Columbia Theological Seminary Vantage, 86, number 1, Winter 1997

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY

Vantage

WINTER 199

Colloquium '97
moved to April 21-23

Making its first springtime appear-
ance is Columbia's Colloquium, a time
for reflection and reunion. Formerly a
January event, Colloquium '97 will
take place April 21-23. Dr. Nancy
Ammerman and Dr. Howard Rice will
be the speakers, and Dr. Calvin O.
Butts will be guest preacher.

This annual event, a highlight of
the seminary's calendar, offers a time
for examining the life of the church.
The activities included in this year's
three-day schedule include special
worship services, lectures, and a
variety of formal and informal occa-
sions for visiting with guest speakers,
professors, and friends. The Alumni /
ae Association Banquet and the
Alumni /ae Reunion Luncheon also
occur during the three-day gathering.

Registration for Colloquium '97
opens on Monday, April 21, at 3:00
p.m. The formal opening is a banquet
at the seminary at 6:00 p.m. High-
lights of the evening event will be the
presentation of Distinguished Service
Awards and a welcome from Presi-
dent Douglas Oldenburg. Alumni /ae
Association business will be included
in the evening's activities.

An 8:00 worship service will
follow the banquet, led by Dr. Butts.
The evening will conclude on the
seminary campus with coffee, dessert,

IBNIH I

The alumnilae reunion lunch will be held
April 22. Distinguished Service Awards
will be presented to two alums during the
opening banquet on April 21.

and music on the quadrangle.

The second day begins with
morning prayers at 9:00 a.m. At 9:15,
Dr. Ammerman will present a lecture,
"Congregations in the Wilderness of
Change." Following a mid-morning
break, Dr. Rice will present his first
lecture, "Ministry in the Midst of
Change" at 10:45.

The Reunion Luncheon on
Tuesday, April 22, will be a gathering
rime for the classes of 1922-42, 1947,
1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977,
1982, 1987, 1992, and 1996. There will
be time after the luncheon for classes
to continue to meet and share fellow-
ship.

Tuesday afternoon is free of
scheduled activities and organized
events. Tours of the new addition to
the John Bulow Campbell Library will
be offered during this time. Off-
campus possibilities include climbing
Stone Mountain, touring the High
Museum, playing golf, or visiting
Underground Atlanta.

The lengthening spring days offer
ample daylight for a late afternoon
chance to mix and mingle on the
seminary quadrangle. A 5:00 p.m.
event, with light refreshments served,
is designed to offer Colloquium
participants a chance to meet and visit
with Columbia's newest faculty
members: Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi,
Kathleen O'Connor, Cam Murchison,
and Darrell Guder. Jim Newsome '55,
who is retiring at the end of this
academic year, and Shirley Guthrie,
who will retire in December, will also
be present.

Bluegrass music and a barbecue
dinner begin at 6:00, also on the quad.
The evening's activities will conclude
with worship at 8:00 led by Dr. Butts.

On Wednesday, April 23,
Colloquium '97 opens its final day
with morning prayers at 9:00 a.m. Dr.
Ammerman's presentation, "Congre-
gations Looking Toward the Future,"
follows at 9:15. Dr. Rice will deliver
the final lecture, "Ministry as Spiritual
Guidance," at 10:45.

The four lectures and two wor-
ship services will take place at Colum-
bia Presbyterian Church. Other
events will be on the Columbia
campus, as noted. Costs of the
Monday dinner and Tuesday barbe-
cue are $10 each. Cost of Tuesday's
reunion luncheon is $6.

Nancy Ammerman

Howard Rice

Dr. Nancy T. Ammerman is
professor of sociology of religion at
Hartford Seminary in the Center for
Social and Religious Research. From
1984 to 1995, she taught sociology of
religion at Candler School of Theology
at Emory University. She holds
degrees from Southwest Baptist
University (B.A.), the University of
Louisville (M.A.), and Yale University
(M.Phil., Ph. D). Dr. Ammerman is
the author of several books and
articles, including her most recent
book, Congregation and Community. In
1993, she served on the panel of
experts convened by the U. S. Depart-
ment of Justice and Treasury to make
recommendations in light of the
government's confrontation with the
Branch Davidians at Waco. In 1995,
she testified before the Senate Judi-
ciary Committee on this incident.

Dr. Howard Rice is professor of
ministry and chaplain at San Francisco
Theological Seminary (SFTS). He is a
graduate of Carroll College and
McCormick Theological Seminary.
He has received honorary Doctor of
Divinity degrees from Carroll and
Whitworth Colleges. Dr. Rice, who
has been a professor at SFTS for
almost 30 years, served as moderator
of the 191st General Assembly. He
has been active in advocating the
spiritual renewal of the Presbyterian
Church and the role of women in
ministry. In 1991, he published
Reformed Spirituality: An Introduction
for Believers.

Dr. Calvin O. Butts III is pastor of
the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New
York City. He received his B.A. from
Morehouse College, the M. Div. from

Calvin Butts

Union Theological Seminary in New
York, and a Doctor of Ministry degree
from Drew University. Dr. Butts is
active in a number of organizations,
including the Organization of African-
American Clergy. He has been
instrumental in the establishment of
the Thurgood Marshall Academy fol
Learning and Social Change, a public
intermediate and high school in New
York City. Under his leadership,
Abyssinian Baptist Church has
completed several multi-million dollar
programs for low- and moderate-
income housing in New York City.

For more information about
Colloquium '97 or to register, call
404/687-4566. lee T. Read '98

Reflections after Ten Years

Douglas W. Oldenburg, President

It is hard for me to realize that I have
completed 10 years as president of
Columbia Seminary. When you are
enjoying something as much as I am
enjoying working at Columbia, time
surely flies.

As I reflect over the past 10 years,
my overwhelming feeling is one of
gratitude. I am grateful for those who
have gone before me and laid the
foundations upon which we have
built, grateful for the courage of the
search committee in calling me,
grateful for the wonderful people with
whom to work on the faculty, staff
and Board, and grateful for the strong
support we have received from our
various constituencies. Truly, my
"cup runneth over."

After 10 years, I am more con-
vinced than ever that the seminary
plays a vital role in shaping the future
of the church. The kind of leaders we
recruit and train will play a critical
role in determining what kind of
church we will have in the next
several decades.

I am also more convinced that

local congregations must become
more active in challenging those with
the greatest potential for effective and
faithful leadership in the church to
consider God's call to ministry. Al-
though the seminary has an important
role in the formation of persons for
ministry, there is a limit to what we
can do in three short years. We need
congregations, pastors, and lay people
to take more initiative in presenting
the call of God to those with outstand-
ing gifts for ministry.

Students and pastors also need
increasingly to understand that a
seminary education is only one step in
their theological formation and
training for ministry. Seminaries are
always being asked to include more
and more required courses, and every
request has merit, but it is simply
impossible to include everything that
ministers need to know in a three-year
curriculum. I wish presbyteries and
congregations would hold pastors
more accountable for their continuing
education. Effective ministry requires
life-long learning and growing,

especially when the world and the
church are changing so rapidly.

As I look forward to the next
several years, I see a number of
challenges that confront us at Colum-
bia. Let me list a few:

1. Perhaps the greatest challenge
we face is to maintain the high quality
of our faculty. With a number of
significant retirements coming in the
next few years, we need to fill these
positions with people reflecting
scholarship, diversity, and a solid
commitment to the church. While
centered in the Reformed tradition,
we also need faculty who will reflect
diverse theological perspectives. The
faculty is the heart of any educational
institution, and we must maintain a
strong heart.

2. We need to practice responsible
stewardship of the financial resources
God has entrusted to us. We have
recently been blessed with funding
that will enable us to dream new
dreams, but we have to do that in a
careful and prayerful way. That is an
enormous responsibility and chal-
lenge.

3. We need to complete the long-
range planning process we have
begun so that we not only have a
vision for Columbia in the future, but
also a strategic plan for fulfilling that

vision.

4. We need to keep recruiting
students who have the greatest
potential for effective ministry. We
are not interested in simply having
more students, but we are always
searching for those who have special
gifts for ministry. I remain convinced
that the church needs and deserves
the very best.

5. We must continue to respond
to the changing needs of the church
without losing our focus on our
primary mission. With the decline in
General Assembly and synod mission
programs, we are being asked to take
up the slack and begin new programs
(i.e., evangelism, spirituality, lay
education, new church development,
etc.), but the danger is that we will
become "a mile wide and an inch
deep." We must never lose sight of
our primary mission to train
women and men for leadership in the
church.

In retrospect, it's been a wonder-
ful 10 years, and I am grateful to God
for the privilege of serving Columbia
during this time in its history. I look
forward to the future filled with
enthusiasm and the conviction that
what we are doing at Columbia is the
most important thing in the world! I
hope you agree.

Stoncil Boyette and Randy Tyndall

Computer and media specialists
join Columbia's staff

Columbia has filled two positions in
computer support and audio-visuals.
Stoncil Boyette has been named
systems coordinator and comes to
Columbia with 18 years in the com-
puter industry. Randy Tyndall, media
specialist, has worked in the audio-
visual field since 1979.

Stoncil Boyette comes to Colum-
bia from the Friendship Force in
Atlanta, where he was manager of
information services for six years. He
led two major network upgrades and
the successful remote networking
project which allowed athletes and
their families to communicate elec-

tronically during the Olympics. He
also designed and implemented a
computer network with connections
to 50 countries.

He was customer service and
network services manager for Harbin-
ger Information Services of Atlanta,
an Internet and information service
provider, for five years. At Atari, Inc.,
Boyette was field service engineer,
and for the National Hurricane
Center, he maintained the radar and
laser systems for hurricane hunter
aircraft.

Boyette has attended Miami Dade
College and the Robert Morgan

Technical Institution.

Randy Tyndall was in sales and
support of audio-visual equipment for
the Georgia educational market at
Technical Industries before coming to
Columbia. Prior to that, he spent 16
years at DeKalb College, where he
was media production supervisor and
managed a department with a
$600,000 annual budget.

At DeKalb, Tyndall produced and
edited video and multimedia-based
programs and provided audiovisual
support to faculty, administration,
staff, and more than 16,000 students.
He has also worked in web page
design for clients using the Internet.

He is a graduate of Georgia State

University, from which he received
bachelor's and master's degrees in
communications. Tyndall is a board
member of the Georgia Association
for Instructional Technology and the
Southeast Regional Media Leadership
Council and a member of the Associa-
tion for Education and Communica-
tions Technology.

Dean of Faculty James Hudnut-
Beumler said of these two appoint-
ments, "In Stoncil and Randy we have
years of expertise in the technical
fields upon which the future of
education depends. Both bring a can-
do attitude to the exciting challenges
before Columbia. It's a pleasure to
work with them."

A

During the annual Smyth Lecture Series, October 8-10, Dr. Morna Hooker delivered
lectures to Columbia's students, faculty, and guests on the prophetic actions of Jesus.
Dr. Hooker is (he Lady Margaret's Professor on the Faculty of Divinity at the Univer-
sity of Cambridge in England. Her lectures were "Is This Not a Prophet?," "The Signs
of a Prophet," and "More than a Prophet."

VANTAGE

Columbia receives $66,000 grant
for new church development

*S

Peter Denlea '89 with four elders of the Laguna United Presbyterian Church

Alum ministers with the Lagunas

Irishman?" One of the women
responded, "We think this man can do
the work here!"

During the past 18 months, the
Laguna church has come into its own
in many ways, experiencing the
power of the Holy Spirit in all that it
does. There has been an extensive
effort to train the session in the Book
of Order and to reinforce Presbyterian
polity. Worship is a joy, the session
functions briskly and efficiently, and
there is a phone in the church for the
very first time. The church is well
known throughout the presbytery,
and relationships with two sister
churches in the presbytery have been
reestablished.

Not all the changes have been
with the Laguna church. Peter has
also been transformed in the midst of
these Presbyterians. "There is no
substitute for all I have experienced
here," Peter said. "The feast days and
celebrations; the dances and the deer
dinners, the funerals which are
extraordinary and speak to the heart
of the Laguna people, and being
formally presented to the Governor
and the Tribal Council, have touched
me to my very soul." June Sarracino,
a Laguna elder, who was presented a
Leadership Award at General Assem-
bly this year, says, "Peter has helped
us to grow in so many ways. He is
Laguna!"

Peter will complete his work at
Laguna and begin an eight-month
sabbatical in February. "The folk at
Laguna have taken me and my family
in as one of their own, and it is very
difficult to leave. But I discovered
early in my ministry that the talents
that moved me along during my 25
years in the Navy are the same ones
that God uses in me for the church.
I'm a bit of a trouble shooter, a change
agent, and a battery charger. When
that work is done, as it is at Laguna,
it's time to move along and let the
new pastor come in."

Peter will begin his sabbatical
with a retreat at the Benedictine
Monastery in Abiquiu, New Mexico,
and will travel, write, and rest. D

Editor's note: This is a continuation in
an occasional series on alums and their
ministries.

Peter Denlea '89 was named Small
Church Pastor of the Year in the
Presbytery of Greater Atlanta in 1993,
the first of these awards ever given.
While a seminary student, Peter was
supply pastor at the Bremen, Georgia,
church and following graduation,
Peter became the pastor of Ormewood
Park Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.
Where is Peter these days? When
he and Kemira (MATS '90) left Atlanta
in May 1995, they took up residence in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Peter was
called to Laguna United Presbyterian
Church in Laguna as their stated
supply. The Laguna church provided
the 224 loaves of outdoor ovenbread
for the 6,000 people who joined in the
Sunday morning worship at the 208th
General Assembly.

The Laguna People, whom Peter
serves, are one of the 19 pueblo tribes
in the Southwest. The Laguna church
represents the only Native American
Presbyterian church in the Presbytery
of Santa Fe and in the state of New
Mexico and is the only mainline
Protestant denomination that is
sanctioned on the pueblo. Peter
serves three village churches: Casa
Blanca, Paguate, and Seama.

When it was pointed out to Peter
that there was a part-time call open at
Laguna, he was reluctant to apply
because "I don't know anything about
Native Americans," he said. A
member of the Committee on Ministry
(COM) persisted, and Peter, along
with another Anglo and two Native
Americans, applied. Peter received a
unanimous call, even after confessing
that he was intimidated by the
thought of serving Native Americans
because of his ignorance of their
culture.

When the COM met with the
session to finalize Peter's call, the
regional presbyter asked the session,
"You have been pressing me for a
Native American pastor for over a
year now, so how come you picked
this big, pushy, noisy Brooklyn

Columbia Seminary has received a
grant for new church development for
the twenty-first century from Lilly
Endowment Inc. The two-year
$66,000 grant will allow researchers to
identify and analyze factors found in
effective new churches in order to
develop evangelism and church
development strategies for the
twenty-first century church.

Participating mainline denomina-
tions and other church communions
include the Presbyterian Church
(USA), the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, the Reformed
Church in America, the Episcopal
Church, the United Methodist
Church, the Southern Baptist Conven-
tion, the American Baptist Church, the
Luthern Church, Missouri Synod, and
the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
Research will focus on the investiga-
tion of new churches within those
denominations and will identify
pastoral and leadership profiles, the
theology and practice of evangelism,
and models found in those churches
that have effectively attracted and
assimilated unchurched people into
active church membership.

The project addresses a need
created by demographic changes
within the United States and the
decline in new church development in
mainline denominations during the
last 20 years. The decline is reflected
in the decreasing numbers of adher-
ents within these church bodies and a
resulting loss in ministry and service.
Since the Civil War, the predomi-
nant means used to reach increasing
numbers of unchurched Americans
through old-line denominations has
involved a two-fold strategy: organiz-
ing hundreds of thousands of new
churches and increasing the size of
existing congregations. The pattern of
opening a large number of new
churches in the 15 years after World
War 11 stands in marked contrast to

the 1980's, when relatively few new
congregations were begun by main-
line denominations. While seeking to
remain faithful to their comprehensive
mission, most denominations now
realize afresh the need for continued
growth if they are to serve in a
significant fashion in the next century.

Questions related to new church
starts include their progress and
effectiveness. This project will use
two surveys to determine effe< live
ness by looking at the new churches
with the largest numerical growth ol
unchurched persons who have
become active church members in
each denomination. The criteria to
analyze these effective new churches
and their leadership will be leadership
profiles, evangelism, governing body
support, demographic strategies and
models, and racial-ethnic determi-
nants that might uniquely define
effectiveness in reaching unchurched
people through new church develop-
ments.

The goal of this research is to
identify the potential of providing for
long-term, sustained membership
growth which comes from un-
churched people It. ommg respon-
sible church members. The ultimate
intent of the project is to develop and
utilize models of new church devel< ij 1
ment that have the potential of
providing long-term, sustained
membership growth at the rate of 10
percent or more each year over a 10-
year period.

The pivotal nature of this project
is particularly significant since a
number of the participating denomi-
nations have established new church
development as a major priority in the
next decade, to which millions of
dollars will be allocated. And the
insights on evangelism and church
development for existing chimin
will benefit thousands of churches. D

Columbia students excel at
Presbyterian ordination exams

In all four categories of the examina-
tions required for ordination by the
Presbyterian Church (USA), the
percentage of Columbia students
passing their exams last September far
exceeded the national average for all
persons taking the ordination exami-
nations. "As a group, Columbia
students performed extremely well,"
said Columbia's Vice President for
Student Life and Dean of Students
Philip R. Gehman.

In the examination in biblical
exegesis, 90.3 percent of all Columbia
students who sat for the exam in
September passed it. This compares
to a national pass rate on this exam of
71.9 percent.

Nine out of 10 Columbia students

passed the examination in worship
and sacraments last fall, compared to
a national average of 77 percent.

Columbia students passed the
theological competence examination
at a rate of 90.6 percent, compared to

76.8 percent for the national average.
In the subject of church polity,

Columbia students passed at a rate of

83.9 percent, also in excess of the
average national rate of 76.7 percent
for this exam.

"The remarkable rate of success of
Columbia's students in the Presbyte-
rian ordination exams is a credit both
to Columbia's excellent students and
also to its outstanding faculty," said
Gehman. D Timothy T. Read '98

WINTER 1997

Continuing Education
and Lay Institute
Calendar

For further information or to register for courses, call or write:
Rebecca S. Parker, 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.

February 3-May 9 Healing: The Neglected Mandate This course will focus on
the larger issues surrounding health, including medical services, the nature of
health, and our responsibility for our own health. This issue is one with
profound theological and biblical implications. Every Monday, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Leaders: Walter Brueggemann, Brian Childs, Ernestine Cole, Will Coleman,
Cameron Murchison, and Marilyn Washburn. Cost: $160.

February 16-March 31 Ar i Exhibition Meltings at the Boundary: Light and
Darkness See article on page 7.

March 3-4 Sighs Too Deep for Words: Discerning Spiritual Expression in Modern
Jazz Leader: Clay Hulet. Cost: $100.

March 6, 13, 20 What is Mission? Lessons from the Global Church Leader:
Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi. Cost: $25.

March 15 Moving On: Freeing mi Fi mininf Spirit A time for personal reflection,
workshops, and worship. The event will be held at Mary & Martha's Place in
Atlanta. Cost: $50.

Lay classes set
for February

Columbia's winter evening lay
school, beginning February 3, offers
three challenging courses.

In "Personality and Spirituality,"
learn about the relationship between
spirituality and different personality
types. Course instructors are Ben
Johnson and Julie Johnson.

How do we understand our
contemporary culture through eyes of
faith? In "Signs of the Times," Will
Coleman helps sort out these difficult
issues.

In "Paul's Letter to Philemon,"
Will Ormond and Rick Dietrich
consider what Paul may have to say to
today's Christian, both as a church
member and as a person in society.

Classes meet Monday evenings,
7:30 - 9:30 p.m., February 3, 10, 17, and
24. Cost of a course is $35.

Also beginning in February is
"The Church Between Gospel and
Culture," taught Thursday mornings
by George Telford. Morning lay
school meets 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.,
February 6, 13, 20, and 27. Cost is $25.

For more information or to
register, contact the Lay Institute of
Faith and Life at 404/687-4577.

Revisiting one's
call after three

March 31 -April 8 Jamaica Pilgrimage This trip is designed to introduce partici-
pants to Jamaica as they learn about Caribbean theology and experience the

fresh insights that come from travel outside one's familiar terrain. Leader: rY -iiri1cfrT7'

George Telford. Cost: $850 or $950 for D.Min. students seeking course credit. yCcLlb ill lllllLlOliy

April 6-11 Men's Contemplative Retreat This retreat, held at the Monastery of
the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia, is designed to provide time for contempla-
tion, reflection, interaction with members of the order, and generous amounts
of unstructured time. Leader: David Guthrie. Cost: $210.

April 13-17 Women's Contemplative Retreat This retreat, held at the
Benedictine Spirituality Center in Cullman, Alabama, is designed to provide
time for contemplation, reflection, interaction with members of the order, and
generous amounts of unstructured time. Leader: Charlotte Keller. Cost: $225.

April 14 Creating a Carinc Congregation This workshop will look at issues
for the mentally ill in our communities and ways that pastors and parishioners
can be the body of Christ for these persons. Cost: $35.

April 15 The Center City Meets the Suburbs This day-long workshop is co-
sponsored with Greater Atlanta Presbytery's Urban Mission Division. Leader:
Donald Shriver. Cost: $10.

April 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14 Faith in the Work Place Lunch at Central Presbyte-
rian Church, Atlanta. Leaders: Ben Kline, Rick Dietrich, Linda Momingstar,
Paul Osborne, Tom Frank. Cost: $50.

April 27-29 Naming the Pieces, Working toe Puzzle: Handles for Campus
Ministry This workshop for beginning campus ministers and "old timers" will
help campus pastors discern and implement the critical elements of a campus
ministry. Leaders: Dee Koza, Ann Clay Adams. Cost: $85.

May 2-3 Weekend Lay School in Houston Presbytery Leaders: Stan Saunders,
George Stroup, Rick Dietrich.

May 3 Religion and Public Education Leaders: Timothy Fulop, James Hudnut-
Beumler. Cost: $25.

June 20-July 2 Presbyterjan Heritage Tour of Scotland This trip will visit
Edinburgh and other historical sites. Leaders: Phil and Betty Noble. See article
on page 6.

Like most things in life, ministry has
predictable stages of development and
transition. A significant transition
occurs approximately three years into
ministry. At this point, one has been
in ministry long enough to assess
one's call, the particular church, and
the immediate future.

Unfortunately, many pastors react
rather than evaluate. Approximately
50 percent of new pastors will make
the decision to search for a new
church at this point because they
cannot clarify the issues and thus
make decisions based upon inad-
equate information. Short pastorates
often present problems for the church
and for the individual.

This seminar, scheduled for May
5-7, is designed to address the issues
in this transition. Often, ministers,
with better information, will remain
with the congregation, working on
important issues for the congregation
and for themselves.

Leadership for the event is
provided by TAS 2 TE, Transition and
Survival Skills Training Experience.
This organization has been providing
research and training in the early
years of ministry since the early 1980's.
The organization is Presbyterian,
although insights and research cross
denominational boundaries. Cost is
$135. In addition to the May '97
offering, the event will also be sched-
uled May 4-6, 1998. For more infor-
mation, call the Continuing Education
Office, 404/687-4562. D

So that's what it
means!

A new Lay Institute evening course to
be offered "off campus" will take a
fresh look at the Bible stories told in
Sunday school to children the
stories about Adam and Eve in the
garden of Eden; Daniel in the lion's
den; Peter walking on the water; and
the woman anointing Jesus' feet.

The course is designed for adults
who are seeking first-time or renewed
Bible literacy and who want to learn
how to apply the "old" stories in new
ways in their lives.

Roswell Presbyterian Church in
the north Atlanta suburb hosts the
course. Faculty include Old Testament
"story tellers" Will Coleman and
Kathleen O'Connor and New Testa-
ment "story tellers" Ann Clay Adams
and Stan Saunders.

Course sessions are Thursday
evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on
February 27, March 6, 13, and 20.
Registration on February 27 begins at
7:00 p.m. Registration fee is $35 in
advance, $45 at the door ($30 for
members of Roswell Presbyterian
Church). To register or for more
information, call the Lay Institute at
404/687-4577.

Church business
seminar planned
for April

Pastors are trained to think theo-
logically and to act in practical
situations with a biblical and theologi-
cal base. Often, however, seminary
training does not cover the areas of
budget, balance sheets, personnel, and
conflict that are part of administering
a church. This is particularly true for
churches whose size does not justify a
church business administrator.

Church Business Administration
for Church Pastors, scheduled for
April 7-9, is designed to teach basic
administrative skills and to help the
pastor become more conversant with
the business side of operating a
church. Areas to be covered include
management of human resources,
conflict management, management of
financial resources in planning and
budgeting, and long-range financial
planning, such as capital improve-
ments and debt management.

The seminar will use resource
people from the University of
Georgia's College of Business and D.
Cameron Murchison, professor of
ministry at Columbia. This is a pilot
project funded by outside resources,
so the cost is only $65. For more
information, contact the Office of
Continuing Education at 404/687-
4562.

VANTAGE

Columbia's Doctor of Ministry
Program grows and offers
specializations

Editor's note. In this expanded issue of
Vantage/ four pages are being devoted to
Columbia's Doctor of Ministry degree in
the Advanced Studies Program and to
Continuing Education, the Lay Institute
of Faith and Life, the Spirituality Pro
gram, and CTS Press. We hope that this
will be an annual feature.

Columbia Seminary offers courses
of study leading to both basic and
advanced degrees. At present, more
than 335 students are seeking
Columbia's advanced degrees: Master
of Theology (Th.M.), Doctor of
Ministry (D.Min.), and Doctor of
Theology (Th.D). Almost 80 percent
of these students are in the D.Min.
program.

George Telford '58, Columbia's
director of advanced studies and
associate professor of theology and
church, notes that many D.Min.
students are best served by a program
that is largely generalist in character.
"A general approach allows students
to customize an advanced degree
program so that the candidate can
pick and choose those areas of study
most relevant to his or her needs,"
says Telford.

Notwithstanding the broad
appeal of a generalist program, many
students are attracted to one of the
specializations that Columbia offers in
the D.Min. program. "Given the
extraordinary strengths and compe-
tencies of Columbia's faculty, we have
developed five possible areas of
specialization," says Telford. These
include Gospel and culture; cross-
cultural ministries; Christian spiritual-
ity; pastoral counseling; and Korean-
American ministries.

Gospel and Culture Specialization

Columbia's doctor of ministry
specialization in Gospel and culture
has been developed to help ministers
consider and respond to the profound
challenges to Christian discipleship at
the end of the twentieth century.
Through disciplined study and
creative exchange, students wrestle
with the distinctive characteristics of
the times in which we live and how
our understanding of God and our
reading of the Bible are shaped and
challenged by our location in culture.

Telford explains, "This specializa-
tion focuses upon what God is saying
and doing in and through contempo-
rary culture and what changes need to
take place in the church and its
ministry to respond faithfully and
creatively to changing cultural pat-
terns."

The skills and talents of many of
Columbia's faculty are brought to
bear on these issues. Among them,
Walter Brueggemann, professor of
Old Testament, focuses on "old
dangerous texts for new dangerous

times," and with colleagues and
students examines ways in which to
respond to the new interpretive
situation in which the U.S. church
finds itself. In discussions and
seminars on the theology of culture,
George Stroup, professor of theology,
focuses both upon the relation of the
Gospel and contemporary culture and
upon the way the church in previous
contexts engaged the culture.

Associate Professor of Church
History James Hudnut-Beumlcr
examines social theory for ministry
and mission, with careful attention to
issues of social analysis and church
practice. Other faculty members join
in the seminars and work with
candidates on doctoral projects.

Columbia's location in Atlanta
offers excellent resources to consider
questions arising from the intersection
of Gospel and culture. For example,
Charles Campbell's course on "Good
News to the Poor" engages students in
the interpretation of Scripture and the
preaching of the Gospel in conjunc-
tion with the ministries to the home-
less of the Open Door Community in
Atlanta.

A specialization in Gospel and
culture allows students to combine
issues of social, cultural, and theologi-
cal analysis with actual ministerial
practice and leadership.

Cross-Cultural Ministries
Specialization

The doctor of ministry specializa-
tion in cross-cultural ministries was
developed to address the urgency of
living and ministering in a culturally
diverse and religiously plural context.

"Ministers of all races are recog-
nizing that they must develop cross-
cultural ministries for the revitaliza-
tion of the church," says Telford.
"That means that ministers are going
to need biblical, theological, and
missional models and skills for
dialogue across different cultures."

Columbia's cross-cultural special-
ization is designed to equip ministers
with these skills and models. Stu-
dents examine the ecumenical charac-
ter and ecclesiological models emerg-
ing within cross-cultural ministries.
"It is our goal," says Telford, "to
help students in this program develop
skills for resolution of cross-cultural
conflicts and communication, as well
as for interfaith experience and cross-
cultural critique."

Telford points out that many
members of Columbia's faculty are
addressing the challenges of cross-
cultural ministry. For example,
Marcia Riggs, associate professor of
Christian ethics, has focused much of
her research, writing, and teaching on
the relationship between oppression
and socio-religious ethical practice.
Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, instructor in

Walter Brueggemann, professor of Old Tes
dangerous texts for new dangerous times

world Christianity, focuses on the
history, social location, culture, and
religious character of various ethnic
communities and is particularly
interested in developing church
leadership which seeks a
reconciliatory process with mainline/
traditional Christianity.

Not all of Columbia's D.Min.
classes must be taken at the Decatur
campus. Telford notes, "Half of the
courses that students need are also
available in satellite locations as
distant as Rochester, New York;
Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte,
North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi;
Brandon, Florida; Columbia, South
Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and
Kingston, Jamaica."

Columbia's Doctor of Ministry
program is ecumenical with a large

D.Min. class in "old

diversity of students participating.
"We have students from 29 denomina-
tions represented in the D.Min.
program," says Telford. "Our current
D.Min. candidates come horn 31 states
and four other countries, and they are
graduates of 65 seminaries.

Even a specialization does not
prohibit one from following other
areas of interest and need. Telford
notes, "Students in either a specialized
program or the generalist program
have access to all courses and are not
required to remain in an inflexible
'track.'"

Whether one specializes or takes a
generalist approach, Columbia's
doctor of ministry is designed to help
ministers increase their faithfulness
and competency as they move into the
twenty-first century. D

Timothy T. Read '98

Doctor of Ministry calendar of events

March 31-April 8 Jamaica PlLGRIMA< a

June 2-16 Seminar to the People's Republic of China and Honc Kong

July 7-18 Session I Summer School

i. Through the Eyes of Women taught by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner

2. Inside Islam taught by John Kelsay

3. Spirituality for Ministry within the Congregation taught by Ben

Johnson

Tulv 21-August 1 Session II Summer School

1. Image and Word: Theological Reflections on Media and Culture
taught by Iwan Russell-Jones

2. New Testament Ethics taught by Stan Saunders

September 8-10, October 6-8, November 3-5, December 1-3 Introductory
Core Seminar for Doctor of Ministry Students The beginning seminar or
all new Doctor of Ministry students who wish an advanced yet flexible, course
of studies, customized for their particular interests and goals.

October 13-17 Introductory Seminar for Students in Cross-Cultural
Specialization (See description on this page.)

October 20-31 Introductory Seminar for Students in Gospel and Culture
Specialization (See description on this page.)

November 17-25 Introductory Seminar for Students in Christian
Spirituality Specialization

WINTER 1997

Columbia's continuing education
strengthens ministry

Whai B THE CHI RCH's mission in a time
when it no longer holds the attention
of the culture? What are strategies for
being a faithful church in the midst of
change? How do we understand
ourselves to be the church and so be
faithful in our leadership? These are
some of the questions and concerns
that underlie the offerings and pro-
grams of the Office of Continuing
Education as it works to strengthen
and support the diverse ministries of
the church.

Often, continuing education has
been conceptualized as retooling or
adding courses not taken in seminary.
This assumes the basic foundation for
one's ministry was completed in
seminary. As the culture in which the
church exists undergoes profound
changes, as does our understanding of
human process and development,
continuing education is shifting from
luxury status to being an integral part
of one's continuing ministry. It is not
possible to gather all the knowledge,
skills, and spiritual resources for a
lifetime of ministry in three years;
rather, continuing education is an
ongoing process.

Continuing education at Colum-
bia is working to build a program to
support persons in ministry, thereby
providing for the church resources for
its work in the world. Three empha-
ses are being focused on in the next
three years. These will be built into
the existing program which is rooted
in the classic traditions. Each fall,
beginning in 1997, Columbia will

Take a tour of
Scotland's
Presbyterian
heritage

This educational and fun trip will
begin in Edinburgh, where the
significant historical sites will be
visited and where the group will
worship at St. Giles cathedral.

After leaving Edinburgh, the
itinerary includes St. Andrews,
Aberdeen, Inverness, Oban, Iona,
Glencoe, Stirling, Glasgow, Ayr, and
the final two nights in the Border
Country. Throughout the tour we will
be accompanied by a guide who will
help make our heritage come alive.

The group, limited to 25, will
depart from Atlanta on Friday, June
20, and return on Wednesday, July 2.
An optional stay of three nights in
London, July 2-5, is available.

Betty and Phil Noble '45, who
have been to Scotland many times,
will lead the tour. For more informa-
tion, call Columbia's Office of Con-
tinuing Education, 404/687-4562, or
Phil Noble, 404/378-1373. D

offer a clergy assessment workshop to
assist pastors, educators, and church
professionals to take stock of their
ministry, assessing what their goals,
hopes, and dreams are for themselves
and their place of ministry, assessing
their strengths and weaknesses, and
taking intentional steps to build their
ministry skills.

The second area of emphasis is to
assist pastors at the different transi-
tion points in their lifelong ministry.
The current focus is on the first five
years of ministry where the greatest
stress occurs. Future workshops will
focus on the later transitions in
ministry, the maturation, mid-career,
and pre-retirement stages. Each stage
has specific tasks and skill develop-
ment.

For the first five years of ministry
stage, a series has been developed to
assist pastors at three critical junc-
tures. They are the initial entry into a
congregation from seminary, 18
months into the ministry, and at three
years when a person is making critical
decisions about remaining in ministry
or moving to a different church.
Dates for these workshops are listed
in the calendar. These transitions are
natural in the life cycle of a ministry,
and the workshops will help persons

Columbia course
receives award

The Georgia Alliance for the Mentally
111 (GAMI) awarded Columbia its
Religious Outreach Award for
Outstanding Individual or Organiza-
tion. GAMI chose Columbia because
of its "Creating a Caring Congrega-
tion" series, which seeks better
understanding of mental illness in
order to be more effective ministers to
the mentally ill.

This series, held each spring, is
co-sponsored by the Presbyterian
Mental Illness Network, a division of
the Presbyterian Health, Education,
and Welfare Association. The first
year, the event was organized largely
through the efforts of Ben Gautier,
whose daughter has schizophrenia.
His goal was to insure that the
mentally ill, their parents and friends
received acceptance and ministry
from their churches.

The series has been a continuing
success. Last year's meeting dealt
with financial issues and pediatric
mental illness. One speaker, Nancy
Lee Head, is a Columbia alumna who
has schizophrenia and who is now
ministering as a staff person for a peer
group of mentally ill persons in
Washington, D.C

As its recent award suggests, the
"Creating a Caring Congregation"
series at Columbia is committed to
breaking the power of fear and
creating more effective ministers. D

Lance Mullins '99

Brian Quids, professor of pastoral theology and counseling, will be teaching a course
during the summer ses sion with James Baker on pastoral care and preaching.

know what they can expect and give
them tools for the transitions.

The third area of emphasis is
leadership. Leadership is an art and a
skill. Programs and workshops in this
area will focus not only on skill
development, but also on understand-
ing the dynamics of leadership,
spiritual formation, and congrega-
tional theory.

Columbia's continuing education
program is designed to look at the

entirety of a person's ministry in its
complexities. The program is
grounded in the belief that sound
theology, historical background, and
biblical insight undergird the practice
of ministry and should be part of the
daily exercise of ministry. Workshops
and seminars build on the strong
academic foundations laid in semi-
nary and support pastors, educators,
chaplains, and other church profes-
sionals as they seek to serve God.

Fall '97 calendar for continuing education

September 18-20 Me? Write a Book? Why Not! A step-by-step approach
from idea to outline. Do you have enough material for a full book, or do you
have an article? How do you get started? How do you plan the book? How do
you write a proposal? Leader: Cecil Murphey. Cost: $120.

September 27 Women Choosing to Lead: Naming the Struggles, Reclaim-
ing the Strengths Women bring a specific type of leadership to ministry that
is different from the way men lead. This workshop will help women leaders
both personally and spiritually. Leader: Constance Buchanan. Cost: $75.

November 3-7 Clergy Self-Assessment This seminar is designed to increase
the effectiveness of ministry by taking stock of where a pastor is in his or her
ministry. In this seminar, leadership style will be assessed, compatibility with
the congregation examined, the positive aspects of conflict explored, methods
of self-care discovered, and effective use of strengths in ministry learned.
Leader: Roy Oswald. Cost: $150.

November 17-19 When the Honeymoon Is Over After 18 months into the
first congregation, a significant transition occurs as the realities of the call
become evident. This workshop is designed to help persons assess what is
happening in their congregations and to themselves as they develop their styles
of ministry. Cost: $135.

December 8-9 Exploring the Dynamics in the First Five Years of Ministry
for the Church This event is designed for presbytery executives, chairs and
members of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry and the Committee on
Ministry, and others interested in knowing more about the dynamics and
transitions in the first five years of ministry that affect the life of the congrega-
tion and the individual pastor. This process has significant impact on the
health of congregations as well as that of presbyteries. Leadership is provided
by TASTE, Transition and Survival Skills Training Experience. Cost: $85.

VANTAGE

Lay schoolers
grapple with
issues of faith
and life

Why is human forgiveness such a
problem for many of us, and what can
we do about it?

How can we distinguish between
unhealthy stress and healthy anxiety
as faithful Christians "in the world
but not of the world?"

What can we learn for our con-
temporary lives by looking closely at
the women in the Old Testament?

What can we anticipate about our
spiritual growth when we become
older adults?

What lessons can we learn about
bearing grief and pain by reading the
Book of Lamentations?

Is there Christian hope in a society
that seems to be falling apart around

us?

These are just a few of the kinds of
questions faculty and participants
grapple with in the Lay Institute's
evening and morning lay school
courses.

"Each session, we offer a mix of
courses in study of the Bible, theology,
and practical issues of faith in society
and in personal life," says Lay Insti-
tute Director Rick Dietrich.

Among recent study topics have
been women in the Old Testament;
the Acts of the Apostles; the ethics of
life-and-death medical issues; deepen-
ing one's spiritual journey; and
human forgiveness.

For more information on winter
lay school offerings, see page 4.

Learn to read
with theological
discernment

When you read a novel, what differ-
ence might it make to look for the
presence or absence of God in the
world the author has created?

An ongoing study group at the
Lay Institute of Faith and Life offers
the opportunity to learn to read
literature with theological discern-
ment. Called "Theology and Litera-
ture," the group which is open to
everyone meets the first Tuesday of
each month, from 7:30 - 9:00 pm in the
Harrington Center on the Columbia
campus.

Among the many books the group
has read and discussed are Pat
Conroy's Prince of Tides, John
Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of
Good and Evil, Maya Angelou's / Know
WJiy the Caged Bird Sings, Robertson
Davies' The Rebel Angels, and Laura
Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate.

The fee is $10 for a year's partici-
pation (payable in September). Group
leader is Rick Dietrich, director of the
Lay Institute. To find out what the
group is reading for the coming
month, call 404/687-4577. D

WINTER 1997

Seeing faith in Lay Institute
the visual arts hosts art exhibit

In the movie, Schindler's List, none of
the characters caught up in the Holo-
caust voices the inevitable question,
"Where is God in this?" Why? Was
the question there in the movie
nonetheless?

In the French-Canadian film, Jesus
of Montreal, we encounter an actor
who takes on the role of Jesus in a
passion play but becomes like Jesus in
life.

And in the Albert Brooks comedy,
Defending Your Life, we view an
afterlife in which the primary criterion
of judgment is not good or bad deeds,
but rather how pervasive fear was in
one's life.

In each of these films, a theological
claim is present. What idea of God is
portrayed here? What is the value,
purpose, or direction of human life
here? And how should faithful people
respond to such claims?

An ongoing study group at the
Lay Institute of Faith and Life offers
the opportunity to learn to view and
discuss movies from a theological
perspective. Called "Faith and Film,"
the group which is open to every-
one meets the third Tuesday of each
month, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. in the
Harrington Center at Columbia.

Besides Schindler's List, Jesus of
Montreal, and Defending Your Life,
some of the films discussed have been:
The Mission; Eat, Drink, Man, Woman;
The Shawshank Redemption; Babbettes
Feast; Vie Piano; The Lion King; Pulp
Fiction; and Enchanted April.

The study group fee is $10 for a
year's participation (payable in
September). Group leader is Fritz
Bogar, a Presbyterian minister cur-
rently serving Norcross Presbyterian
Church. To find out what the group is
viewing for the coming months'
sessions, call 404/687-4577.

He has described a circle upon tin-
face of the waters
At a boundary between light and
darkness.

Wremi ixc. wiiii rHB fragment of
poetry from the book of Job (26:10),
Atlanta artist Mary Callaway Logan
has produced a series of three-
dimensional "dwellings," reflecting
her response. She describes the work
as the dwellings of her meetings with
the God for whom "darkness is not
really dark."

Called "Meetings at the Bound-
ary. Light and Darkness," these pieces
will be exhibited by the Lay Institute
of Faith and Life beginning February
16 in the Harrington Center at
Columbia.

Mary Callaway Logan is an
ordained United Methodist
clergywoman and pastoral psycho-
therapist, as well as an artist. Her
work has been exhibited at Santa Fe
South, Art South in Atlanta, and the
Atlanta Public Library Downtown.

This is the third exhibition the Lay
Institute has arranged to display in
the Harrington Center. Previous
shows were of George Rouault's
Miserere series (arrangements made in
conjunction with Christians in the
Visual Arts), and Lynda Dubov's
"Voices in the Ghetto: A Visual
Kaddish."

Mary Callaway Logan will be on
hand at 7:00 p.m. for the February 16
opening to meet and talk with inter-
ested viewers. The exhibit can be
viewed between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. weekdays from February 16
through March 31. For more informa-
tion, call 404/687-4577.

Turn to page 4 for a calendar listing of upcoming Lay Institute events, as well
as articles on Bible stories for adults and February lay scliools.

Each summer the Lay Institute offers a workshop on the PW Bible Study

In jazz, listen
for the voice
of the voiceless

"In its beginnings, jazz was the
blues. Born in the working fields of
slaves in the American South, the
blues gave voice to a\ oiceless people,
crying out with 'sighs too deep for
words,'" says Clay Hulet, a ja
drummer who is associate director ol
the John Bulow Campbell Library al
Columbia.

"Today, instrumental jazz contin-
ues to speak volumes without saying
a word," says Hulet, who recently
taught an evening Lay Institute course
called "Sighs Too Deep for Words" (a
phrase drawn from Romans 8:26).
Hulet holds master's degrees from
Columbia Seminary and Clark Atlanta
University.

About 20 people attended the
four-week course, in which Hulet
surveyed the history of jazz as a mode
for spiritual communication. The
group listened to and discussed
numerous jazz recordings from across
the years, ranging from King Oliver to
Chick Corea, focusing in particular on
the modern era from Charlie Parker to
John Coltrane.

"Considering that the God of
Scripture is the God of the oppressed,
God is in this music," Hulet says. "In
jazz, the sacred and the secular are
intertwined."

Little has been written about the
relationship between jazz and reli-
gion, because few people are expert in
both areas. Among the sources Hulet
recommends are two articles from the
theomusicological journal, Black Sacred
Music: "From the Heart: A Reflection
on the Essence ol fazz" (1992) by
Mtumishi St. Julien and "Improvisa-
tion, Individuation, and Immanence:
Thelonius Monk" (1989) by Hugh J.
Roberts.

Hulet will reprise the seminar on
discerning spiritual expression in
modern jazz for the Office of Continu-
ing Education in March. See the
calendar on page 4 for more informa-
tion. D

Announcing the Certificate in Spiritual Formation

A Response to Spiritual Hunger in

the Church

Today's theological climate has
fostered a growing interest in Chris-
tian spirituality, especially as men and
women make serious inquiry into the
nature, practice, and significance of a
life in the Spirit of Christ. In response,
Columbia has designed a non-degree
program specifically for ministers and
laity who wish to help others on their
spiritual journeys and learn more
about Christianity's rich spiritual

heritage.

The Certificate in Spiritual Forma-
tion offers an exploration of commu-
nity-grounded spirituality that is
rooted in Scripture, theology, a history
of tradition, readings in the spiritual
classics, prayer and meditation, and in
skills for assisting others on a spiritual
journey. Candidates have six years to
complete the program, culminating
with a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Components and Structure of the
Certificate in Spiritual Formation
Program

The Certificate Program has tour
major components: Immersion Week,
Elective Courses, a Practicum, and a
Spiritual Pilgrimage.

Immersion Week. This week-
long retreat offers opportunities to
reflect on one's spiritual journey and

to develop resources for helping
others on such a journey. Insights
cleaned here will provide focus
regarding each individual's strengths
and weaknesses, helping participants
to discern a structure for courses.

Elective Courses. Each candidate
is required to complete six elective
courses, each of a week's duration
Three or four electives will be offered
each year and will examine spiritual-
UN from biblical, theological, histori-
cal literary, social, doctrinal, and /or
practical dimensions. Electives will be
ottered at Columbia or at satellite
locations around the country.

Practicum. Emphasizing knowl-
edge and skills in the practice of
spirituality, each candidate will
conceive, design, and conduct a
practical act of ministry. The
Practicum will include projects such
as forming a small group for prayer,
study, support, and /or outreach;
leading a retreat; and teaching a
school of prayer.

Pilgrimage. The final segment of
the certificate program will involve a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The pilgrim-
age is a six-unit course. Tuition plus
$500 covers all expenses.

A reaction: "This program is
precisely what I need. One of the
powerful motivations for my involve-
ment is that there is no degree to be

Immersion Week (four units)

Elective Courses
(six courses at three units each = 18 units)

Yearl

Fall

Immersion Week

New Testament

Spring

Immersion Week

Spirituality of
Compassion

Spiritual Classics

June

The Literature
and PractRi
of Spirituality

Year 2

Immersion Week

Immersion Week

Reformed Spintuahtv Personality and

Spirituality

Teaching
Spiritual
Formation

Earthy Spirituality
Psalms

Group Spiritual
Direction

Year 3

Immersion Week

Immersion Week

Prayer in Many Forms History of Christian

Spirituality

Spirituality and
the Formation
of Community

Practicum (four units)

Pilgrimage (six units)

Tuition: $100 per unit

earned. Tve spent too many years ^ ^te^Lon, contact the
seeking the Holy Crail of earned W 404/687 . 4587; fa 40 4/687-

degrees, but now, I am exc ted about program a / com Q

learning, experiencing, and having my *oii, emau v-

CTS Press presents resources for pastors and the church

^m-T^^B I ZT\ Something More. For church members A\

CTS Press, a publishing arm of
Columbia Seminary, is committed to
producing dynamic, effective, and
reasonably priced materials suitable
for every size congregation.

For a complete listing of resources,
contact CTS Press, P.O. Box 520,
Decatur, GA 30031. Telephone 404/
289-8952. Fax 404/289-1267. Email:
ctspress@aol.com.

Leading a Congregation in
Changing Times

Signs of the Times. Eight-part series
examines icons of contemporary
American culture in 30-minute video
sessions: television, car, gun, game,
mall, body, and computer. $79 for two
two-hour videos and viewer's guide.

Theses

for

The Church

Bi \ Johnson

New Day ^Jc
New Church

Ben Johnson

Something More. For church members
who recognize a spiritual vacuum in
their lives and search for a deeper, more
authentic faith. $2; $1.50 each 12 or
more.

Discipleship 101. For

Beginning Disciples.
Introduces youth to faith;
foundational training for
new members. Eight
sessions on Mark 1-8.

New Day/New Church. Companion to
95 Theses, this guide defines the context,
proposes a transitional church, and
offers practical ways to begin. $1 1.95

Gathering the Church in the Spirit.

Walter Brueggemann explores eight
texts on the Spirit that guide the church
in changing times. Book $5; one-hour
video $30.

Presbyterians in World Mission: A
Handbook for Congregations. G.

Thompson Brown. Combines
history with a practical challenge to
today's congregations. Revised
edition $1195.

Discipleship 202. For

Intermediate Disciples.
Helps participants
mature in faith. Eight
sessions on Mark 9-16.

SiqNS

Of THG

-FiMes

Rtlfl.ngOu' Cultu'C
With E ot Faith

1 GoowingI
1 CHURCH 1
I LEADERS 1

Can We Just Talk About It? A
Discussion of Homosexuality

Helps persons seeking God's
direction on this controversial
subject. Ben Johnson dialogues with
Walter Brueggemann (Old Testa-
ment professor) and Charles Cousar
(New Testament professor). 30
minutes. $19.95 .

Growing Church Leaders. Robert
Ramey. Practical helps for developing
lay leaders in a changing age. $7.95

95 Theses for the Church. Ben Johnson.
Summarizes the state of the church, the
context of ministry, seminaries, pastors,
and the denomination in today's culture
in 95 terse statements. $8.95.

Prayer and Spiritual Life

Invitation to Pray. A call to prayer for
individuals and congregations. Four
forms of prayer: corporate, personal,
life-centered, and contemplative. $2;
$1.50 each for 12 or more.

Letting God Find You. Specifically
created for persons who know little
about beginning a Christian journey. $2;
$1.50 each for 12 or more.

Evangelism and Church Growth

Adventure in Prayer. A challenge to a
30-day prayer experiment. $2; $1.50
each for 12 or more.

When You Join the Church. How to

identify, cultivate, and assimilate
prospective members. Introductory
Packet contains one cassette, one
Leader's Guide, one book. $9.95;
Additional books, $2 each.

Pastor Helps

Art of Pastoring. William C. Martin.
Pastor, therapist, and spiritual director
provides 81 pungent reflections on the
task, role, and person of the pastor.
$7.95.

Discipleship

The Discipleship Series. Innovative
Bible studies to teach faith basics.
Introductory Packet for each series
contains one workbook, one audiocas-
sette, and one pocket cross. $9.95 each.

Discipleship 303. Acts:
The Church Alive. Uses
early church history to
explore the church's role
in the disciple's life.

Discipleship 404. Romans:
A Mature Faith. A study
of Romans 1-8 designed to
help inquiring Christians
think the faith in an in-
formed manner.

Discipleship 505. Living
in the Kingdom of God as
a Disciple of Jesus Christ.
Ten studies of Jesus'
parables present implica-
tions of the Gospel for our
personal lives and for life
together in the world.

Special offer: All five Introductory
Packets for $40.

Prices do not include shipping.
All prices subject to change without
notice.

DISCIPLESHIP 505

VANTAGE

Art has been an important part of Sunday school teaching, as this Farm Security
Administration photograph, taken in 1939 in San Augustine, Texas, shows.

Columbia receives grant to study
material objects of Christianity

More than just ideas and institutions,
religion in America is a rich mixture
of objects, behaviors, and people. To
help understand this complex mix-
ture, Columbia Seminary has received
a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to
investigate the history of American
religion by focusing on material
objects and economic themes.
Columbia's Dean of Faculty and
Executive Vice President James
Hudnut-Beumler directs the three-
year Material History of American
Religion Project. Daniel Sack has
recently joined the seminary staff as
the project's associate director.

Eight scholars, historians of
American religion, are investigating
various aspects of the material and
economic history of American religion
and have chosen a fascinating collec-
tion of research topics under the
project's broad thematic umbrella.

Marie Griffith (Northwestern
University) explores devotional forms,
especially related to fund-raising and
tithing, among twentieth-century
American Pentecostals.

James Hudnut-Beumler (Co-
lumbia Seminary) tells an economic
history of religion in the U.S. from the
colonial period to the present.

Colleen McDannell (University
of Utah) looks at how religion was
presented in the famous Depression-
era Farm Security Administration
(FSA) photographs.

Robert Orsi (Indiana Univer-

sity) explores the ways in which
children lived the Catholic faith from
the late nineteenth through the
twentieth centuries.

Daniel Sack (project staff) is
interested in the role that food has
played in American religious life.

Leigh Eric Schmidt (Princeton
University) seeks the roots and
cultural meanings of the paradoxical
coupling of efforts to expose religious
counterfeits with the enshrinement of
new religious authorities.

Judith Weisenfeld (Barnard
College) looks closely at a range of
American films, from both Hollywood
and independent producers, as sites
for producing shifting constructions of
race, gender, and religion.

; Diane Winston (Princeton
University) investigates five commu-
nities whose religious convictions
resulted in a self-conscious rejection of
American commercial culture and
their rejection of that culture in the
material conditions of everyday life.

These scholars will share original
documents and objects and their
works in progress through a rich and
informative World Wide Web site that
will serve as an electronic journal.
Through this and other means the
project hopes to share the results of its
research with a larger public.

For more information, visit the
project's web site at http:/ /
www.materialreligion.org, or call
Columbia at 404/687-4633. D

Winter reading recommendations
from Columbia's faculty

Always Being Reformed: Faith fur a Fragmented World by Shirley C. Guthrie

Helping People Forgive by David W. Augsburger

God the Spirit by Michael Welker

Tlie Coming of God: Christum Esclmtology by Jiirgen Moltmann

The Domestication of Transcendence: How Modern Thinking Aboui God Went Wrong

by William C. Placher
A Primer on Postmodernism by Stanley J. Gren/.
Lifesigns: Intimacy, Fecundity, and Ecstasy in Christian Perspective by Henri J.M.

Nouwen
The War Against the Poor by Herbert J. Gans

Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder
TTie Fifth Gospel: Isaiah in the History of Christianity by John F.A. Sawyer
The Temple Bombing by Melissa Fay Greene
Adolescence by John W. Santrock
Soul Searching: Why Psychotherapy Must Promote Moral Responsibility by William J.

Doherty
The Fall to Violence: Original Sin in Relational Theology by Marjorie 1 K-witt Suchocki
Theology, History, and Culture: Major Unpublished Writings by ' ' Richard Niebuhr

ed. by William Stacy Johnson
Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public's Health by Judith Wal/.er Leavitt
The Poetry of Healing: A Doctor's Education in Empathy, Identity, and Desire by Rafael

Campo
Moths and Other Stories by Helena Maria Viramontes
Amazing Grace: Vie Eives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation by Jonathan

Kozol
Doing Brief Psychotlierapy by Michael Franz Basch
Memories of God: Theological Reflections on a Fife by Roberta C. Bondi
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T.

CConner
Vie Wounded Storyteller: Body, Narrative, and Ethics by Arthur W. Frank
The Politics of God: Christian Theologies and Social Justice by Kathryn Tanner
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Mr. Ives' Christinas by Oscar Hijuelos
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
Crisis Counseling by Howard W. Stone
House of Eight by Mary Oliver

Autumn Rhythm: New and Selected Poems by Leon Stokesbury
A New Handbook of Christian Theologians ed. by Donald W. Musser and Joseph L.

Price
The Creed: The Apostolic Faith in Contemporary Theology by Bernard L. Marthaler
Neu> Visions for the Americas: Religious Engagement and Social Transformation ed. by
David Batstone

Cecil Moore '62, superintendent of buildings and grounds, was the first recipient of the
Betsey Burgess Staff Award for faithfulness, dedicated service, and Christian character
upholding the seminary's purpo se and mission.

WINTER 1997

Jasper Keith (STD '79), professor of
pastoral care and counseling at Columbia,
has been called as pastor of Decatur
Presbyterian Church. In addition to
teaching, Dr. Keith also directed super-
vised ministry at Columbia. He joined the
Columbia faculty in 1972 and was named
professor emeritus in 1996.

Jeanne Stevenson- Moessner, adjunct
assistant professor of practical theology,
was ordained on October 24, the fortieth
anniversary of Presbyterian women in
ordained ministry. With her and her
daughter is Margaret Towner, first woman
ordained in tlie PC(USA), who took part in
Stevenson-Moessner's ordination.

For the Record

If you have recent news you would like to contribute to this section,
please send it to the editor. ^

Two Columbia professors have
recently been honored. Erskine
Clarke '66, professor of American
religious history, received the Francis
Makemie Award for 1996, given for
"the most outstanding published
book-length contribution to American
Presbyterian or Reformed history" by
the Presbyterian Historical Society for
his book, Our Southern Zum. John
Patton, professor of pastoral theology,
received the J. Obert Kempson Out-
standing Service Award given by the
Southeast region of the Association for
Clinical Pastoral Education to some-
one who has made a significant
contribution to the development of

clinical pastoral education Nibs

Stroupe '75 is co-author of While We
Run Thi> Race, which has received the
Outstanding Book Award on human
rights by the Gustavus Myers Center
for the Study of Human Rights in
North America Sherron George
(DMin '86), the John William and
Helen Lancaster Professor of Evange-
lism and Missions at Austin Seminary,
and Darrell Guder, professor of
evangelism and church growth, were
faculty members at the Conference on
World Mission and Evangelism in
Brazil, sponsored by the World

Council of Churches Wil Howie '90

is minister of First church, Charleston,
MS, and staff associate of mission in
Si. Andrew Presbytery, which in-
cludes helping coordinate their
Partnership project with Ntem
Presbytery in Cameroon, West Africa,
and the synod's Living Waters for the
World water purification project on
the Texas/ Mexican border.

D. Cameron Murchison, Jr.,
professor of ministry, preached at the
Westminster church, Gainesville, FL,
the Presbyterian Student Center at the
University of Florida, and the Mission
Conference for the Abbeville, SC,
church. Dr. Murchison led a congre-
gational retreat for Covenant church,
Atlanta, and an officers' retreat for
Spring Hill church, Mobile, where he
also preached. He attended a confer-
ence for professors of polity in theo-
logical institutions in Louisville, KY,
and the annual American Association
of Religion /Society of Biblical Litera-
ture (AAR/SBL) meeting in New

Orleans Jeff White '89 is minister

of congregational care at First church,

Winston-Salem, NC Harold Prince

'60, professor emeritus, preached the
homecoming sermon for the Duncan's

Creek church, Clinton, SC Ron

Cram, associate professor of Christian
education, holds babies once a week
in the neonatal unit of Grady Hospi-
tal, Atlanta Richard Dietrich,

Correction: The DMin. dissertation title
for Joan Murray '96 should have read
"Relationships with God as a Dimension
of Pastoral Supervision."

director of the Lay Institute, was at
Waverly Road church, Kingsport, TN,
for their Stewardship Weekend and at
Shades Valley church, Birmingham,
for their lecture series on "Pain and
Healing." Dr. Dietrich was featured
speaker at First church, Henderson-
ville, NC, for their arts festival.

Several alums have married
recently: Deborah Zarrett '91 and
John Wells '96 on Aug. 24 in Decatur;
Kari Ward '96 and Steve Kolmetz '95
on Sept. 21 in Decatur; Monnie
Adams '95 and Stephen Caine '96 on
Nov. 16 in Mobile; and Coile Estes '86
and Michael Mears on Dec. 27 in

Atlanta Jeanette Rodenbough

(DMin '93) is interim pastor of the
Pine Hall and Sandy Ridge, NC,
churches David Moessner, profes-
sor of New Testament, presided at the
Luke-Acts Seminar of the annual
meeting of SBL in New Orleans. He
has had two articles published re-
cently: "The 'Script' of the Scriptures
in Acts" in History, Literature, and
Society in the Book of Acts and "'Eye-
witnesses,' 'Informed Contemporar-
ies,' and 'Unknowing Inquirers'" in
Festschrift for J. Smit Sibinga, Novum

Testamentum 38 Clover Beal '91 is

assistant chaplain at Eckerd College.
....Pat Wrisley '88 is organizing pastor

BIRTHS

To Mark '80 and Ginger Jumper, a
son, Jonathan Mark, Sept. 11, 1996.
Adopted by Preston '86 and Debbie
Shealy, a son, Dustin Matthew, born
Dec. 25, 1990, and a daughter, Paige
Ann, born Mar. 21, 1995.
To David '86 and Nancy Weirnauer, a
daughter, Claire Elizabeth, June 25,
1996.

To Dick '90 (DMin '94) and Karen
Walkup Newsome '88, a son, Daniel
Brantley, June 26, 1996.
To Dan Milford '93 and Nadia
Rosales, a son, Austin Erik Milford-
Rosales, Sept. 27, 1996.
To SherylLynn Frazier '95 and Jeffrie,
a daughter, Hannah Grace, July 20,
1996.

To Jackie and Timothy Fulop, assis-
tant dean of faculty and director of
research and evaluation, a daughter,
Lily Patricia, Sept. 6, 1996.

DEATHS

Harry Bryan '29, Nov. 18, 1996.
David Wilkinson '43, June 27, 1996.
BobBevis'59, Dec. 7, 1996.
James Gaillard '71, April 5, 1996.
Robert White '71, July 14, 1996.
Glenn Martin '74, July 25, 1996.
Mary Grace Cartledge, widow of
Professor Sam Cartledge '29, Nov. 17,
1996. A memorial service was held at
Columbia Presbyterian Church on
Nov. 22 with Joan Gray '76 and Wade
Huie '46 officiating.

at Celebration, a new church develop-
ment in Orlando, FL Ernestine

Cole, associate dean of students,
attended a meeting of the Presbyte-
rian Health Network in Charlotte
while attending the 1997 biennial
conference of the Presbyterian Health,
Education and Welfare Association.

Charles Cousar, professor of New
Testament, preached at the Prospect
church, Mooresville, NC, and led a
congregational retreat for Trinity
church, Columbia, SC. Dr. Cousar
attended the annual SBL meeting in

New Orleans Cliff McLeod '80

received the D.Min. degree from
Union Seminary in Virginia in

June Kathleen O'Connor, professor

of Old Testament, presented a paper
on "Feminist Biblical Studies: Prob-
lems and Prospects" at the annual
meeting of the Catholic Biblical
Association, two papers at the annual
SBL meeting on "Pedagogies for
Cross-Cultural Classrooms and
Churches," and one on Jeremiah, "The
Broken Mended?" A paper she co-
authored, "Unfaithful Passion: Coding
Women, Coding Men in Jeremiah 2:1-
4 2," was published in Biblical Interpre-
tation. Dr. O'Connor has been ap-
pointed to the Editorial Board of the
Abingdon Old Testament Commen-
tary series Darice Dawson '94 is

Protestant chaplain at Florida Institute

of Technology Robert Ramey,

professor emeritus, delivered the
inaugural lectures for the Bob Ramey
Enrichment Series and also preached
at Memorial Drive church, Stone
Mountain, GA. He led spiritual
growth retreats for Brookhaven
Christian Church, Atlanta, and Grace
Chapel church, Madison, MS, where
he also preached. He preached at the
sesquicentennial anniversary service
of the Sharon church, Charlotte, and
at his "home" church, First church,
Danville, VA. Dr. Ramey has also
taught at Columbia and at Columbia's
Center for Theological Studies in
Florida.

Shirley Guthrie, professor of
systematic theology, has preached and
taught at churches in Greenville, SC;
Cleveland and Jackson, MS; Atlanta;
Knoxville, TN; Jonesboro, AR; Pampa,
TX, and McDonough, GA. Dr.
Guthrie was speaker for a conference

for youth leaders in Montreat John

Herndon '85 is a new member of the
General Assembly Council of the

PC(USA) Will Coleman '85 gave

papers on black theology, syncretism,
and the African Diaspora and West
African Roots of African-American
Spirituality in the South at panel
discussions at the annual meeting of
the AAR. He participated in an
interview with Iwan Russell-Jones,
former Columbia professor, for BBC
Radio on "Millennialism." He has
been scholar in residence at Rhodes
College and gave a paper at their
Religious Studies Colloquium on
African-American religious slave
narratives. Dr. Coleman gave the
Davis Forum Lectures at the Univer-
sity of San Francisco and has lectured
at Grace St. Luke's Episcopal Church,
Memphis. His writings include an

article on Cornel West for A New
Handbook of Christian Theologians and a
book review for Black Issues in Higher
Education Frank Harrington '60
(ThM '61) and the Peachtree church
celebrated 25 years of ministry
together on Oct. 20.

Belinda Curry '93 is associate for
policy development and interpreta-
tion in the Office of Social Policy
Formation and Interpretation of the
General Assembly Council,

PC(USA) Walter Brueggemann,

professor of Old Testament, partici-
pated in Bill Moyers' "Genesis" series
on PBS and lectured at Concordia
College, Moorhead, MN; Lee Institute,
St. Louis; and Baptist Seminary,
Richmond. He preached at the
installation of the executive of the
Greater Dallas Community of
churches. Dr. Brueggemann gave a
paper at SBL on "Jews and Christians
in Biblical Theology." His book, The
Threat of Life, has been published by
Fortress Press, and his articles on
land, creation, and Genesis have

appeared in collected volumes

Philip Gehman '68, vice president for
student life and dean of students,
participated in workshops in Chicago
on the Student Information Project
sponsored by the Association of
Theological Schools and in Baltimore
on "Innovations, Design, Construc-
tion, and Costs of Student Housing,"
sponsored by the Association of
College Administration Professionals.
...Gloria Jennings '90 (MATS '88),
director of alumni /ae relations and
associate director of the annual fund,
has preached at the Madison and
Union Point, GA, churches.

Ben Johnson, professor of Chris-
tian spirituality, has preached at
Trinity church, Traveler's Rest, SC;
First churches in Port Huron, MI, Fort
Dodge, IA, and Raleigh, NC; Ray
Memorial church, Monroe, GA;
Pleasant Hills church, Pittsburgh, PA;
and Christ church, Largo, FL. He has
conducted an immersion week for the
Certificate in Spiritual Formation in
Winter Park, FL, and led a clergy

Continued on page 11

Vantage

Volume 86, No. 1, Winter 1997
Published quarterly by
Columbia Theological Seminary
Circulation: 25,000

The Office of Development/
Seminary Relations

Editor: Juliette Harper
Director of Publications
and Publicity

Postmaster: Send address

changes to Vantage

Columbia Theological Seminary

P.O. Box 520

Decatur, GA 30031-0520

VANTAGE

For the Record

continued from page 10

retreat for Eastern Virginia
Presbytery. Dr. Johnson gave the
keynote address and led workshops
for the Northeast Wee Kirk Confer-
ence in Pittsburgh, the Synod of
Southwest Evangelism Celebration

and the Synod of the Covenant

Brian Childs, professor of pastoral
theology and counseling, spoke at the
annual awards conference of the
Rosalynn Carter Institute and at First
church, Americus, GA. He has
published an article in Journal of
Literature and Medicine. Dr. Childs
has consulted with Baptist Health
Care System of Florida and lectured
at Georgia State University Law

School on assisted suicide Polly

Deppen '92, associate pastor of
Hamilton church, Pittsburgh, was
featured in Successful Women, a
lifestyle newspaper in southwestern

Pennsylvania Rusty Douglas '80 is

minister of evangelism and disciple-
ship at Peachtree church, Atlanta

Warner Durnell '78 is pastor of the
St. Andrews church in Nashville.

Michael Poulos '92 is associate
pastor with youth and their families

at Trinity church, Atlanta Clayton

Bell '58 is chairman of the board of

Christianity Today Ann Clay

Adams, director of admissions, was
moderator for the Caribbean and
North American Area Council of the

World Alliance of Reformed Churches
at its 1996 meeting in Canada. With
Laura Conrad '98 and Anna
McArthur '98 , she served as leader-
ship and worship team for the South
Carolina Statewide Student Confer-
ence in Garden City. Ms. Adams has
taught adult classes on ecumenics and
the liturgical year at the Norcross, GA,

church Timothy Fulop, assistant

dean of faculty and director of re-
search and evaluation, chaired an
African- American religious history
section at the annual AAR/SBL
meeting and taught at Central Baptist
Theological Seminary and the North
Georgia extension of New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary. He co-
edited African American Religion:
Interpretive Essays in History and

Culture C. Benton Kline, president

emeritus and visiting professor,
taught "Creation and Covenant" for
an adult classes at Trinity church,
Atlanta, and Clairmont church,
Decatur. He led vespers at Lenbrook
Square retirement community,

Atlanta Jeanne Stevenson

Moessner, adjunct assistant professor
of practical theology, was keynote
speaker at the annual Charles Gerkin
Pastoral Care Symposium sponsored
by Emory Clergycare. She has at-
tended a conference on spirituality
and healing, sponsored by Harvard
Medical School and Deaconness
Hospital in Boston.

From the Bookstore

No. of
copies

A new title by Columbia faculty:

Letters of Paul (Interpreting Biblical Texts series)
by Charles B. Cousar

A new book of interest for our church:

A Brief History of the Presbyterians
by James H. Smylie

Retail Columbia
price price

$15.95 $13.56

$10.95 $9.31

Total amount for books

Shipping and handling (orders under $20.00, add $4.00;
from $20.00 to $49.99, add $5.50; over $50.00, add $7.00.
All books shipped via United Parcel Service.)

Georgia residents: add five percent sales tax on books and
shipping

Total

Method of payment (please check one):

check payable to CTS Bookstore (included with order)

VISA MasterCard Novus

(please print information below):

Visa / MasterCard / Novus#

.Exp. date.

Church establishes scholarship
honoring former pastor and wife

First Presbyterian Church of
Savannah, Georgia, has established
the Stewart Scholarship at Columbia
Seminary with a gift of over $5,000.
The scholarship honors Margaret and
J. Walton Stewart, Jr. '31. Dr. Stewart
served as minister at First church from
1955-71, at which time the church
named him minister emeritus. The
Stewart Scholarship will be used to
prepare students for pastoral ministry.

President Douglas Oldenburg
remarked to the church about Dr.
Stewart, "We are proud to claim him a
graduate of Columbia. I am confident
his ministry to and with the congrega-
tion for so many years has made a
tremendous difference in many lives.
The income from this scholarship
fund will help students who need
financial support as they prepare for
leadership in the church of Jesus
Christ. I know of no greater cause."

First church minister Stephen
Williams noted the influential role ol
Dr. Stewart. Williams said, "Dr.
Stewart's ministry has shaped this
congregation. For 40 years, first as
minister, and then minister emeritus,
his faithful witness has taught and
inspired our members. We sometimes
think that our influence on a church is
very fleeting, but Walton and Marga-
ret have defined the Christian gospel
in ways their friends will never
forget."

When Dr. Stewart graduated from
Columbia, he belonged to a class of 12
men, including Peter Marshall and

Name (as it appears on card)

Street address for UPS shipment:

City State.

.Zip.

Phone.

Wallace Alston. Born in Mobile,
Alabama, Dr. Stewart graduated from
Presbyterian College in 1928. He
earned the Th.M. and Th.D. degrees
from Union Theological Seminary in
Virginia. He was ^n instructor .it
Columbia during the 1932-33 aca-
demic year. Dr. Stewart served
churches in Conyers, C aitersville, and
i uharlee, Georgia. Prior to his call to
Savannah, he served Plaza church in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and First
l luirch in Natchez, Mississippi.
During his pastorate in Savannah, he
led the congregation in the construc-
lu>n of its SanCTUarj . completed in

L946.

An elder in First church and the
retired director of Christian education
there, Geraldine Jones, said of the
Stewart Scholarship, "Members of the
church responded generously to tin-
concept of a scholarship to honOl
Walton Stewart. This is anothei way,
besides including the contribution to
the Fund for Theological I ducation in
the church budget, to indicate our
Support of theological edu< ation the
old Presbyterian commitment to an
educated clergy."

Presently Dr. and Mrs. Stewart,
the daughter of Presbyterian minister
Dunbar Ogden, live in Richmond
Virginia. They celebrated then sixtieth
wedding anniversary and Dr.
Stewart's ninetieth birthday within the
past year. The Stewarts have three
grown children and nine grandchil-
dren. D Nelle McCorkle

Prices subject to change as determined by publishers.

Please send this completed order form to: CTS Bookstore, P.O. Box 520,

Decatur, GA 30031 .

" m m w * m m mm * 9- * m t * j^'^yjy^L'^S^y^E

In October Columbia held an open house and a dedication service fo> tht John Sulow
Campbell Library's addition and renovation.

WINTER 1997

Celebrating Montreat's centennial

The celebration of the Centennial
Olympic Games is history, but
Presbyterians have another exciting
centennial to celebrate: this year,
1997, is the one hundredth birthday
of the Montreat Conference Center
in Montreat, North Carolina. Many
observations of the milestone are
planned, some of which are already
underway.

One of the tributes to Montreat's
rich history is the summer 1996 issue
of American Presbyterians: The Journal
of Presbyterian History. Included in
the issue are articles by William
Kennedy, G. Thompson Brown, Joel
Alvis, Mary-Ruth Marshall, and
Rebecca Young, a senior Master of
Divinity student at Columbia. As
part of the celebration, all of the
authors will participate in a panel
presentation of their articles on June
15, 1997, at Montreat.

Young's article, "A Place in the
Heart: The Role of Montreat Confer-
ence Center in the History of the
Women of the PCUS," covers
women's involvement at Montreat
for the entire 100 years of its exist-
ence. In doing research for the
article, Young visited the Montreat

archives and interviewed both
women and men who were involved
in many ways in women's activities
at Montreat: former PCUS women's
leaders, conference speakers and
guests, children of speakers, and
those who worked as college staff
assistants during the women's
conferences. The result is a mix of
historical data, personal stories, and
memories of the close relationship
between PCUS women and Montreat
and the effect of that relationship on
the wider church.

Other articles in the journal
include a pictorial history of
Montreat; an exploration of Montreat
as an educational center; the relation
between Montreat and world mis-
sions by Columbia professor emeritus
Tommy Brown; Montreat and
Presbyterian social policy; and a
discussion of how youth kept the
issue of racial discrimination before
the leadership of Montreat and the
PCUS. The wide array of issues
addressed in the journal reflect the
powerful impact that Montreat has
had on the history of the Presbyterian
Church.

Come See Columbia Day
Thursday, April 24, 1997

9:00 - Registration

10:00 - Worship, led by Sara Covin Juengst
Author of PW Bible Study for 1996-97

11:00 - Meet the six CFC scholarship recipients

After lunch - Attend a seminary class and

tour the John Bulow Campbell Library's

addition and renovation

All Presbyterian Women are encouraged to attend.
For more information, call 404/687-4566.

Sponsored by the Columbia Friendship Circle

Vantage

P.O. Box 520

Decatur, Georgia 30031

404/378-8821

CONTENTS

Colloquium '97 moved to April 21-23 1

Reflections after ten years 2

Computer, media specialists join staff 2

Alum ministers with Lagunas 3

Columbia receives new church development grant .... 3

Students excel at ordination exams 3

Continuing Education, Lay Institute Calendar 4

Continuing Education, Lay Institute offerings 4

Doctor of Ministry degree grows 5

Continuing education strengthens ministry 6

Lay Institute offers variety of courses 7

Certificate in Spiritual Formation, CTS Press 8

Columbia receives grant to study material religion .... 9

Winter reading recommendations 9

For the Record 10

Church establishes scholarship honoring alum 11

Celebrating Montreat's centennial 12

COLUMBIA
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY

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