Columbia Theological Seminary Vantage, 92, number 2, Fall 2000

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY

Vantage

FALL 2000

Laura S. Mendenhall
named eighth president

On Saturday, June 17, 2000, at a called
meeting of the Board of Trustees,
Laura S. Mendenhall was elected the
eighth president of Columbia
Theological Seminary. A Search
Committee had been created by the
board at the beginning of the academ-
ic year, 1999-2000, because of the
announced retirement of President
Douglas W. Oldenburg at the end of
the academic year, June 30, 2000. The
Search Committee had worked through-
out the months until the unanimous
selection of Dr. Mendenhall in early
June. It was with great excitement that
her name was then presented to
the Board of Trustees, which clearly
responded with the same enthusiasm.

Laura Mendenhall is a life-long
Presbyterian. She was raised in the
church in Texas. As a college student
at Austin College, she worked at
First Presbyterian Church in Tyler,
Texas. Following college, she entered
Presbyterian School of Christian
Education, receiving the M.A. degree
in 1971. While there, she met and mar-
ried Charles Mendenhall, a student at
Union Theological Seminary. After
graduation, the couple were mission-

aries in Zaire. Laura Mendenhall also
served in the Bible Department on the
faculty of St. Catherine's School in
Richmond, Virginia, and as director of
Christian education at Ginter Park
Presbyterian Church in the same city.
During this time, the couple's two chil-
dren were born.

In California, while her husband
pursued a Ph.D. degree in pastoral
counseling, Laura Mendenhall became
an educator on a presbytery staff. She
also became an elder in a congregation.
Her experiences of the various aspects
of the life of the church developed in
her a sense of call to the ministry of
Word and Sacrament as a necessary
extension of her role as an educator in
the life of the church. She therefore
began the process leading to ordination
and completed the Master of Divinity
degree at San Francisco Theological
Seminary. After her husband accepted a
position in Florida, Laura Mendenhall
became an associate pastor at First
Presbyterian Church in Orlando from
1981-1983. She was then called to
become an associate pastor at Central
Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.

Continued on page 5

President Laura S. Mendenhall

First annual Campbell
Scholars Seminar begins

The Campbell Scholars. Front row, l-r: Douglas John Hall, Ofelia Ortega, Russel
Botrnan, Joanna Adams '79. Back row: Damayanthi Niles, Janos Pasztor, Walter
Brueggemann, James Loivry '66, and Erskine Clarke '66, director oftlie program.

A distinguished group of scholars and
pastors gathered on September 18 to
initiate Columbia's first annual
Campbell Scholars Seminar. The semi-
nar's theme is "Mission of the Church
in the Twenty-First Century," and this
first year it will have as a sub-theme
"Mission as Hope in Action." The two-
month seminar grows out of
Columbia's "Vision 2020 Statement,"
which was adopted by the seminary's
Board of Trustees as a guide for the
coming years. Named in honor of
Columbia's former trustee and bene-
factor John Bulow Campbell, the semi-
nar is intended to help Columbia and
the church think more clearly about
the character and work of mission in
the new century. A critical component
of each seminar will be the presence

of scholars and pastors from around
the world.

Six countries and deep participa-
tion in the life and thought of the
church mark the membership of the
first seminar. Russel Botrnan, profes-
sor of practical theology and missiolo-
gy at the University of Stellenbosch,
South Africa, brings to the seminar the
experience of the rapidly expanding
church in Africa. Douglas John Hall,
professor emeritus of Christian theolo-
gy at McGill University in Montreal,
Canada, is widely known and read as
a theologian who has given serious
attention to the missiological implica-
tions of the North American church.
Damayanthi Niles comes from the
Christianity in Asia Project of the
Faculty of Divinity at St. John's

Continued on page 5

A letter from Columbia's new president

Laura S. Mendenhall, President

As I write this to you, I have been on
campus for only three weeks, but I
have learned a lot in that time. I am
not asking the same questions today
that I was asking prior to my arrival.
For months I had been wrestling with
the question: "Why me?" In these
three weeks I have learned this is the
wrong question.

When the Presidential Search
Committee first contacted me, I asked,
"Why are you talking to me when I
know you will not call a woman to be
president of Columbia Seminary?
Even if you were to call a woman, I'm
only a pastor." I laughed at them with
my "why me?" questions. However,
while rereading the story of Sarah
laughing in her tent at the prospects of
God working in her life, I decided not
to laugh at what the Holy Spirit might
do in mine.

After I realized that the Search
Committee was more open to the Holy
Spirit than I was, I was asking a new
question: "Why couldn't God disturb
someone else's life and leave me
alone?" I began to dread what God
might do with my life. I was so caught
up in the privilege of being a pastor,

caught up in my long-time home and
friends in lex.is, thai I did not want
God to do a new thing in my life.

Over time I became embarrassed
at my fears and began to look instead
to God's faithfulness. There are so
many other people who would be
wonderful presidents of this seminary.
It has taken me a while to come to
grips with the reality that while there
( - i lunly are many people who could
do this job well, I have been the one
who has been asked to do it now. I am
making peace with the fact that I may
never fully comprehend this particular
"Why me?"

In the three weeks in which I have
been on campus, I have put away the
questions. I am now responding:
Thanks be to God. I am thrilled to be
called to serve as the eighth president
of Columbia Theological Seminary. I
am eager to visit with congregations
and presbyteries, encouraging them to
identify those with gifts for ministry
and to invite them to come to seminary,
to this seminary,

where, in honest inquiry, they can be
trained to read Scripture with many

different conversation partners, past
and present, from around the globe,
that together we might discern God's
Word for us today,

where, as witnesses to God's
redemptive activity in Jesus Christ,
they can teach and proclaim the
Gospel with confidence and joy,

where men and women can be
equipped as leaders in order that
they might go out and equip the
saints for ministry in Christ's name,
and

where, as an expression of God's
calling to us, our worship of God
shapes our life together.

I come to Columbia Theological
Seminary as a servant of the church
of Jesus Christ praying that God will
be glorified in this call to theological
education.

Sometimes people ask me what my
plans are for Columbia Seminary. I did
not come to this seminary because I
thought it needed "fixing." To the con-
trary. For some time I have considered
Columbia Seminary to be among our
church's cornerstones, a leader among
seminaries. This seminary is known

across the church for its outstanding
faculty, for its response to the church's
need for resourcing in mission and
spirituality and new church develop-
ment and lay leadership (among others),
for its creativity, for its partnerships
with churches and theological educa-
tion all over the world, and for its
commitment to lifelong training of
leaders who will serve congregations
which are yearning for a pastor.

It is my intent to support what the
Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students,
alums, and friends of the seminary are
already doing. I intend to listen care-
fully during these next few months in
order that, together, we might see
clearly what the Holy Spirit is doing
and what God might continue to do in
this place. We are called to be faithful
stewards of the resources with which
we are blessed. Surely God is expect-
ing a lot from us. For this seminary is
a leading seminary, preparing leaders
for Christ's ministry in the world. And
my response is: Thanks be to God that
I have been invited to participate. To
God be the glory.

Watkins to direct new project

JAMES Watkins 71 (D.Min. 77) has
returned to campus with a mission.

The mission is "to nurture a spirit
of mutual community, shared respon-
sibility and common destiny among
the citizens of the Atlanta region."
Watkins is part of a team based in
three Atlanta seminaries that will
work to foster the development of

public religious
leadership by
involving the
theological
education
institutions in
current issues
confronting the
community.

The project,
called "Faith
and the City,"
was established in 1999 through a
grant from an Atlanta foundation and
grew out of conversations among local
seminary presidents and deans of fac-
ulty about the importance of religious
persons and institutions being present
as public decisions are made and
implemented.

Watkins is no stranger to the pub-
lic arena. The former Georgia Tech
sports Hall of Fame member and track
coach served as a district director for
Congressman Ben Jones from 1989-92.
He also has served as a pastor and

campus minister to local congregations
and as a consultant to the PC(USA)
World Wide Ministries division.

He has been involved in work
with the Public Policy Advocate
Oversight Committee of Greater
Atlanta Presbytery. Watkins has writ-
ten for a wide variety of ecumenical
and PC(USA) publications, in addition
to being a contributor to several text-
books used in Christian education and
peacemaking curricula.

Most recently, Watkins served as
the associate for Public Policy Advocacy
Training in the Presbyterian Peace-
making Program, which seeks to
make peacemaking an integral part
of the church's congregational life
and program.

"From Jim's work with local
congregations and the Presbyterian
Peacemaking Program, it is evident
that he is well equipped as a leader
and a trainer of leaders for this city,"
notes Erskine Clarke '66, acting dean
of faculty.

Watkins joins his counterparts
at Candler School of Theology and
Interdenominational Theological
Center in making Faith and the City's
vision a reality.

For more information on Faith
and the City, see the next issue of
Vantage.

David Dault (MATS '01)

Ten students and five professors participated in a South African Doctor of Ministry
seminar on "Race and Religion." Jointly sponsored by Columbia and the faculties of
divinity at the universities of Stellenbosch and West Cape, the seminar gave special
attention to the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Professor Russel
Botman of the University of Stellenbosch zvas the South Africa leader and Professor
Erskine Clarke '66 the Columbia coordinator.

Email newsletter for alumni/ae

Jim Speed '57 (D.Min. '84), director of alumni/ae and church relations, is pub-
lishing a newsletter for alumni/ae via email. The first issue was sent in August.
If you would like to receive these newsletters, please send your email address to
Barbara Poe at poeb@CTSnet.edu.

VANTAGE

Doctor of Ministry dissertations

Dan Andriacco, Cincinnati, OH, "Screen Saved: The Church in a Mass-Mediated Cuitur.

Brant Baker, Mesa, AZ, "Teaching People to Pray"

Roych Ballard, Metairie, LA, "Prayers from the Chapel

Garry Brantley, Hoover, AL, "Biblical Interpretation in the Churches of Christ"

Beverly Brigman, Jefferson, GA, "Seeking God in the Midst of Transition"

Edward Brttt, Nashville, TN, "Creating Unity in the Midst of Diversity

Helping Christians Be the Body of Christ in a Postmodern Context
Brad Bromung, Bellevue, WA, "Reshaping Christian Identity: Encountering Jesus in

Luke"

Waiter Brown, Athens, GA, "Promoting Racial Understanding Through Dialogue

and Worship"
Monica Burgher, Portland, Jamaica, "A Study of Christian Education in Rural

Brethren Congregations of Jamaica"
Rob Burns, Pearl, MS, "Selecting Sunday School Teachers Through a Process of

Spiritual Discernment"

Ella Busby, Florence, SC, "African-American Worship in the Reformed Tradition: We

Too Sing Hallelujah"
Vincent Campbell, Kingston, Jamaica, "An Initiative in Inter-Religious Dialogue
Alan Carden, Madison, MS, "A Model for the Establishment of a Crisis/ Bereavement

Team in the Local Church"
Sung Yun Cho, Bremerton, WA, "Church Growth Through Lay Ministry According to

Ephesians 4:11-12"
Elsa Clarke, St. Mary, Jamaica, "Ministry of Empowerment for the Elderly: Pastoral

Care for the Elderly in Rural Jamaica"
Todd Collier, Savannah, GA, "Faith in Practice: A Synergistic Paradigm for Practical

Ecumenism"
Gregory Darden, Germantown, TN, "The Evolution of the Office of Elder in the

Presbyterian Church (USA) and Possible Directions for its Future"
David Fahner, Jasper, GA, "Promise Keepers as a Model for Building Men's Groups

in the Church"
Thomas Gilmore, Birmingham, AL, "The Function of the Sermon in the African-
American Baptist Funeral Services"
Gerald Gray, Chesapeake, VA, "A Model of Ministry for the United States Navy

Chaplain Corps for Effectively Meeting the Needs of Generation Exers and

Millennium Generation Sailors and Marines"
Grecory Griffith, Hoosick, NY, "Developing and Teaching an Ethics Course Based

upon Hebrew Scripture for Sixth Form Students at Hoosac School
Guy Griffith, Charlotte, NC, "Our Hope for Years to Come: Preparing a New

Generation of Lay Leaders in the Presbyterian Church (USA) Through Teaching the

Study Catechism"
Frfp Hfmbrfe, Murfreesboro, TN, "Exploring the Importance of the Use of Imagery

and Metaphor in Preaching for the New Millennium"
Jim Higgins, Atlanta, GA, "Postmodern Homiletic From Discursive Argumentation to

Imagistic Plot"
Lowell Ingram, Mendenhall, MS, "A Two-Edged Sword: Forgiving and Being Forgiven"
Michael Johnson, Kingston, Jamaica, "Towards the Development of a Caring Ministry

for Moravian Ministers in Jamaica"
Hugh Jones, Niagara Falls, Canada, "Opening the Future: Reappropriating and Adapting

Spiritual Leadership in the Lower Courts of the Presbyterian Church in Canada"
P.J. Lawrence, St. James, Jamaica, "Toward a Caribbean Theology of Liberation:

A Christian Response to Rastafarian Movement"
Dirk Lesnett, Pittsburgh, PA, "Biblical Preaching Within a Biblically Illiterate Culture
Tom Lewis, Commerce, GA, "Psalms of Lament as a Spiritual Resource for Depression"
Eustace McCollin-Moore, St. George, Barbados, "Anglican Meets Spiritual Baptist

A Dialogue with a Religious Other"
Terry Moore, Oak Ridge, NC, "Preparation for Christian Marriage"
Hector Ortiz, Houston, TX, "Discernment: A Theological Process in Ecclesial Decision

Making"
Kenny Payne, Luverne, AL, "Telling Stories: Sources of Identity in the Church of Christ"
Judith Rarick, Grandview, MO, "Into the Future: A Process to Begin Redevelopment

in the Smaller Congregation"
George Rawn, Morristown, TN, "The Virgin Mary as a Focal Person for Ecumenical

Christian Dialogue"
Jim Riley, Carmel, IN, "A Model for Teaching Spiritual Formation in the New Member

Classes of the Presbyterian Churches"
Chuck Rolen, Kennesaw, GA, "Care for the Dying: A Story-Based Approach to Inert ta

Congregational Involvement in the Care of Hospice Patients"
Carol Benz Scott, Marietta, GA, "Silenced Voices: The Effects of Texts Omitted from the

Revised Common Lectionary on People in Pain"
Tommy Sikes, Madison, MS, "A Model of Members as Missionaries Using Philip's Witness

in Acts 6 and 8"
Jim Simpson, Alpharetta, GA, "Listening to Preach, Listening to Preaching"
Scott Slater, Washington, DC, "Equipping Parents to Foster Spirituality and Morality in

Their Children Through the Opportunity of Baptismal Preparation
Earl Smith, St. Petersburg, FL, "Becoming the One People of God: A Model for

Congregational Redevelopment"
Doug Stephenson, Jonesboro, GA, "Glossolalia as a Sign of the Times for Christian Unit)
Susan Street-Beavers, Indianapolis, IN, "Not Like Me: Reducing the Fear of Difference, a

Cross-Cultural Dilemma (Cross-Cultural Training in the Christian Church, Disciples

of Christ)"
Gus Succop, Charlotte, NC, "Almighty Friendship. The Intercultural Mission and

Witness of the Church in a Postmodern World"
Rinaldo Hernandez Torres, Havana, Cuba, "The Methodist Societies (1744-1784) as a

Paradigm for Growing Churches in Cuba"

2000 Master of Divinity degree graduates
and placements

Rohbki Alexander, associate pastoi Weatminstei Presbyterian* hurcri Bradenton, FL
l u kii Armstrong pariah resident Fourth Presbyterian < hurch ( hicago, II
Mi. ham Baii iv asso. late pastoi I b il (Sots) Presbyterian I hun h ( harleston, SC
Rachaei Banzhoff, associate pastoi [Imberridge Presbyterian i hurch McDonough GA
; Cher director of campus ministry Fort Hill Presbyterian Church damson

\ii.ii\u Brazellb, pastoi Grassy Creek Presbyterian Church Spruo Pine N< and

Newdale Presbyterian < hurch Bumsville, NC
[on \in\\ Carroi i . graduate study, rum .ion rheologicaJ Seminary, Princeton, N)
Brandi Casto, hospice chaplain Georgia Baptist Hospital Atlanta GA

K m 1 1 -i c HUNG

Cynthia Ci \kk

Latttb Collins, pastor, Fu I Presbyterian < hurch Donalson ville, GA

k \iiii <- RIGHTON

Bb k> Davis, chaplain, Presbyterian Home for Children Rdladega \i
Shi i-i:> Edwards

i ri< kson, graduate study Princeton rheologii al Seminar] Princeton, N|
Gordon Foli stated nipprj First Presbyterian Church Dadeville Uabama
Barbae v Fh u*jcb

[ohn Gross, chaplain l >t foseph's Hospital ol Atlanta Atlanta, GA
Rich Holmes pastoi .in t Presbyterian < hurch. Kings Mountain/ NC

BARR\ |i nkins

Caroi Johnson, clinical pastoral education Bgei Health < are< entei Staten Island, NY

Fkanch King, clinical pastoral education Palmetto Health Alliance, ( olumbia f SC

Rob i \i Kon r, pastor, Presbyterian < turn h ol the I ovenanl i [u me vvv

I \\i i Loob\

Kitty Mansion

Cynthia Monk.omi kv gr.ulu.itr ,iiul v , ( olumhia Seminar)

Kiim Morrison, stated supplj Hemphill Memorial Presbyterian ( hurch Stockbridgi GA

Sarah Parker, pastor, Ebenezei Presbyterian Church I (ogam villi GA

|i \\i in PlNKSTON

Lukf Ponder, associate pastoi I Irsl Presbj terian ( hun i> I Iunts\ Hie, AL
[oan Quinn, associate pastoi I Irsl Presbyterian Church, Bonita Spring 1 1

111 R] \n

David Rl< i , pastor, First Presbyterian I hun h Anniston, Al

[ason Robbdms, director ol youth and young adult minisfa ie Shallowford I re byterian

Chun h, Atlanta, GA
Annette Rogers, graduate study, Columbi i leminary
Tommy Smith

Jani I I I Ilimi-TTS

c iiKh.HM I ii 1 1 k, pastor, innity Presbj terian < hun k I !aines\ Llle, ( \A

Bl rs\ Walker

Connie Weaver, associate pastoi Port Hill Presbyterian < hurch, < lei

Wain Wesbbrry, associate pastor, Si I lilc Presbyterian ( hun h, I Ireem Uli S(

Chan Wn i is, associate pastor, Spring 1 1 1 1 Presbyterian < hun h, Mobile, Al

Sandra Wn MESH] RR

Ra( in i Winii-r, associate pastor, Si Andrew Presbyterian ( !hun h, I let atur, AL

Brian WyaTT, associate pastor, West Ind Presbyterian < hun h, West I nd, NC

Eunk i Vang, asso< iate pastor, I atrobe Presbyterian ( hurch, Latrobe, PA

Master of Arts (Theological Studies)

Susan BUELL, graduate study, Columbi.i Seminar]

Audrey i i hart, graduate study/ Emory Universitj Atlanta GA

Master of Theology

David Andi rson, Smyrna, (iA, 'Trophets Like Moses Dialogue I haracter, and

< arnival in the- Hook ol Ai I
Festus Gitonga, Mem, Kenya
ii . ( man Kim, Seoul, Korea
WooCHEOI Kim, Kimpo, k.
Ri in i Mi 1 1 1 k, Pretoria, South Africa, Gospel and ( ulture in Context;

An African Perspective on Inculturation as a rheologicaJ Proo
Tomu Sakon, Tokyo, Japan, "The I iterar) Study on the Boos of Amos the

Style and Rhetoric in A I fraclei Against the Nations"

/i b Smith, Anderson, S( . "( ialileo and the Modem Mindset"

S/i-ki \a Vass, Nyiregyhiza, Hun angelistii Ministry in the Reformed

( hurch in Hungary"

option ratlin than th

Doctor of Ministry diy ninth <n < ontinued

Don Wmimiyik, Merida, Mexico, "Introducing Contemplative Prayei to I I 'formed

Mission Setting"
Jim Wm ix>n, Acworth, GA, "Using Small Groups to Teach the Bible to liaby Boomers"
Wilson, Lawrenceville, GA, "The Church Environment and Spiritual ( .rowth

in a Postmodern Context"
DAVTD Wyi.y, Williamston, NC, "That They May Be One: A Model for Lutheran and

Reformed Traditions United Worship"

FALL 2000

Continuing Education
and Lay Institute
Calendar

For further information or to register for courses, call or write:
Mary Miller Brueggemann, Interim Director of Continuing Education,
or Richard S. Dietrich, Director of the Lay Institute of Faith and Life,
Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA 30031/404-378-8821.

October 23-26 CONGREGATIONS IN Transition Leader: Edward A. White.
Cost: $250.

October 23, 30, November 6, 13 Pall Evening Lay School, Session Two:
Theology From Below: A Look ai Old Testameni Wisdom Literature; Should
We Have Sex in i i ii t Hi R< m? A Primi:r on Si:xual Ethics; and THE Gospel
According ro Rembrandt Leaders: Christine Yoder, Mark Douglas, and Rick
Dietrich. Cost: $40.

October 25, November 1, 8, 15 Fall Morning Lay School, Session Two: An
Awakening Faith: Spiritual Practice in the Ri ai World Leader: Marshall
Jenkins. Cost: $30.

October 30 Part II of Spirituality and Aging Series: Honoring Parents When
7 i in Are Older Leader: Herbert Anderson. Cost: $25.

November 6-9 When ihi Honeymoon Is Over: Eighteen Months into the First
Call Leaders: Carolyn Jones and Stephen Cahoon, Cost: $175, spouse, $50.

November 6-10 GUTHRIE Sciioi ars

December 7 New Undersiani>in< ;s < i ( .i-n i Ciiai i i nging the Paradigm See
article below.

January 22-25 January Seminars See article on this page.

February 1, 8, 15, 22 Winter Morning Lay Course in Dun woody; Whai Does it
Mi \n TO be a Human Being? See article on this page,

February 5, 12, 19, 26 Winter Evening Lay School, Session One: Surprise Us by
the Words We Sino, Pom modernism: Why Does It Matter?; and The Gospei 01
Mark See article on this page

February 6 Cekiiik mion FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL: CHURCH HlSTORV
Leader: Catherine Gonzalez. Cost: $30. PRESBYTERIAN BENEFITS Plan Leader:
Clark Simmons. Cost: $20.

February 6, 13, 20, 27 Winter Morning Lay School, Session Two: Making
"Sense" oi mi BlBl i See article on this page.

February 12-13 Navigaiing TreA( in Rous Wati rs I Ignoring Our Personal
and Professional Boundaries Leader: Sharon Mook. Cost: $115.

February 16 Lent Retreat Leader: Suzanne Guthrie. Cost: $45.

February 26-27 Cow i RSATIONS ABOUT hie Mission ai Church, Part II
See article on page 5.

March 19-21 Business Skii is for PASTORS Leaders: Staff from University of
Georgia. Cost: $125.

March 26-29 Contemplative Reiki ai FOR Women Leader: Roberta Martin.
Cost: $225.

'New Understandings of Grief 7
seminar scheduled December 7

Bill Moyers' television series on
death and dying, "On Our Own
Terms," has given the public fresh per-
mission to talk about a subject that we
often leave to the last minute, to our
own detriment. To continue the much
needed conversation, Columbia is
fortunate to have Dr. Kenneth J. Doka,
professor of gerontology at the College
of New RochelJe and senior consultant
to The Hospice Foundation of America,
on campus to lead a workshop on

December 7, "New Understandings of
Grief: Challenging the Paradigm."
Professor Doka, who is author of
many books on grief and dying, will
explore new understandings and
insights that can be of help as we min-
ister to people who have or are experi-
encing loss.

Cost is $65. For more information,
contact the Office of Continuing
Education, 404/687-4562.

"The Tie That Binds," was hand-forged
in steel by CD. Weaver '59. Weaver has
presented the cross to the seminary to be
a part of its permanent collection.

January Seminars
in place

Five seminars are available for clergy
January 22-25, 2001. Barrie Shepherd's
seminar, "The Pulpit as the Play-
ground of the Spirit," will examine the
role of creativity and imagination in
preaching. Shepherd has recently
retired as pastor of First Presbyterian
Church, New York City, and continues
to teach and write. He is author of 13
books, including Diary of Daily Prayer
and Seeing with the Soul.

Luke Timothy Johnson, Woodruff
Professor of New Testament and
Christian Origins at Candler School of
Theology, Emory University, will teach
"Exegesis as an Ecclesial Practice."
Johnson is one of the leading New
Testament teachers in the U.S.

"Nurturing Spirituality in Families
and Congregations" is the title of the
seminar led by the Rev. Ann Reed Held,
pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church,
Harrisonburg, VA. Held is author of
the curriculum for the Presbyterian
Church on the family and leads work-
shops with practical help for churches
in nurturing spiritual life in the midst
of a secular culture.

"Barth as a Conversation Partner
for Preachers" is the title of the semi-
nar led by Shirley Guthrie, professor
emeritus and well-known author and
teacher. A leading Barth interpreter,
Guthrie is also interested in helping
pastors who have to prepare weekly
for preaching.

Jim Watkins, one of the newest
members of the Columbia faculty,
works with the Faith and the City
Program. He has been a pastor as well
as staff director in the Presbyterian
Peacemaking Program. Watkins will
teach "Living Faithfully in the Public
Square."

All options are for one- or two-day
events. Costs range from $50 to $125.
For more information or a brochure,
call 404/687-4562.

'Equipping God's
People for
Ministry'planned

"Equipping God's People for Ministry:
Exploring Possibilities for Lay Theo-
logical Education" is the theme of the
2001 annual meeting of the Society
for the Advancement of Continuing
Education for Ministry (SACEM) in
Decatur, January 12-14.

"This event should be valuable to
people involved in leading lay educa-
tion, both in academia and the church,"
says Linda Morningstar, associate
director of the Lay Institute of Faith and
Life. The Lay Institute is co-planning
the event with Emory University's
Candler School of Theology and the
Interdenominational Theological
Center.

Leaders for the event include
Jim Fowler, Patricia Fallen, John
Westerhoff, Don Saliers, Rick Dietrich,
Melva Costen, and Pete Paulsen.
The $120 conference registration fee
includes the $40 annual SACEM
membership dues.

For more information, call the
Office of Church Ministries Education
at Candler School of Theology,
404/727-4587.

Winter Lay
Schools offered

The 2001 Winter Lay Schools offer
several exciting opportunities for lay
people to work and study with faculty
at Columbia Seminary.

The Evening Lay School, which
begins February 5, offers classes
taught by Columbia's new professor
of worship, Brian Wren, theologian
George Stroup, and Beth Johnson,
professor of New Testament.

Lay Institute associate director
Linda Morningstar will be teaching
the on-campus Morning Lay School
course, "Making Sense of the Bible,"
which begins February 6.

Theologian and Professor
Emeritus Shirley Guthrie will teach
an off-campus Morning Lay School
course, "What Does It Mean to Be a
Human Being?", beginning February 1
at St. Luke's Presbyterian Church in
Dunwoody.

Evening classes meet Mondays,
February 5, 12, 19, 26 from 7:30 to
9:30. Students may choose one class,
taught in four two-hour sessions.
The on-campus Morning Lay School
class meets Tuesdays, February 6, 13,
20, 27, and March 6, 10:30 to noon.
The off-campus morning course at
St. Luke's Presbyterian Church in
Dunwoody meets February 1, 8, 15,
and 22, also from 10:30 to noon.

For more information and costs,
call 404/687-4577, or email
LayInstitute@CTSnet.edu.

VANTAGE

Missional conversation continues

Since its publication in 1998, the
research volume, Missional Church: A
Vision for the Sending of the Church in
North America, has stimulated a broad
and intense conversation about the
present and future calling of the
church in our country. The authors, all
of whom work within the Gospel and
Our Culture Network, call for a reori-
entation of the church as we encounter
the new and strange mission field
which North America has become.
The Gospel and Our Culture Network
is a group of Christian leaders from a
wide array of churches and organiza-
tions working together on the mission-
ary encounter of the gospel with
North American assumptions, per-
spectives, preferences, and practices.
Under the auspices of the network,
five studies have appeared which
address these issues.

This workshop invites pastors to
engage the authors of these studies in
a series of informal conversations,
based upon the reading of the books.
Five such conversations are taking

place on campus over the next two
years. Participants are invited to
arrive Sunday evening in order to
spend all of Monday, through lunch
on Tuesday, in conversation. Darrell
Guder, Columbia's Peachtree
Professor of Evangelism and Church
Growth, who is editor and co-authoi
of Missional Church, and author ot / he
Continuing Conversation of the Chun //,
will host the conversations

The second Missional Church
Conversation will take place February
26-27, 2001. Dr. Craig Van Gelder will
join Darrell Guder in conversation.
Van Gelder is professor of missiology
at Luther Seminary and a leading
domestic missiologist focusing on the
work of the church in the United
States. For more than 20 years, he has
been consultant to church organizations
and local churches which are dealing
with systemic change.

Cost of the event is $160. For
more information, contact the
Office of Continuing Education,
404/687-4562.

At the community wide lum h aftei opening i onvocation awards were presented to

Anne Apple '01, left, and jet Harper. Apple received th Miss I Virginia Harrison
Award, presented to a senior who is i on u ientious responsible hard working and who
will make a great I ontribution to the Presbyterian ( hutch 1 1 /' U / latpei dira tot oj
publications and publicity, received the Betsey Hz/ryc* Stall \u<attl lot (aithfulnc

dedicated service, and Christian < ham let upholding the seminary s purpose and mission

Mendenhall named eighth president
continued from page 1

With great support from her family,
they made the move from Florida to
Texas. She and her husband became
co-pastors in Victoria, Texas, for four
years. In 1991, Laura became head of
staff at Westminister Presbyterian
Church in Austin. Chuck is president
of the Presbyterian Children's Homes
for the Synod of the Sun. During this
time in Austin, Laura completed the
Doctor of Ministry degree at Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary in
1997. She was awarded an honorary
doctorate at Austin College this past
May. Since August 22, her ministry
has continued as president of
Columbia.

In addition to her work in the
local church, she has been active at
other levels of the denomination. In
1995 she became part of the Permanent
judicial Commission of the General
Assembly and moderator of that
commission since 1999. During that
time, her ability to help those of diverse

extremely important ability. As a
denomination, along with many oth-
ers, we are experiencing a shortage of
clergy. This is occurring because of the
large number of retirements, both now
and in the next few years. In addition,
recent graduates of seminaries have
included sizeable numbers of older,
second career students who are also
nearing retirement age. There is great
need to encourage young people to be
open to the possibility of God's call to
them, as well as opening congregations
and parents to this possibility. The
Search Committee believed that Laura
Mendenhall had the gifts and the
desire to do this. She also follows in
the line of the seminary's past two
presidents, who also came from the
pastorate to the presidency. Since the
mission of the seminary is particularly
to prepare and nurture pastors for the
church, her concern and love for that
vocation are very important.

What else interested the Search
Committee? Her administrative ability
Her sense that commitment to the
mission of the church and therefore of
the seminary makes raising the neces-

She connects very well with young people and enables than to
he open to the possibility that God is calling them.

opinions hear and understand each
other and to seek common ground
and the good of the whole church has
been clearly in evidence. She is also a
noted preacher at many seminaries
and conferences, especially in the
areas of worship and youth.

What is obvious to those who have
met her is that Laura Mendenhall is
excited about pastoral ministry. She is
also able to excite others. She connects
very well with young people and
enables them to be open to the possi-
bility that God is calling them. For the
Search Committee, this was an

sary financial support a theologically
significant task. Her sense of being
part of a team in carrying out the mis-
sion of the church, and yet her ability
to make difficult decisions. Her ability
to listen to others and bring those of
differing opinions together, even in
the midst of their disagreements. Her
concern for the global dimensions of
the church. These characteristics fit
very closely the list of characteristics
that the board, faculty, and students
had developed as the Search
Committee began its work.

This fall, the academic year began

with great expectation and enthusiasm
among students and faculty as the)
begin to discover in Laura Mendenhall
the qualities that the Sean h ( ommittee
and the Board of Trustees found. There
also will be 0( I asions for the wider
Columbia community alumni /.n
presbyteries, local congregations

Campbell Scholars Seminar begins
con t in tied from pay, i /

College, Uni\i'iMt\ ol ' amhi idge,
England. She is from a famous family
of missiologists the grandda lighter
of D.T Niles and daughter of I 'reman
Niles and brings to the seminar the
perspectives ami commitments ol a
young generation of Asian theolo
gians. Ofelia Ortega, president of the
Evangelical Theologit aJ ' leminary in
Matanzas, Cuba, is a greatl) respei ted
leader among the burgeoning
Protestant churches of latin Amo
Janos Pas/tor, former dean and
professor on the theologil a] faculty in
Budapest, Hungary, brings not only
deep reflection on the experieni eol
the churches in Central and I a .tern
Europe, but also careful study of the
mission imperative of the church.

Joining these international hol-
ars are two Columbia graduates and
distinguished U.S. pastors. Joanna
Adams '79, senior pastor of Atlanta'
Trinity Presbyterian Church, has led
her congregation during a remarkable
period of growth, especially among
young adults. As chair of Columbia's
Board of Trustees, she has provided
significant leadership to the seminary
during a time of renewed emphasis
on the mission of the church. James
Lowry '66, interim pastor of I
Presbyterian Church, New Bern, North
Carolina, has served as senior pastoi

to get to know hei I he formal
inauguration will be held as pari "I

the annual ( olloquiunx April 23-25,
2001 We ml ome President

Mendenhall to ( blumbia. D

Catherine I low ale

Ptvfcssoi ''I ' hun h History and nieinhn
el the Presidential Sean h ( ommittee

ot hisloi i. i hun hefl III South ( .i r < .1 1 m.i

and Tennessee and led In theii re^ Ital
ization and Bignifii an! e | lansii moJ
mission and membership

i bi h jreai a I olumbia professor
will partii ipate In the Beminai as
com enei I his Aral year, Walt
Brueggemann M Pheeters Profe
ot ( )id lestament, will represent the

senunai v l.u ulty " the seminal

I im in;,', llir '.rmiii.tr, p. ti In 1 1 >. 1 1 1 1 .

will meet with i.u ultj and BtudentB,
lead < era! i hapel Ben ii , and ntal e
presentations .it two publii forums
i-rsknir ' larke '66, dira toi ol the
seminar, a< ting dean ol fa< ulty; and
professoi ol Amerii an religious history,
note., " i he seminai represents a grow
ing emphasis al I olumbia around thi

question of mission God's Bi iivity in
llir ui.ild .mil the ways in win. h tfie
(hun Ii |).irtn ipates in tin ise a< ti\ ities
The seminar will clarify and give
insights .is to the direction we h.uil.l

go as sen ants ol the i hun h as we

seek to be faithful to tasks the church
has given us preparing and nurtur-
ing Leaders/'

At the seminar's conclusion, partii

ipants will present a paper that reflects

their collaborative work. Prof< oi

Brueggemann describes the seminar
as "an extraordinary adventure on the
part of Columbia," which will help the
seminary and the church think more
clearly about the character and task of
mission in the new century.
Kristen Anderson with Erskine Clarke '66

FALL 2000

For the Record

If you have recent news to contribute to this section, please mail it to
the editor, or you may e-mail it to harperj@CTSnet.edu.

G. Thompson Brown, professor
emeritus, and his wife Mardia received
the Bell-Mackay Prize, given each year
by Presbyterians for Renewal. 1 he
award honors those who, by life ^nd
ministry, have advanced the unity and
mission of the Presbyterian Church

(USA) in service to Christ Grace

Boyer '95 is in the ThM program in
church history at Princeton Seminary.....
C. Benton Kline, president emeritus
and adjunct professor of theology,
preached at North Decatur, GA, church.
His book review was published in

Presbyterian Outlook Brian Wren,

professor of worship, gave presenta-
tions on the theological power of
congregational song for the Atlantic
Seminar in Theological Education in
Nova Scoria; led a workshop and
preached at the Church of the Good
Shepherd, Ruxton, MD; and, for the
Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada,
taught a course in Boston on hymn
tune and text writing and gave a

plenary presentation Bill Schotanus

'53, founder and past president of the
Board of Directors of North Atlanta
Senior Services, now Lifespan Resources,
was presented the Distinguished Service
Award 2000 from the Gerontology

Center of Georgia State University

Sid Burgess '90, pastor of Edgewood
church, Birmingham, AL, was guest
preacher for The Protestant Hour radio

program October 8 Chuck Campbell,

associate professor of homiletics,
preached, led a workshop, and deliv-
ered the Somervillc Lecture for the
Academy of Preachers Conference in
Philadelphia; preached and led a
meeting at the Open Door Community,
Atlanta; and preached at First church,
Dalton, GA.

Robert Ramey, professor emeritus,
is interim pastor at the Bethesda
church, Aberdeen, NC. He presented
four lectures at a stewardship confer-
ence for the United Church of Christ,
St. Simons Island, GA; led an officer's
spirituality retreat for Covenant church,
Atlanta; and preached at the home-
coming service for the St. Andrew
church, Lynchburg, VA, where he was
pastor from 1957-63. His most recenl
books are Thriving in Ministry, 52
Devotions for Church Leaders, and The
Dynamic Congregation: A Manual for
Energizing Your Church, which was
chosen Book of the Week by Presbyterian

Outlook Dan Milford '93 is pastor

of First church, Sand Springs, OK

Tim Slemmons '95 has begun Ph.D.
studies in homiletics at Princeton
Seminary.....Linda Morningstar
(MATS '98), associate director of the
Lay Institute of Faith and Life, coordi-
nated an adult summer Sunday school
series, "Understanding the Faith of
Our Neighbors," at Mt. Vernon church,
Sandy Springs, GA. Ron Cram, associ-
ate professor of Christian education,
led the closing discussion for the
series. He also taught an adult class on

"Inter-religious Dialogue as a Spiritual

Discipline" at the church Jim Speed

'57 (DMin '84), director of alumni /ae
and church relations, preached at

the Raeford, NC, church Wayne

Hoffmann '62 was elected president
of the Military Chaplains Association.
He retired from the U.S. Reserves as
assistant chief of chaplains (brigadier

general) David Murad '96, associate

pastor of First church, Kirkwood, MO,
is serving a three-year term on the
Presbyterian Hunger Program Advisory
Board Chuck Vorderberg '96 is pas-
tor of the LaFayette and Summerville,

GA, churches Joon W. Lee '94 is

associate pastor of the Korean church,

North Miami, FL Mark Jumper '82

was elected secretary of the Military

Chaplains Association Beth Johnson,

professor of New Testament, is work-
ing on a commentary of 1 and 2
Thessalonians for the New Testament
I ihrary series. She taught Sunday school
at St. Luke's church, Dunwoody, GA,
and preached at the Druid Hills church,
Atlanta, and Holden Beach NC, chapel.

Kathleen O'Connor, professor
of Old Testament, presented a paper,
"Women and Debt in the Old
Testament," at the annual meeting of
the Catholic Biblical Association in

Los Angeles William Shumate '66

is pastor of Westminster church,

Kirkwood, IL Walter Brueggemann,

professor of Old Testament, lectured at
Taiwan Presbyterian Seminary and
Luther Theological Seminary; gave an

BIRTHS

To Mark '82 and Ginger Jumper,
a daughter, Bonnie Fay, June 1, 2000.
To Paul '86 and Susan Henschen,
a son Benjamin Thomas, Feb. 29, 2000.
To Jeff '93 and Kerri '93 Peterson-Davis,
a daughter, Kaitlin Cord, Aug. 5, 2000.
To Ashley Beaty Bickerstaff '98, a
daughter, Michelle Price, July 5, 2000.
To Laura Smith Conrad '98 and
Chuck, a daughter, Hallie Elizabeth,
July 5, 2000.

To Cindy '99 and Tim Dixon, a son,
Carter, June 20, 2000.
To Gordon '00 and Kelly Foltz, a
daughter, Hannah Rachel, June 30, 2000.
To Cynthia '01 and Jim Montgomery,
a daughter, Katherine Louise, Sept. 3,
2000.

To Bea '01 and Brian Edwards, a
daughter, Kacey Celeste, Sept. 8, 2000.
To Dan '02 and Jill Matthews, a
daughter, Kara Grace, July 4, 2000.
To Daniel '02 and Carolyn Smead, a
son, Jeremiah Caleb, Aug. 15, 2000.

DEATHS

Walter Swetnam '25, July 31, 2000.
David Maxwell '56, April 28, 2000.
Clayton Bell '58, July 5, 2000.
Henry Acklen (DMin '84), June 23, 2000.

address at the Preaching Conference
in Montreat; and led a workshop for
Presbytery of New Hope. His book,
Deep Memory, Exuberant Hope, has been
published by Fortress Press. An article,
"Always in the Shadow of the Empire,"
was printed in The Church as Counter
culture, and another article was pub-
lished in Scottish Journal of Theology

Peggy Owens '94 is associate general
presbyter for education and mission
with the Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky.
Her husband, Bill Owens '92, is
interim pastor for the Okolona church,

Louisville, KY Nancy Lee (ThM '93)

received the Ph.D. from Union
Seminary and Presbyterian School of

Christian Education Rick Dietrich,

director of the Lay Institute of Faith
and Life, joined Vie Protestant Hour in
July as host and interviewer of the
broadcast's scheduled preachers. He
continues to serve as parish associate
at Chapel in the Pines church,
Birmingham, AL. His new poems
appeared in Theology Today. His recent
article, "The Lesson and the Arts (four
essays in)," was published in Lectionary

Homiletics Barbara Holmes '95 has

written a book, A Private Woman in
Public Spaces: Barbara Jordan's Speeches

on Ethics, Public Religion and Law

Sasan Tavassoli (ThM '01) was
ordained by the Evangelical Church of

Iran at Westminster church, Atlanta

Walter Tennyson '93 is pastor of the
Broadway church, New York City.
Timothy Mallard (ThM '99) is
assigned to the Office of the Chief of
Chaplains, U.S. Army, where he is
working to establish procedures for
recruiting under-represented faith
groups and minorities into the Army

Chaplains Corps Recent marriages:

Rachael Banzhoff '00 and Eric Knoll,
June 10 in Brandon, FL; Linda Wells,
administrative assistant to the president,
and Greg Moore, June 10 in Decatur,
GA; Audrey Edmondson, staff associ-
ate for the Spirituality Program, and
David Ivester, June 17, in Atlanta;
Noelle Henry '99 and Denny Read '02,
June 24 in Anderson, SC; Brian Wyatt
'00 and Sarah Lumpkin, July 1 in

Canton, GA Becky Davis '00 and

Jim Davis, remarried July 8 in
Columbia's chapel; Jonathan Carroll
'00 and Kendra Bronsink, Aug. 5 in
Charlotte, NC; Brandi Casto '00 and
Andy Waters '01, Aug. 12 in Greenville,
SC; Ellen Donnan '93 and Bob Carroll,

May 20 in Oaks Corner, NY Roger

Mackey '68 (DMin '91) is pastor of the

Mulberry church, Charlotte, NC

Darrell Guder, professor of evange-
lism and church growth, participated
in a German-American consultation,
"Missional Youth Ministry in a Post-
Modern Context." He attended the
Worldwide Ministries Conference and
the board meeting of the Presbyterian
Frontier Fellowship. Guder led a
workshop for the Presbytery of East
Tennessee's training event, an adult
education class for the Shallowford
church, Atlanta, and a retreat for con-
gregational leadership at First church,
Belton, SC. He preached at the Decatur,
GA, church. In Germany, Guder gave
a presentation on missional church for
the annual meeting of youth workers.
He was a panelist for the National

Presbyterian Seminarians Conference
in Atlanta. His book, Tlie Incarnation
ami the Church's Witness, has been

printed George Rogers (DMin '01)

is pastor of First church, El Paso, TX

Sarah Diehl '98 received an M.A. in
Christian education from Union-PSCE
and is associate pastor of The Kirk of

Kildaire, Cary, NC PC. Enniss '58

(ThM '68) is interim pastor at First
church, New York City..... Robert
Murphy '81 is pastor of Trinity church,
Fairhope, AK.

Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, associate
professor of world Christianity, has
written Construyendo El Reino: Teologia
y estrategia de mision de los Discipulos
de Cristo en Puerto Rico, 1899-1999,
which was presented in the Christian
church (Disciples of Christ) in Pajaros,

Bayamon, Puerto Rico Ernestine

Cole, associate dean of students,
served as chaplain at the Presbyterian
Women's Gathering in Louisville, KY.
She preached at the Conyers, GA,
church, Westhills church, Atlanta,
Hillside church, Decatur, GA, and

Oakhurst church, Decatur George

Waters '87 is stated supply at First

United church, Knoxville, TN

Ok-Kee Kim '99 was ordained evan-
gelist at Korean Community church,

Tucker, GA Stephen Nickle '87 is

chaplain at Trinity University.....
Erin Sharp '99 is associate pastor of

the Fredericksburg, VA, church

Tom Hagood '82 is pastor of Columbia

church, Decatur, GA Gerone

Lockhart '99 is in the Ph.D. program

in sociology at New York University

Charles Chai '98 is pastor of the

Korean church, Peoria, IL Rodger

Nishioka, associate professor of
Christian education, preached for
New Covenant Presbytery in Houston,
TX; the Synod of the Sun reunion
celebration at First church, Dallas, TX;
Ridglea church, Ft. Worth, TX; and the
Smyrna, GA, church. He was a keynote
speaker for the Synod of Southern
California and Hawaii; a New Castle
Presbytery youth event in Wilmington,
DE; the FOCUS weekend at First

Continued on page 7

Vantage

Volume 92, No. 2, Fall 2000
Published quarterly by
Columbia Theological Seminary
Circulation: 27,000

The Office of Development and
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

VANTAGE

For The Record

continued from page 1

church, Atlanta; and the New
Wilmington, PA, Missions Conference.
Nishioka taught a course on Reformed
theology for youth ministry leaders
for the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
He published a chapter on the emerg-
ing youth culture for the 2007 Playbook,
a youth ministry resource for the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

Anna Carter Florence, assistant
professor of preaching and worship,
led a workshop and served as liturgist
for the Westminster Conference 2000
on Worship and Music. She also led
a workshop at the Montreat 2000
Preaching Conference. She taught a
preaching course at McCormick
Seminary with Don Wardlaw, former
Columbia professor of preaching, and
preached at the North Decatur, GA,
church and Wee Kirk church, Linville,
NC. Her sermon was published in
Renewing the Vision: Reformed Faith for

the Twenty-First Century Libby

Inman '92 is a pastoral counselor for
the Georgia Association for Pastoral

Care, Decatur Scott Lawson '93 is

pastor of the Community Church of

Hong Kong Bill Harkins, instructor

in pastoral care and theology, has been
granted candidacy for ordination in
the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta 1 le
serves as a postulant for Holy Famik
Episcopal Church, Jasper, GA. He
spoke to the Pastoral Counselors
Association of Georgia and served on
the advisory boards of St. Luke's
Episcopal Church's Training and
Counseling Center and of the
Department of Pastoral Services of

Emory University Hospitals Stan

Wood, director of the Center for New
Church Development (NCD), led a
retreat for the Synod of Mid-Atlantic
pastors, evangelism workshops for
East Virginia Presbytery, East Tennessee
Presbytery, and the National
Seminarians Conference, and served
as a consultant on strategic planning
and NCD with the General Assembly
staff of the Church of Scotland. He
held a Lilly Grant NCD Twenty-First
Century Research Meeting in Chicago.
At San Francisco Seminary, Wood
taught a program for commissioned

lay pastors of Latino new churches

Charles Cousar, professor of New
Testament, preached at the Spring
Valley church, Columbia, SC, and
taught a new members class at the

From the Bookstore

No. of
copies

New titles by Columbia Faculty:

The Covenanted Self: Explorations in

Law and Covenant

by Walter Brueggemann

Retail
price

Columbia
price

Deep Memory Exuberant Hope:
Contested Truth in a Post-Christian World
by Walter Brueggemann

The Incarnation and the Church's Witness
by Darrell L. Guder

Praying Twice: The Music and Words of
Congregational Song
by Brian Wren

Thriving in Ministry
by Robert H. Ramey

$18.00 $15.30

$16.00 $13.60

$9.00
$23.00

$7.65
$19.55

$19.00 $16.15

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FALL 2000

Decatur, GA, church, and adult classes
at St. Luke's church, 1 hmwoody, GA,

and Northwest church Atlanta Brent

Barry '98 is pastoi ol the ( ilendale
church, Dallas, TX.

Mark Douglas, assistant profesSOI
of Christum ethics, presented a papej
at the Southeastern Commission foi

Itudy ol Religion ( onference. l lis
article was published In journal of

IhMih-ss Ethics. 1 le attended the fellow's

meeting of the Sodet) foi Values in
Higher I ducation and did pulpit sup
ply work in Colorado Jeffrey Yergler
(DMin '96) is pastor ol the Universit)

Pla e church, Tacoma, WA Erskine

Clarke '66, professor ol American
religious historj and a< ting dean ol

faculty, has had his book, WrestUri
ffli i>/\ reissued by Unn ersitj ol

Alabama Press Christine Yoder,

assistant professor in Old Testament,
preached at the North Decatur, GA,
church; participated in the Wabash
Center consultation, " Ie.u limy; Biblical
Hebrew," at Princeton Seminary;
taught at Riverside i rrarch, fat ksonville,
FL, and the Druid I lills church,
Atlanta. Her book review was pub-
lished in Princeton Seminary Bulletin

Cameron Murchison, professor of
ministry, completed sabbatical study at
the University of Cambridge, rejoined
the teaching team for the Brotherhood
Class at Central church, Atlanta;
preached at the Timberridge church,
McDonough, GA; and preached and
participated in the dedication ot
Columbarium for the Blacksburg, VA,

church Morris Taylor '97 is assoi i

ate pastor of the Cottage Hill church,
Mobile, AL.

Last minute
ideas for the
season of giving

lui i am months of the year tradition-
ally offer a time of reflection and review
of the year's finances. Remember that
charitable gifts made by December 31
are deductible in 2000.

Take stock in your seminary. Did
you know that gifts "i appreciated
stock can provide significant tax
advantages? More and more friends of
Columbia are choosing to make gifts
in the form of stocks, bonds, and
mutual funds that have significantly
increased in value. A gift of appreciated
securities is deductible at full market
value and avoids capital gains taxes
that would otherwise be due if you
sold those securities yourself.

"But wait! I like this stock! I've
been making cash contributions to
Columbia for years. I own some stock
that's gone up in values, but I don't
want to give the stock away."

Let us show you how to avoid
capital gains, continue to own your
stock, and increase your cost basis
while making a charitable contribution
to Columbia.

To find out how, contact Caitlin
Way, director of the Annual Fund, at
404/687-4588 or 888/601-8918.

Major gifts
director named

Imet Nn n Voi NG foui yea]
when I conducted b feasibility study
tor an Independent g hool In Atlanta
its Board oi trustees was considering
a i ampaign
and w anted to
tample opin
Ions "i theii
i ommunit)
about theii

sv hool and

projet i i was
to i ondui
sei ies ol Intel

view s .m.l

fb( us group
sessions and reporl mj findings to
the board

One theme quickly emerged lium

my convei lation w Ith parents board
members, and fa< ultj With \ Irtual
unanimity, the community agreed that

Neely Young, the 3< hool S lu-adma-.lei

would be a kej Ingredient to an)
attempt to raise funds for the si hool
"Neely Is clearly b strength here/' one
i larenl sail I and i >ei iple w ill respond
to him

Indeed, this predii lion w as borne
out i". ih in the board's de< Ision to
move forward ami m the bui ceeding
campaign Neelj b drive, enthusiasm,

and i oinmitment weir in e\ idem 6

throughout I !< belies ed in the Lmpoi
i. i oi the > ampaign foi the s< hool

and its future, and could aili. nl.ilr lh.il
heliel in ways thai helped other people

belie\ e We worked hard, bul the i am
paign's success was nevei In doubt.
Neely has Ben ed as headmaster

at Mt. I'isgah ( hnsti.ni l >< hool in

Alph.iirti.i. ( leorgia, where he led the

B( flOOl's Hrsl I apital i ampaign, which
has raised more than $4.5 million in
gifts and pledges. I 'or 12 years befon

that, he was headmastei ol C| i Martin a

i pis< i ipai '" hi ii il, ah. mi. i i fndei his

le.ider'.hip, it he< aine one ol the i il ) '

best elementary and middli < hools.
i l. gen ed lor IS yeai a a ,i ;tant
headmaster and academic dean at

Pa< e Al ademy and taught .il I mory
.md ( )e,lelhorpe universities, I o\ etl
School ol Atlanta, and ' ollegiati

Schools of Rii hmond, Virginia I [e
holch. ih. rii i ) from Emory.

So I am thrilled that Neelj rbung
has come to Columbia Seminary as
director oi maji >i gifts. A lifetime

student of history, he understands the
significance of Columbia's tradition.
i [e apprei iates the vitality of scholai

I ii I . i m. I learning. Since 1975 he
has been a member of Peachtree
Presbyterian Church in Atlanta,
where he has served as deacon, elder,
and Sunday school teacher and
witnessed compelling ministry and
church leadership.

He is ideal for the task at hand
soliciting support for our programs,
goals, and dreams because he
believes in the future of Christ's
church and has embraced the role
that Columbia will play.

Richard DuBose

Vice President for Development

and Seminary Relations

Following convocation, faculty members greeted new students. Tamara Smith, an
exi hange student from United Theological College of the West Indies, is welcomed by
President Mendenhall, while faculty members Brian Wren, Cameron Muchison, and
Charles Cousar '58 spoke with other students.

New year begins

Columbia Seminary officially began
its 173rd session on September 13
with opening convocation, with faculty,
staff, students, board members, and
friends attending. President Laura S.
Mendenhall addressed the Columbia
community on "Remember Your
Baptism."

Of the 56 new basic degree students,
52 are enrolled in the Master of Divinity
program and four in the Master of
Arts in Theological Studies program.
The M.Div. students come from 17
states, and the class is 94 percent
Presbyterian.

The 36 new students in the Doctor
of Ministry program, 11 in the Master
of Theology program, and one in the
Doctor of Theology program represent
14 denominations, as well as Reform
Judaism.

Students receiving Columbia,
Honor, and Merit Scholarships were
recognized. The Ludwig Richard Max
Dewitz Old Testament Studies Award
and the Samuel A. Cartledge Biblical
Studies Award were given to Jonathan
Kaplan, and Lucy Youngblood received
the Indiantown Country Church Award.

To read President Mendenhall's
convocation address and Professor
Charles Cousar's prayer, visit our web
site at www.CTSnet.edu.

The inauguration of
Columbia's eighth president

Laura S. Mendenhall

April 23 - 25, 2001

+ *f* +

Alumni /ae Gathering

and

Inaugural Symposium

"Church Leadership

in the Twenty-First Century"

Vantage

4-^XL Z^OTTO

Periodicals
Postage
Paid at
Decatur, GA

Publication No. 124160

P.O. Box 520 Decatur, Georgia 30031

404/378-8821

www.CTSnet.edu

CONTENTS

Laura Mendenhall named president 1

First annual Campbell Scholars Seminar 1

A letter from the president 2

Watkins directs new project 2

Email newsletter for alumni /ae 2

2000 dissertation titles and placements 3

Continuing Education/Lay Institute calendar 4

Continuing Education /Lay Institute offerings 4, 5

For the Record 6

From the Bookstore 7

Ideas for the season of giving 7

Young named major gifts director 7

Columbia begins 173rd year 8

Inauguration of President Mendenhall set 8

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY