeking to strengthen the Christian
education program to help meet this
demand."

Another conviction held is that
theological curriculum must include all
subjects that constitute the core of a
minister's responsibility. "Educational
ministry is an interdependent part of all
other curriculum and should not be
seen as separated from other responsi-
bilities," Dr. Little said. "However, not
every theological institution needs to
offer the same program to all students."

Sara Little is a graduate of Queens
College and received her Ph.D in
religion from Yale University. She has
enjoyed a long, shared teaching com-
mitment between Presbyterian School
of Christian Education and Union.
During the last five years, she has
directed the Lilly Endowment project
awarded to study youth ministry and
theological schools. Currently, she
serves on a team of researchers study-
ing Presbyterian theological schools and
their educational mission.

U.S. Senator Wyche Fowler, Commencement speaker, and President Oldenburg

Seminary awards 83 degrees

ElGHTY-THREl C( "LUMBIA SEMINARY

graduates gathered May 14 at
Peachtree Presbyterian Church in
Atlanta for Commencement exer-
cises. The Honorable Wyche Fowler,
U.S. Senator from Georgia and a
member of Central Presbyterian
Church in Atlanta, addressed the
graduates with his message, "The
Church in the Nation's Service."
After the service, Peachtree hosted a
reception for graduates/ their families
and friends, and the faculty.

The 4:00 exercise followed the
11:00 a.m. baccalaureate service held
at First Presbyterian Church, Atlanta.
Dr. William T. Bryant, vice chairman
of Columbia's Board of Directors and
senior minister of First Presbyterian
Church, Nashville, Tennessee,
preached the baccalaureate sermon,
"Our Context for Mission."

During this 157th commence-
ment, President Douglas Oldenburg
presented each graduate with a
diploma, assisted by Philip Gehman,
vice president for student life. Each
graduate was congratulated by John
Conant, chairman of Columbia's
Board of Directors, and hooded by
Oscar Hussel, vice president for
academic affairs.

One minister, Louis Lothman,
received the Doctor of Sacred Theol-
ogy degree, and 34 received the
Doctor of Ministry degree as their
second professional degree. Jeff
White received the Doctor of Ministry
degree as his first professional
degree.

Forty-two students received the
Master of Divinity degree, including
1 1 who received the degree with
distinction: Brent Bissette, Jean
Davidson, Richard Deibert, Jerome

Ferrari, Ann Graham, Carolyn Robin-
son, Maetta Snyder, Augusta Vander-
bilt, Thomas Walker, Laurie Wallace,
and Alan Wright.

The seminary also awarded three
Master of Theology degrees and two
Master of Arts in Youth Ministry
degrees.

Six graduates were recognized for
academic excellence and received
special awards or prizes. Alan
Wright received the Wilds Book
Prize for graduating with the highest
distinction in academic work over
the entire seminary program. Laurie
Wallace received the Florrie Wilkes
Sanders Prize in Theology for a
paper showing sound theological
scholarship and relevance to the
needs of contemporary Christians.
Thomas Walker received the Ludwig
Richard Max Dewitz Old Testament
Studies Award and a copy of the
Hebrew Old Testament tor the best
Old Testament exegesis paper pre-
pared during the academic year.

Brent Bissette and Jean Davidson
shared the James T. and Celeste M.
Boyd Memorial Book Fund Award,
given to persons who intend to build
their collections of theological bo<
as a resource for their minstry.

Three graduate fellowships were
granted to students who plan to
pursue degrees beyond the master's
level. Laurie Wallace received a
Columbia Friendship Circle Gradu-
ate Fellowship, and a Columbia
Graduate Fellowship was granted to
Richard Deibert. Thomas Walker
was awarded the Harvard A. Ander-
son Fellowship, given to the gradu-
ate determined by the faculty to have
the greatest potential for future
academic achievement.

1989 placements

Doctor of Ministry (in Sequence)

fefferies White, Associate Ministerofl vangelismand Membei I levelopmenl
(continuing) Peai htree Presbyterian* hurch Atlanta, Georgia

Master of Divinity

[effrej Mien. Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Pittston Pennsj Ivania
Kristofer Allison, Youth Director, Memorial Presbyterian* hurch Si Aueustine

Florida

Brent Bissette, Co-Pastor, < alypso Presbyterian < hurch I alypso North

Carolina
( harles Boyette, Pastor,( anton Presbyterian Church ( anton, North Carolina,

and Bethel Presbyterian ( hun h Waj r\es\ ille, North c arolina
Custen Brainerd, Associate Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Nashville

l ennessee

William Connolly, Pastor, Midwa) Presbyterian Church, New Zion, South

Carolina
[ean I lavidson
Richard Deibert
Peter Den lea

Susan Denne

Sue Dobbs

Robert I arly, Associate Pastor,Second Presbyterian Church, Knoxville

I ennessee
ferome Ferrari, Associate Pastor, Signal Mountain Presbyterian ( hur< h. Signal

Mountain, Tennessee
Judith Gabel, Associate Pastor, Broadmoor Presb) terian Church, Baton Rouge

Louisiana
Robin Cant/
Ann Graham, Associate Pastor, Communit) Presbyterian Church, Atlantii

Beach, Florida
Jacqueline Griffeth

Charles Hasty, Chaplain, I >,i\ idson College, Davidson, North Carolina
Kenneth Holt
Myung BaeKim, Associate Pastor, Korean Community Presbyterian ( hun h,

Columbia, South Carolina
Jeffrey Lewis, Youth Minister, Doraville A. R. Presb) terian* Inn, h, Doraville,

Georgia
Arvie Maynard
lames Nelson, Associate Pastor, Palma Sola Presbyterian ( hun h, Bradenton,

Florida
Schley Pease, PaStOl First Presbyterian Church ( in ensboro, < ieorgia
Karen Petersohn, clinical pastoral education, Georgia Baptist Hospital, Atlanta,

< Ieorgia
Edwin Pettus, Pastor, M< Bee Presb) terian Church, McBee, South I arolina

