COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Vantage Eighty-two receive deg Diplomas and memories were bestowed during Columbia's 1998 commence- ment activities. Seniors were celebrated with degrees, faculty festooned with academic regalia, and tr lends and families feted with parties and receptions. Graduation weekend began on Saturday, May 16, with a reception for graduates, faculty, families, and friends at the home of President and Mrs. Douglas Oldenburg. After a dinner for graduates and guests in the seminary's refectory, the entire seminary community was invited by the Class of 1998 to enjoy ice cream and jazz under the stars on Columbia's beautiful quadrangle. The senior class commissioned and presented as a gift to the semi- nary an original oil painting with a eucharistic theme by Leo McQuire of the Open Door Community. The gift was presented in memory of Dr. Lucy Rose, associate professor of preaching and worship until her death in 1997. Columbia's 1998 commencement ceremonies took place on Sunday, May 17, beginning with a baccalaure- ate morning worship service at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Dr. Robert H. Ramey, Jr., professor SPRING / SUMMER 1998 graduates rees emeriti and formerly professor of ministry at Columbia, delivered the baccalaureate sermon. His sermon, "Epaphras, Colossae, and Christ," was at once humorous, challenging, and moving as he drew upon scriptures in the book of Jeremiah and the letter to the Colossians. Dr. Ramey urged gradu- ates to remain conscious of those who had been teachers of the faith, just as Epaphras had taught the faith to the Colossians. Moreover, he reminded the graduating students to remember the context in which they labor, while remembering that it is Christ whom they serve. Later that afternoon, bagpipes and pipe organ heralded the procession of Columbia's faculty and Class of 1998 into the sanctuary of Peachtree Presbyterian Church for Columbia's annual commencement service. The service featured a brass ensemble and a special choir drawn from members of the choirs of Peachtree, Central, and Druid Hills Presbyterian churches, as well as members of the choir of Columbia Seminary. As their names were called by George Telford '58, director of ad- Continued on page 3 Eugene Diamond and Pam Leach celebrated with their families after commencement Both graduate, whose families were next-door neighbor* in Columbia's Villa received awards during the service. Renovation of Florida Hall is underway Alumni/ae and spouses took The Last Tour" of Honda Hall during Colloquium in Apn\. Renovation of the 17-year-old budding began immediately after graduation. For another event from Colloquium, see page 5. There is always a certain infectious excitement that surrounds construc- tion projects on the Columbia campus. Faculty, staff, and students act much the way we did as children on Christ- mas Eve. One can feel the air of hopeful expectation and anticipation that seems to waft on the breeze. Such excitement is with us on campus now in not one but two important projects. A few years ago we began growing out of the Harrington Center, the building that houses our continuing education, lay education, and new church develop- ment programs, as well as the major- ity of our guests who stay on campus. In January we began work on an expansion which will double the size of that building, allowing us to serve an even larger percentage of our la) clergy, and degree students. The bustle and energy of cranes, trucks, and construction crews have provided some happy diversions this spring for the children of our married students and local baby-sitting grandparents. Just as thrilling is the second project we've begun, the highly anticipated and critical renovation oi Florida Hall, our primary residence hall for single students and married students without children. The resources to build Florida Hall came from the Synod of Florida in the late 1950's, and Columbia gratefully named the building after those generous church people in Florida u ho made the building possible. In Continued on page 3 Two tempos Douglas W. Oldenburg, President By the time you read this issue of I antage in June, the tempo ot the seminary will have slowed down, but mv personal tempo will have qui< k- ened in preparation for the 210* General Assembly in Charlotte and the election of the moderator In May, however, the activity level of the seminary remains en a positive high. This has been an exciting spring for Columbia Semi- nary, cmd all ot us have been running hard. Let me share some of the things that have happened. The highlights of our spring board meeting were the inauguration of Cameron Murchison as professor ot ministry and the introduction of three new members of our faculty: Christine Yoder, instructor in Old Testament; Elizabeth Johnson, professor of New Testament; and Anna Carter Florence, instructor in homiletics. Professors Johnson and Florence are ordained Presbyterian ministers, and Professor Yoder will be ordained this fall. They will bring added strength to our faculty. Our searches continue for professors of pastoral care and theology. Much work has been done on "Vision 2020," our Long Range Plan. It's an exciting vision for the future of Columbia. We presented the fourth draft to the faculty and the fifth dull to the board. We plan to incorporate their suggestions and recommend its adoption to the board at our Octobei meeting. It you would like a copy of the latest draft, please notify my office; we would be delighted to send it to you and receive your comments and suggestions. Work on the addition to the 1 larrington Center is going full steam ahead. It will be a lovely and much- needed facility with 18 bedrooms, two large classrooms, three office com- plexes, and a small chapel. The rapid growth of many of our programs (evangelism, spirituality, new church development, advanced degrees, continuing education, and the Lay Institute ot Faith and Life) has made this addition an absolute necessity. After many meetings and much planning regarding the renovation of I lorida Hall, we began that project in mid-Mav. You can read more about the renovation of this well-used residence hall on page 1. Our annual "Come See Columbia Day" brought many people to our campus for rich worship and inspiring stones from the Columbia Friendship < irele scholarship recipients as they shared their journeys of faith and experiences at Columbia. And I think most of those who attended would agree that "Colloquium '98" was one ol the best ever. Our guest speakers William Placher, Roberta Bondi, and Fred Craddock were excellent. It is always good to have our alumni/ ae back on campus, and we were glad to welcome laity, students, and graduates from other seminaries for this time of reflection and worship. At graduation on May 17, 43 received their M.Div. degree, eight the M.A.