FALL 1978 Columbia deminary VontoQ CONVOCPTION BEGIN6 NEW PCPDEMIC YEPR With the bright colors of academic regalia and the dignity of an opening convocation, Columbia Seminary be- gan its 151st year in the sanctuary of the Columbia Presbyterian Church. In his convocation address entitled "Doors," President J. Davison Phil- ips challenged the 77 entering stu- dents to be sensitive to the words of Christ written in the third chapter of the book of Revelation, "I have set before you an open door." The new Dean of Academic Af- fairs, Dr. Oscar Hussel, offered a prayer of intercession and introduced the faculty, while the traditional Columbia pledge was administered by J. Erskine Love, Jr., the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The total enrollment of the Sem- inary is 318. This figure includes 152 first professional degree students, stu- dents working on advanced degrees, special and unclassified students. Approximately \6% of the student body are women. Following the Convocation, the new students and the entire seminary community visited in the homes of faculty members. A real spirit of an- ticipation and excitement was present as the new academic year officially opened. MILLION DOLLAR GIFT OFFERED Board Chairman J. Erskine Love, Jr. ad- ministers pledge to entering students. A heartening gift of $ 1 ,000,000 to set up an Endowment Fund for the maintenance of the physical plant of Columbia Seminary has been offered by an anonymous foundation. The gift is granted on the condition that the gifts from the Seminary cam- paigns in the Synods of the Mid- South and Florida be matched on a "dollar-for-dollar" ratio. The annual income from the En- dowment Fund will be designated for the preservation and equipping of the seven major buildings on the Seminary's 57-acre campus, with special priority given to the Library and the Administration Buildings. In announcing the gift. President J. Davison Philips stated: "This gen- erous gift is a splendid evidence of confidence in the important mission of Columbia Seminary. It also reveals the vision and generosity of those who are making such an investment in the future ministry of the Church. We are deeply grateful for this chal- lenge grant and will do all in our power to prove worthy of it." J. Erskine Love, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: "This endowment is truly an historic event in the long and useful history of Col- umbia Seminary. It is the largest single gift ever received by the Semi- nary and the challenge it represents for matching gifts will give us a great opportunity to appeal to our church members for increased support as wc begin Capital Funds Campaigns in each of our supporting Synods." Lillian Clinkscales Green, wife of former Columbia Seminary Professor James B. Green, died at the age of 86 on October 1. 1978. in Columbia, South Carolina, after a brief illness. Born in Starr, South Carolina, she was a graduate of the Women's Col- lege at Due West and for some years before her marriage a teacher of English at Erskine College. In his meditation at the Memorial Service of Mrs. Green, Dr. J. Mc- Dowell Richards said, "As I have thought of Mrs. Green there is one word that comes particularly to my mind ... it is the word 'loyalty.' Mrs. Green was loyal to her heritage. "She was fiercely loyal to Colum- bia Theological Seminary and made a great contribution to its life through her vital part in organizing and carrying forward the work of the Columbia Friendship Circle." President J. Davison Philips stated, "Mrs. Green's vision in starting and encouraging the growth of the Col- umbia Friendship Circle has resulted in vital, prayerful support throughout our constituency. It is impossible to measure the goodwill, the prayers and the gifts that have come to the Sem- inary through this fine organization." Dr. Richards went on to say, "Of course her most significant contribu- tion to the Seminary was made as the helpmeet of one of its greatest pro- fessors, Dr. James Benjamin Green. "Mrs. Green was also a loyal and devoted mother and stepmother. This same loyalty was manifest in her re- lationship to her friends. But all of these loyalties were subject to a high- er devotion . . . her commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Memorial gifts in , Mrs. Green's name have been received by the Sem- inary and a named endowment has been established. Love Addresses Synod J. Erskine Love, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors, addressed the Synod of the Southeast on behalf of Columbia Seminary at its meeting at the First Presbyterian Church of At- lanta on September 20. Mr. Love shared with the Synod a layman's view of Columbia Seminary as seen from his perspective as a member of the Board of Directors for nine years, six of those years as its Chairman. He expressed his gratitude for God's providence that has pro- vided sterling leadership and a dedi- cated faculty for the Seminary for over a century and a half. He enumerated the positive and encouraging signs that have brought about a resurgence of vitality and in- terest in Columbia Seminary. He also informed the Synod that their finan- cial contribution to the Seminary's operation is not keeping pace with inflation. He made a strong appeal to approve the goal of $4.5 million for a Capital Funds Campaign in 1980- 81 that is to be used principally for endowment. Later in the day the Synod of the Southeast unanimously adopted the goal of $4.5 million for the projected campaign. Columbia Theological Seminary. 101 Columbia Drive. Decatur. Ga. iOOil. Vanta.c. Vol. 70. No. 4. Richard A. Dodd.s. Editor. Published Quarterly. Second C lus\ Postage Paid at Deiatur. Ga.. Publication No. 124160. PROM the PRE6DENT Put yourself in the place of a new student at Columbia Seminary. You have come through some challenging and decisive moments in your per- sonal Christian pilgrimage. You are now beginning an arduous program of study and experience in preparing for ministry. You will be exposed to lectures, seminars, evaluations, pa- pers, sermons, books, film, articles, and, most of all, people. You will learn theology, history, Bible, ethics, Church ministry and mission and many, many aspects of those areas. You will learn it by doing as well as listening. One of the most crucial elements in the support system sustaining you as a student is the community of faith here on campus and at home. Those of you who care about such students will never know how much it means to be nourished by the faith and support of people like you. All of us here send you our heartfelt thanks. Your participation in Candi- dates Committees, your congregation- al care, your prayers and your schol- arship support are invaluable. Students are under pressure of work, performance, pilgrimage and the necessities of daily living. Pray for them that "as their days are, so will their strength be." As you can see from the increased enrollment of students reported in this issue of VANTAGE, certain cru- cial needs have surfaced. In order to prepare these men and women for ministry we need more faculty. The success of the $7,000,000 Capital Funds Campaign in our three supporting Synods is critical if we are to continue our high standards of ex- cellence in theological education and ministry development. $6,000,000 of the funds raised will be used for the Endowment of Faculty Chairs. The first efforts in the Synod of the Mid- South appear promising to us. So, for your partnership in this great task, I send you heartfelt thanks. Faithfully yours, (^feycd J. Davison Philips A VITAL PARTNERSHIP THE COLUMBIA FORUM The dates of January 30-February 2 have been set for our 1979 Colum- bia Forum. The new format that combined the Smyth Lectures, the Alumni Lectures and preaching by a Guest Preacher was highly successful last year and the plan is to build on this. The Columbia Forum includes lectures, alumni luncheon, colloquies, sermons and class reunions. Mark the dates on your calendar and plan to be present. Activities will begin with a meeting of the Alumni Council on Tuesday afternoon, Jan- uary 30, and the initial Worship Ser- vice of the Forum that evening at cS:00 o'clock at the Columbia Presby- terian Church. Dr. Krister Stendahl, a distinguish- ed New Testament scholar and Dean of the Harvard Divinity School will deliver the Smyth Lectures on the subject, "The Church God's Lab- oratory for the Kingdom." COLUMBIA FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE Professor Keith and student One of the most exciting things that can happen in the life of a semi- narian is the opportunity to practice ministry under supervision in the Church. A partnership between the Church and Columbia Seminary clearly exists when a student spends a summer in the supervised ministry program. Associate Professor Jap Keith di- rects the supervised ministry program at Columbia and states, "The 'sum- mer assistant' program leads to an integration of the first year's curricu- lum and provides those necessary experiences that enable the student to raise appropriate and practical ques- tions. This program is an essential part of our curriculum. And the beauty of it is that the seminary cannot offer such a program without the direct involvement of the Church. This is a fine illustration of the con- nectional nature of the Church . . . the courts, the congregation and the seminary joining in a partnership of calling, nurturing and learning." This past summer 38 PCUS con- gregations experienced the ministry of a "summer assistant" from Columbia Seminary. Thirty-eight Sessions con- curred with the terms of a call and encouraged their pastors to set aside many hours for the supervision of fu- ture ministers of the Church. Professor Keith observed, "This kind of partnership occurs every summer. Thus, we are in constant need of more 'teaching congregations' and more 'supervising pastors.' Please help us circulate the invitation to as many PCUS congregations as possible to join this partnership." Dean Krister Stendahl Dr. Ralph Winter, formerly on the faculty of Fuller Theological Semi- nary and now directing the United States Center for World Missions in Pasadena, California, is the Alumni Lecturer. The title of his lectures will be announced. They will deal with the subject of the Church's respon- sibility to witness and reach out for Christ. The Guest Preacher will be Dr. James Forbes who serves on the fac- ulty of Union Theological Seminary in New York. Informational brochures with a schedule of Forum events is being prepared and will be distributed in December. If you would like the names of persons shown on the Historical Centerfold, please write: Editor of VANTAGE Columbia Theological Seminary Decatur, Georgia 30031 The Columbia Friendship Circle Winners from left to right: John Jay lie, Jo Anne Dyson, David Cameron. David Bailey, Deborah Kyser, Mary Jane Cornell and Renee Hester. The Columbia Friendship Circle, under the able leadership of Mrs. Martha Tissington, President; Mrs. Cora Smith. Vice-President; Mrs. Anne Wardlaw, Secretary-Historian: Mrs. Ruth Esche, Parlimentarian. and Mrs. Virginia Lancaster. Promo- tion Secretary, has been actively at work! First of all. the CFC went over its 1977-78 Goal. The final tallv was $25,676.79. The CFC designated these funds to be used for Scholar- ship Aid for International Students. Secondly, at its annual "Come Sec Columbia Day" meeting in April. 1978, the CFC decided on its 1978- 79 Project and Goal. The new Goal is $30,000 and the new Project in- volves the sponsorship of Columbia Fellowships, which are full one-year scholarships given to promising men and women who are interested in ex- ploring the possibilities of the Gospel ministry. There are currently seven men and women in the First Year Class who have received these Fel- lowships. The CFC believes these Fellowships will attract top prospec- tive students and will help both the Seminary community and the work of the Church in the days to come. Finally, the CFC has announced that its next "Come See Columbia Day" is set for Thursday, April 5, 1979, on the Seminary campus. This will be a time for women from the supporting Synods to meet Columbia Faculty, Staff and Students, to see the campus of Columbia and to wor- ship together. This day will begin with registration at 9:00 a.m. and will include a luncheon. CFC members and others who are interested are invited and en- couraged to attend this event. T Lexin BIRTHPLACE OF < President President President Thornton C. Whaling John M. Wells Richard T. Gillespie 1911-1938 1921-1924 1925-1930 "Others have labored and you ha I HI.':, L MAIN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Columbia, South Carolina 1830-1927 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Columbia, South Carolina 1925 COLUMBIA SI Columbia SIMONS-LAW DORMITORY 1928 FACULTY HOMES 1928 ' - BASKETBALL TEAM 1936 GRADUATION PROCESSION 1936 TOWN AND COUNTR uvepj nse Georgia MBIA SEMINARY President J. McDowell Richards 1932-1971 President C. Benton Kline 1971-1975 President Davison Philips 1976- ntered into their labor." Johnu. tRY FACULTY i Carolina GROUNDBREAKING FOR CAMPBELL HALL Decatur, Georgia September, 1926 CAMPBELL HALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION Decatur, Georgia 1927 DINING ROOM Campbell Hall 1928 DR. HUNTER B. BLAKELY'S CLASS Campbell Hall 1930 JVCHERS INSTITUTE SEMINARY QUARTET 1941 COLUMBIA SEMINARY FACULTY 1943 FPCULTY NOTE6 /// order to inform our readers of what the Columbia Faculty is doing in addition to their teaching respon- sibilities, the following is an edited summary of some of their activities: PROF. FREDERICK BONKOV- SKY was a participant in seminars at Dartmouth and Harvard Universities during the summer. He has led semi- nars and retreats in churches and presbyteries on such subjects as, "The Activity of the Holy Spirit," "Presby- terian Distinctives for Ministry" and "Christian Ethics." He published two articles on "Metropolitan Ethics and Ministry." DEAN ERSKINE CLARKE was a commissioner to the General Assem- bly from Piedmont Presbytery and has completed work on his manu- script for a book entitled, Wrestlin' Jacob: A Portrait of Religion in the Old South. It is to be published by John Knox Press in the spring of 1979. PROF. LUDWIG DEWITZ taught a course in Old Testament Survey at the Institute for Youth Ministries in Colorado Springs and a course on "The Covenant" at the Young Life Conference in Seattle this summer. His annual summer trip abroad took him to England, Germany, Switzer- land and Italy. One of the highlights of his trip was the opportunity to preach in Genoa, Italy. PROF. JAMES GAILEY and his wife, Virginia, are spending the 1978- 79 Academic Year in Nigeria where Dr. Gailey is teaching Old Testament at the University of Ibadan. PROF. CATHERINE GONZAL- EZ taught at the Evangelical Semi- nary in Puerto Rico in June and at Perkins Theological Seminary in Tex- as in July. She also has written the Bible Studies for 1978-79 for A.D. Magazine with her husband Dr. Justo L. Gonzalez. PROF. SHIRLEY GUTHRIE wrote a study guide for the new pub- lication of the Book of Confessions under the title of Our Confessional Heritage and wrote special articles for The Journal of Pastoral Care, Journ- al for Preachers, and The Presbyteri- an Survey. He also conducted several Lay Schools of Theology and contin- ued to serve on the Council of Theo- logy and Culture. PROF. WADE HUIE made 20 presentations in 6 different states dur- ing the 1978 Witness Season with his wife Vee. He represented Columbia Seminary at the Mission Consultation in February and served as a leader of the Global Mission Conference at Montreat. PROF. OSCAR HUSSEL has as- sumed the responsibility of Dean of Academic Affairs. He has done work- shops and produced a Leadership Manual on Shared Approaches. He has taught at the Montreat Confer- ence on Christian Education and served as a consultant to the Histor- ical Foundation and the General As- sembly Mission Board. PROF. JASPER KEITH has been elected to the governing body of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Ed- ucation. He spent most of the sum- mer traveling to PCUS churches to consult with students in the Super- vised Ministry Program. PROF. C. BENTON KLINE de- livered addresses on "The Theolog- ical Dimensions for Marriage and Al- ternatives" to the Southeastern As- sociation of Pastoral Counselors. He is the Wallace M. Alston Visiting Professor of Bible at Agnes Scott College during the Fall quarter, 1978. Newly appointed PROF. THOM- AS LONG taught a course on "Stud- ies in Contemporary Preaching" at the Princeton Theological Seminary Summer School. PROF. JAMES NEWSOME has completed a book entitled, By the Waters of Babylon (Subtitle: An In- troduction to the History and Theol- ogy of the Exile) that is to be pub- lished by John Knox Press early in 1979. * * * * PROF. KEITH NICKLE has been working on a book on the Synoptic Gospels which has a tentative pub- lishing date of January, 1980, with John Knox Press. He has written re- views for the Journal of Biblical Lit- erature, the Catholic Biblical Quar- terly and Review for Religions. PRESIDENT J. DAVISON PHIL- IPS served as a commissioner from Atlanta Presbytery to the 1978 Gen- eral Assembly in Shreveport. He at- tended the Princeton Institute of The- ology in New Jersey and the Bi-An- nual Meeting of the Association of Theological Schools in Toronto dur- ing the summer. Dr. Philips main- tained a full schedule of preaching and teaching throughout the churches of Columbia Seminary's constituency. PROF. HAROLD PRINCE and his wife, Evelyn, went on a 22-day tour of the U.S.S.R. in July, 1978. His poem entitled, "The Trip," was reprinted in the Spring 1977 issue of Voices: Arts and Sciences of Psycho- therapy. He also attended the Annual Conference of the American Theo- logical Library Association in Penn- sylvania. Director of Library Operations, PROF. LILLIAN TAYLOR, com- pleted service on the PCUS Task Force on Women and Theology and attended the American Theological Library Association Meeting in Penn- sylvania during June. CAMPUS SCENES Students Lewis Sanderford and Jack Fuqua plot their strategy for the next touch foot- hall game. Student Robby McBride confers with Dean of Students, Erskine Clarke. Robby is one of 65 students having work scholarships in the Library, the Dining Hall or the Office of Development. GRATITUDE FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE of Chicago. Presbyterian College conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature on him in 1968. Beginning his ordained ministry in the Associate Reformed Pres- byterian Church, Professor McDill has held pastorates in Russellville, Arkansas, and Atlanta, Georgia. He was a Chaplain (Major) in the Army in 1942-46. He has con- ducted numerous seminars, work- shops, and lectureships for religi- ous, academic and professional groups. President J. Davison Philips of Columbia Seminary stated, "In ac- cepting Dr. McDill's resignation, we do so with genuine regret. His colleagues here and throughout the Pastoral Counseling field, recog- nize his exceptional gifts of mind and ability as a teacher, counselor and preacher. He has helped to create for Columbia, the Church, the City of Atlanta, and the Na- tion the leading programs and or- ganizations in this field. We are all indebted to him for his leadership and contributions. We wish him well as he enters another chapter in life with a lessening of demand- ing duties." Dr. McDill is presently involved in completing some projects in the area of writing and counseling. He has plans to make himself avail- able to counsel, lecture and preach as time permits. Dr. Thomas H. McDill, Profes- sor of Pastoral Care and Counsel- ing at Columbia Seminary since 1951, tendered his resignation ef- fective July 1, 1978. Professor McDill thus concludes twenty-sev- en years of distinguished service to Columbia as the developer of the Pastoral Care and Counseling cur- riculum at the Seminary. Professor McDill was born on June 9, 1917, in Little Rock, Ar- kansas, the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Hemphill McDill, of the Associate Reformed Presbyter- ian Church. He was married to Lila Williams Bost in 1938. Mrs. McDill is the organizer and head- mistress of the Children's School in Atlanta. Their son, Thomas Cal- vin McDill is a teacher in the De- Kalb County School System. Educated at Erskine College and Erskine Theological Seminary, Professor McDill holds graduate degrees from Columbia Theolog- ical Seminary and the University INTEREST IN ADVANCED DEGKI GROWING SCHOLARSHIP FUND ESTABLISHED Dr. John R. McCain, who died on July 20, 1978, has been honored by the establishment of a Memorial Scholarship Fund that bears his name at Columbia Theological Seminary. Dr. McCain was a distinguished physician who was Chief of the De- partment of Gynecology and Obstet- rics at Crawford W. Long Hospital and a Professor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Emory University. THE COLLEGE CONFERENCE ON MINISTRY February 16-18, 1979 Dr. McCain was a much respected leader in the Decatur Presbyterian Church and the physician of many of the wives of the Seminary commun- ity. He taught young people in Church School and served on the Board of the Career Development Center in Decatur. In commenting on the establish- ment of the Memorial Scholarship Fund in a letter to Dr. Philips, Mrs. McCain said, "1 think it is a per- fect way to remember John. Thank you for initiating this at the Semi- nary. As I thought about it, I couldn't think of another group of people that he had known and cared for as much as the wives of students and faculty at Columbia Seminary. They taught him a great deal about the problems of both ministers and their wives. Thank you very much." Dr. Janus D. Newsome More and more ministers are pur- suing advanced degrees to increase their skills in ministry and thus offer greater service to the Church. Colum- bia Seminary offers three advanced degrees: the DOCTOR OF MINIS- TRY (a program oriented toward the practical in which a person may sharpen their over-all ministerial skills while pursuing an interest in one or more specialized areas); the DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY (a de- gree program in pastoral counseling); and the MASTER OF THEOLOGY (an advanced academic program with concentration in the Biblical, histor- ical-doctrinal, or pastoral area). Dr. James D. Newsome, Director of Advanced Studies, reports that Columbia Seminary is now providing several opportunities to work toward the D.Min. degree off campus. He stated: "The Seminary is taking steps to carry much of the work of the D.Min. degree off the campus and to places where ministers live and labor. This fall, D.Min. exten- sion work will be underway on the campus of Presbyterian College, Clin- ton, South Carolina, and in Savannah Presbytery. Special D.-Min. courses of two-week duration are also offered on the Seminary campus during Jan- uary of each year and during the Summer Session." 1978-79 STUDENT BODY FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAM First Year 55 Second Year 48 Third Year (MDiv) 37 Intern Year (DMin) 7 Fourth Year (DMin) 5 152 MTS Program 22 ThM Program 30 DMin (In-Ministry) Program STD Program 6 Special and Unclassified 20 Non-Credit Intern Year 2 Auditors 12 TOTAL STUDENT BODY MID-SOUTH CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY In a joint statement announcing the 1978-79 Capital Funds Campaign in the Synod of the Mid-South, Presi- dent J. Davison Philips and President C. Ellis Nelson of Louisville said: "We can see no way we can move confidently into the future under our great responsibility unless we can ob- tain endowment funds that will con- tinue to support theological education and ministry development year after year after year." The Synod of the Mid-South has embarked on the first Capital Funds Campaign since it was formed in 1973, with a goal of $2.5 million to help secure the future of theological education. Although Synod has plans to di- vide the proceeds of the campaign using the formula of 72% for Louis- ville and 28% of Columbia, congre- gations and individuals are granted the privilege of designating their gifts for one Seminary without equaliza- tion. During the Fall of 1978, presby- teries throughout the Synod are or- ganizing themselves to carry out the objectives of the Campaign. Leader- ship gifts are currently being sought from a selected number of individuals and foundations in advance of the church-wide opportunity that will be provided beginning in January, 1979. Presbytery committees are currently sponsoring Informational Meetings in key areas to prepare leadership to carry the challenge to local churches. Columbia Seminary seeks the pray- ers of the Church as we launch the first of three phases in our capital funds effort to raise $7,000,000. The Synod of Florida Campaign, to be held during 1979-80, has a goal of $1.5 million. The Campaign for the Synod of the Southeast is scheduled for 1980-81 with a goal of $4.5 million. CAMPUS SCENES The Seminary Community at worship. New married students apartments Hearing completion. NEW FIELD REPRESENTATIVE The Rev. Donald B. Bailey, who served as the Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Huntsville, Alabama, from 1961-1978, has re- sponded to an invitation from Col- umbia Seminary to serve as a part- time Field Representative of the Sem- inary. In announcing this appointment, President J. Davison Philips stated: "Mr. Bailey brings to Columbia Sem- inary a wealth of experience and dis- tinguished service in the Presbyterian Church, U.S. He will be working with Mr. Dodds in the area of Seminary Relations and Development and will seek to assist in making the Seminary more visible in the life of our con- stituency. In addition to visiting pres- byteries and making personal con- tacts, he will be available to visit and preach in our churches." Mr. Bailey is an alumnus of David- son College and Columbia Seminary (Class of '41). His other pastorates were Emory Presbyterian Church, Atlanta (1942-51) and Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, Kingstree, South Carolina (1951-61). Mr. Bailey is an honorably retired minister of the PCUS and he con- tinues his membership in the Presby- tery of North Alabama. He and his wife, Jane, are now living in Decatur. The Baileys have three sons. Their youngest son, David, is a first year Columbia Fellowship Winner at the Seminary. COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, 701 COLUMBIA DRIVE, DECATUR, GEORGIA 30031 Vol. 70, No. 4/Fall 1978 Richard A. Dodds, Editor Published Quarterly Columbia Theological (Seminary n YontoQe-J Second Class Postage Paid at Decatur, Ga. Publication No. 124160