Carolyn Robinson, Assoc iafc PastOl I irst Presbyterian Church, Monroe,

Louisiana
William Rogers, Pastor, St. Paul's Presby terian Church, Hemingway, South

Carolina
Alisun Ruff
James Scaife, Pastor, First Presbytei i. iii ' hurch, I louston, Minnrsi il.i .mm I I u-.i

Presbyterian Church, Rushford, Minnesota
Allard Smith, Pastor, Central Presbyterian ( hurch, Princeton, Kentucky
Bradley Smith, Associate Pastor, Spring Valley Presbyterian ( hun h. ( olumbia,

South Carolina
Elizabeth Smith, Associate Pastor, Orange Park Presbyterian I hurch. Orange

Park, Florida
Steven Snipes, Associate Pastor, North Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church, North

Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Maetta Snyder, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Monti- ello, Aik.n
Ian Stake, Campus Minister, E< kerd College, St. Petersburg, Rorida
Augusta Vanderbilt, Associate Pastor, I lidenwood Presbyterian Church,

Newport News, Virgin 1,1
Bradley Walker, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Lake Village, Arkansas
Thomas Walker, ( Graduate Study, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton,

New Jersey
Laurie Wallace, Graduate Study, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
Timothy Womack, Associate Pastor, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Palm Co >

Florida
Alan Wright, Pastor, Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina

Master of Arts in Youth Ministry

Barbara Benton
Ian Graham

Continued on page 4

Continuing

Education

Calendar

For further information or to register for courses, call or write:
Sara Covin Juengst, Director of Continuing Education, or
Robert S. Smith, Director of the Lay Institute of Faith and Life
Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA 30031/404-378-8821.

November 19Betwi I egrating Your Faith rNroYoi r Work

I hi \ seminar to help us understand our everyday workplace as an arena
f , ministr) aslait) and to develop strategies foi confronting the ethical
and relational difficulties we find there Leader BobSmith Cost $

fanuar) ' 5Jani vry Seminars for Ministers. See article on this page foi
more information

fanuan 2, 9, 16, 30 I wSch< oi oi Bibi i \nd Theology Seeartu leon tins
ee for more infoi mation

January 22-25 Coi i mbia Fori m. See article on this page for more informa-
tion,

January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 2 7 Morning 1 iySchooi oi n-u Bible. Studies
or the Resurre( tion w hal the I oui ( lospel Accounts Say to Us Todaj
i eader I WillOrmond Cost:$1 i

i ebruary 10-11 Tin Conti mporari ( hristian ujdHomei essness. Theological
reflection and hands-on night shelter experience broaden participants'
insights into this continuing crisis. I eaders: Shirley Guthrie, BobSmith,
and i eadership ream from Southwest Cluster ol Greater Atlanta Presby-
tery. Cost $25.

February L7-18 Faith \nd\ \i i es in Our Business, Professional, kndPi bi k
Life. An extended seminar for professional and business persons to
explore issues whi( h help shape our motivations, attitudes, values, and
approaches to our professional and business lives. Leader: Bob Smith.

Columbia, Princeton, and Union
sponsor Evangelism
Symposium

Presipi nts from imki i Presb) terian
seminaries joined forces ( Vtober 23-
26 in an unprecedented effort to focus
attention on a primary task of the
church in the twentieth < entury
evangelism. Seminary presidents
Douglas Oldenburg of Columbia
I lartley Hall of Union Seminary in
Virginia, and Thomas Gillespie ol
Princeton Seminary sponsored the
'Theological Symposium on Evan-
gelism" at Covenant Presbyterian
Church in Charlotte, North Carolina
They described their symposium .is
"an occasion tor serious theological
reflection on the task of evangelism/'
and their aim was to in\ olve parish
pastors who, they contend, are the
key leaders to this work in the
denomination.

The symposium was funded by
The Outreach Foundation, a Presby-
terian foundation with a priman
interest of strengthening church
growth by encouraging programs of
evangelism in the U.S. and abroad
The three seminaries united their
resources by providing faculty
lecturers. These speakers included
Walter Brueggemann, Beverly
Gaventa, and Shirley Guthrie from
Columbia; Diogenes Allen, Thorn

1 ong, and Da\ id Willis-Watkins from
Princeton; and Paul Achtemeu i
Charles Brown, and Richard Osmer
from Union.

Four major themes were addressed
during the tour-dav event: the histori-
cal/cultural sotting tor evangelism, the
biblical foundations tor evangelism, a
theological framework tor evangelism,
and the church's ministry of evangel-
ism. Eac h mam lecture was followed by
a time for reflection, ^nd the sympo-
sium ended with small group discus-
sions M~\d conclusions from the three
presidents.

The joint nature of the symposium
was significant David [enkins, execu-
tive director of The Outreach Founda-
tion, believes this symposium to be "the
high water mark tor this generation "

Composites oi the class of 1989 are
available from the ( >ffi< e ol Seminary

Relations, Columbia Seminarv, P.O.
Box 520, Decatur, GA 30031 '
C omposites have been mailed to all
1989 graduates.

Seminars for
Ministers

"Tin Pri u hi i \rtist Preparing for
I enl and Easter" is the title of a two-
da) course to be taught by the Rev.
Nancy Sehested in the fanuary Semi-
nars for Ministers at Columbia January
3-5,1990. Ms Sehested is an outstand-
ing preacher w ho received national

nit ion w hen she accepted a call to
Prescott Memorial Baptist Church in
Memphis, Tennessee, which caused
the church to be dismissed by the
Tennessee Baptist Convention. Her
ministry was featured in ^n article in
Sojourners last \ear. In this workshop
she will give consideration to a diver-
sity of resources in shaping and pre-
paring the sermon, including biblical
storytelling, poetry, music, and other
artistic expressions The care and
nurture of the preacher's own spiritual
journey will also be discussed.

In addition, a Bible study, "Lead-
ership tor the Restored Israel: A
Reading of Luke-Acts from the
Standpoint of Pastoral-Prophetic
Ministry, with Special Attention to
Luke 9," will be offered by Dr. Luke
Johnson of Indiana University. Dr.
Johnson is one of the nation's most
exciting New Testament teachers.

Other courses include "An
Introduction to the New Presbyterian
Hymnal" to be taught by Dr. Melva
Costen, "Theologj and Economics" by
President Douglas Oldenburg, and a
provocative and innovative course on
"Children and Worship" offered by
Dr. Sonja Stewart.

On fanuary 3 at 730, the seminary
will host a Hymn Festival" to cele-
brate the new Presbyterian hymnal.
The public is invited to join the semi-
nar participants for this event. The
public is also m\ ited to hear the mod-
erator of the PC(USA), the Rev. Joan
SalmonCampbell, preach at 12 noon
on January 4. She will preside over the
Moderator's Luncheon at 12:30 for
January Seminar participants.

Seminary offers
Winter Lay
School

C< M l \iiua Seminary's Lav Institute is
offering its winter Lay School of Bible
and Theology for four Tuesday
evenings in January. The dates are
January 2, 9, lb, and 30, 1990. Each
participant may choose one class from
the following:

Old Testament Bible Study Dr.
Walter Brueggemann

New Testament Bible Study Dr.
J. Davison Philips

I low Our Historv Shapes Our
Faith Dr. C.Benton Kline

Spiritual Growth for Maturing
Christians Dr. Robert Rame)

The registration fee for each
course is $25. To register, please mail
your name, address, choice of class,
and $25 to Lay School, Columbia
Seminarv, Box 520, Decatur, GA
30031, or call 404/378-8821.

Forum 1990
January 22-25

SMYTH LECTURER Archie Smith, Jr.,
Foster Professor of Pastoral Psychol-
ogy and Counseling, Pacific School of
Religion /Graduate Theological Union,
Berkeley, California.
A I UMNI/AE LECTURER Jack L.
Stotts, President, Austin Presbyterian
Theological Seminary, Austin, Texas.
FORUM PREACHERS Craig D.
Mason, Actor and Interim Pastorof
Bethlehem United Church of Christ
Church, Brooklyn, New York, and
( lary Demarest, Associate Director,
Evangelism ^ud Church Development
Ministry Unit, Presbyterian Church
(USA), Louisville, Kentucky.

1W graduates
Continued from pa

Doctor of Sacred
Theology

Louis Lothman, Jacksonville, Florida

Doctor of Ministry
(in Ministry)

Joe Abbott, Birmingham, Alabama
Stephen Birch, Clearwater, Florida
Neil Breland, North Augusta, South

Carolina
Carl Chrisner, Chattanooga,

Tennessee
Dent Davis, Knoxville, Tennessee
William Donaldson, Knoxville,

Tennessee
Curtis Fussell, Sanford, North

Carolina
John Haberer, Satellite Beach, Florida
David Hale, Rogersville, Tennessee
Joseph Handman, Lithonia, Georgia
Richard Hobson, Sanford, North

Carolina
Amos Hood, Gulfport, Mississippi
Martin Huggins, College Park,

Georgia
Ramon Hunt, Pinehurst, North

Carolina
John Kelley, Etowah, North Carolina
Philip Makari, Cumming, Georgia
Steve Mays, Whitmire, South Carolina
Thomas Mueller, Albany, Georgia
Nelle Mulligan, Greenville, South

Carolina
Thomas Norwood, Davidson, North

Carolina
Wendell Phillips, Lake Charles,

Louisiana
Daniel Philpot, Roswell, Georgia
Michael Rainey, Buffalo, New York
Eugene Robinson, Augusta, Georgia
Samuel Rutland, Covington, Georgia
Frank Sells, Knoxville, Tennessee
Angus Shaw, Johnson City, Tennessee
Jerry Shirley, San Diego, California
Oludotun Sholeye, Abeokuta, Ogun

State, Nigeria
Thomas Smiley, Hinesville, Georgia
Charles Steele,' Charlotte, North

Carolina
Jane Searjeant Watt, Minneapolis,

Minnesota
Rabbi Chaim Wender, Silver Spring,

Maryland

Continued on page 7

Oscar J. Hussel, left, and G. Thompson Brown

Academic dean and
professor retire

Oscar J. Hussel

Oscar J. Hussel has served as the dean
of faculty/vice president for academic
affairs at Columbia from 1978 until
1989, a time when the seminary has
been experiencing a tremendous surge
of growth and achieving national
stature. During his tenure, the enroll-
ment has doubled, the faculty in-
creased by a third, and the annual op-
erating budget quadrupled. He has
been instrumental in bringing to
Columbia outstanding new faculty
members and in developing innova-
tive programs of theological educa-
tion. Oscar Hussel has been a critical
component in bringing "new life on a
traditional campus," which was the
title of a recent feature article about
Columbia in a prominent religious
journal.

As dean, Oscar Hussel has com-
bined a deep knowledge of and respect
tor the history and traditions of
Columbia. He has exhibited a creative
openness to new and innovative ways
to nurture men and women as effec-
tive leaders in Christ's church. No one
could have been more helpful in the
smooth transition from one president
to another than Oscar Hussel.

In many ways, Oscar has exempli-
fied a "servant-leader." He has always
seen his tasks in terms of service to the
students and faculty of the seminary,
to the church, and to the world. Soft-
spoken and unassuming, he has held
his convictions with a healthy dose of
humility and lived in the tension
between tenacity and compromise,
which all community living requires.
He has been willing to take the lead,
but he has also been content to follow
the leadership of others.

He has been a good listener,
modeling a pastoral approach to
administration. Even though his da)
was packed with a thousand demands,
he has had time for everyone who
needed his counsel. On many occa-

sions, students have gone into his
office deeply discouraged and
emerged with new hope and opti-
mism; faculty members have often
confronted him with a list of griev-
ances and frustrations and have come
away with the assurance that he had
heard their concerns and would seek
to resolve them.

He has the ability to communicate
a sense of caring, but he has also been
able to make tough decisions when
they were needed. He could say "no"
to a request, and do so in a gracious
manner. Although he has never
seemed rushed, he has been amazingly
productive. A report requested one
day would often be finished the next.
A good administrator can keep several
balls in the air at one time, and Os< ar
has never dropped one of them. No
matter how hectic and harried his day,
he has never seemed ruffled.

His wit is contagious and has often
brought a smile to our faces. His
administrative assistant and registrar,
Elsie Urie, says of him: "Dr. Hussel is
a combination of a number of rare
qualities dry humor, wisdom,
pastoral concern and understanding
He is a good organizer and a lovei i 1
fine music. He has been an outstand-
ing 'boss!'"

Oscar has often illumined our
minds and brightened our days with
his skill as an etymologist. He loves to
trace the history and usage of words
On many public occasions, he would
take some familiar word and unpa> I
its hidden treasures to show us its
surprising relevance to the subject at
hand.

He is now beginning to enjoy a
well-deserved and long-overdue
sabbatical to pursue his first love
Christian education. After catching up
with the literature in the field, he plans
to write a book and make his own
contribution to the discipline. De-

pending on the seminary's needs next
fall, Oscar will return to teaching a
pari time 01 full-time professor or
officially retire from the fa ulrj

\t the spring meeting ol the Hoard
of Directors, I expressed ji the

large number ol applicants who were
eligible for scholarship consideration
In response, members ol the board
gave $21,250 in honoi and appro ia
Hon of Oscar I lussel toawara addi-
tional scholarships tor this a< ademic
year The l lussel Scholarship re< ipi
entsare Robe ampbell, Sallj I ostei
Scott Lawson, and Susan Newton

No one can fully measure the

contribution w hu h ( >SCai I lussel lias

made to Columbia Seminary and the
Christian church. The entue seminan
community and thousands ol students
who have studied at Columbia are
grateful to< lod foi the prh ilegeoi
having known him and worked with
him I le has made a different e in oui
lues, and together, Wi I hanks,

Oscar!"

President Douglas Oldenburg wrote
this tribute

Editor's Note / h Hussel \address
isP.O Bo> 181 Manque. M \5984

G. Thompson Brown

( Ieorgi Thompson Brown, distin-
guished churchman and associate
professor of world I hnstianitv at
( olumbia has "officially retired
although he has been persuaded to
continue to teach .\n oi i a lional i ourse
at the seminary.

Born in China oi missionary
parents, Dr. Brown served as a profes-
sor and president ol I lo Nam Semi-
nary in Korea and as the director ot the
Division of International Mission for
the Presbyterian Chun h,U.S Dr.
Brown joined the C olumbia fa< ulty in
1981 w inlo ( ontinuing to serve the
Division of International Mission as a
special consultant on China. I le spent
the summer oi '85 in shanghai stud)
mg Mandarin Chinese/ a language he
had learned as a child.

As China began slowly to open its
doors to the West, he played an
important role m reestablishing
contacts between Christians in Chm.i
and the Protestant churches of North
America. His personal friendships
with main of the < hristian leaders in
China has allowed him to explore at
greater depth theama/mg vitality of
the church in that land Dr. Brown has
led several travel seminars to China
through Columbia's Office of Continu
ing Education. One such seminar was
in Beijing last May during the student
demonstrations The Columbia group
left China shortly before the massacre
at Tiananmen Si [uare I lis book,
Christianity in the People's Republu oj
China, has been widely studied and
appreciated and is now in its second
edition. I le is also the author of
Presbyterians in World Mission.

In addition to his work for the
church, Dr. Brown and his wife
Mardia are the parents of five remark-
able children. Mary Brown Bullock
directs the Asia Program for the
Wilson International Center tor
Scholars in Washington, DC. Previ-
ously, she served as dire toi >t the

( ommittee on Scholarly I xchange
with the People's Republic of( tuna tor
theNatuMi.il Academy ol k " iem es
( leorge Brown diro tsthe< llobal
Awareness Program at Agnes Scott
< ollege i (e had been directoi ofad-
ministration foi I riendship I ours
international headquarters in Atlanta.
Bill Brov n an e< onomist, isdira toi ol

m h and planning for the State oi
S irginia s Departmenl ol International
i rade ( harlotte Brown i [ill it a
manage] with IBM in( >rlando She
has served asa i olunteei in mission In
Bangladesh foi the Presbyterian
( hun ii i S \iui Bruce Brow n is an
attorne) v\ ith a law firm in Atlanta
ha\ ins pre\ iouslj lerked foi I S
i luet [usri( e w arren Burgei In Wash
ington

I 'nun;,; In tune. is .i profeSSOl at

( olumbia I h Brown has taught
i ourseson world I hristianirj on
missionsand e< umenii i le ha been
an important i oil e on the* olumbia
i ampus foi the Internationa] mission
ol the* hun h. I le has reminded the

I olumbia i ommunit) ol the i ontinu
ing call to the Presbyterian < hur< h

II S \> to i" i I in mission w ith

i hur< hes in other lands, pointing al the
same time i" the i hanging situation foi
mission with the rapid grov> th and
i italih "i i hurchesin the "i hud
World i 'i and Mrs. Bi..w n have
been spe< i.ii friends to the interna
tional students al I olumbia, often
well oming them into theii home,
helping manj with diffi< nil periods ol
i ulture sho( k," and expressing the
warmth and hospitality ol < hristian
loveand fellowship. As Columbia's
program In Intel national theoli igi< al

.'.In, ation has developed, he hi

broughl his yeai iofe> pei ien< e to the

service Ol the seminary. In this ami
Othei Ways, 1'ommy Brown has been
an Integral pari ol the< olumbia i om-
munit) serving thechun h through
the seminal y with humor, tnte g i it)
and acai Ins gra< li >us spirit.

/ u i rskine I 'larke Profi \o\ o)
American Religious History at I olumbia,
wrote this tribute.

Admissions
weekends

COLI miii \ Si mi\ \k, . i iRDl \\ i i \i\\ It

who u ish toexplorea call to the

ition "i ministry to attend oneol
two ( onfen n< es on Ministry, Nov em
bei i" 12, 1989,01 February 23-25,
1990 i he ' i el em Is pn \\ ii le an

i '| '| lOrtunity to talk with students,

fat ultj and staff, to sit in on a class, to

worship with the seminary commu-
nity, and to ask about curriculum,
student housing, and finaiU lal aid.

( ollege students i >i i lersons
i onsideringa career change Into th<
ministry should register new foi a

i 1 1. 1 nee to explore ( olumbia Seminary.
I i >r infi m "iii.it ion on a weekend for
prospei tive students, contact Rebecca
Parker, Director of Admissions,
Columbia Seminary, Box 520, Decatur,
GA 30031 UH 378-8821.

For the Record

If you have recent news you would like to contribute to this section,

please send it to the editor.

McCoy Franklin '64, member ol Thomson (Th.M. 77) has mm ed to

Columbia's Board of I Krectors, has Lanark, which lies between Edinburgh

been called as pastoi ol I irst( hurch, and Glasgow, after 10 years at Hous-

[upelo, MS. Brian Childs, Associate ton Kirk, Houston, Scotland Heand

Professor of Practical rheolog) and Marlene are keen to reneu ( olumbia

Counseling at Columbia, hasbeen contai tsand saj theyhavea large

named book re\ iev\ editor ol Journalo) house with lots of room for

Pastoral Psychology Hetaughtthe visitors ...Robert Marvin '55 received

adull vacation Bible School al I irst a certificate as honorary citizen ol

c hurch,Selma, ,\I . m Augusl and Barreirinhas, Marantao forserviceto

attended the Society for Pastoral th( community in Sep! '88 HeUvesin

Theologj meeting in I >enver lord Pelotas, Brazil ...Shirley Guthrie,

King '80 is ass,, toi ol I irst Professor ot Systematic ttieologv at

c hurch, I lunts\ ill.- Columbia, gave two lectures at the

AL Christopher Noto '85 has been ( onferen< e on Bible and Theolog) al

called as associate pastor ol the Montreat in July, [n September he

Rivermont Church in lectured and preached at the Lynn

c hattanooga. Charles Swann '68 is I lavenC hurch in I ynn I laven, I L,and

stated supply of First ( hurch I anton, at the Pickens Church in Pickens, SC

GA WadeHuie '4b. Professor of Sara Little, Visiting Professor at

I [omiletics at Columbia, preached ma c olumbia, taught at San Francisco

number ot churches o\ er the summer. Seminary lor si> weeks in the Doctor
including the Fifth A\ enue ( hurch in of Mmistrv summer session She
New York C it\ completed a report on a major five-
Several alums and students were year Lilly-funded project to Union
married recently. They are. Paul Seminar) in Richmond on youth
Kirbas '88 and lenniter Parker on June ministry and theological
3, David Jones (M U M '88) and schools Lee Bowling '78 is co-
Carrie Jo Richards on Mav 14; Susan pastor at the Adel, GA,

Denne'89and David Stovei on May Church Daniel Nail '80 is associate

2d. Taylor Philips '85 ^nd Barbara pastor of the Zionvillc, IN,

Bozeman on June 3; Gerri Montfort C hurch Elaine McRobbie (D.Min.

(D.Min. '87) and Larry Bates '86 on 79) is director ot pastoral services at

Aug 12; Mark Bryan '87 and Robin Central State Hospital, Anchorage,

C lignilliat on lime 17; Susan Bryan '85 .

and lerrv Beet/ on Aug. 26; Jim DinTIJ c

Nelson '89 and Jams lllmg on July 22, BIK I HS

Tod Linaf elt '91 and Rebecca Nelson, ro Warner Durnell 78 and Sandra, a

Mike Murdock '90 and Amy Perkins, daughter, Erica Nicole, Mav 2, 1989.

Glenn Gilstrap '91 and Kathv To Marilyn Washburn '81 and Bill, a

Sizemore, Colleen Bolkom '91 and son j ohn David, Aug 28, 1989

Matt Allison '91, Barbara Benton , , )n Il1 s2 cin j Cathryn C ameron, a

(M.A.Y.M. '89) and Bradley IK nt, all son Wi n iam Loyd, May 25. 1989

on Aug. 26; Laurie Wallace '89 and To Matthew (D.Min. '84) and Ann

John Barbour '88 on Aug. 1^; Merritt Qn ^eton, a daughter, Elizabeth

Nickinson '84 and Robert Schatz on Armstrong, April 17, 1988

June 3; Karen Walkup '88 and Dick T() Martha C hnkscales '85 and Jerrv

Newsome '90, Aug 5; Tim Foster '91 Artopoeus, a son, Samuel Alan, Sept

and Rene Ware on Aug. 12. 28 1989

Walter Brueggemann, Professor To j s - and Apnl Hammet, a daugh-

of Old Testament at Columbia, taught ter R acnae i Elizabeth, Aug. 10, 1989

at Auburn Seminary, Princeton To Doug ' 8 7 anc j Grace C amei I >n

Seminary, Loyola University, and at (M.A.T.S. '90) I lood, a son, Nathaniel

the Music and Worship Conference at Cameron, April 13, 1989,

Montreat during the summer I lis To Stephen '87 and Cathy \ickle,a

articles appeared in Reformed I Hurgy son Christopher Everett Morell, Aug.

and Music, Journal foi Preachers, Educa ig | (IS >,

Hon tor Citizenship and l Hst ipleship; his To Bob ,' g9 ind sheUa EiirlV/ a sori/

book reviews appeared in Theology Robert Samuel, April lb, 1989.

Today and Catholic Biblu al Quarterly. To Bob - 90 and Beth Recs0 a son<

Dr. Brueggemann receh ed the Award gamuel Delanv, Mav 26, 1989.

of Merit for Theological Reflection ro Nathan '90 and Sherri Wheelei a

from the Associated Church Press tor son p atnc i N Nathan, Julv 23, 1989.

his article, "A World Available tor To Bob - gi and Nora Veazev, a son

Peace Images of Hope from Jeremiah p oster Kennedy, August 1 5, 1 989

and Isaiah," which appeared in the To Dana g 2 and Bill I lughes, a son,

January issue of Sojourners. Me William Harland III, Sept 3, 1989.

attended the Executive Committee To Lucy Rose Assistant Professor ot

meeting of the Society of Biblical Preaching and Worship at Columbia,

Literature in Decatur in and Gerrv Cook (M.A.Y.M. '90), a

September F.W. Widmer '44 is daughter, Lucy Mcihvame, Mav 28,

teaching as adjunct professor at the | UV)
Beeson Divinity School, Samford
University, in Birmingham.

Dan Hamby '77 has begun DEATHS

graduate work in litrugical studies at Robert Boyd '38 (Th.M. '39), March 25,

the University of Notre Dame John 198 1 '

i in \fiul 22, two powerhouses o) Presbyterian theology met on the gridiron. The flag
football teams of Columbia and Union Seminary m Richmond met at Davidson College
foi an aftei noon oj tun, fellowship, and flag football Following the game, the Columbia
and Union entourages enjoyed a Union-sponsored cookout, whereplans were made for
next year's %ame and cookout Don't miss it' I inal score: Columbia 58, Union 22
( 'olumbia players wereifront row, l-> ): Clay Faulk, John McLean. Jim Weldon, Kris
Allison, Jeff Lewis, Chuck Hasty; (second row) Ian Stake, Brad Walker. Mike Murdock,
Shawn Barkley, Todd Jenkins; (third row) Tully Hunter, Dare Gibbs, Jon Wallace, Bob
Early, EdPettus

KY Sidney Harmon (D.Min. '87)

has been called as stated supply ot the

Woodstock, GA, Church Homer

Kimmons '76 is pastor of the Rock-
mart, GA, Church M.O. Stalcup '61

has been named executive director of
the Lakewood, CO, Retirement
Foundation.

Philip Gehman '68, Vice Presi-
dent for student Life, Professor Brian
Childs, and Robert Ramey, Professor
of Ministry at Columbia, served on the
design and leadership team for the
initial event of the Synod of South
Atlantic's New Ministers Support
Program at the meeting at St. Sim< ns
Island in September. Dr. Ramey
studied the church m tour socialist
countries during a trip to southeastern
1 mope and studied at the Center for
Parish Development in Chicago. He
preached at the Bethany, GA, Church

and the Griffin, GA, Church Allen

Fairfax, '84 has entered the Ph.D.
program in ethics and society at

Boston College Susan Darnell

Fairfax '84 is doing graduate study in
ethics and theology at Harvard

Divinity School Melana Scruggs '87

has entered the Ph.D. program in
sociology at the University of

Florida William Anderson '71 has

become chaplain at the V.A. Medical
Center in Asheville, NC.

Robert Carroll '81 is a private

couselor in Atlanta Kirk Nesbit '51

was honorably retired from the
Manchester, Warm Springs, and First
Church, Manchester, GA, Churches on
Feb. 25 Glenn Bucher, Vice Presi-
dent for Academic Affairs at Colum-
bia, attended the Lilly Foundation
Conference on Faculty Reserach and
Development in Indianapolis, at the

invitation of the foundation James

Newsome '55, Professor of Old
Testament at Columbia, is part-time
interim pastor of St. Luke's Presb\ L
nan Church in Atlanta. He has com-
pleted the manuscript of a textbook,
Persians and Greeks, Roman'- and /errs.
lli-tm/. I iteratui, and Theology of the
Intertestamental Period During the
summer, Dr. Newsome preached and
taught adult classes in a number of
churches, including First Church,

Shreveport; First Church, Auburn; and

Trinity Church, Atlanta Larry

Crocker '62 has become pastor of the
Petersen Church in Columbia, SC.

Mark Wilburn '73 is rector of St.
Paul's Episcopal Church and Episco-
pal chaplain to Kilgore College,

Kilgore, TX Jasper Keith (S.T.D.

79), Professor of Pastoral Care and
Counseling at Columbia, is interim
pastor of First Church, LaGrange, GA.
He supervised a unit of basic clinical
pastoral education at St. Joseph 's
Hospital in Atlanta during the sum-
mer and gave four lectures at a pas-
toral care symposium sponsored by
Baptist Hospital in Pensacola in

September Yale Gunn '54 is pastor

of the Amity and Timber Ridge,

Greenville, TN, Churches Calvin

Chesnutt '51 is associate executive
presbyter for Sheppards and Lapsley
Presbyter)' in Montgomery.

John Patton, Professor of Practical
Theology at Columbia, gave three
lectures to the North Carolina Chap-
lains Association in Raleigh in
May Christine Wenderoth, Associ-
ate Librarian at Columbia, was elected
to the Board of the American Theologi-
continuedon p

Vantage

Vol. 81, No. 2, Fall 1989
Published quarterly by
Columbia Theological Seminary
Circulation: 25,000

The Department of Development/
Seminary Relations

Editor: Juliette Harper
Director of Publications
and Publicity

Postmaster: Send address

changes to Vantage

Columbia Theological Seminary

P.O. Box 520

Decatur, G A 30031-0520

For the Record
Continued from pa

cal I ibrary Association. She attended
her first board meeting at the fune
ATLA annual conference in Colum-
bus, OH. Sidney Leak '83 received
the Doctor of Ministry degree from
McCormick Seminary in

June George McDonald '78 is

pastor of First Church, Springfield,

TN Sara juengst '83, Director of

Continuing Education at Columbia,
was a Bible study loader at the Mon-
treat Evangelism Conference in July,
spoke on the Church in China at First
Church, Birmingham, and served on
the Planning Committee for National
Conference on Church Childcare, in
August She led a training workshop
for adult class facilitators at the
I V,u htree Church, Atlanta, a retreat
tor Presbyterian women of Flint River
Presbytery and chaired the task force
on campus ministry tor ( ireater
Atlanta Presbyter\

Warner Durnell '78, Karen
Edwards '90, and John Sharp '71
participated in the closing worship
service of the bicentennial General

Assembly C. Benton Kline, Visiting

Instructor and President Emeritus of
Columbia, attended a meeting of the
Task Force on Ordination and taught
the "Theology of Stewardship" in the
synod school of the Synod of Living
Waters. He led a congregational
retreat for Harundale Church, Glen
Burnie, MD, and was a member of the
Special Fact Finding committee to visit
Southeastern Baptist Seminary for the
Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools, Dr. Kline had an article,
"Some Thoughts on Preaching on
Work," in the Pentecost '89 issue of

Journal for Preachers J. Harley

Chapman '65 recently published a
book, Jung's Three Theories of Religious
Experiem e. William Hatcher '53 is
executive presbyter of Coastal Caro-
lina Presbytery Douglas Hughes

'83 is chaplain of 2nd Mar Air Wing
FM/FLANT, Cherry Point, NC

(Navy) Tyson Hope '63 has been

called as interim pastor for First
Church, Logan, WV.

Mike Castronis '88 is ,iss,n. late
pastor of the Delray Beach, FL,

Church Ben Johnson, Professor of

Evangelism and Church Growth at
Columbia, has led evangelism work-
shops for Pittsburgh Presbytery and
for Presbytery of Northern Waters. He
spoke at conferences on evangelism at
Union Seminary in Richmond and tor
the Synod of the Sun at Austin Semi-
nary. Dr. Johnson was preacher tor the
bicentennial celebration of First
Church, Kannapolis, NC. 1 [e contin-
ues as interim minister for the North

Avenue Church in Atlanta Jeanne

Stevenson Moessner, Adjunct
Professor Practical Theology, has had
her book, Theological Dimensions oj
Maturation m n Missionary Milieu,
published by Peter Lang
Publishers. ...Jim Burton '87 has been
called as pastor to the Watsons Run,
Meadeville, and Harmonsburg, PA,
Churches. He is coordinator for West
Crawford County Cooperative Parish
and was summer director at Camp

Lambec, Lake Erie Presbytery Joyce

Rimes '73 is organizing minister of
Central Florida Presb\ ter\ new church

de\ elopment.

Martha Harp '88 is parish associate

at First Church, Lincoln, NE Lee

Carroll '68, Director ol Supervised
Ministry at Columbia, led a session
retreat for the Northwoods Chun h.
Doraville, GA I le is involved with At-
lanta's Capitol Area Ministry, Inc and
the Centra I Church in long-range
planning processes Mr. Carroll
worked with field educators from
PC(USA) theological schools m writing
"Guidelines tor Theolgoical Field
Education m PC (USA) Theological
Schools. "....Laura Rains '88 is interim

n iate pastoi .it First Church,

LaGrange, GA Charles Evans '78 h

been appointed to a three-year term by
Food for the I lungrv International 1 le
is based in [apan and also will be
serving in India, Thailand, and Bangla-
desh. In addition, he is serving .is ,\n as-
sociate missionary for the PC(USA).

Frederick O. Bonkovsky, Professor
of Christian Ethics at Columbia
attended the 15th Ministerial Confei
ence of the World Food Council in
Cairo and represented U.S. and other
Christian perspectives to the Secretaries
of State, Agriculture, and various
national delegations I le spoke on U.S.
Churches and World Food Policy at the
meeting of the International Non-
governmental Organizations in Rom.
and attended the policy sessions ol the
United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organization in Italy. Dr. Bonkovsky
addressed the Religion and Social
Sciences Seminar at the Universes <>!

Heidelberg, Germany Randal Kirby

'82 is co-pastor ol I irst Church, Empo-
ria, V A, and of Aberdour Church,
Jarratt, VA.

David Moessner, Associate
Professor of New Testament at Colum-
bia, was elected by the 201st General
Assembly to the Presbyteries' Coop-
erative Committee on Examinations
for Candidates, class of 1993 Re-
becca Parker, Director of Admissions
and Financial Aid at Columbia, taught
a workshop at the Mo Ranch Women's
Conference and was moderator oi the
General Assembly Procedures Com-
mittee. She has taught a series at both
the Lawrenceville, GA, Church and at
First Church, Atlanta. Ms. Parker was
keynote speaker for the Presbyterian
Women of the Northminster Church,

Macon, GA David Gunn, Professor

of Old Testament at Columbia, led a
workshop at Perkins School of Theol-
ogy for the Women's Week program,
"Women of Faith in Story," and, with
co-author Danna Nolan Fewell, tool
part in a dramatized reading of their
own retelling of Ruth. He spoke on
biblical narrative to a session ot the
International Association of Philoso-
phy and Literature at Emory Univer-
sity and attended the Advisory
Council oi Interpretation at Union
Seminary in Richmond.

1989 graduates

Continued from page 4

David Whiteley, Richmond, Virginia

Master of Theology

Jerome Boone, Cleveland, Tennessee
Harry Cain, Stone Mountain, Georgia
Adolfo Ruiz, Heredia, Costa Rica

Development I Seminary Relations

By James F. Dickenson

Vice President, Developmen t/Seminary Relations

Minus a crystal ball

Wi ii wi n\ years before theend o\
this centu ry a nd t he beginning of an
oilier. Columbia Seminar} hasmuch
o\-\ its agenda for the future, but unfoi

tunately there is no cr\ stal ball to use
in assessing what the needs will be
For much ot this , entUl \ the

seminar) worked hard to survive but

then m the 70's, things took a turn

upward. The momentum began to
grow to such an extent thai toda) we
are working hard just to keep up We
need more ol ever) thing to do Mi'' kind
ot work, and perform the u peso! tasks
which would be helpful to thechun ii
and to the seminai j

Wehavea "Toward 2000" study
which helps pomt the wa) and i on
tams information and proje< tions foi
the next mam years However, when
w e attempt to look at spe< ifics and ask
pointed questions, the effort bei i imej
somewhat more coniplu ated

Take the curru uhnn. foi example

We are about to undertake a thorough
curriculum review and study Some of
the questions facing us are: What do
we teach? Why should we tea* h it?
Howcanitbeeffectivel) taught? The
seminary cannot possibly teach evei \
thing needed for toda) | astorate
Only so much can be< rammed into a
three-year span ol study, and the lid is
already tight.

Faculty. I low man) more fat ult)
members does the seminar) need to
handle the current and future de-
mands- I low (\^ we pa) .i h\ ing
for additional facult) ' I low do we
arrive at pnontu

Students. How many students
should we prepare for and how much

space will they need ? Out he one

hand, the student pool is decreasing;

"n theothei we are beginning to read
reports ol a - oming shortage in < lei
ov ei Hi' next 10 years

Physical ITant. 1 low many build-
ia ill be needed ? it ma) be
Tutu nil to believe but the I [anir
ton i entei (the firsl new building in
the pasl ! yeai ;) isalread) running
to i apai it) i here is ample e\ idero e
we \\ ill need anothei building oi two
t>> handle programs w e alreadj ha\ e

on tin- dr.iw nig board. What .il I

i M 1 1 .nt buildings? The ie need
reno^ ation and upkeep toensure thai
the) will be usable well into 10 10
New Programs. What new pro
irm a ill i"- needed foi the nexl 10
I 10 years ' What kinds ol sen ices

will the lOCal * lunches nerd Imm the

ninai ies? I [istoi \ demonstrates
thai new needs surface often, pai ti< u
larly in a so< iet) a i \ olatile and
( hanging as ours is

Equipment Along with new
people and programs i ome equip
menl needs w hi h are a growing
expen >< foi all seminaries We na
lust recently installed a major com-
pute] n< twork, but this isonlj the
beginning,

I ne wishes ioi ,i i rystal ball to
woi i "iii .ill ol the abo\ e, bul in the
absem eol su< h, we must rely <n-\ the
besl thinking, information projei

Ik ins, opinions, and hopes, along

with an effoi i to utilize priorities, to
,h in,\ ethe needs and goals foi the

seminary and the I Inn. h foi the n
ID I.' 'ii years It is that important.

In early 1990 you will be hearing
aboul some of the decisions we will
ha\ e made Rest assured there will
bi i ither de< isions following as the

do. ade unfolds. Stay tun. -I

The first group o) Thompson Scholars, Columi program to train informed lead

ershipinevan byteriani hurch(USA) met on the campus in April

The scholars were (front row, I r) Dt Cecil Thompson, David Rowe, Reserve, NM;
Virginia Nowack, Sym use, NY; Marilyn Luet ke, < rm innati, OH; Doris ( ampbell,
mbus OH; Gary Close Lowe) Burrell,PA Bryan Mickle, Fort Walton Beach, Fl
Edwin Hurley, Monroe, I b (back re deni I Hdenburg; Kenneth White, Eighty

Four, PA; Ken Applegate Menands, N) . Hugh Anderson, Manitowoi . \Nl, Am
Guekguezian rs W Edmund Freeborn, Gloversville, NY; Ron Bowie, Dallas

TX; Daniel Meyer, BurlingameA \ Professoi Benjohnson The second group o)
Thompson Scholars began their 12 day program on I >< tober29.

/ rank Willey and Fmn Ruthven

Two positions filled

Columbia Theological Seminary has
announced two appointments: Frank
T. Willey as regional director < >t
development and Frances J. Ruthven
as associate dean of students. Both
administrators have begun their work
at the seminary

Mr. Willey's work will include
extensive travel to maintain contact
with churches, presbyteries, ministers,

and friends of the seminary. He will
also coordinate the alumni/ae pro-
gram and Columbia Friendship
Circle program for the seminary and
be actively involved in the semi-
nary's upcoming campaign.

Mr. Willey has most recently
been director of pastoral services for
Community General Hospital and
associate pastor at First Presbyterian

Church in Sterling, Illinois. He has
been admissions counselor and acting
director of admissions for Austin Pres-
byterian Theological Seminary, from
which he earned the Master of Divin-
ity degree with highest honors. Mr.
Willey also holds the Master of Arts m
Religion degree from the University of
Dubuque Seminary

Ms. Ruthven will have part-time
responsibility in the areas of pastoral
care, where she will give special atten-
tion to international students and the
families of seminarians; community
life, in which she designs and imple-
ments programs which include all
members of the seminary community;
and three student organizations, for
which she serves as staff liaison.

Ms. Ruthven has been assistant
director oi admissions .u Agnes Scott
College, consultant to the Campus Life
Division at Emory University, and
assistant dean of students/coordina-
tor of admissions at Harvard Divinity
School.

An ordained minister in the
United Church of Chirst, she served as
pastor of a UCC congregation in
Columbus, Georgia Ms Ruthven
earned the Master of Divinity degree
from Harvard and is currently a
student in the Master of Theology
degree program at Columbia.

Computers open
card catalog

"One of the most exciting capabilities
of the new Columbia Seminary
computer system is the ability to put
the library's card catalog In as many
places on campus as there are com-
puter terminals," Jim Over beck,
library director, said. "Imagine being
able to locate a book from an office or
other locations rather than just the
single card catalog in the library
reading room."

In March, the library component
of the campus network computer
system was installed. The library first
used the new computer system for
trac king its book orders But in [uly it
began loading in information on the
seminary's books in the Library of
Congress system. In August, the
library had the new disk system
running and available to students and
faculty members.

The system now available in the
library can locate a book by author,
title, subject, or other search keys.
Before long, the system will be able to
locate a book by a key word in its title.

"Because of the way the system is
setup, we're able to get information in,
stored, and retrieved, all at the least
possible expense," said Dr. Overbeck.
"The system lets us maximize the
distribution of information on books in
the library."

Vantage

P.O. Box 520

Decatur, Georgia 30031

CONTENTS

New academic dean named 1

162nd year begins 1

From the President 2

Visiting Professor 2

Commencement 1989 3

Placements 3

Continuing Education Calendar I

Evangelism Symposium 4

Tributes to dean and professor 5

Admissions conferences 5

For the Record 6

Minus a crystal ball 7

New appointments 8

Computers access card catalog 8

Second Class
Postage
Paid at
Decatur, GA

Publication No. 124160

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY