VOL. 65, NO. 1 / JANUARY 1971 NEWS BULLETIN FROM COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DECATUR, GEORGIA FUND TO HONOR PRESIDENT RICHARDS ANNOUNCED Faculty And Board Set Pace Pace-setting pledges totaling over $63,- 000 have been made by members of Columbia's Faculty and Board of Di- rectors to the J. McDowell Richards Fund for Graduate and Continuing Edu- cation. The fund, launched by the Board at their November meeting, seeks to honor Dr. Richards for his nearly 40 years of service as President of Co- lumbia and to provide endowment for new programs that he has helped estab- lish. Dr. J. Davison Philips, Chairman of Columbia's Board, announced that the campaign to establish the fund will also include plans for personal gifts and op- portunities to pay tribute to Dr. Richards at the time of his retirement. The Board's Committee on the President reported progress in their efforts to secure a suc- cessor for President Richards, but were unable to give a firm time-table for the completion of their work. Plans for the Richards Fund include a first stage $500,000 campaign to be increased in two later stages to $1 mil- lion. Solicitation will be conducted among alumni and friends throughout the seminary's constituency and the Pres- byterian Church, U.S. Special emphasis will be placed on solicitation in the Synod of Georgia where Dr. Richards has served during his entire ministry. Graduate and continuing education was chosen for support through the Richards Fund because of Dr. Richards interest in this expanding portion of Columbia's program. Early in his Presi- dency the Master of Theology program was established and in the last two years Dr. Richards has led Columbia into a doctoral degree program. The doctoral program is offered in cooperation with the other Atlanta area seminaries through the Atlanta Theological Associa- tion in which Dr. Richards has played a leading role. Pastoral concerns are prominent in Columbia's present graduate and con- tinuing education programs. This pattern will be followed in the expanded program envisioned in the Richards Fund. Each program seeks to help the pastor further develop his professional competency in the pastoral role. During January a special film strip highlighting Dr. Richards leadership at Columbia and the goals of the Richards Fund will be released. Copies will be available through the Seminary's De- velopment Office. Innovative Visiting Faculty Program Begins Miss Lena Clausell, Associate to the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Lake Charles, Louisiana, will be Co- lumbia's first Visiting Instructor in Pro- fessional Ministry. The innovative VI PM program is a first for Presbyterians. The aim of the program is to help bring together aca- demic excellence and professional com- petence within the seminary setting. Each quarter a visiting instructor with demonstrated competence in one of these three areas: a staff specialist from one of the denominational boards or agencies; a person engaged in some specialized and/ or experimental ministry; or a person engaged in some office of min- istry in a traditional typical congrega- tional setting, will be invited to live on the campus. Selection of persons invited to participate in the program was made by the pastoral area faculty members and approved by the entire faculty. (Continued on page 3) Grad-Continuing Ed. Focus Academic Dean Ben Kline envisions new avenues of service for Columbia in the years ahead. Many of the new pro- grams will be in graduate and continu- ing education. They will be carefully co- ordinated with the Seminary's first pro- fessional degree programs. "As we seriously consider, and plan for. the Doctor of Ministries degree as a first degree option," Dr. Kline said, "we are finding certain specific needs of pastors that can best be met with a care- fully planned program of graduate and continuing education." Some of the educational needs of ministers will be met through degree granting graduate programs. Many others will be met with both short and extended continuing education programs. Among the specific needs defined by Columbia's planning committee and included in cur- (Continued on page 2) Varied Program For February Ministers' Week Dr. Martin E. Marty, Associate Dean of the Divinity School and Professor of Modern Church History at the University of Chicago and Associate Editor of The Christian Century, will be the Smyth Lecturer during Ministers' Week Febru- ary 1-3, 1971. The annual Alumni Luncheon will be Tuesday. February 2, during Ministers' Week, and the program will be presented by the Historical-Doctrinal Area faculty. Dr. Marty's lectures will center around "Continuing Confrontations in Amer- ican Religion," with topics including: "Urban versus Rural," "The South and the Rest of the World," and "Consent and Dissent in American Religious Life." Several Columbia students are prepar- ing media presentations to parallel Dr. Marty's lectures. These will include tapes, slides, music, and dramatic scenes. Also after each presentation there will be some type of audience response, in the form of panel reactions and discussions. A world-known teacher, lecturer and author. Dr. Marty is the author of these recent books: The Search for A Usable Future, The Modern Schism and (Continued on page 4) SCENES AROUND COLUMBIA THIS FALL First row (left to right): for the second time in recent months a truck knocked down the entrance gate; Executive Secretairies from supporting synods gathered for annual consultation with CTS staff Tom Kay (E. Ala.), L. E. Woodward (Everglades), and Bob Earnest (Augusta-Macon) talk with Prof. Bass. Convenant Players visit campus for drama workshop. Second row: students share in Dr. Richards birthday celebration. 1970-71 Student Government Officers: Caroline Leach, sec, Jim McNaull, treas., Jim Watkins, v-pres., Wayne Griffin, pres. Third row: Columbia had display encour- aging: ''Consider These Ministeries" next to moon rock at Augusta, Ga. Fair. Dr. Jorge Lara-Braud, Director of the Hispanic-American Institute talks with stu- dent David Swindall and Missions Prof. Bass during campus visit. Mrs. Joseph Patrick presides at fall meet- ing of Mission Haven Board. Students At Mission Board Meeting Four Columbia students attended the fall meeting of the Board of World Missions of the Presbyterian Church, U.S., in Nashville, Tenn., which prob- ably marked the first time students have attended such a meeting. Tom Malone, Whitmire, S. C, Bruce Davis, Atlanta, Ga., Ron Botsford, St. Petersburg, Fla., Breck Castleman, New Orleans, La., and Columbia Missions Professor Richard Bass acted as observ- ers at the meeting. Their trip was part of requirements for a missions course. Grad-Continuing Ed. (Continued) rent program projections arc study dis- ciplines and educational materials over extended periods, special interests and areas not included adequately in first de- gree programs, sabbatic studies and training opportunities between pastorates. The realization of plans now being formed will depend on adequate financ- ing. "So far we have been conducting both the graduate and continuing educa- tion with the same faculty that we use for the basic degree program," Dean Kline observed. "We will need to add faculty to implement our plans so that adequate time will be available for these returning students," he said. Financial support through grants and fellowships is also needed. These needs will be met by the support anticipated through the recently announced Mc- Dowell Richards Fund for Graduate and Continuing Education. Faculty Profile . . J. Richard Bass . . where is the meaning?" Dick Bass spent five of what he calls "the most exciting years of my life" as a missionary in Mexico. And although he has been on the Columbia faculty as an Associate Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Director of Field Edu- cation for three years, he still is excited about Mexico and loves to talk about it. The walls of his office are lined with Mexican posters, maps, matadors, and his bookshelf is lined with books about Mexico. He went to Mexico City in 1961 as a missionary to teach at the Presby- terian Theological Seminary of the Mex- ican National Church after graduating from Presbyterian College, Clinton, S. C, and Columbia Seminary, and doing grad- uate study at New College, University of Edinburg, Scotland. He started studying Spanish, and be- fore a year had passed he was teaching Greek in Spanish to seminary students. "By the way, Greek is easier to learn in Spanish," Dick says. "Because of the seminary's lack of money and faculty members, I found myself doing a lot there I wasn't quali- fied for. I taught almost everything from Greek to preaching." Mr. Bass stayed in Mexico City for five years. During this time he really got to know the Mexican people and their culture in all parts of the country when he travelled with students on preaching engagements on weekends. "When we went out on weekends, we were never quite sure of the food we would have, and most of the facilities were pretty bad. A typical breakfast would be eggs with hot peppers, tor- tillas, beans, and coffee. I always ate what I was served, and I earned the re- spect of the Mexican people." In 1966 Dick participated in a re- treat with three Roman Catholic Priests for worship and Bible study. This was the first time Protestants and Roman Catholics had gotten together for such a meeting in Mexico. Soon thereafter he got an invitation to speak at a Catholic seminary, and a priest was invited to speak at their Presbytery meeting. "The Mexican Presbyterian Church was upset because of the statement I made saying I had never felt the pres- ence of the Spirit more than at the retreat with the Roman Catholic priests. They felt I shouldn't be teaching at a Presbyterian seminary with my eccu- mcnical views, so after a close vote I was asked to resign from the seminary." "Teaching missions at Columbia since my stay in Mexico has given me a greater perspective of the complicated world and the frustrations which we are experienc- ing in the field of world missions." Mr. Bass says it is difficult teaching missions because the students, for the most part, have not had the basic ex- periences necessary to know what the mission field is all about. He says he believes with this student generation that "If there is not involvement where is the meaning?" He put his involvement ideas to work in a new course called "Para-Congrega- tion Ministries" where the student him- self is responsible for choosing and de- veloping a different type of ministry. Mr. Bass says these ministries have ranged from high-rise apartment dwellers to motorcycle gangs, and he terms the course a success. While Mr. Bass is not teaching Mis- sions he is busy coordinating field educa- tion activities for students outside the classroom. All the requests for supply preachers come through his office too. Mr. Bass enjoys teaching at Columbia, and is especially impressed with the sup- port given to members of the faculty here, from the President on down. He and his family live near the campus, and his four children, Dick, Dardie, Hank, and Lois, all attend near- by Winnoa Park School. His wife Marion teaches creative rhythms at Decatur Presbyterian Church's kindergarten. The Bass family enjoys camping, fish- ing, and all outdoor sports. Mr. Bass played basketball in high school, but says he just watches it now. Most any holiday you can find him fishing for speckled trout or heading to the beach with his family. Information Services Added Mrs. Alice W. Thrasher has joined the Columbia staff as Director of Informa- tion Services. Her duties include sending news releases taking pictures, producing newsletters, and writing materials for development programs. She works part- time for Columbia, and is also Public Relations Director for the Atlanta As- sociation for Retarded Children. Mrs. Thrasher re- ceived a B.A. degree in Journalism and a M.A. degree in Spe- cial Education for the Mentally Retarded from the University of Alabama at Tus- caloosa. She previous- ly taught the mentally retarded for one semester, and worked with the Florida Legislative Service Bureau. She and her husband Jerry moved to Atlanta from Tallahassee. Fla., in Au- gust. Mr. Thrasher is a librarian at the Woodruff Library at Emory University. Visiting Faculty (Continued) Miss Clausell will be living on the Columbia campus during the winter quarter January through March in a function that Dean C. Benton Kline calls a "kind of scholar in residence." She will teach one course in the Pastoral Area, and will talk infor- mally in groups and seminars with stu- dents to try to bridge the gap between class- room learning and actual work with a congregation. This new program is just another means of helping the faculty achieve its compre- hensive objectives according to Dean Kline. Miss Clausell is a native of Roscoe, Texas. She received a B.A. degree from Austin College, Sherman, Texas, and a Master's degree in Religious Education from the Assembly's Training School (Presbyterian School of Christian Edu- cation), Richmond, Virginia. Among her varied duties she has served as Director of Christian Educa- tion for the Presbytery of Central Texas and for the Presbytery of Western Texas. From 1965-68 she served as Associate Executive Secretary of the Synod of Texas in leadership education and con- ference programs. In January 1969 she became asso- ciate to the pastor in program resources and leadership development at the Lake Charles First Presbyterian Church. SIX DIRECTORS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA Seated: Mogrll and Weersing. Standing: Horton, Jackson and Wilson. Columbia's Board of Directors in- cludes three laymen and three ministers representing the Synod of South Caro- lina. The laymen are Harold Jackson, Cheraw; Arthur Magill, Greenville; and Patrick C. Smith, Columbia. The min- isters are the Rev. T. W. Horton, Jr., Charleston; the Rev. John A. Wilson, Columbia; and the Rev. Marc C. Weer- sing, Clinton. The Board of Directors is composed of 25 men elected by the synods of Ala- bama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina, the five synods which support Columbia. The Board meets semi- annually to set policies for Columbia, and permanent committees work closely with faculty and students and study various aspects of seminary life. Harold Jackson of Cheraw was elected to the board in 1967, and is currently serving on the Planning and Develop- ment Committee. Mr. Jackson has two sons who work with him in his business associations with the Humble Oil Com- pany and Hardee Hamburger franchises. He is a member of the Cheraw First Presbyterian Church. Arthur Magill, a member of the Board since 1966, is from Greenville and is Chairman of the Board, Her Majesty Industries, Inc., Mauldin, S. C. He is a member of the Executive and Investment Ccmmittees and the Investment and Audit permanent committee. He has served as a Deacon of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greenville, and was chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee. Also he has served on the Building Council, and is currently serv- ing as an elder and a session representa- tive on the Service Committee. Mr. Ma- gill is very active in civic and cultural endeavors in Greenville, and he is a member of the Board of Visitors of Furman University. Patrick C. Smith of Columbia, the state auditor for South Carolina, has worked with state government in various positions since 1936. He has served on the Columbia Board since 1 965, and is currently a member of the Investment and Audit Committee. He has served as a deacon and is an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, and served on the Presbytery Committee on Stewardship. His wife is active in church work also and is secretary to the Exec- utive Secretary of the Synod of South Carolina. The Rev. T. W. Horton. Jr. of Charles- ton will complete his present term on the board in 1971. He is Executive Secretary of the Charleston Presbytery, and a former pastor of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. He is a 1948 grad- uate of Columbia Seminary, and is cur- rently serving on the Investment and Audit Committee of its Board of Di- rectors. The Rev. John A. Wilson of Columbia, who is also a graduate of Columbia, has been serving in the Board since 1968. He is on the Committee on Studnt Life. Dr. Wilson is pastor of the Arsenal Hill Presbyterian Church, and has served as moderator of Congree Presbytery. The Rev. Marc C Weersing, President of Presbyterian College, Clinton, S. C, has been serving on the board since 1965. He is a former pastor of the Spartan- burg First Presbyterian Church and re- ceived a Th. M. degree from Columbia in 1938. He is currently serving on the Academic Policy Committee of Colum- bia's Board. CFC Begins Shortened Year Ministers' Week (Continued) Rightous Empire: The Protestant Exper- ience in America. At the University of Chicago he is to be the upcoming editor of the Chicago Encyclopedia of Religion. As an editor Dr. Marty holds many ntlcs. He is author-editor of a newsletter. Context; co-editor of the Macmillan an- nual New Theology No. 1-7; general editor of Harper Forum; the Lippincott Promise of Theology Series; co-editor of Columbia Friendship Circle began a special shortended year on October 1st with a new project and new staff leader- ship. Though new the project. Continu- ing Education for Pastors, has received support from CFC in former years. Mrs. Barbara Herndon, secretary in Columbia's Development Office is now assisting with the CFC program. Also involved in the program is CTS Director of Development The Rev. Alvin S. Jep- son. Mrs. Herndon is carrying on the work of Mrs. Walter Wood who moved with her family to Florida this past summer. Ecumenical Studies in Church History; general editor of the forthcoming Uni- versity of Chicago History of Religion in America series; as well as an Associate Editor of The Christian Century, an ecumenical weekly. Dr. Marty has authored, edited, co- edited or contributed to over 75 books and has written numerous magazine articles. He received the Ph.D. in Amer- ican Intellectual and Religious History at Chicago in 1956, and holds seven honor- ary doctorates. He is a vice-president of the American Society of Church History and co-editor of its quarterly, Church History. He is also vice-president of the Lutheran Commission on Social Con- cerns, and is a member of the Board of Directors, National Catholic Reporter. Outside his writing and teaching du- ties, Dr. Marty is active in numerous peace and social-action organizations and makes frequent radio-television appear- ances. He also makes frequent appear- ances on college and seminary campuses. In order to begin an April to April year to coincide with the annual pilgrim- age visit to the Columbia campus CFC will have only six months in its current program year. The Continuing Educa- tion project will be emphasized during that period. Since 1962 the Continuing Education program has given help to over 450 pastors throughout Columbia's consti- tuency. Expansion of the program to as- sist the early 1500 net yet included in envisioned this year. Columbia Theological Seminary's Society of Missionary Inquiry fu* ^o< s Jpfa 0 ,\e \\ puts it all together" '** <*rs t^ \otf> fo\* .Roc* ^usc Ss 'on s For. College Students High School Seniors, Juniors and Sophomores Rock Eagle Conference Conference designed to present Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to challenge young people with His mission in the world today- right where they are involved small town, large city, or school. APRIL 23-25, 1971 Rock Eagle Conference Center Earonron, Georgia Cost: $18.00 FEATURING Walter Shepard Former Missionary to Congo, Architect Folk-Rock Group Ron & Bill Moare The Lo and Behold' (Please detach poster and post on bulletin board or give to Youth Advisor or DCE) DEPUTATION TEAMS Columbia Seminary students will visit your Youth Group of IS or more persons to present a program on the Rock Eagle Conference. We would like to have a team come to our church on one of these dates: Mail to: Society of Missionary Inquiry Box 163 Columbia Theological Seminary Decatur, Georgia 30031 1 7 Minister'* Nnmp Please send: Nnmp M Church Registration Forms tf>r my yf> AiMmm Name City SrntP Address City A Stnt* 7i p CnA* | City A Store Zip Code "Hope out of Chaos" is the theme for the 1971 College Conference to be held on the Columbia campus January 29-31. The program of the conference will be divided into four different segments, Environment, Ethics, History, and the Church. Speakers for these topics will be four Columbia professors, C. Benton Kline, Shirley Guthrie, Jr., Charles Cousar. and Milton Riviere. The College Conference is open to any college student who would like to visit Columbia as their guest for the week-end. Due to the limits of space registration will have to be limited, so if you are interested write for an applica- tion soon from Columbia's Director of Admissions James T. Richardson. ELOISE WHITE JOHNSON SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED A scholarship fund has been set up at Columbia in memory of the late Eloise White Johnston of Uniontown, Alabama. Mrs. Johnston left a bequest to the sem- inary upon her death November 1968, and this gift was recently increased by her son, Henry P. Johnston of Birming- ham. Mrs. Johnston, who had survived her husband Charles P. Johnston, a pros- perous farmer from Uniontown, was ac- tive in the First Presbyterian Church for over 68 years. She was one of the founders of the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs, and was elected honorary life president of the Alabama Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confed- eracy. Mr. Johnston is also an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, and has served as a deacon and an elder of the Mr. Johnston, Richards. right, presents check to President Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. He is a former communica- tions executive, and is presently an in- vestment consultant. Students Plan Annual Missions Conference Tom Malone of Whitmire, S. C. President of the Student Society of Mis- sionary Inquiry, has been working hard this fall to get the annual Rock Eagle Conference put together. The conference is scheduled for April 23-25. 1971, and the program will fea- ture Walter Shepard, former Presbyterian Missionary to the Congo and former Board of World missions staff member who is presently an architect and out- DO WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS CORRECT? If not, please make corrections opposite your name and address below, and mail to us in a separate envelope. PLEASE CHECK CHANGES DESIRED: 1. Change name or address as shown below Q 2. Please remove name below from mailing list 3. Receiving another copy (please return both address copies, indicating one to be removed) // you have a friend who would like to receive the Columbia Seminary Bulletin, please send name and address. standing layman in New Orleans, and a folk-rock group. Bill and Ron Moore. All three of these people were at last year's conference, and were well received. Last year the conference drew over 650 peo- ple, so it's a good idea to send in reser- vations early. Officers working with Tom this year include: Bruce Davis, Atlanta, Ga., vice- president; Howard Shockley, Opchka, Ala., secretary; David Swindall, Atlanta. treasurer; and Phil Jones, Orlando, Fla., 1st year class SMI representative. Tom says of SMI, "This year we hope to expand SMI's activities to include all missions of the church, not just world missions." SMI is hosting monthly "Meet a Missionary" luncheons. Speakers so far have been the Rev. Norm Cook, Far Eastern Secretary of the Overseas Mis- sionary Fellowship and the Rev. Bob Armistead, a missionary to Mexico who is studying a Columbia this fall. Second Class POSTAGE Paid at Decatur. Ga. VOL 65, NO. 1 / JANUARY, 1971 Published 7 times a year / Jan., Feb., Apr., May, July, Oct., Nov. COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY P. O. Box 520 * Decatur, Georgia 30031