(T.S.) degree, four the Th.M. degree, and 27 the D.Min. degree. After that, the tempo at the seminary slowed to its more relaxed June pace. But my own personal tempo remains high as I make final prepara- tions for the election of moderator at the General Assembly- 1 am grateful for the expressions of encouragement and support I have received from many of you. As you may have seen, I have responded to written questions posed by The Presbyterian Outlook, The layman, and The Witherspoon Society. I continue to covet your prayers, not that I will be elected, but that God's Spirit will guide both the events of this meeting and everything we do and say. In April, Columbia's Board of Trustees promoted Jame^ Hudnut-Beumler, executive vice lent, to professor of religion and cultureand welcomed (second from left to right) professors Beth Johnson, Christine Yoder, unci A nna Carter Florence to the faculty. New faculty members named in Bible and homiletics The Board of Trustees of Columbia Seminary announces that Elizabeth Johnson, Anna Carter Florence, and Christine Roy Yoder will join Columbia's faculty in the fall of 1998 in the areas of New Testament studies, preaching and worship, and Old Testament studies, respectively. Dr. Elizabeth Johnson will join Columbia's biblical studies depart- ment as professor of New Testament. She comes to Columbia from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, where she has taught New Testament since 1986. Earlier, Dr. Johnson was a teaching fellow in New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary and ^ ale University Divinity School. From 1979 to 1983, she was chaplain and instructor in humanities at Queens College. Dr. Johnson received the Ph.D. in 1987 from Princeton Theological Seminary (cum laude), where she also received her M.Div. degree in 1977. Author of numerous academic and ecclesiastical publications in her field, Dr. Johnson has served as New Testament editor for the Society of Biblical Literature dissertation series. She is an ordained a minister of the Presbvterian Church (USA). Dr. Charles Cousar, Columbia's Samuel A. Cartledge Professor of New Testament, said, "I am excited that Beth Johnson will be joining us on the faculty. She is deeply committed to the mission of the church, a published scholar with a proven track record, and a lifelong Presbyterian." Anna Carter Florence will join Columbia's faculty as instructor in preaching and worship. Ms. Florence has served as a teaching fellow and instructor in preaching and speech communication at Princeton Theologi- cal Seminary. Ordained a minister in 1988, Ms. Florence served for five years as associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her sermons have been published in Pulpit Digest, The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, and other publications. She has preached at numerous conferences and institutes, as well as on The Protestant Hour radio program. A Ph.D. candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary, Ms. Florence also received the M.Div. degree from Princeton. According to Dr. Charles Campbell, associate professor of homiletics at Columbia, "Anna Carter Florence brings an extraordinary array of gifts as a preacher, a teacher, and a person to this position. She will be a fresh and exciting voice in homiletics at Colum- Columbia to offer D.Min. program in North Carolina Col umbia plans to begin a Doctor of Ministry program in Laurinburg, North Carolina, this fall. Columbia will provide professors to teach a number of courses in an advanced seminar setting at St. Andrews Presbyterian College. Persons participating will eventually do their doctoral pracricum and project in their own local context. Courses subsequently undertaken on Columbia's campus will be offered in two-week intensive sessions, where participants will engage in study with an ecumenical group of colleagues, along with a small group of interna- tional scholars. Participants also will have an opportunity to study in an international setting, if they desire. Columbia's Doctor of Ministry program is noted for its strong biblical and theological ethos, combined with a vigorous social and cultural analysis for ministry and mission. In addition to its general program, Columbia offers a variety of specializations, including the church between gospel and culture, cross-cultural studies, Christian spirituality, new church development, and pastoral care. The Doctor of Ministry program is open to pastors with a current Master of Divinity or Theology degree or an advanced degree in religious studies. In addition, pastors should have at least three years in ordained ministry. The program is open to all denomina- tions. For more information, call the Office of Advanced Studies at 404/687-4534, or e-mail, LehfeldtL@CTSnet.edu. D bia. We are blessed to have her joining our faculty." Christine Roy Yoder will become instructor in Old Testament language, literature, and exegesis this fall. She is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton Theo- logical Seminary, where she received her M.Div. in 1994. Ms. Yoder's scholarly writing has been honored by the Society of Biblical Literature, and she brings experience as a teaching and research assistant at Princeton. Ms. Yoder is a candidate for ordina- tion as a minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA). "Christine Roy Yoder is an outstanding young scholar with strong commitments to the church and a zest for teaching," said Dr. Kathleen O'Connor, professor of Old Testament. "Her studies range widely, and she will be a great addi- tion to our faculty." D Timothy T. Read '98 VANTAGE Ashley Beaty received an M.Div. degree while her pastor, joe Johnson '85, received a DMin. degree Johnson is pastor of Evergreen Presbyterian Church, Dothan, Alabama. Commencement continued from page 1 vanced studies, and Vice President and Dean of Students Philip Gehman '68, the graduates were congratulated by Joanna Adams '79, chair of Columbia's Board of Trustees, and President Douglas Oldenburg. Execu- tive Vice President and Dean of Faculty James Hudnut-Beumler placed colorful academic hoods on the shoulders of each of the graduates. Doctor of Ministry degrees were awarded to 27 candidates. Four candidates received Master of Theol- ogy degrees, and Columbia awarded eight Master of Arts in Theological Studies degrees. Forty-three graduates received Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degrees. Among these, Lynn Rubier-Capron, Michael Capron and Kevin Conley received their degrees with honors. After the conferring of degrees, Dean Hudnut-Beumler awarded prizes and fellowships to master's degree students in recognition of particular qualities of excellence. The Wilds Book Prize was awarded to John Cole for the highest distinction in academic work over the entire M.Div. program. Mark Adams received the Colum- bia Leadership Award, given to a senior who shows promise of out- standing leadership in the church. Adams also received the Paul T. Fuhrmann Book Prize in Church History. Timothy Read received Columbia's Harvard A. Anderson Fellowship, awarded to the graduate determined to have the greatest potential for future academic achieve- ment. Read also received three Construi tion on t October he addition to tin Han ington ( ente\ is on si hedule fb\ completion by Renovation continued from page I Abdullah awards. Kevin Conley received the Colum- bia Friendship Circle Graduate Fellowship, in recognition of superior achievement and to provide support for further study, and the Florrie Wilkes Sanders Prize in Theology. Yvonne Collie-Pendleton and Lynn Rubier-Capron were awarded Columbia Graduate Fellowships. Will Nickles and Pam Leach received the William Dudley Award for evidence of achievement, interest, and commitment in evangelism and church growth. Jan Tolbert was honored with the Indiantown County Church Award in recognition of outstanding supervised ministry work in a rural setting. The Presbytery of St. Andrew Presbyterian Women Preaching Award went to Eugene Diamond for the best sermon preached by an M.Div. degree student. Michael Capron was awarded the Harold J. Riddle Memorial Book Award for showing the highest distinction in pastoral care, especiall) in the area of terminally ill patients. Jocelyn Bauer and Laura Cunningham received the lames T. and Celeste M. Boyd Book Fund Award, awarded to students whom the faculty believes will be good stewards of a theological library. Commencement was followed by a reception hosted by Peach tree Presbyterian Church, which for 10 years has made its facilities available to Columbia for graduation exercises. The next issue of Vantage will contain a listing of graduates' disser- tation titles and placements. D Timothy T. Read '98 1961, the year in which it was com- pleted, it was the best ot its kind at anv seminary Thirty-seven years worth of Columbia graduates and spouses have worked and lived there, .is well as missionaries, \ isiting professors, prospective students, and guests. One of the most important aspects of a Columbia education is the build- ing and fostering of community. We continue to be committed to and from the ashes. I as! u<'<'l- firs! yeai students moving their furniture OUl ot Florida I [all were singing out to each other in anticipation "< an you believe it? This building W ill In' new for our List year! ["he aii conditioning will work! We can hook our comput- ers up in our rooms and access the library or e mail ' professor! I he windows will be tin. k enough to keep the tram noises out' We can't wail' II, e challenge ol i ourse is always money Several wonderful people Florida Hall can no longer be 'temporarily repaired' and has earned a full-fledged overhaul. expect our campus to be a place where we live, study, work, and worship together A kev lactor in that expecta- tion is that we will house our students here. After 37 years of wear and tear, however, and several major "tempo- rary repairs" in the heating, cooling, and plumbing systems, Honda Hall can no longer be temporarily repaired. The linoleum floors and cinderblock walls, while satisfactory in then day, have gone beyond the signs ot "wear" and are well past "worn." Asbestos is in some of the walls, and the ele< tri< al systems are incapable of carrying the loads associated with modern appli- ances and computers. Some prospec- tive students have begun to look askance at the hall and tell us that other seminaries are doing better jobs with housing Florida Hall has earned a full- fledged overhaul. It now stands empty in preparation for what, in essence, will be major surgery. A walk down an empty hall and a peek into various living spaces reveal just how tired and worn the building is. Cracks in the walls, peeling paint, uneven floors, and loose light fixtures are common. It is hard to imagine how we managed for so long. But the plans for the renovation - the plans' lns.de those peeling, Ugly rooms is a phoenix waiting to arise and foundations have stepped forward to help us with this project, ^mc\ we are most grateful. Whenw. opened the construction bids m February, how- evei we discovered thai the building was going to cost us about $1.5 million more than we had anticipated and i aised. We would prefer, ol course nol i" begin building anything until all the money is in hand. Unfortunately, have ii" hoice ( '"i phj si< al plant people tell us that the building must be I now or it will be so expensive to fix that we might as well tear it down and start over, an even more expensive proposition. So we are forgingahead with confidence that the Lord will provide the resources for this much us,, I an. I essentia] building. In the meantime we would invite .,11 of our family and friends to campus f 0] a v isil < "in.- feel the excitement .nut energy tor yourself Bring your lawn chair and line up with us to watch the construction in progress We'll give you a hard hat <}nc\ lake you on a tour as we talk with you about plans tor the future of Columbia and how we can work together to provide the best in leadership tor the church. D Gene via Kelly. Vice President, Institutional Advancement SPRING/SUMMER 1998 Continuing Education and Lay Institute Calendar Focus on Jeremiah 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. July 6-10 Summer Session 1. ANiv\ Look m Baptism Leader: Catherine Gonzalez Lost: $100. 2 Oi Dusi vnd Destine Leadei Sasha Makovkin. Cost: $100. 3. GoDvvniiLvTiii Disciplines oi Mission in Matthew Leader: Stanley Saunders. Cost: $100. 4 Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About 1 r vnsi i kming Your C gregation but Didn't Think to Ask Leader: George Thompson. Cost: $100. 5. Preaching ami P ' ' i-i. Souls and Proclaiming the Word Leaders: James Baker and Charles Brown. Cost: $100. July 6-17 Credit Course* Old Dangerous Texts/New Dan< ;erous Times taught by Walter Brueggemann. July 7 August 4, September 1, October 6, November 3, December 1, January 5 Theolocy and Literature Study Group Leader: Rick Dietrich. Cost: Monthly sessions free; $10 yearly fee, payable in September. Week of July 13 Summer Session 1 . Relh ;i< 'i s Education and Theory: Certific ation for Christian Educators Leader: Ronald Cram. Cost: $250. 2. Here I Am, Lord. Now What? Leaders: James E. Cushman and Donald and Kathleen Steele Cos] $225, 3. From Consensus to Common Ground: Religion and thi American Family Debate Leader: Pamela Couture. Cost: $45. 4. Volunteers: Preparing Peopli ioLead Leader: Delia Halverson. Cost: $45. 5. What Unites Presbyterians and How to Handle Disunity Leader: William P. Hopper, Jr. Cost: $45. 6. FamilyLifi wdSpirituai Life: Keeping Them Together Leaders: Martha Jane Petersen and Rebecca Skillern Parker. Cost: $45. 7 PROPRiocEPnvi Writing Leader: Sandra Deer. Cost: $45. July 20-31 Credit Courses* 1. Missionoi nil Churchfor i i h- Twenty-First Century taught by Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi. 2. Ti ii < .i < a vnd Ministry of the Missionary Congregation taught by Darrell Guder. July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17, December 15, January 19 Faith and Film Study Groi p Leader: Frit/ Bogar. Cost: Month K sessions free; $10 yearly fee, payable in September September 10, September 17, September 24, October 1 Fai i Morning La\ School 1 Leader: Wade Huie. Cost: $25. September 14, September 21, September 28, October 5 Fai l Evening Lay School I Leaders: Kathleen O'Connor, John Patton, George Stroup. Cost: $35. September 26 Women's Leadership: Shaping mi Pi \css Where We Live This workshop will help women to address both their public and private responsibili- ties for leadership. Panel of speakers. Cost: $50. October 5-6 Writing for Publication Leaders: Cecil Murphey and Catherine Long Bostrom. Cost: $85. October 15, October 22, October 29, November 5 Fai i Morning Lay School II Leader: Jerry Gladson. Cost: $25. October 19, October 26, November 2, November 9 Fall Evening Lay School II Leaders: Stan Saunders, Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, Julie Johnson. Cost: $35. November 9-12 WHEN Tut Honeymoon Is Over: EIGHTEEN Mon i hs into Congrega- nONAI MINISTRY Leaders: TAS 2 TE. Cost: $150. Two-wed credit ccui \uisite - VLDk or equivalent degree You may take one of the credit offerings in i iod and thus rum three temestei hours i redit in eat h two-wed period C osl pa i ourse - 1 1,, MESSAGi "i the prophet Jeremiah is the subject of the 1998-99 Presbyterian Women's Bible study, "Resistance and Restoration: The Message of the Prophet Jeremiah." The Lay Institute of Faith and Life offers a summer course on this upcoming study series. Although designed for women who will be leading the study in their congrega- tions, the course is open to anyone interested in learning more about Jeremiah. Three sessions are offered: two weekday courses Jul \ 6-10 and August 3-7 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and a weekend course, August 28-29. I he course will focus on the content of each chapter in the study book, explore the biblical texts, make personal connections with the materi- als, and provide practical ideas for teaching this series. Course instructors are Alice Ogden Bellis, Presbyterian minister and Old Testament professor at Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. (July 6-10), and Rebecca Parker, Presbyterian minister and director of continuing education at Columbia (August 3-7 and 28-29). Tuition is $45 for the weekday courses; $30 for the weekend course space is limited For housing options or more information, call the Lay Institute at 404/687-4577. Study the 'stuff of history Tin mi mi < >f this year's Summer Lay Scholars Week is "The American Religious Experience: From Soup to Nuts." The week begins Monday evening, August 3, and runs through lunch on Friday, August 7. Faculh includes Dr. Timothy Fulop, assistant dean of faculty at Columbia; Dean of Faculty and Professor of Religion and Culture James Hudnut-Beumler; and Dr. E. Brooks Holifield, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Ameri- can Church History at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. "The course will begin with the European background of America's churches and will look at those churches' beginnings in the American colonies. We'll examine the Southern religious experience. And we'll look at religion on the fringe,' from the earliest days to the present," says Rick Dietrich, director the Lay Institute of Faith and Life. As always, the week will provide time for discussion, for interaction with other students and faculty, and time to relax and enjoy the various possibilities Atlanta has to offer. "Lay people need to know more about the exciting work religious historians are doing and how that work can help them better understand the religious communities they live in," says Dietrich. For more information, contact the Lay Institute at 404/687-4577 or e-mail: LayInstitute@CTSnet.edu. D Learn skills for youth ministry Discovering the love of Jesus Christ in a place of grace and creating a safe place for youth to risk trying on new responsibilities is part of what youth ministry is about. "Skills for Youth Ministry: Building Creative Collegial Communities" will explore the processes and skills necessary for building such a community through plenary sessions, workshops, and conversations with youth. The conference will address such topics as basic skills and models for youth ministry; Bible study tech- niques using the arts; recreation for group building; worship with youth; service projects designed specifically for youth; and youth in crisis. The conference will begin Thurs- day evening, September 10, and conclude Saturday, September 12, at noon. Friday evening will consist of a forum with youth presenting the issues they deal with today through drama, art, and music. The confer- ence is designed for all persons working with youth programs. Cost of the event is $100, with special group rates for churches. For more information, call the Office of Continuing Education at 404/687- 4562. D Workshop to examine the long pastorate "New Visions for the Long Pastorate," to be held on campus October 21-24, will help participants to examine their ministry and congregational dynamics where they have been the pastor for seven years or more. This workshop will explore such issues as the five critical areas for vigilance and atten- tion; exploring "The Gap Theory," the void between pastor and people and between expectations, needs, and realities; identifying the positive elements of conflict and developing the participant's personal skills to utilize conflict for mission; and learning how to engage the congrega- tion in creating an exciting vision for the future. Roy M. Oswald, leader for the event, is a senior consultant of the Alban Institute. Author of New Visions for the Long Pastorate and Personality Type and Religious Leader- ship, he widely known as an excellent teacher and workshop leader. Cost of the event is $245. For more information, call the Office of Continuing Education at 404/687- 4562. VANTAGE fc0 if / <5p m Institutional Advancement M. Genevra Kelly, Vice President If vou build it... New and outgoing officers of Columbia Friendship Circle, l-r. Judy Gregory secretary- historian; Mary McMillan, vice president; Nan Jones, immediate past president) Betty Simmons, president; Peggy Rowland, Presbytery of Greater Atlanta representative and Mary Evans, PW moderator, Synod of S outh Atlantic CFC to celebrate 50th anniversary In 1949 the Presbyterian women of the churches of Atlanta organized to become friends and supporters of Columbia Theological Seminary. This was the birth of Columbia Friendship Circle (CFC). Next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of CFC. A special celebration is being planned during "Come See Columbia Day" on April 15, 1999. All recipients of CFC scholarships and anyone who has interesting memories and stories about CFC are asked to send them to Barbara Poe at the seminary. The committee is compiling a scrapbook and a booklet on the past 50 years of CFC. Help make this an exciting celebration for the seminary! William Frank Harrington '60 (Th.M. '6V, left, and Charles Logan Landrum '34 Distinguished Service Awards presented Columbia's Alumni/ ae Association presented its Distinguished Service Award to Dr. W. Frank Harrington and Dr. C. Logan Landrum at the annual meeting of alumni /ae on April 20 during Colloquium. Harrington has been pastor of Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta for the past 26 years. Under liis leadership, Peachtree has grown and surpassed all other churches in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in membership. He has chaired the board of Presbyterian College and is a number of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Seminary. Both of these institutions have recognized his contributions by naming a building in his honor. Landrum has been an ordained Presbyterian pastor since 1928. He served five congregations as pastor and filled several interim pastorates as well. He has served on many commit- tees on the community, presbytery, synod, and General Assembly levels, including the committee that orga- nized Eckerd College. A resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, he has established endowment funds at two colleges and two seminaries, including Columbia, to provide financial aid to students. Leg T Read '99 Yoi m v> ri mi mi;ik a movie in w hich a tarmei . in response to a \ oice plow e< I up most ol his corn crop to build a baseball field Once he had done so, wonderful and mysterious things began to happen, both to him and to Ins family and friends. Throughout the movie, guiding the tarmei, was the voice. And the voice kepi saj ing, It you build it, they will come." While on the campus we're not hearing voices, the building theme i true Our lives these days are all about building in one form OI another -building plans, hope, buildings, a future. A number of people - trustees, faculty, students ,m^\ staff - have been working very hard to develop a long range plan for the seminary that will carry us toward the year 2020 You can see elsewhere m Vantage where and how Columbia is building now. Columbia is becoming a favorite visiting" place - to study foi a da) or two, to interview students, or to attend a lecture series or gathering Columbia is building, and the church is coming. Perhaps no relationship is quite as crucial as the relationships thai Columbia is blessed to have with its external seminary family We are an educational institution called by Cod to serve the church and prepare the best in leadership tor our future. We exist to sen e, ami v\ e cannot do so in isolation or on our own. To serve responsibly and well, we depend on guidance and support from our external family - the people in our churches. We need constant contacl with the people in the pews ^"d the pulpits, ,mc\ what they give to us is a vital part of our educational process. This mutual need foi support in so many different forms and the exciting vision in the long-range plan have led the semmarv to make some changes in the way it has approached part of its work of external relations. Our alumni /ae .m<.\ church relations office will be more sen ii e oriented, providing information on the re- sources Columbia has to offer and bringing information to the seminarv so that the programs we design continue to meet real needs let Harper and our communications office will be working on new wavs to communicate with Columbia growing audience, some of whom may be new to the Presbyterian Church and unfamiliar with this seminary and the Presbyterian mandate for excellence in its theologi- cal education. Stewardship is a particular issue for us. Committed to good donor Stewardship, we have .m obligation to use gifts as donors intended and to maintain accurate and complete information on those gifts. While the concept is simple, record keeping .u^\ Angu Mi | \ueen was dim toi oj develop hi ml at Union /'M / from 1994 to the present He joined Columbia's staff June 8. constant conta. t w ith donors and friends can be rather complii ated I o give Stewardship the attention it deserves we've formed an offii e of ad\ ancement sen ices under the leadership "t .Angus Mc( [ueen, a graduate <>i Union rheologii .ii Seminary in Virginia and ^ expert in the field ol systems development and information management. Finally, we know that it takes more than dedicated, talented, ,\nd faithful people to make a good institution into a gre.it one ll also takes tin, in. i.ii resouri ei We are i harged with the tasi >>i finding those resources so that we may keep the best m faculty and students, expand our service to the churches on<.\ graduates wi serve, and build the buildings we need. We see the ability to give as one of Cod's great blessings and our ongoing opportunities to help ,,,,, friends help us as a blessing received We are also privileged d.iilv ee the difference the generosit) ol friends makes in the life ol the school We remain constantly thankful for what they have ^\onc. ih, four of fices described abi are now unified under the name "Institutional Advancement." V\ i been charged with the task of finding those resources - human, financial, and informational - that will allow < olumbia to build tor its future, fa 33) that it is an exciting task is some- thing of ^m understatement, it isone of the most important tasks we have ever undertaken. It will be a lot ol hard work. But we also believe that we ire involved in an enterprise that represents more hope for God's world than anything else we can see. To be allowed to participate in that hope IS more than any of us could ask. Let us hear from von. You'll In' hearing from us. D SPRING/SUMMER 1998 For the Record If you have recent news to contribute to this section, please mail it to the editor or e-mail to harperj@CTSnet.edu. Barbara Holmes '95 has completed the PhD. at Vanderbilt Lmiverist) and is assistant professor ol ethics .it Memphis Theological Seminary ...Ed Forsyth '85 is associate pastor at Green Acres church, Portsmouth, VA. ..Perky Daniel '86 presented a paper, "Listening tor God's Word in a Fragmented World" at the pastor/ theologian consultation in Louisville, her article on grace and communion has been printed in Reformed I iturgy & Mush Journal Mark Jumper '82 is on the executive committee ot the Mili- tary Chaplains Association in Wash- ington, DC, chairs the Chaplains Committee of the Evangelical Presby- terian Church, and serves as district chaplain of the Seventh Coast Guard Pistnct in Miami Martin Song (DMin '88) is pastor of Ding-Chin church, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1 1< also teaches at Tainan Theological Semi- nary and is secretary of Sou-Son Presbyter) Darrell Guder, professor ol evangelism and church growth, consulted with German youth minis- try leaders at the Church of Wurttemberg Colorado Springs, lectured in Birmingham. AL, and taught a Bible study series at North Avenue church, Atlanta. He led a retreat and Sunday worship for First church, LaGrange, GA, taught a class at Columbia church, Decatur, and led a workshop on evangelism foi Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery Dr. Guder led a study trip to India and Korea with delegates from all Presbyterian seminaries He preached at South Highland church, Birming- ham, AL, and participated in hearings on "Missional Church" under the auspices of Gospel and Our Culture Network Rebecca Parker, director of continuing education, taught a series on Job and a six-week Sunday school series on women in the Bible at St Luke's Episcopal Church, Atlanta John Patton, professor of pastoral theology, gave three lectures ou "Forgiveness" at Central Baptist Seminary Cameron Murchison, professor of ministry, preached at Fourth church, Greenville, SC gave presentations on the Atonement at the Palma Ceia church, Tampa, I L, and led a workshop for the General Assembly Conference in Atlanta focusing on the Confessions and education. Marcia Riggs, associate professor of Christian ethics, preached at Randolph-Macon Woman's College for their Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in January. She lectured at Memphis Theological Seminary for the Black History Celebration, let tured and preached at Garrett- Evangelical Seminary, and conducted a workshop at St. Phillip A.M.E. Church, Atlanta. She lectured for a I Mb conference on models for Chris- tian higher education at Messiah College and was a participant in a research-writing Lilly-sponsored seminar ^ " The Child in Christian Thought" at Valparaiso University Fahed Abu-Akel '74, founder ,md executive director ol Atlanta Ministrj with International Students (AMIS), was honored at the AMIS twentieth anniversary celebration Joy Pruett '95 was ordained as a PC(USA) Resource Team for Spiritual Forma- tion Volunteer in Gainesville, GA James Hudnut-Beumler, exei urn e \ it e president, dean of faculty, and professor of religion and culture, addressed the annual meeting o\ the Witherspoon Society, Nashville, TN, on "Alternative Futures for the Presbyterian Church (USA)." James Maner '67 was honorably retired from the Nettleton and Unity i hurdles, Nettleton, MS Pam Bolerjack '91 is pastor of First church, In i rvville, AR Carlos Cardoza- BIRTHS To Stephen '87 and Catherine Nickle, a daughter, Sarah Frazier Morell, April 20, 1998. To David '90 .md Gretchen Gibbs, a daughter, Abigail Elizabeth Seidler, Iulv2v 1997 To Tod '91 and Becky Linafelt, a daughter, Eleanor Elizabeth, May 6, L998. To Jon '91 and Kim Wallace, a son, Andrew Scott, April 12, 1998. To Joe '97 and Jennifer Clifford, a son, John Thomas, Dec. 23, 1997. To Brent Ban \ '98 and Susan Cox, a daughter, Hannah Camille, Feb ID. 1998. To Kevin '98 and Angela Campbell, former staff associate in the Office ot Institutional Advancement, a son, Andrew Michael, Feb. 7, 1998. To Laura '99 and Jeffrey Furr-Vancini, a son, Samuel Lee, Jan. 26, 1998. To Tim, director oi the library, and Sarah '00 Browning, a daughter, Rachel Virginia, Feb is. 1998, adopted Feb. 21, 1998. DEAT1N Freeman Parker '36, April s. I Thomas ). White '45, June 1 1, 1997. William McAlilev '49, April 7, 1998. Johnstone L. Coppock '50 (ThM '58), Feb. 6, 1998. Keenan Willis '53, Ian. 30, 1998 Robert B. Wills '58, Dec 19, 1997. William B. Johnson '60, Feb. 24, 1998. Ernest T. Severs '60, June 8, 1997. Barry Kiger'h^, Jan. 26, 1998. Elizabeth Tourville '93 (MATS '91), Feb. 26, 1998. Marjorie Jacobs '96, May 8, 1998 Orlandi, instructor in world Chris- tianity, published an article in January's Theology Today jnd taught at United Theological College of the West Indies I le gave a presentation at the Conyers, GA, church in celebra- tion ot the "Year with Latin Ameri- cans" and was guest preacher at the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ ) in University Gardens, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He spoke at the North- east regional convention of the Hispanic Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Professor Cardoza-Orlandi gave the spirituality lectures at the s ( in Pablo Presbyterian Seminary in Menda, Mexico, and taught a Sunday school series on world Christianity at I irst church, Atlanta Ronald Stone '82 is pastor, First church, Muskogee, OK Thomas Aycock '73 is pastor, Ormond Beach church, FL Chuck Campbell, associate professor of homiletics, led a session ret i eat tor the Newnan, GA, church, co- led a session retreat for First church, Dalton, GA, and deliv- ered the Jameson Jones Lectures in Preaching at Duke Divinity S( hool Thomas Baughman '90 is pastor, First church, Lewisville, TX... Samuel Hobson '92 is pastor, New Hope church, Gastonia, NC Will Ormond '43, professor emeritus, led an interest group at Celebration '98 for Seniors, sponsored by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta at Peachtree church; preached at Druid Hills church, Atlanta; led a Bible study at Columbia church, Decatur; and preached at the Gainesville, AL, church as part of Heritage Weekend. Bert Carmichael '67 has retired following 25 years of hospital chap- laincy. He is now full-time chaplain and pastoral counselor for a physi- cians' group, Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers, Austell Walter Brueggemann, professor of Old Testament, gave lectures at Notre Dame University, Lutheran School of Theology, Nazarene Seminary, Perkins School of Theology, Church of God School of Theology, and the Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies. He preached at First church, Greens- boro, NC; First church, Durham, NC; All Saints Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA; and Pulaski Heights United Methodist, Little Rock, AR. His articles appeared in The Witness, Word mid World, Reformed World, and a reprint was published in Social- Si ientific Old Testament Criticism Susan Moorefield New- ton '92 is teaching New Testament at Presbyterian College and is parish associate at Nazareth church, Spartanburg, SC. George Stroup, professor of theology, preached at the Davidson, NC, church and delivered the Helen Leckie Bible Lectures at First church of Huntington, WV Douglas Hughes '83 is pastor of Jones Memorial church, Meridian, MS Mark Kayser '84 is pastor of Covenant church, Monroe, LA Taylor Phillips '85 is associate pastor, Faith church, Talla- hassee, FL Ernestine Cole, associate dean of students, attended an interna- tional theological conference in Israel, participated in a Health Ministries Conference at Pittsburgh Seminary, and the National Black Presbyterians Caucus meeting in Winston-Salem, NC. She preached at I lillside church, Decatur, GA, conducted a workshop at the Presbyterian Women's annual conference in Madison, GA, and taught the women's Bible study lesson at tiie Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta gather- ing at First church Jerome Ferrari '89 (DMin '94) is chaplain of the middle school and a faculty member in the Bible department, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN. Robert Ramey, professor emeri- tus, preached at Covenant church, Albany, GA; John Knox church, Marietta, GA; and the Carrollton, GA, church. He led a preaching mission for First church, Rockingham, NC, and taught a Bible study series for North Avenue church, Atlanta. Dr. Ramey led spiritual growth retreats for Flint River Presbytery; Timberridge church, McDonough, GA; Fayette church, Fayetteville, GA; Nashville, NC, United Methodist Church; and Methodist ministers in eastern North Carolina Gary Califf (DMin'86) is pastor, Crestview church, West Chester, OH Phil Gehman '68, vice president for student life and dean of students, attended meetings of PC(USA) placement officers in Louisville and PC(USA) seminary deans of students in Chicago Lee Carroll '68, associate professor and director of supervised ministry, is board president of the Urban Training Organization of Atlanta. He recently traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, to consult with the United Theological College of the West Indies about possible revisions in their field education program and to orient supervising pastors for their work with interns from Atlanta seminaries. He led a long-range planning retreat for the session of North Decatur, GA, Continued on page 7 Vantage Volume 86, No. 1, Spring 1998 Published quarterly by Columbia Theological Seminary Circulation: 25,000 The Office of Institutional Advancement 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 con tin it ed from page 6 church, and hosted the fourth annual consultation of Center-City Pastor Stephen Mann '94 is part-time parish associate at St. Luke's church, Dunwoody, GA. Laura Aull Johnston '90 is part- time campus minister for the McKinley Foundation, Champaign, IL George Telford '58, director of advanced studies and associate professor of theology and church, led a group of pastors to Cuba in April to study and visit the Presbyterian church there. The group met with the moderator and general secretary of the Presbyterian church in Cuba and visited Presbyterian congregations. They also visited the Evangelical Seminary in Matanzas, meeting students and faculty, the New Pines Seminary near Santa Clara, and the Roman Catholic seminary in Havana Albert Freundt '56 is honorably retired from the faculty, Reformed Theological Seminary; he continues as stated clerk of both Mississippi Presbytery and Synod of Living Waters. Will Coleman, associate professor of theology and hermeneutics, has an article in the Lent '98 issue of Journal for Preacher*, taught a Bible study on Revelation, Westhills church, Atlanta, and was anniversary speaker at Trinity church, Decatur. He led a Bible study and presented "Issues of Race and Power in Cross-Cultural Relations and Responses to Global Realities" at the World Alliance of Reformed Churches' Atlanta meeting. He made other presentations at Emory University and Druid Hills and First churches, Atlanta Bob Veazey '91 is pastor of the Elkin, NC, church George Fitzgerald '57 is honorablv retired from Purity church, Chester, SC Wade Huie '46, profes- sor emeritus, taught a doctoral supervised ministry course on campus and spoke at dedication services tor Westminster churches, Gainesville, FL, and Snellville, GA. He led ser- vices of renewal at James Island church, Charleston, SC; a family retreat for Macland church, Marietta, GA; preached at Reid Memorial church, Augusta, GA; and spoke about Columbia to the DeKalb His- torical Society Kathy McLean Moore '97 is interim associate pastor at the Palms church, Ponte Vedra, FL Jim Reinarz '97 is pastor of Southwest church, Wichita, KS Ann Clay Adams, director of admissions, led a workshop at the National From the Bookstore No. of copies New titles by Columbia faculty members: Missional Church: A Visum for the Sending of the Church in North America edited by Darrell Guder Retail Columbia price price $26.00 $22.06 The seventh volume in the Columbia Series in Reformed Theology: Reformed Confessions: Theology from Zurich to Barmen by Jan Rohls $35.00 $29.71 Total amount for books Shipping and handling: orders under $20.00, add $4.50; from $20.00 to $49.99, add $6.00; over $50.00, add $7.50. All books shipped via United Parcel Service. Residential deliveries add $1.00 Georgia residents: add seven 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. Professor of Old Testament Walter Brueggemann was presented with the introduction of a festschrift in honoi ofhis sixty-fifth birthdayby theeditors Tim Beal 'SI left assistant professor oj religious studies at 1 ckerd ( ollege, and rod I mutch 93 assistant professoi of theology at Georgetown University. God in the I raj Essays in Honor of Walter Brueggemann will be released by I ortress Press in I v< embei Brueggemann was recently honored by the Academy oj Parish Clergy with its Booh oj the Year award for his ["neology oi the I )ld Testament. Name (as it appears on card) Street address for UPS delivery: City State. _Zip. Phone Prices subject to change as determined by publishers Please send this completed order form to: CTS Bookstore, P.O. Box 520, Decatur, GA 30031; or call 404/687-4550. Council of Churches' Young Adult Event, "Come to the least". Brian McCormick (MATS '96) is in his fourth season as naturalist guide in Alaska's Denah National Park, where he works in the Wilderness Center. His work includes assisting in wor- ship services Diane Walker '88 is chaplain at MetroHealth Center, North Olmsted, OH Harold Prince, librarian emeritus, was number three in South Carolina and number III in Southern 80-year-okl singles in the 1997 official senior tennis rankings Tim Fulop, assistant dean of faculty, taught at St. Andrew Presbytery, conducted faculty grant- seeking seminars for the Association of Theological Schools at Southwest- ern Baptist Theological Seminary co^\ at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, and an adult Sunday school class at Smyrna church, Comers, GA. Dr. Fulop has been named dean ol the faculty, vice president lor academii affairs, ^n^.\ associate professor ol religion at King College I le begins his duties there Jul) I Bonneau Dickson '33 and William Adams '56 were named executive presbyters emeriti by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta ..Walter Dinkins '88 is wing chaplain at NAS-Whidbey Island, WA. He organized a humanitarian medical and dental services outri a< h program on the island of Kinmati in the Central Pacific David Torrey '96 is stated supply at the Helen, GA, church Clyde Wray '65 is honorably retired from Murray Hill church, Jacksonville, FL Stan Wood, director of the Center for New Church Development, preached at Sheppards and Lapslej Presbytery and led a retre.it w ith Church of Scotland national staff, church extension ministers, and professors to develop a church extension guide for the Church of Scotland. He led a workshop and ,i seminar .it East Tennessee Presbyter) and preached at Farragut i huri h, knoxville, 'FN. Dr.Wood condui ted new church development seminars at Pueblo, Pines, Memphis, .nut 1 nml\ presbyteries, prea< hed al 1 ovenant church, Monroe, FA, and Advent church, Memphis 1 le led a seminar and workshop with Yellowstone and Glacier presbyteries and at the New Church Development Pastor/Spouse Retrc.it in I ouisville Charles Evans '78 is interim pastor, First church, Elberton, GA Ben Johnson, professoi ol Christian spirituality, wasscholai in residence, lust church, San Antonio, TX, m fanuary, conducted the offii ers' retreal and t"r,i> hed .>i i irsl i hur< h, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl , c\nd was keynote speaker and workshop leadei al Miami Presb) ter) I le led an "Hi' ei retreal foi I irsl chur< h, South Bend, IN, w.is keynote speaker .it Leading i,, mm row 's ( hur< h < onferent e .it I ord >>t Life l utheran Church, Minne apolis, led a spiritualitj retreal it the Synod oi the I rinity, and prea< hed al I hiton church, Newport News, v \ Michael Chaney '95 is pastor of Pleasant Hill church, Statham, ..Brad Smith '88, assO( iate pastor ot Spring Valley chun h, I olumbia SC, and "Souper Bow I" founder and coordinator, has raised nearly $3 million over the life of the annual anti- hunger drive Charles Cousar '58, professor of New Testament, is teaching sessions m Atlanta-area churches: Fastmmster, Stone Moun- tain, Roswell, Decatur, ^\ \1< Donough. fie has ,m article in the [anuary issue of Interpretation, He led an Officers' retreat at First church, Darlington, SC, and was keynote aker at the Conference for Older Adults in Montreat, NC Tim Foster '91 is moderator-elect of the Presbytery of Memphis. SPRING/SUMMER 1998 D. Cameron Murchison, Jr. was inaugurated as professot of ministry in Columbia's chapel during the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees. In his address, "Corrected I ision: Ministry in Manifold Perspectives," Professor Murchison used the metapho) of different photographic lenses to talk about the importance of doing ministry with views to the distant future the wide angle of the contemporary context ami, above all the snap shot view afforded by the normal lense He stressed the value of educating ministers to work well with the specific issues of congregations and the Christians in them With him is Florida Ellis of Atlanta, board member and chair of the board's Academic Affairs Committee. MOVING or RECEIVING DUPLICATE COPIES? Help us be better stewards by letting us know about your move ahead of time. Please attach the mailing label from this publicati. >n If you are receiving duplicate copies of Vantage, please send us the labels, and we will update our records. New address: Name Street City State Zip Class Date new address effective Please return to Vantage, Columbia Seminary, P.O. Box 520, Decatur, GA 30031, or you nun/ e-mail changes to the editoi at harperjG CTSnet edu Vantage P.O. Box 520 Decatur, Georgia 30031 404/378-8821; www.CTSnet.edu CONTENTS Commencement '98 1 Florida Hall renovation begins 1 Two tempos 2 New faculty appointed 2 D.Min. course offered in North Carolina 2 Continuing Education, Lay Institute Calendar 4 Continuing Education, Lay Institute offerings 4 Columbia Friendship Circle to celebrate 5 I distinguished Service Awards presented 5 If you build it 3 For the Record 6 From the Bookstore 7 Periodicals Postage Paid at Decatur, GA Publication No. 124160 COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY